What have I gotten myself into?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

1 hour ago, Zinfer said:

Out of stock material buddy.  Nothing.

I know they are out of stock but you asked how much doopys are, prices are there in links.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

On 1/5/2021 at 6:51 PM, justjoseph63 said:

There are advantages and disadvantages to different types of blasters, for instance:

 

Rubber- (Hyperfirm-Praetorian)

Pros-  Basically unbreakable.  Perfect for trooping, and you can let folks who ask "Can I hold your gun" pose with you for photos without fear of them dropping it.

Cons-  Not as detailed/screen accurate.  Can be expensive.

 

Resin-(Doopydoos)-

 Pros-Comes as a kit, but can be modified with one of Tino's finishing kits to replicate a screen used weapon.

Cons-  Hard to get ds to be on the brittle side.  Not recommended to loan to a fan.

            Difficult to get.

 

3D printed- (Various makers)

Pros-  Accuracy can vary between "Wow" and total garbage. 

Cons-  Depending on how it is printed, there may be a LOT of filling/sanding involved.  (Required for Centurion level).

            Tend to be very brittle,

            Not recommended to be loaned to a fan.

 

There are other makers that tend to be on the accurate side but require some alterations, especially for the higher levels of approval.  When in doubt, always feel free to ask and we will lead you in the right direction!

 

 

 

Lets remove Hyperfirm, they're no longer in business from what I understand.

Praetorian blaster made in the last couple years are very accurate and highly detailed. I can provide photos for the OTTK and R1TK

Definitely expensive  

[Zinfer[TK]]

14 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

I know they are out of stock but you asked how much doopys are, prices are there in links.

Ah sorry.  Been darting around to too many links I hadn't noticed the price.

[Zinfer[TK]]

In a holding pattern here.  No plastics for coverstrips.  USPS is so gimped.  No arms or legs.  Undersuit stuck in Garden Springs, NY forever. 

[Zinfer[TK]]

Trooperbay button templates arrived today.  3rd attempt.  Button plate painting with templates.  First coat  

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Should do white coat first, fills any gaps/bleeds in templates  

[Zinfer[TK]]

I tend to want to pull the templates before it completely hardens as it adds that extra challenge in removing them.  Gonna wait a couple hours, put second on then pull them a while after.  That hard edge is undesirable.  Find out then if there's any bleed.  

[Zinfer[TK]]

Completed the codpiece button plates.  Ready to Trim and Adhere them in place.  Personal experience, I've found the Trooper Bay templates invaluable for this application.  Props!  

[Zinfer[TK]]

So, while I don't have the cover strip material yet, I suppose I could do a little trimming of the parts in the meantime.  Is there a way to mix up the right and left Thighs?  Just want to be sure I am trimming the correct parts and not mixing them up.  Is there a trick to which is right and left?  Thinking the two outers are shallower, but perhaps there's an easy tip off that I'm not aware of.

[Zinfer[TK]]

I began rewatching RS' build of the thighs.  Now  I'm getting into ALOT of areas here that I am really not familiar with and getting the creep factor in I am afraid to cut.  Rob is building the 'standard' Trooper.  I really want the limb parts to fit 'me'.  So, I did poke around to see what kind of guides or build threads for easy sizing and cutting of the thighs.  Man I started drawing lines and THAT IS A LOT of meat being cut off, which scares me.  This time I'm going to pay more attention here than to tutorial videos because I need at least my legs to fit me well if I am to ambulate.  So, any great thigh builds?  Instructions in getting a fit right?  I am in the US so me and metric don't get along real well.

[Zinfer[TK]]

Well I broke down and bought this today.  On it's way.  Something's better than nothing atm.  My first blaster.  

[Ripper_L[Admin]]

4 hours ago, Zinfer said:

Well I broke down and bought this today.  On it's way.  Something's better than nothing atm.  My first blaster.  

 

That was my first one too!

There is a conversion kit from... well, yeah was a conversion kit from doopydoos.com, it's currently out of stock, like most of the stuff there.

Good thing on that blaster is you can give it to a fan for photos and there won't be much damaged if they drop it.

[Zinfer[TK]]

Yea I fully plan on the conversion kit, I was looking at a VERY pricey Blastech or some kind of upgrade, but then it goes from like $25 to 250 - $450.    Crazy prices out there.  I don't know what the back story is with Doopy, they don't have any stock of anything.  Maybe someone told me and I've forgotten though.  That's always a thing with me.

