ANH Stunt - AP Trimmed - First TK Build

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I use a heat gun all the time BUT you do need to know what you are doing, it's a tricky beast to use with ABS and you can go from pliable plastic to molten mess in less than a blink of an eye. LOTS of practice or safer to use a hot water bath.

 

See how you look once you have all the armor strapped and test fitted, you may find it's really not an issue at all. 

[MightyAtom[TK]]

I use a heat gun all the time BUT you do need to know what you are doing, it's a tricky beast to use with ABS and you can go from pliable plastic to molten mess in less than a blink of an eye. LOTS of practice or safer to use a hot water bath.
 
See how you look once you have all the armor strapped and test fitted, you may find it's really not an issue at all. 

Good advice. I'm working on strapping this weekend, so I'll do as you suggest and get it on before making a molten mess!

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[MightyAtom[TK]]

Happy weekend! I'm after a little feedback on shoulder bells. I've sanded the first one to the trim line and it's looking very "screen worthy" in its imperfections. How does it look?

 

Outside view:

 

 

Inside view:

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, should fit over your bells well

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Nice work, should fit over your bells well

Great, thank you!

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[CableGuy[TK]]

Happy weekend! I'm after a little feedback on shoulder bells. I've sanded the first one to the trim line and it's looking very "screen worthy" in its imperfections. How does it look?
 
Outside view:
 

 
Inside view:
 

Cool. Return edge is not specified in the CRL (apart from wrist end of the forearm) so this part is more personal preference. Me personally, I like a little return edge here, especially the “spine”.

Here’s Han’s for reference. :-)

[TheSwede[TK]]

Some more reference for you, notice how the originals were trimmed with a curve rather than a straight cut on the sides, helps close the gap to the chest/back. original to the left

 

Just som Trooper-glory to keep you going

[MightyAtom[TK]]

1 hour ago, CableGuy said:

Cool. Return edge is not specified in the CRL (apart from wrist end of the forearm) so this part is more personal preference. Me personally, I like a little return edge here, especially the “spine”.

Here’s Han’s for reference. :-)

Cool, thanks. The pieces had the return edge trimmed off, so I may just assemble the arm pieces and see how much I have to potentially make a return edge. 

[MightyAtom[TK]]

31 minutes ago, TheSwede said:

Some more reference for you, notice how the originals were trimmed with a curve rather than a straight cut on the sides, helps close the gap to the chest/back. original to the left

 

Just som Trooper-glory to keep you going

Excellent, thanks! I had seen those photos and was considering about shaping in a curve. I will assemble the arms and make a decision after a final fitting. Just want to make sure I don't take off material now and regret it later! Thanks again.

 

Oh, and I have HEAPS of trooper pictures plastered around my work space for inspiration too! 

Edited September 20, 2020 by markgambino

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Bicep glueing has begun! First up is internal strips for support, then final shaping before outer cover strips.

 

 

 

I'm also making my sixth grade home economics teacher proud by sewing snaps to nylon for the shoulder bells strap.

 

 

I've also been looking at the components that will bear the most weight. For the torso pieces, I'm making snap plates and reinforced shoulder elastics.

 

 

 

 

 

The shoulder bridges have been reinforced with interior ABS splints and second ABS strip. Once the glue has dried, these will be sanded into shape.

 

 

 

I have been involved in too many amateur theatre productions to know that wardrobe malfunctions are impossible to walk back. I AM VERY RISK AVERSE.

Edited September 23, 2020 by markgambino
Photo link update

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, double snaps I love to see and great preventative measure adding some backing to your shoulder straps.

 

In regards to the curve on the shoulder bell, although screen accurate some armor maker shoulder bells are quite narrow compared to the original armor so definitely do not trim a curve until you've actually fitted them to see how the sit. You basically want to be wearing your top half of the armor to really see how much room you have  

[MightyAtom[TK]]

 

 

 

In regards to the curve on the shoulder bell, although screen accurate some armor maker shoulder bells are quite narrow compared to the original armor so definitely do not trim a curve until you've actually fitted them to see how the sit. You basically want to be wearing your top half of the armor to really see how much room you have  

 

Ah, many thanks. I hadn't read anything like that yet. I'll leave trimming the bells until after final fitting and adjustments - likely how it happened for the movies!

 

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[MightyAtom[TK]]

I'm after some feedback on an idea, please. For the strapping that connects the sides of the AB plate to the kidney plate, I plan to use nylon on the rivets side and a combination of nylon and elastic on the opposite side (near the Han snap); so that the elastic gives me a little mobility for movement, but the nylon near the rivets keeps those pieces together nice and tight. How does this sound? Is there something I'm not considering?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Using nylon will work, I do prefer doubled over elastic, just allows a little give when bending and stretching. 

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Next query, for anyone who has time. I've done a fitting of the forearms and don't see any adjustments to make. I've now shaped them a little to clean up the edges in preparation for glueing. How do they look? Any advice on changes?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by markgambino

[CableGuy[TK]]

Next query, for anyone who has time. I've done a fitting of the forearms and don't see any adjustments to make. I've now shaped them a little to clean up the edges in preparation for glueing. How do they look? Any advice on changes?
 

 

 

 

 

Hiya.

Look okay, however, it’s harder to tell when the parts are separate. I’d tape them together with something not to sticky, like masking tape, and start seeing how they look and fit on you. :-)

[MightyAtom[TK]]

23 minutes ago, CableGuy said:

Hiya.

Look okay, however, it’s harder to tell when the parts are separate. I’d tape them together with something not to sticky, like masking tape, and start seeing how they look and fit on you. :-)

Of course! Sorry - here are a few shots assembled and worn. There's about two finger's gap inside. My hand just goes through the bottom end.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by markgambino

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking good, definitely have the front aligned. Mine are a little loose so I added some foam inside.

A couple of references showing overhang and angled cover strips

 

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Great, thank you. I'll put them on the "assembly line" - waiting for other glued parts to cure is a suitable pacing device to ensure I don't rush

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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Wating for glue to dry is a pain, you can never have enough clamps and magnets, every build I buy a few more but still not enough 

[tarok[TK]]

Looking great Mark!

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Looking great Mark!

Thanks, mate! Getting excited now pieces and coming together.

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[tarok[TK]]

Thanks, mate! Getting excited now pieces and coming together.

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Just keep taping pieces together, wearing them (whilst wearing compression wear) and moving around the house. You’ll get the feel of how tight or loose they are, and where the little armour bites are likely to be, and be able to make those small adjustments before you glue it all. Particularly since you’re adding inner strips, which can be a bugger to pull out later to make adjustments.

[MightyAtom[TK]]

Just keep taping pieces together, wearing them (whilst wearing compression wear) and moving around the house. You’ll get the feel of how tight or loose they are, and where the little armour bites are likely to be, and be able to make those small adjustments before you glue it all. Particularly since you’re adding inner strips, which can be a bugger to pull out later to make adjustments.

Awesome, thanks. The weekend will be spent in my undersuit, then!

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[MightyAtom[TK]]

The weather has taken a turn so I'm adding an extra day to glue curing times on the inner strips to ensure a strong bond before glueing the cover strips, which all gives me time to sew! I've opted for elastic shin enclosures. I managed to find a heavy duty hook, which I've poked through the elastic and sewn on, then doubled that back and sewn over again - I heart redundancy.

 

At this point I'm still debating how to glue these elastics inside the shins. Perhaps an ABS anchor that a lip of elastic wraps around, then glue the whole thing down...? Not sure.

 

 

 

This all took about eight episodes of The Venture Bros yesterday.

Edited September 25, 2020 by markgambino