My first ANH TK Build-Assistance Welcome! (ATA)

[Phat Rob]

Thanks Mario for the awesome reference! Arm work this time around consisted of sanding the tops and bottoms of all bicep pieces. I've kept the butted ends unsanded until I get a nod for gluing. The cover strips were measured at 15 mms across.

 

Pretty short n sweet for this post. If everything checks out I await anyone's recommendations or approval for gluing the front areas.

As always, I appreciate your support, time and help.

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Hi Rob! Here is an image/link from my own ATA build which might be helpful to you, although I know Mario already fixed you up with a good image. I find that visuals are always helpful.

 

 

Additionally, here's a note regarding the bulge at the top of the bicep; it's recommended that it actually be removed. Here's are some photos from and link to Joseph's guide to return edges.

 

     

 

 

[Phat Rob]

"Additionally, here's a note regarding the bulge at the top of the bicep; it's recommended that it actually be removed." Hey thanks for that catch, Caleb. I'll remove that bit and get to sanding the butted edges. Also, considering you can slide your whole arm through the affixed bicep pieces, is it recommended to glue both the front and back cover strips to the bicep parts or just for the front cover strips? Thanks as always guys!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

4 hours ago, Phat Rob said:

Also, considering you can slide your whole arm through the affixed bicep pieces, is it recommended to glue both the front and back cover strips to the bicep parts or just for the front cover strips? Thanks as always guys!

All armor pieces and coverstrips are glued front and back with the exception of the rear of the shins which are open. 

 

 

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

As Glen says, with the exception of the rear-facing calves, all butt-joint limb pieces should be glued, including front-facing and rear-facing, and outer and inner (if used) cover strips.

For the calves you would glue the forward-facing outer cover strip, and it is highly recommended to also use an inner cover strip on the front to reinforce the clamshell movement. The rear-facing outer calf cover strips should be glued only to the outside edge (the side closest to your smallest toe).

Generally there are three types of rear calf closures: Adhesive velcro, bra hooks with elastic, or magnetic. Velcro is easiest, the hooks are most screen-accurate, and magnets are the cleanest-looking. If you opt for the magnet route, definitely check out Christine’s (Cricket) tutorial. A link is included in my TK reference thread.


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[Phat Rob]

On 10/3/2020 at 6:06 PM, gmrhodes13 said:

All armor pieces and coverstrips are glued front and back with the exception of the rear of the shins which are open. 

Thanks Glen, for that input! Regarding the calf closures I am leaning towards magnets. I need to do a bit of research. Thanks again Caleb!

While I create and apply my inner bicep support-strips I have a quick question regarding cutting the edges of the forearm pieces.

Is it recommended to cut along the very edge of the flattened section or can you leave a rounded edge as indicated on the green outline? Thanks as always for your time and help!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

On the wrist end of the forearm you should follow the red line and make sure there is absolutely no return edge for L3. @justjoseph63 has an excellent return edge tutorial thread. On the elbow end of the forearm you can trim to comfort.


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[justjoseph63[Staff]]

This is the one Caleb mentioned, Rob:  https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/48166-return-edges-101-ottk/?tab=comments#comment-670906

Here is another thread that may help:  https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/48335-quick-crl-reference-guide-for-your-ot-build-pics-notes-tips/

 

[Phat Rob]

What's up fellas? Today is really just an arm dump with a few questions. Ok, firstly I have removed that troublesome bulge at the top of the bicep. Are there any other corners/bulges that need nipping?

 

 

 

 

Next, we've got some forearm trim pics. To my knowledge I have shaved off all of the return edge from the wrists and trimmed all along the middle "hump(?)" at the top of the forearms. This was to keep the shape consistent with the wrist shape. Do the forearms require any more trim that you can see?

 

 

Lastly, the last few pics are my forearm cutouts after fitting on my...forearms? lol

 

Alrighty then, I 'm moving on to the chest and back pieces (FINALLY!) next and await any suggestions or corrections that this community may have. Sincere appreciation for your time and expertise as always!

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking good, with the forearms it's a bit hard to see the front trimming but you don't want any return edge at all, even in the step areas.

 

I have pretty skinny arms so I sized to the minimum for cover strips and added some foam inside to stop any rotation on the forearms, the glove fills up the front area.

 

You may also notice once you have them assembled that one forearm will look oval the other round, I used a little heat and put some pressure on the sides of the rounded forearm and made it a little more oval, gives a better appearance.

[Phat Rob]

20 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

it's a bit hard to see the front trimming but you don't want any return edge at all, even in the step areas.

Yeah looking at my step areas on the wrists I think I can go a little closer as there does appear to be some return edge showing. I'll post some pic updates. Thanks Glen!

 

[Phat Rob]

This week we've got some forearm progress and questions along with questions regarding the chest plate. I have trimmed (and sanded) even more along the wrists and wide ends to leave out all return edges.

 

 

 

 

Here's a shot of the butted sides with cover strips attached. I'll patiently wait for any suggestions or oversights caught before I proceed with gluing.

