Nick´s ANH Stunt TK | Centurion Build WIP

[Nick the Trooper]

 

Hello there!

 

In this build thread I attempt to build a Centurion level ANH Stunt TK. A little bit of information up front. 

 

My name is Nick, 19 years old, from Germany and this is my first ever Costume build.

The armour set I will be building is made by RS Propmasters (I do have the strapping kit), expect for the Neck seal and holster which I will be building and designing myself. As you can see, I´m aiming for a Centurion Level Build just because I like my armour to be as accurate as possible.

 

General Information:

I will link every HOW TO and Reference I use at the end of this post so everyone can follow along nicely.

Questions I no longer have or Items that I have bought will be marked. Of course, you can still give me advice of things to try or do differently, I´m thankful for all the help I can get!

Excuse some of the questions below, I try to research as much as possible on my own but sometimes simple things for you Veteran builders is difficult to understand for me.

 

And as always thank you to everyone for help, advice or any other form of support!

 

Stuff I still need to buy:

1.       Paint (every colour)

2.       E-6000

3.       Magnets

4.       Sand paper

 

Things to build:

1.       Neck Seal Build

2.       Holster Build

3.       Helmet Build

4.       Chest Armour Build

5.       Arms Build

6.       Legs Build

 

Open questions from my side:

1. How good is the tutorial from RS on YouTube? Can I just copy what they do (of course while checking original sources/ picture while doing so)?

 

2. I´m still confused about the paint. Does it matter if the blue for the tube stripes and belly is glossy or does it have to be matt? I´m looking to buy the “Humbrol French blue gloss Nr. 14” based on my current understanding.

 

3. On the topic of paint. Which white paint, as mentioned here https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/31404-supply-list-for-your-ot-tk-build/ do I need to buy or is it irrelevant as long as it is glossy? 

 

4. Do I really need a Dremel or can I use Sandpaper and scissors instead?

 

5. Is it possible to sit down in a TK? If no can I modify the armour to make it work but still be able to clear Centurion Level authenticity?

 

HOW TO:

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/31404-supply-list-for-your-ot-tk-build/

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/29238-my-helmet-ear-tutorial/

 

 

References:

 https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/gallery/category/24-anh-tk-reference/

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/48335-quick-crl-reference-guide-for-your-ot-build-pics-notes-tips/

https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:TK_anh_stunt

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/49412-all-in-one-tk-anh-stunt-index-of-resources-by-maskedvengeance/

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by Nick the Trooper

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

6 hours ago, Nick the Trooper said:

Open questions from my side:

1. How good is the tutorial from RS on YouTube? Can I just copy what they do (of course while checking original sources/ picture while doing so)?

 

2. I´m still confused about the paint. Does it matter if the blue for the tube stripes and belly is glossy or does it have to be matt? I´m looking to buy the “Humbrol French blue gloss Nr. 14” based on my current understanding.

 

3. On the topic of paint. Which white paint, as mentioned here https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/31404-supply-list-for-your-ot-tk-build/ do I need to buy or is it irrelevant as long as it is glossy? 

 

4. Do I really need a Dremel or can I use Sandpaper and scissors instead?

 

5. Is it possible to sit down in a TK? If no can I modify the armour to make it work but still be able to clear Centurion Level authenticity?

 

1. Overall there tutorial is a great help for a basic build but there can be a few items which can be a little off, always check with the CRL's (costume reference library) for what is required for higher levels.

 

2. Ideally the paint should have a gloss finish, even if you can only find matt paints you could add a coat of gloss clear.

 

3. These are the standard paints which most use, you can use something else as long as it is close to these.

 

4. You can build with what ever tools you like, many of us find a Dremel can save some time trimming, personally I use 3 Dremels with different tips, I'm lazy and can't be bothered swapping out the tips, using scissors is perfectly fine.

