Shinyarmour1 AP ANH Stunt First Build

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Back to the ammo belt.  I've trimmed and sanded the buttons for the belt

 

I drilled the holes for the connection to the canvas belt.  I'm using Chicago screws for a non permanent because I am building for long term.  If my canvas belt needs replacing in the future, it will be easy to do so with Chicago screws.

 

Same for the drop boxes.  Easy to replace the elastic when it stretches in the distant future using Chicago screws.

 

Does not appear to have any gaps.  Still working on the measurements of the canvas belt snap location to the Ab plate.  Trying to get it to look even and straight.  

 

I've also trimmed the excess from my canvas belt and sewn it up.

 

 

I've only  done 1 of the drop boxes because I want to know if everything looks correct first.  Do I need to trim any more from the top/bottom of the ammo belt for L3 approval?  I've read several build threads and triple checked the measurements; some have pass L3 by removing most of the top/bottom and others have passed without removing anymore.  When I know, I'll adjust the drop box elastic (if needed) and apply the same measurements for the other side. 
 

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

2 hours ago, Shinyarmour1 said:

've only  done 1 of the drop boxes because I want to know if everything looks correct first.  Do I need to trim any more from the top/bottom of the ammo belt for L3 approval?  I've read several build threads and triple checked the measurements; some have pass L3 by removing most of the top/bottom and others have passed without removing anymore.  When I know, I'll adjust the drop box elastic (if needed) and apply the same measurements for the other side. 

 

 

That ammo Belt looks good Trooper, well done ! . A note For L3.  You may want  to move the drop boxes a bit more to de edge of the ABS Belt, a popular solution is to make a round cut to the strap to allow the Drop box  best position to keep it from moving you can add a bit E6000 .

 

 

 

Front view                                                                            Back view                                                     

 

   

             

 

Reference 

 

 

 

 

Keep on doing a great work 

 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Thanks for pointing that out Mario.  Fortunately I hadn't got round to gluing the elastic onto the belt, so l can shift those along to the edge.  Here is what it will look like when I eventually glue the buttons over the Chicago screws

 

Taking the measurements from other builds, I marked the holes for the holster.
20mm from the belt edge
15mm from the bottom of the canvas belt
120mm between the holster holes
 

 

I was about to attach the belt onto the Ab plate, whilst remembering to have it slightly covering the bottom of the buttons for screen accuracy.

 

But after doing dozens of measurement checks, I found that after measuring and marking the holes through the Ab plate onto the canvas belt for the snaps, the holes are offset.  The left hole on the belt (my left side) lines up with the Chicago screws, however, the right hole is lower down.  When I clamped it to the Ab plate, the belt appears to be straight and even for lower button coverage, but not the hole placement.

 

I have read through lots of build threads and almost every other belt has the holes level and aligned with the pop rivets or snaps they use for the belt to canvas attachment.  I'm not sure what to do about this.  Should I drill a new hole (my right side) a little higher on the Ab plate to compensate for even snap installment on the belt, or just leave it and make the holes where I have measured?  I am open to any and all suggestions.
 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

As you have the belt here in this image is does look higher on one side, I would probably try to check the measurements again. It can also make a difference when worn, normally you have a slight angle upwards towards the back on the sides so test fitting with ab and kidney on can be helpful

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

I decided to go back and finish my shoulder bridges and chest/back plate connection.  I glued the strips into all the slots and then glued a thick extra layer of ABS (about half the width of the bridges) to strengthen and allow some flexibility.

 

Al least now I can rest knowing that little extras going to help.
 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Now to finish my shins.  The left shin is already assembled, I've just finished the right with the coverstrips.

 

The shins line up much better at the back after several hot water bathes. This makes the velcro connection better in appearance and performance.

 

I've also placed the velco on the inside for the boot attachment.

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Getting back to the belt/snap conundrum.   I've taped up the torso to better display the belt placement.  Here you can see it is level and even, but as I have mentioned before, the snap are not even.  The snaps are lined with the rivets almost level in other builds.  The snap on the left (my left hand side) lines up with the Chicago screw no problem, but the right hand snap is much lower.  I'm thinking of drilling a new hole slightly higher in the Ab plate to even the belt and that would make the snaps level with the screws as well. 

 

Any thoughts about this idea?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Appears your AB plate is on an angle which may be causing the height difference

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

See the thing is that the kidney plate is crooked.  So when the Ab plate is straight, the kidney is on a slight angle leaning to the left, which means the canvas belt at the back will give the illusion of being on an angle and raised on the left side.  And the buttons on the front, the large panel blue button would be slightly overlapped (screen accurate), but the small panel blue button would be concealed completely.  Also, the Ab plate position is not too much on an angle and it feels comfortable and even for my thighs to sit in.   When I have the chest plate strapped in and level, surly it won't be noticeable.  I've looked at many Centurion pics and found it hard to see the angle of the Ab/kidney plates.

 

I greatly appreciate all the advice and info everyone has provided to me.  I did not expect something so simple like the snap placement on a belt to be so much trouble.  

 

Having a second look at the photo, the chest plate was not secured properly onto the ab plate.  It's possible that the chest is on an angle, but it makes the rest of the suit look tilted.  

Edited January 26, 2021 by Shinyarmour1

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Does my butt plate need to be tucked in a bit more?  This is what it will look like, but I'm not sure if the snaps are okay to be seen.

 

I could give it a bath to hide it better changing it to this.
      

