Merkava74's TFA FOTK Build Thread (Anovos)

[merkava74[TK]]

Finally, after having bits and pieces except the armour since 2017, I managed to get my hands on an ANOVOS TFA kit, and so finally my build can commence!

 

Armour, Helmet and Neck Seal: Anovos TFA

Gaskets: Imperial Gaskets (rubber)

Boots and Gloves: Imperial boots

Undersuit: Stormtrooperundersuit

F11D Blaster: 3D Print

 

As I build, I will be linking those parts here for easy reference instead of scrolling through every post. Disclaimer: I am intending to build this to Level 3 certification, so hopefully the CRL doesn't change drastically during my build. Comments are welcome!

 

And here's the kit in all its glory. Washed with mild soap to remove any release agents that might be on the plastic. 

 

 

The basic tools that I am using:

 

Cutting and Sanding

Proxxon Handheld Jigsaw for cutting ABS: https://www.proxxon.com/us/micromot/38530.php

Belt Sander for fast sanding

Proxxon Handheld Belt Sander for finer but still fast sanding: https://www.proxxon.com/us/micromot/38536.php

Files, various grades of sandpaper for final sanding

 

Adhesives

CA Glue for small quick joints

Weicon epoxy for final and large joints: https://www.weicon.de/en/applications/bonding-and-sealing/linking-major-parts/for-large-bond-gaps/54/easy-mix-n-50-epoxy-adhesive

Weicon Epoxy glue dispenser gun and mixing nozzle

 

Cutting the pieces

Every piece was first outlined with a marker pen to understand where to cut off. I tool care to use references and other build threads to see where there would be return edges, and where there wouldn't. Golden rule: MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE. 

 

 

BUILD INDEX

 

CHEST PART 1

CHEST PART 2

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 1

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 2

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 3

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 4

YOKE AND BACK
FOREARMS PART 1
FOREARM BAD PULL REPAIR

FOREARMS PART 2

THIGHS

BICEPS

HELMET

HANDPLATES

COD PIECE PART 1

COD PIECE PART 2

POSTERIOR PIECE PART 1

POSTERIOR PIECE PART 2

SHOULDER BELLS PART 1

SHOULDER BELLS PART 2

ABDOMEN PART 1

ABDOMEN PART 2

SHOULDER TABS

SHINS PART 1

SHINS PART 2

BELT BOXES PART 1

BELT BOXES PART 2

BELT POUCHES PART 1

BELT POUCHES PART 2

BELT ASSEMBLY

ANKLE SPATS PART 1

ANKLE SPATS PART 2

GASKETS PART 1

GASKETS PART 2

LEGS ASSEMBLY

 

COMPLETED PHOTOS

SUITED UP PHOTOS

CRL CLARIFICATIONS

 

THIGHS AND BICEPS INNER SEAM OVERLAP

 

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by merkava74

[merkava74[TK]]

CHEST

 

First up, I wanted to tackle the chest piece, as this to me was the most iconic of the FOTK. 

 

To cut out the 6 oval pill holes, I sanded down the indents from the back. By doing this, you are ensured of identical holes once you sand the indents flat. 

 

Here's all six of them sanded flat from the back:

 

And this is how it finally looks from the front. Pretty satisfied with it, I must say. 

 

Next up, to tackle the chest pill box. I drew the outline of the resin attachment from the back, and then proceeded to cut the rectangle out CAREFULLY.

 

Truly a heart-stopping step. 

 

I test-fitted it onto the chest. Glad it was a good fit, and I didn't have much to fill later. 

 

Next, I removed the slot from the pillbox, and from the back, I also created notches so that later when I apply epoxy putty around the pillbox, it would hold much better, compared to just the being held by only the rectangular frame of the cut-out. 

 

Glued the pillbox in place using CA, and then proceeded to apply 2-part epoxy putty around the back and front. 

 

 

 

This is how it looked dried and sanded down. That pillbox is not going anywhere!