 

5. I can sit in armor but it isn't pretty getting in and out of that position, I have seen some cut the cod which allows a little more movement, this is done behind the belt so the cut can't be seen. I would advise though to seek higher level approvals before making any modifications, once approved you can do what you like with your armor  

 

This is a great thread full of info if you haven't already found it.

 

Good luck with the build 

 

 

[Nick the Trooper]

Day 1:

 

So I decided to start working on the Helmet today.

 

 

I´m not quite sure how much I still need to sand down. Position 1 and 2 are particularly concerning to me.

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by Nick the Trooper

[Nick the Trooper]

Thank you very much gmrhodes13, I was not aware of the painting guide.

 

I will definitely check the CRL more often then.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

References for eyes/teeth 

Go to thread for helmet assembly and ear trimming 

 

 

[Nick the Trooper]

Day 2:

 

First of all thank you for the references gmrhodes13 I was not aware of them!

 

Because of a really busy week I was not able to build as much as I liked. Anyway I decided to start building on the Belt rather than the Helmet for now.

 

Here is my progress so far.

 

 

I´m aware that not everything is or will be 100% perfect and that I take a long time to build. Still it is fun build my very first costume.

 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Looking good so far, Nick!  Fantastic to know that you are aiming for Centurion, and we are here to help every step of the way, sir.  You are doing the perfect thing by posting up photos and asking questions, so keep it up!

If I could make a few suggestions, they would be:

 

It could be the angle, but it looks like you may need to remove a bit more from the eye openings.  Note the ridges (blue arrows).  If you could post up a direct front pic that would be great!

 

      

 

When painting the teeth, remember not to carry the paint too high or low. 

 

      

 

When trimming the ABS belt ends, make sure that the outer edge of the canvas one meets up with the lower edge of the 45° angle.

         

 

Last up, can you post up a pic of the TD as it would be seen when wearing the belt?  Again, it may be the angle of the photo and the reason I ask is because the CRL for Centurion was recently changed to "The raised rib section faces the rear..." and yours looks a tad high.  Not the biggest of deals, and if it needs adjusting we can give you some suggestions!

 

          

 

When in doubt about anything, it's always best to ask before cutting, drilling or gluing.  We are at your disposal, sir... keep those questions and photos coming and we will make sure you have a top-notch looking set of armor!  

 

 

 

[Nick the Trooper]

Day 3:

 

Hello everyone! Today the Belt shall be finished. 

 

Joseph requested some pictures:

 

The eyes:

 

The TD:

 

 

One question I would like to asked is the following:

Is the positioning of the Dropboxes high enough or do I need to change them? (They are not glued yet)

 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

The TD looks spot-on, Nick... nice job!  I would raise the drop boxes slightly to where the top touches the bottom of the ABS belt.  It also needs to be moved out as seen below.  As per the CRL for Centurion, the outside edge of the box needs to align with the outside edge of the ABS belt.  PERFECT placement on the square ABS button covers, by the way!

 

 

The eyes may need a bit more trimming.  You are definitely on the right path, but the top center looks a little "sleepy"(blue line).  The outside corners can be more pointed or round (yellow arrow).. that's up to you.  Once you get the opening to where you like it, some sandpaper wrapped around a pencil will smooth the edges down. 

 

      

 

Keep up the fantastic work!  

[Nick the Trooper]

Thank you very much Joseph!

 

I´m thankful for all the advice I can get, especially if it´s so detailed. 

 

The Belt should be finished:

 

I´m still not sure if I trimmed enough on the left eye, the right seems fine however:

 

Everytime I sand down more I feel like it´s enough, but after about 5 min. it looks off again...

[Morgi[Staff]]

Moin Nick!

 

Love your approach to this build! If I may chime in? Since you're aiming for Centurion, the following quote from the CRL might be helpful regarding your belt: 

• The corners of the plastic ammo belt shall be trimmed at a 45 degree angle that that meets the outer edge of the cloth belt.

[Nick the Trooper]

Moin moin Luca!