 

I have searched the CRL and other threads for a unanimous agreement on edge thickness and the best I can get is that side thickness is generally right up to the return edge-and that edge thickness along the sides is less strict regarding accuracy. Please, please, please correct me if I'm mistaken. My battle plan here is to cut half a centimeter away from the obvious corners of the sides. ( I know it looks thicker.) Again, smack some sense into me if you think this is ill-advised.

 

Onto the bottom of the chest piece. Here the edge thickness towards the flash is all over the place. In areas marked "a." the width from corner to flash is 1 cm. 

In areas marked "b." the width from corner to flash is 1 and a quarter centimeters. In areas marked "c." the width from corner to flash is 1 and a half centimeters. 

This bottom shot of the chest plate, more than any other, has eluded me the most. I'm guessing that the trim here should be right up to the edge of the bottom corner.

If anyone has any knowledge regarding the suggested thickness for this area, your advice would be most welcome and appreciated. Sincere thanks for your time and expertise!

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

The original armor seen in ANH had very little return edge, I prefer the look with some return. Chest plates trim lines sides and top look fine, bottom I made mine consistent width all the way along from the ends.

 

Nice work on the forearms, if you have any overhang you can angle the cover strips at the elbows if needed

 

Some references

 

 

 

 

[Sly11[Admin]]

I’m just going to go back a few posts to where you are looking for a way to stabilize the knee ammo pack. I simply used gaffer tape behind mine to reduce its movement.  I use a strip in the center inside of the box that runs up to the inside front ridge of the thigh. It stops it from dropping but also raising or tilting up. You would never know it is there.
I chose white gaffer tape to honor the production crews, go too patch job on the screen used armour.


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[Phat Rob]

14 hours ago, Sly11 said:

looking for a way to stabilize the knee ammo pack. ... use a strip in the center inside of the box that runs up to the inside front ridge of the thigh. It stops it from dropping but also raising or tilting up. You would never know it is there.

Dude, that is a great idea! I've already glued at the indicated spots but I will certainly look into this idea as a means of added stability. Thanks Andrew!

Edited October 23, 2020 by Phat Rob
edited grammar

[Phat Rob]

Hey folks! It's chest and back plate time! Here's some pix of the trimmed edges for the chest piece. You'll notice that no trimming has been done along the "collar" area. I neglected to question how much of, if anything, this area needs to be trimmed. If you have any recommendations or insights about this area I would love to hear them.

 

The bottom section has been trimmed so that all return edges are gone. Theoretically, this should allow the chest to butt more snug against the ab cover.

 

The sides have been trimmed a half-centimeter from the corner molds (again, I know it looks thicker haha).

 

 

For the back plate I intend to trim from the molding that obviously separates from the excess flash. According to the CRL, leaving some return edge here will not affect approval. What do you guys prefer?

 

For the bottom section I have seen some folks leave a significant amount of return edge from mounting or strap assembly purposes. What would you recommend as the thickness for the bottom edge of the back plate and why? For the portions that butt towards the shoulders you can see the markings that indicate my intended trim area.

 

The shoulder bridges have proven to be an unexpected enigma for me. Looking at official movie references I see how thick the trim is on the sides and along the end of the front tab. It looks like there's pretty much no flat edge in front of it hunh? Orizz that just me? I've seen official movie references where the tabs are removed from the back and I've seen 501st approved photos that prove this is not completely necessary (as mentioned in the CRL). 

 

 

I guess it all comes down to body proportions. Anyways, regarding the shoulder bridges I intend to trim from the underside of the piece as indicated in the photo below. You'll notice that there are two markings for trimming along the front tab. Would you recommend trimming along the red or dotted, white lines? I would like to cut out the tab that runs along the back but I will wait to see how my shoulder bridges sit on my chest and back plates before I commit to that. 

 

Any suggestions or concerns you may have about my construction choices are of course welcomed and appreciated!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Nice chest trim work! The bottom return matches Luke’s perfectly, and as you say, perhaps it will sir more flush with the ab.

 

As for the shoulder bridges, I believe the general idea is to leave around 3mm on the sides. You are correct in noticing that the front-facing ends are actually trimmed right up against the large tab. This is one of the very finer details that generally isn’t even an issue when going for higher levels of approval. As for the rear-facing end tabs, you can definitely leave them on for basic approval, but you’ll want to trim them off if going higher. And you’re spot on with leaving them until you know exactly how your chest and back fit together.

 

 

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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Collar has little to no return edge

 

Backplate reference

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

If I could jump in with a suggestion it would be:

 

As many of you know, I am not a fan of return edges on many armor parts, but in this case I would leave some of the return edge (at least 1/4 inch) on the bottom of your back plate and the top of your kidney plate.  The reason being is that this will keep them from riding over each other.

 

This thread may help:  https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/48166-return-edges-101-ottk/?tab=comments#comment-670906

 

 

 

 

 

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

When Joseph says to leave a return edge, it means there’s a really good reason. Definitely check out the great thread he posted.