 

 

The front after sanding down.

 

And finally, after a coat of primer. Again, pretty satisfied with the result. It does not look like 2 pieces. 

 

Calling the chest piece done! 

 

Stay tuned for the next part...

 

UPDATE:

 

I realised that my head is small enough for me to slot through the yoke WITH the chest piece attached. As such, I will be fixing the chest piece onto the yoke. I didn't like the way the 2 sharp ends of the chest piece will pop up, and since I can now put my head through, I decided to drill 2 holes onto the yoke, where the chest piece sharp ends are going to be. Then I will glue 2 bolts under the chest piece, go through the yoke, and secure the other side with nuts. 

 

Here are the holes:

 

And here is the chest piece attached to the yoke via the 2 bolts.

 

This is how it looks like from the inside. The excess bolt will be shaved off. 

 

I reinforced the bolts with epoxy putty, making the sharp ends much stronger, and the bolts secure. 

 

Finally, the chest piece with the greeblies added, primed and sanded with 1500 grit. This piece is now ready for the painters. 

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by merkava74

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work looking forward to the progress.

 

FYI the TFA CRL went under an updated only a few months ago so shouldn't change. TLJ will be undergoing some updates in the next few months.

 

Good luck with the build 

[JAFO[TK]]

Great work Jasper! Knowing you this kit will be nailed in no time.


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[Sly11[Admin]]

Awesome Jasper, looking forward to watching your progression.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

I'll speak with Glen to see if we can get some new photos up pronto

[merkava74[TK]]

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 1

 

Now to tackle this part which I find to be most time-consuming due to the fact that the CRL states "no visible seams" and the darn thing comes in 5 pieces....

 

The first part of the TD build will focus on the top part, while part 2 will focus on the flat plate, and part 3 will focus on how the back plate joins with the back of the abdomen piece.

This is the TD after gluing the 2 end caps and 2 halves together.

 

 

And after applying epoxy putty to the joints:

 

 

After the putty dried, it was several repetitions of sanding, , priming, more putty, sanding, priming, more putty, sanding, priming....

And the results:

 

 

End of Part 1

Edited May 21, 2020 by merkava74

[JAFO[TK]]

Nailed it again! Easy work for a man of your skills JT


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[ukswrath[Staff]]

6 minutes ago, merkava74 said:

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 1

 

Now to tackle this part which I find to be most time-consuming due to the fact that the CRL states "no visible seams" and the darn thing comes in 5 pieces....

 

The first part of the TD build will focus on the top part, while part 2 will focus on the flat plate, and part 3 will focus on how the back plate joins with the back of the abdomen piece.

This is the TD after gluing the 2 end caps and 2 halves together.

 

And after applying epoxy putty to the joints:

 

After the putty dried, it was several repetitions of sanding, , priming, more putty, sanding, priming, more putty, sanding, priming....

And the results:

End of Part 1

Awesome work on that TD Jasper

[merkava74[TK]]

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 2

 

After settling the tube portion, I moved on to attaching it to what I call the back plate. Looking at the physics of it, I think this joint will be weak as it will only be held together by the thin frame of the rectangle on the tube part to the back plate, and the area of contact is really tiny. There's not much to sit on, and if there's any knocks during troop, I am afraid of risking it breaking off. 

 

This is the joint, and I don't think it's strong enough:

 

So I decided to reinforce the inside of the tube with a 3mm thick strip of acrylic, with 2 bolts fixed onto it, which I will tighten to the back of the back plate. The long strip will pull the tube down towards the back plate and form a really secure hold. 

 

This is where I will drill the holes through the acrylic strip and the backplate for alignment:

 

And this is how the acrylic strip looks like with the 2 bolts CA glued to it, and then epoxy glued around it. Yes, call me paranoid. 

 

And this is how the strip looks inside the tube portion. I made 2 balls of epoxy putty at the ends to hold the flat strip down on the curvature of the tube ends.