Edited January 9, 2021 by Zinfer

[Zinfer[TK]]

Finally installed the first set of codpiece buttons.  Took a while to get from there to here!!  

 

https://i.imgur.com/GHCd2UO.mp4

Edited January 10, 2021 by Zinfer

[Zinfer[TK]]

Finished adhering the final button set on the codpiece with powerful rare earth (Neodymium) magnets. 

[Zinfer[TK]]

Beginning some trimming on the right thigh armor. Drawing out before cutting. Just a hint of a return edge, perhaps 5mm. The bottom edge just rounded off a bit. 

 

 

Getting ready to hit em up with the Dremel.

Edited January 10, 2021 by Zinfer

[Zinfer[TK]]

Trimmed out the upper and lower right thigh to give it about a 5mm return edge on the tops and just rounding them out at the bottom. Used a dremel cutting bit followed with a sanding bit, then sanded all the edges. I'll have to re-examine the bottom return edges come fitting time so they don't inadvertently chaff. For now my next stop is to cut the 12mm meeting edges in front. The cover strips will be cut 20mm width front legs, 25mm width back of legs when I ever receive the material. The back of the thigh will be cut to fit sizing. Which, will be hard I think. I've never done this before especially sizing from the back. The marks you see in pencil are my proposed cut lines on each inner/outer. I will cut one side, then check how much material remains to wrap my legs with before making the cut on the other side. I'm thinking keeping it accurate to 20mm in the front optimally. Quite a bit of meat coming off these front and back so I am a bit leary with this next part. If I cut them too small they won't fit or will be too tight. 

 

[Zinfer[TK]]

My form fitting undersuit is now underway from Queens NY where it sat for a month. It's in Columbus now and says it'll arrive on Monday. I have some concerns...

Edited January 10, 2021 by Zinfer

[Zinfer[TK]]

Ok, so thigh night. Trimmed, sanded and used Gaffers tape to attach both halves of the right thigh. Unable to really go further with this without the 20mm cover strip. I've mentioned this on many occasions. Until I can get the cover strip on the front I really can't trim the back to size.

 

Went as far as I could on the right Thigh. Now on to the Left. Examined both halves and just WOW, was this initial trim by RS really CLOSE, and you'll notice the mold or pull is just a bit off. But apparently that's normal as I rewatched the tutorial vid on the left thigh and his thigh has this same discrepancy. So, I'm drawing my cut lines. Again about 12mm either side. That gives me room from sanding and the like. Optimally they should really be 10mm.

 

 

I'm not rightly understanding why this curve exists.  But working with it.

 

Sanded, and used Gaffers tape. Tried a bit of a fit, but unable to really mark anything until front cover strip. I need a better idea on fitting these from the back. I'll be looking that up.

 

 

 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Zinfer

[Sly11[Admin]]

It is looking good so far, never underestimate your ability Rod, every cut brings more confidence every part assembled a new skill.

Make sure when you are sizing up for your final cuts that you are wearing your under suit. It does make a difference and you will know how that fit feels. When you move to the shins, wear your undersuit and your boots to size appropriately.

Also make sure you use a reinforcing strip on the inside front of the shine as well as your cover strip. A reasonable amount of force goes to the front of them when you open them to put on and take off.

I also put strips in the front of my thighs before resizing the back so i could overlap them without fear of the front strip taking all the strain. I have skinny legs so had a reasonable amount of overlap to trim away.

 

Your Ab button stencils worked beautifully. Keep up the great work.

[CableGuy[TK]]

Ok, so thigh night. Trimmed, sanded and used Gaffers tape to attach both halves of the right thigh. Unable to really go further with this without the 20mm cover strip. I've mentioned this on many occasions. Until I can get the cover strip on the front I really can't trim the back to size.
 
Went as far as I could on the right Thigh. Now on to the Left. Examined both halves and just WOW, was this initial trim by RS really CLOSE, and you'll notice the mold or pull is just a bit off. But apparently that's normal as I rewatched the tutorial vid on the left thigh and his thigh has this same discrepancy. So, I'm drawing my cut lines. Again about 12mm either side. That gives me room from sanding and the like. Optimally they should really be 10mm.     I'm not rightly understanding why this curve exists.  But working with it.   Sanded, and used Gaffers tape. Tried a bit of a fit, but unable to really mark anything until front cover strip. I need a better idea on fitting these from the back. I'll be looking that up.      