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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

8 hours ago, Phat Rob said:

The shoulder bridges have proven to be an unexpected enigma for me. Looking at official movie references I see how thick the trim is on the sides and along the end of the front tab. It looks like there's pretty much no flat edge in front of it hunh? Orizz that just me? I've seen official movie references where the tabs are removed from the back and I've seen 501st approved photos that prove this is not completely necessary (as mentioned in the CRL). 

 

 

I guess it all comes down to body proportions. Anyways, regarding the shoulder bridges I intend to trim from the underside of the piece as indicated in the photo below. You'll notice that there are two markings for trimming along the front tab. Would you recommend trimming along the red or dotted, white lines? I would like to cut out the tab that runs along the back but I will wait to see how my shoulder bridges sit on my chest and back plates before I commit to that. 

 

Any suggestions or concerns you may have about my construction choices are of course welcomed and appreciated!

Although the reference shown has some extra cut from the front of the large tab usually this area is not cut and some return edge is left, so trim along the dotted line. The cut off section on the large tab is not a L2 or L3 requirement either  

 

ATA shoulder straps are a lot shorter than other makes and screen used, check for length and fitment before taking off the back large tab or they may end up too short. Ideal positioning on the front of the chest going on screen references is large tab and 4 to 5 small tabs, but ATA won't allow this because of the chest design and ridge, normally you can get the larger tab and 2 to 3 smaller tabs positioned on the chest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[snipedoc2001[TK]]

I have attached some pics of my shoulder straps, and I am approved at EIB as of now, few small touch ups to get to Centurion, but that's not the point.  I was only able to attach the large tab and about half of one of the small ones due to the odd shape of the ATA chest plate and still made it to the higher levels.  Correct me if I am wrong, but its more about fit and being proportionate to accuracy:

 

 

I left the back tabs on as the ATA straps are shorter than some of the other makers are so definitely test fit before you make any cuts.  It's much easier to cut something off than to put it back on, however  not impossible to fix, it just sucks.

 

Hope this helps!  

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Normally you can get more tabs on the ATA chest, but depends on your size and how you have trimmed, try to get as many as possible as what was approvable for someone in the past may no longer be due to different GML's and Deployment Officers.

 

Here is a commission ATA build I did which has the larger tab and 3 small tabs so, that's the maximum I could add then you start running into the ridge on the the chest and doesn't sit properly. It's also a good idea to use painters tape as a guide once you have the shoulder straps sitting how you want them, so you can remove and add glue  

 

[Phat Rob]

Good evening my fellow costume enthusiasts! For this update let's start with the forearms. As you can see the insides have been reinforced with extra support strips.

 

For the chest plate I've completely scooped out the collar all the way to the very edge.

 

For the back piece I've kept all the return edges with the collar going all the way to the very edge. Notice that I've kept the bottom portion intact to a thickness of 1 centimeter. Thank you Joseph for your insight regarding the matter of the kidney piece riding up the back piece and using this return edge to butt against the kidney piece.

 

Regarding the shoulder bridges I've made the executive decision to cut out any return edge/lip in the front area. I simply prefer this look sitting flush against the chest piece and I know that it's still accurate to the costume. As you can see with only two ridges and the tab of the shoulder bridge overlapping the front piece it still hangs just in front of the chest sculpt. This is where I intend to adhere it, but of course only a test fitting will truly determine that. Depending on how the tabs sit on the back piece we'll see if cutting them out is necessary.

 

Once I get rid of any logos on my spandex undersuit via nail polish remover, I'll resume the process of test fitting.

 

In the meantime, here is where I intend to cut along for the abdomen piece. As far as the top section, I've read where the chosen strapping method will help determine how much return edge should remain. I need to do more research but I am leaning towards the snap method vs. brackets.  Either way I'm completely clueless so any advice in determining where to cut along the top of the abdomen would be sincerely appreciated.

 

Lastly, I've marked where I intend to cut along the kidney piece. Similar to the bottom of the back piece I am thinking of leaving a centimeter of return edge to combat riding of the kidney over the back piece. 

(The photo on the left represents the top portion of the kidney piece.)

 

With everyone's busy schedules and much more important obligations I'd like to express my gratitude in anyone taking the time to inspect my progress and offer your suggestions and advice. I truly appreciate it!

 

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

1 hour ago, Phat Rob said:

In the meantime, here is where I intend to cut along for the abdomen piece. As far as the top section, I've read where the chosen strapping method will help determine how much return edge should remain. I need to do more research but I am leaning towards the snap method vs. brackets.  Either way I'm completely clueless so any advice in determining where to cut along the top of the abdomen would be sincerely appreciated.

 

Hi Rob, regarding the strapping method, I found this post about Strapping  that can give some light . Personally I used the snaps method because it was my first build and found it easy, practical and secure.  Should I use the more screen accurate one inh a further build probably , I wuold like to have the experience of installing It? ( brackets system)   

 

I'm adding some reference photos about the Abdomen/ kidney return edge that can give some idea of how much to trim, (Note that when bracket system is used , you need to leave a bit more return edge to place the screws)

 

 

       

 

 

   

 

 

 

I have left the images in a big size (not my Style ) so you can have a detailed view.

 

Hope this can help.

 

Cheers