 

Then, I applied my Weicon glue around the inside of the rectangular edge, put the 2 bolts through the 2 corresponding holes in the back plate, and secured it from the back with 2 nuts, clamp the whole thing down and let dry:

 

This is how it looks after drying. Super tight and secure! No wobble, no play. 

 

 

Then comes the ever dreadful task of achieving "no visible seams" in the CRL. Epoxy putty, sanding, priming, putty, sanding, priming.... you know the drill. 

 

 

 

At the same time, I added the lip which will hook on to the back of the abdomen piece. Do note that instead of gluing it right at the top of the back plate, I glued it further down, so that the hook will be as close to the back plate as possible, which will in turn ensure that when hooked on, the back of the abdomen piece will be closed up and there are no gaps between the TD back plate and the back of the abdomen piece when worn. 

 

So, after many (insert vulgarity here) rounds of puttying and sanding, I am finally calling this part done. I can still see a few imperfections, but I am willing to let it slide, and the white paint and gloss coat later on will hide most of it anyway. Here is the finished TD part 2:

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by merkava74

[JAFO[TK]]

You certainly went the extra mile on that mod


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[merkava74[TK]]

2 minutes ago, JAFO said:

You certainly went the extra mile on that mod


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To make sure that the damn thing gives me many extra miles! Haha!

[Sly11[Admin]]

Beautiful work on the TD, I'm loving the attention to detail.

[merkava74[TK]]

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 3

 

So hooking on the TD to the abdomen, you will notice that the gap is huge, and there is a curve with the back of the abdomen piece that makes it worse. So what I intended to do was to use magnets to try and bring it closer. It also helps during trooping that the TD is not going to slide or worse, unhook itself and fall off. 

 

Here is the gap that I am talking about. Ugly:

 

So what I did was to stuff 4 balls of epoxy putty on the inside of the back plate of the TD, and while they are wet, place 4 stacks of magnets on them. These are the places that I want to have the most strength to pull the abdomen and the TD together. I placed the magnet stacks lightly, making sure that they PROTRUDE out of the back plate when seen from the side:

 

Then it was simply to hook the TD on the abdomen piece, have corresponding magnets on the inside of the abdomen piece, and reinforce with more temporary magnets so that the epoxy putty gets pressed, and the permanent magnets inside sit EXACTLY on the abdomen piece, ensuring the strongest pull to the ones behind the abdomen piece. Not sure if I have confused anyone already, but here's the photo. Already, you can see that the pull of the magnets has closed the gap between the TD back plate and the abdomen piece. Success!

 

The magnets inside the abdomen piece. They are temporary, as I have not decided how I want the abdomen piece to close at the back. 

 

After letting the epoxy putty dry, I took it out, and reinforced around the magnets with another wad of putty, to ensure that the magnets do not move or fall off in future. Yes I am THAT paranoid. This does make the TD a little heavier, but I feel it is well worth the peace of mind and the aesthetic look of it sitting flush against the abdomen piece. 

 

Finally, another test fit without the temporary magnets. It sits nicely, the gap is almost gone! Looking good! 

 

So, this marks the end of the TD part build. A little more putty and sanding in places where I feel can be improved, and this part is ready for the paintshop. 

Edited May 22, 2020 by merkava74

[JAFO[TK]]

Gotta love magnets! I use them on my TDs - such a worthwhile mod.


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[merkava74[TK]]

Gotta love magnets! I use them on my TDs - such a worthwhile mod.

Yeah! They’re neat, invisible and effective. I think I’m addicted to them.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Beautiful work, well done

[ukswrath[Staff]]

16 hours ago, merkava74 said:

THERMAL DETONATOR PART 3

 

So hooking on the TD to the abdomen, you will notice that the gap is huge, and there is a curve with the back of the abdomen piece that makes it worse. So what I intended to do was to use magnets to try and bring it closer. It also helps during trooping that the TD is not going to slide or worse, unhook itself and fall off. 