 

It doesn't look like it needs adjusting, but I wanted to ask before moving on.
 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Shinyarmour1

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Here are the thighs.  The left was simple, the right took a little longer with the curve coverstrip.  I did what others recommended and glue half of the bottom strip, leave for 48 hours, then slightly curve the top of the strip, glue and wait another 48 hours.  Worked like a charm.  Then I just had to glue the back coverstrip with the tab to keep the bottom ridges level and even. 

 

As far as it goes for the back coverstrips, how would I trim the tops of them?  If I follow the direction of the two halves, that will create a point on top of the coverstrip that will stick into me every time I walk.  So I'm going to do the backs the same as the fronts, I just don't know the height of the strips for this.  The red line is under the return edge and blue line is the top of the return.

 

Also, a question about the thigh ammo belt before I start drilling the holes.  I've already given it a hot water bath to go around my thigh, but should I trim about 2mm more off the top and bottom?  Would that make it more screen accurate or should I leave it as is?

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Great work, and I love your documentation! I think you’ll find that screen references show less material on both the top and bottom of the thigh ammo pack than what you currently have. I say shave a bit more, adjust the curves at the ends, and you’ll be golden!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Butt plate looks ok to me.

 

There is no set rule for ends of cover strips, most try to follow the angle of the armor pieces

 

 

Personally I would trim like this (green)

 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

On 1/27/2021 at 12:10 PM, MaskedVengeance said:

Great work, and I love your documentation! I think you’ll find that screen references show less material on both the top and bottom of the thigh ammo pack than what you currently have. I say shave a bit more, adjust the curves at the ends, and you’ll be golden!

Thanks, I try to be detailed in my build not just for me, but to help any future troopers with AP kits.  Although it is not as descriptive and photo heavy as other build threads, I still want it to be helpful for those soon to be troopers. 

 

I've fixed the thigh ammo pack as you have recommended, I trimmed 2mm off the top and bottom so it looks more screen accurate.  I got to work on drilling the holes for the split rivets; the ammo belt I measured 10mm from the top and from the edge.  The thigh  measured 7mm from the top and 15mm from the back edge.

 

I used a dab of 6000 to keep the ammo belt in place.

 

I took your advice Glen for the back coverstrips and trimmed to follow the edges.  Are they good or should I remove some more?

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

On to the most crucial part of the build...the helmet.  It's been fun and exhausting all at the same time, but that's what makes it all worth it when it's completed.  I am so glad I had the helmet trimmed, because I would be so nervous about cutting and drilling the faceplate myself.  I did not want to use the decals supplied, so I went down the 'paint everything' road.
I started small an worked on painting the ears.

 

Then I painted the frown.

 

And the traps.

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

The ear holes don't quite align in the drilled holes on the helmet, and the screws will not align with the trap.  So I'm going to drill a new hole on the top to make it more screen accurate.

 

Same for the other side

 

 

I purchased a hard hat for the inside of the bucket and removed the unwanted parts.

 

The inside will be velcro for a non permanent build.  I don't want any glue inside my bucket (especially E6000), and it will back it easier to replace or upgrade any interior parts.

 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Tube stripe stencils that I printed off, carefully cut out and tape many times over and over again to get the position just right and even on both sides.

 

After 2 coats and some tooth picking later, the tube strips are done.  It took me about 1/2 hour on each side to carefully remove the paint bleed, and I am very pleased with the results.

 

Now the last detail to paint is the vocorder.  It was a little tricky to see where the vocorder lines would be on the edge, so after looking at several reference images, I used a pencil to draw the lines in.  That helped me a lot and it made painting easier.

 

That's all the exterior detail painted on the face plate.

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Hovi mic tips

 

I had trouble getting the ears to fit on the overlapping helmet parts.  Because the ears are trimmed flat and the helmet is curved.  I found in a build thread about sanding the ears with a notch cut into it for a better flush fit.  I was very nervous about doing this because the helmet is the most important part of the build and I so afraid of screwing it up.  But, I took my time gradually trimming a curve shape on the tops of the ears and a notch for the overlap, and found this to work out well.

 

They fit in much better now and the ear screws are aligned with the trap line.
 

 

Now I paint the inside of the helmet.

 

S-trim ''Thank you Trooperbay''

 

Here is the result, and it's been well worth it.

 

There are probably some details that need fixing which I might have overlooked.  Please let me know if any adjustments are required, I am open to all suggestions.

[husky68[TK]]

Your attention to detail and efforts will pay off in the end. Keep up the good work.


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[MightyAtom[TK]]

Amazing work! It's quite a feeling of accomplishment to nail the small details.

Sent from my Imperial Comlink

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Awesome !! Well done  

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Beautiful work 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Thanks for the kind remarks everyone, I'm glad to see my hard work is paying off.  

 

I've done the inner strapping for the torso

 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

And here is the complete setup.

 

Straight away after taking these pictures,  I could see a few adjustments that need to be fixed.  
1. The left forearm is slightly higher up compared to the right forearm, it has to be lowered.
2. The left thigh had twisted too far, I only need to twist it back into the correct position.

 

Apart from that, do you see any other tweaks and fixes that might be required?
 

[Shinyarmour1[TK]]

Look what just arrived in the mail today...my 3D printed Blaster finally arrived.  

 

I'm going to sand the parts to remove the print lines, and so that the paint adheres better.  For the difficult to reach areas, I'll coat those with a filler and then sand smooth.