Hi Rodney,

Making great progress, trooper :-)

Not sure if you were aware of this, but, as you have an RS kit, the right thigh (when worn) is designed to have an offset at the bottom. (Rumour has it that the thigh ammo pack was put on there to cover the gap). ;-)



No worries if you choose not to, however, this will give you a neater appearance at the top (the part that will be seen). :-)

[Lupus1202[501st]]

Hello Rodney,

 

i saw your issue with the kidney and front pieces and remembered back to my issues with the rs kit.

Second issue i get were the thighs.

Not the front, but the backside. After i cut the front to nearly 20mm for the coverstrips, i taped the backsides together and what should i say ... my thighs are too large for the original measurement, even if i didn´t cut the backside.

Did you made a test?

 

Cheers

Wolfgang

[Zinfer[TK]]

7 hours ago, Sly11 said:

It is looking good so far, never underestimate your ability Rod, every cut brings more confidence every part assembled a new skill.

Make sure when you are sizing up for your final cuts that you are wearing your under suit. It does make a difference and you will know how that fit feels. When you move to the shins, wear your undersuit and your boots to size appropriately.

Also make sure you use a reinforcing strip on the inside front of the shine as well as your cover strip. A reasonable amount of force goes to the front of them when you open them to put on and take off.

I also put strips in the front of my thighs before resizing the back so i could overlap them without fear of the front strip taking all the strain. I have skinny legs so had a reasonable amount of overlap to trim away.

 

Your Ab button stencils worked beautifully. Keep up the great work.

My Undersuit JUST arrived today and I am both shamed and surprised it fits me so well.  XL.  No photos.  Body shaming. :S  I mean I got the initial trimming on the thighs, but the back sizing is a mystery to me.  I am going to do the same with the shins here in the next couple evenings.  I've seen peeps apply that inner strip and I was scratching my head over it.  I guess I have to put those silly elastics on the back of the shins.  I plan on using velcro in the end.  But I think by CRL I have to use those elastics.  It'd help me so much if there were someone in Ohio that does finish fitting.  I do alot of bicycling for aerobic and weight dropping, so my legs are pretty toned.   I'm afraid of removing too much.  Thanks for the kudos on the ab buttons.  Man, those were so awful to paint!  Well - I don't have a stellar history on painting.  Templates and masking tape for everything practically. 

[Zinfer[TK]]

1 hour ago, CableGuy said:

Hi Rodney,

Making great progress, trooper :-)

Not sure if you were aware of this, but, as you have an RS kit, the right thigh (when worn) is designed to have an offset at the bottom. (Rumour has it that the thigh ammo pack was put on there to cover the gap). ;-)



No worries if you choose not to, however, this will give you a neater appearance at the top (the part that will be seen). :-)

 

 

 

 

Hi Cableguy!  Thanks for that.  It looks like I've got my inner right thigh pulled down to far. I'll need to pull the inner gaffers tape and readjust it UPWARDS.  I'll take care of that today and reshoot.

[Zinfer[TK]]

2 hours ago, Lupus1202 said:

Hello Rodney,

 

i saw your issue with the kidney and front pieces and remembered back to my issues with the rs kit.

Second issue i get were the thighs.

Not the front, but the backside. After i cut the front to nearly 20mm for the coverstrips, i taped the backsides together and what should i say ... my thighs are too large for the original measurement, even if i didn´t cut the backside.

Did you made a test?

 

Cheers

Wolfgang

Hiya Lupus!  I've had so many issues, which particular kidney and front piece issue was that? My substantial gap between the two?    That's gonna take some time to remedy yet.  Beginning to feel the original Stormtroopers were 17 year olds.  Yea I did 12mm lines on either side of the front edjes of the thighs to allow myself sanding and fitting material with the hope it would be pretty darn close to 20mm when both halves put together.  Yea the backside scares me.  I did a wonky test fit on the left thigh and wow am I ever glad I didn't cut to Rob's 'typical' stormtrooper legs and measurements.  I didn't have any tape securing them at the back, but it seemed like I might JUST have enough to trim to fit.  I plan on a more accurate rear measurement and trim after I can get cover strips on the fronts.  DO NOT cut to original measurements.  You have to cut them to fit YOU.  I am moving on to the shin trimming.  The backsides (fitting to my body) scares me.  It almost seems you need a second person to mark it (that knows what they're doing).  First step is to nail the front and apply the coverstrips.  I can't do that yet even though I probably need to go yell at Propmasters yet a 5th time for coverstrip material.  Like WTH?  I mean I didn't foresee shipping being an issue.  If so I'd have asked a Tracking number.  Do they do Tracking numbers in England?  Maybe IT IS lost in the mail.  I have no idea.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Zinfer