 

 

Your backplate should keep it in place but the magnets is definitely a nice touch. In addition the movie had a strip of Velcro that is fed through the bottom of the TD and secured under the waist belt thus help preventing it from moving up and becoming unhinged. Just a thought if you're interested.

 

Reference photo

 

 

I did something similar on mine

[JAFO[TK]]

In addition the movie had a strip of Velcro that is fed through the bottom of the TD and secured under the waist belt thus help preventing it from moving up and becoming unhinged.

Given the TFA TD was 1.5kg of solid resin that Velcro was essential!


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[ukswrath[Staff]]

26 minutes ago, JAFO said:

 

Given the TFA TD was 1.5kg of solid resin that Velcro was essential!


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I suspect so 

[merkava74[TK]]

Your backplate should keep it in place but the magnets is definitely a nice touch. In addition the movie had a strip of Velcro that is fed through the bottom of the TD and secured under the waist belt thus help preventing it from moving up and becoming unhinged. Just a thought if you're interested.
 
I did something similar on mine

Yes I am using your build thread as a great reference too! I was meaning to cut that slot, but after the magnets, there really is no need for me. It is not moving! But thanks Tony!

[merkava74[TK]]

YOKE AND BACK

 

This is a pretty straightforward part to complete. The key thing is to glue the 3 parts together properly, and get it puttied and sanded to look like 1 solid piece. So I'm not going to show the pieces, but start at the gluing stage. Spare no clips or magnets so you get a nice solid bond. 

 

How the inside looks:

 

And after puttying, sanding and priming:

 

 

That's really all for this part. Having said that, I will be trimming the arm opening later when I can get the chest piece fitted to form a nice smooth opening. 

 

Also, there's still the shoulder metal plates that are going to protrude out of the side of the yoke, strappings, velcroes and magnets to go on this part. Till then!

Edited May 22, 2020 by merkava74

[merkava74[TK]]

QUESTION: THIGH/SHIN/BICEPS INNER SEAM OVERLAP

 

Here's a question for the Detachment costume staff to chime in please. 

 

So, the CRL for Level 3 certification for Thighs and Biceps state: "The inner seam should be overlapped". No mention of that for the shins. 

 

Using the Right Thigh inner seam as an example, my question is: Is the photo below considered overlapped?There already is a natural shim on the ABS for the 2 halves to sit nicely against each other. Or is the CRL saying that 1 half must be OVER the other half?

 

Photo 1: Right Thigh Inner Seam from the outside:

 

From the inside:

 

If I go beyond where both pieces naturally sit, then the front half is now OVER the back half:

 

Technically, this means overlap? Looks ugly, and I prefer the earlier interpretation of them sitting against each other, but if this is what the CRL demands, then I guess I'll do this. Same for the biceps. Just wanted to know before I glue them down. 

 

Let me know, please. 

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by merkava74

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Overlap simply means to overlap the other side. How your armor was made makes this task very simple for you. No need to overlap past the point where it looks like it should stop.

 

As for the shins, unless you have exceptionally skinny feet there's no way to put on the shins without an entry section which is the inside seam for a couple reasons. 

 

Hope this helps

[merkava74[TK]]

On 2/22/2020 at 11:07 AM, ukswrath said:

Overlap simply means to overlap the other side. How your armor was made makes this task very simple for you. No need to overlap past the point where it looks like it should stop.

 

As for the shins, unless you have exceptionally skinny feet there's no way to put on the shins without an entry section which is the inside seam for a couple reasons. 

 

Hope this helps

Thanks Tony! Makes a lot of sense. Which means this is acceptable for the biceps and thighs:

 

Yes I understand what you meant with the Shins. There is definitely an entry section, unlike the thighs and biceps, where I can glue them shut. 

 

Thank you again!

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by merkava74