 

Maybe I should explain my thinking here:

 

I cut the edges to fit the white base material and not the overhanging strings, as that makes more sense to me. Correct me if I´m wrong there. I just realized how little sense that makes... Well now I need to find a solution.

 

 

Position 1 | 2: The 45° meet the point of the outer edge of the white base material (not the overhanging strings) Well at least when everything lays straight it should 

Position 3: The inner edge (as explained above) was shorter because of that the 45° cut is bigger.

Position 4: On this end there is non of the overhanging strings which makes the cut really short. 

 

I do hope that makes the slightest amount of sense. And of course I will try to change is accordingly with the CRL.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by Nick the Trooper

[Morgi[Staff]]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb Nick the Trooper:

I cut the edges to fit the white base material and not the overhanging strings, as that makes more sense to me. Correct me if I´m wrong there. I just realized how little sense that makes... Well now I need to find a solution.

 

 

Position 1 | 2: The 45° meet the point of the outer edge of the white base material (not the overhanging strings) Well at least when everything lays straight it should 

Position 3: The inner edge (as explained above) was shorter because of that the 45° cut is bigger.

Position 4: On this end there is non of the overhanging strings which makes the cut really short. 

 

Well, from my understanding the "outer edge" does mean "outer edge" and not "outer seam", but I could be mistaken...

 

A possible solution would be to just cut off the ends until those 45° cuts meet the outer edge 

 

I hope this helped and I'm looking forward to the rest of your build -- hopefully we'll have another German TK joining our ranks soon 

[Nick the Trooper]

vor 15 Stunden schrieb Morgi:

 

Well, from my understanding the "outer edge" does mean "outer edge" and not "outer seam", but I could be mistaken...

 

A possible solution would be to just cut off the ends until those 45° cuts meet the outer edge 

 

I hope this helped and I'm looking forward to the rest of your build -- hopefully we'll have another German TK joining our ranks soon 

 

I was thinking about doing exactly that.

 

My personal goal is to be finished in the beginning of April (maybe a bit ambitious )

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

18 hours ago, Nick the Trooper said:

Moin moin Luca!

 

Maybe I should explain my thinking here:

 

I cut the edges to fit the white base material and not the overhanging strings, as that makes more sense to me. Correct me if I´m wrong there. I just realized how little sense that makes... Well now I need to find a solution.

 

 

Position 1 | 2: The 45° meet the point of the outer edge of the white base material (not the overhanging strings) Well at least when everything lays straight it should 

Position 3: The inner edge (as explained above) was shorter because of that the 45° cut is bigger.

Position 4: On this end there is non of the overhanging strings which makes the cut really short. 

 

I do hope that makes the slightest amount of sense. And of course I will try to change is accordingly with the CRL.

 

 

 

 

Hi Nick.

 

Looking at the canvas belt and ABS belt, I would suggest to try this:

 

 

1-  The positions 1 and 2 your marked, try to center the canvas belt with the ABS belt as the other side (positions 3 and 4)

 

 

 

 

2- For the  left side of the Belt (positions 3 y 4 ) You could trim a little more the ABS belt to match the canvas belt.

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

It may seem like a pain in the posterior plate, but I have a solution:

 

The canvas belt is mounted kind of low and needs to come up a bit (like 3 mm or so) and the end trimmed down the same amount.  This would reduce the length of the 45 degree cut, but that is fine and will meet the requirements.  The drop box position (touching the ABS belt) is spot-on, but it would need to be moved over.

 

 

I know this seems like a small detail and one that no one would ever notice, but it's these kind of things that will set you apart when you reach Centurion!

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

HAHA... you beat me by literally a few seconds, Mario!  Great minds really do think alike!

[Nick the Trooper]

Thank you very much for the detailed response!

 

Before I make the final cut I would like to double check:

 

 

1. If I cut along those lines It should be where it´s supposed to be right?

2. The point about centering will be addressed accordingly as well. As you can see the two outer most edges to the left are about 1- 1,5 mm larger than the ones on the right side, which I will just sand down. After that the belt should be centered. (I know.. I know the black lines aren´t straight)

 

 

Of course the Drop Boxes will be moved over accordingly.

 

And again thank you very much for the help! 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

11 minutes ago, Nick the Trooper said:

1. If I cut along those lines It should be where it´s supposed to be right?

2. The point about centering will be addressed accordingly as well. As you can see the two outer most edges to the left are about 1- 1,5 mm larger than the ones on the right side, which I will just sand down. After that the belt should be centered. (I know.. I know the black lines aren´t straight)

 

It looks great to me Nick.  well done.  another detail,  are  the side square buttons .

 

As you can see in the references, they sit a little centered

 

                                                                                                                                                               Reference

     

 

 

Keep up the great work. 

 

 

 

 

[Nick the Trooper]

Day 4:

 

Hello there!

After the awesome feedback of you all, I present to you my Belt (which hopefully satisfy´s all of you):

 

Regarding the buttons, I tried removing them but failed do to my excessive use of super glue, as I said hopefully not a problem.

 

 

So on to the Helmet it is! Here is the progress for today:

 

1. I believe I have some more trimming/ sanding to do:

 

2. Joseph mentioned that the eyes need some more trimming so I gave it a try. Honestly I´m still not sure If it´s enough because after 5 min. it looks off again not matter how much I sanded down.

 

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

In a perfect world the button covers on the ABS belt should be centered as Mario mentioned, but I would have no issues passing this at Level 3.  AWESOME job, sir!  

 

The eye openings look much better.  What I would suggest at this point is to tape the lenses behind them to see what sort of look you have.  That will give you a better idea of how much (if any) more you need to trim.

 

As I'm sure you are aware, the teeth openings could use a bit of "sandpaper love" to smooth out the sides and corners (first photo).  The cutouts look great, they just need a some refining, and an easy way to do this is to use a plastic straw with a single layer of fine-grit sandpaper wrapped around it.  While sanding, be sure to use an up and down motion rather than back and forth one.  The reason being is that if you go back and forth you can create notches on the sides/top of the tooth.  Since the straw is flexible, you can do the corners as well.  This works on the eye openings too!. 

 

                                                          (Sorry for the awful graphics, lol)                                                  Reference image

               

     

As seen in the reference pic above they don't have to be perfect.  Part of the charm of the original buckets is that no two were 100% exactly the same.  You are learning fast, Nick, and I look forward to seeing your progress!

[Nick the Trooper]

Little update:

 

Hello there!

 

Because of time constrains I will only be able to build on the weekends and maybe ones during the week. 

 

Concerning my centurion goal... well it will have to wait. I do not own a E-11 and currently can´t get my hands on one. RS told me there are having issues of Blasters being confiscated by customs and honestly I don´t want to gamble on that. 

I will still do everything according to the centurion CRL just without the title afterwards (at least for the moment).

 

Talking about the armor, I cleaned the teeth as good as possible (I don´t own small plastic straws so thicker paper ones where used, do to that the really small teeth where hard to get to). I will now move on to assembling the Helmet.

 

Until the next post. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

If you know anyone who has access to a 3D printer you could always have a blaster printed, one of our members was kind enough to model the E-11 and shared his files here on Thingiverse 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

3 hours ago, Nick the Trooper said:

Concerning my centurion goal... well it will have to wait. I do not own a E-11 and currently can´t get my hands on one.

 

If you are willing to put in the work, I would HIGHLY suggest having one 3D printed.  The link to the one Glen provided (Bryan's free files) is without a doubt the most accurate I have seen available online, down to the smallest details.  I had one printed out and the end results speak for themselves.. (link here).

[Nick the Trooper]

I thought about 3d-printing but I do not know anyone who owns a 3D printer. 

Honestly I would prefer a pre build one on which I don't have to do a lot (maybe some slight changes for centurion). 

I will also ask in the German garrison forum if anyone has ideas.