TheRascalKing's Denuo Novo First Order TK Build Thread

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Like I mentioned over PM, it's gonna be weird seeing you in a FO kit, but I'm looking forward to this project and guide!

[Sly11[Admin]]

Nice build thread Justin, well done so far.

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Thermal Detonator Accuracy Update

 

I received my new thermal detonator from my printer utilizing Jesse M's files, and am stoked on it. It is significantly lighter than the included solid resin TD, and more accurate for TLJ. The carriage has been printed in one piece on a large format resin machine by @fabricatorandfiends and the tube was done in PLA filament with a relatively low infill by @supershipley . 

 

 

 

How does it compare to the dimensions of the included TD? With a spraypaint cap added for mockup... close. Very very close. 

 

 

 

Prep work began on the printed TD carriage, as even with resin there were several visible print lines and dimples from supports that just wouldn't do.

 

 

Most areas weren't too bad, but some needed significant work with primer, glazing putty, and lots of sanding to get nice and level.

 

 

Back in primer...

 

 

And in final Behr Gloss White:

 

 

 

The tube was part of a small run by @supershipley:

 

 

And after some primer filler and wet sanding to rid it of visible print lines:

 

 

And finally, in Rustoleum matte black primer:

 

 

And finally, the whole 3D-printed TLJ thermal detonator, fully assembled with a bit of VHB to hold the tube in.

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Thigh Holster Accuracy Update

 

I had originally sourced a thigh holster from @R2Dan of Dantooine Props a while back from his first run that was fully symmetrical, but with all of the DN kits being delivered, fortunately Dan decided it was time for another run. This time, his V2 was updated to make it slightly asymmetrical, which I guess is more accurate, and more similar to the one included with the DN kit, but functional. He includes a beautiful resin riser piece, but decided not to run the wedge spacers this time either. Instead of just buying one, I organized a group purchase for my Garrison and had uhhhh... a few... shipped over from Germany for us. Because why buy something for yourself when you can make a spreadsheet and involve a dozen other people? 

 

 

They feature the correct 3-piece metal design and include accurate, mostly countersunk Torx w/ security pin hardware and even driver bits, as well as the M6 button headed Torx w/ security pin bolts for the side of your blaster to mount it. I was very impressed with the quality overall.

 

The older V1 on the left, versus the new V2:

 

After disassembling it, the wedge was clean enough that it went right into primer and paint, but I did an extra couple of coats of filler and sanding on the sides of the metal parts where they were cut to fill in some imperfections.

 

 

And here it is when it's been sprayed white and reassembled!

 

 

This came out beautifully and I'm super happy with it! Install soon.

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

I like your thinking, Justin. Spreadsheets FTW. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

[R2Dan[TK]]

On 3/3/2023 at 1:52 AM, TheRascalKing said:

After disassembling it, the wedge was clean enough that it went right into primer and paint, but I did an extra couple of coats of filler on the sides of the metal parts where they were cut to fill in some imperfections.

 

Filler is one way, but you could just sand the edges smooth as well, aluminium isn't that hard to sand

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Handguard Accuracy Update

 

I will be using a set of cast resin handguards from Dantooine Props instead of the included vaccuum-formed plastic ones. After cleaning up the mold release and some light priming and sanding, they were painted in the same Behr Gloss White and attached to my gloves using white 2" industrial Velcro.

 

 

These are super clean castings and make for a great upgrade!

 

 

And mounted to gloves (more discussion on gloves in my Soft Goods Discussion post)...

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

I have also updated my Soft Goods Discussion post with more info and a brief comparison of the Endor Finders and TrooperBay gloves currently available for FOTKs, and my above post with my completed TLJ thermal detonator. I also finished the included solid resin Denuo Novo TD as a TFA variant using their included stickers and will figure out the best place to post that at some point, maybe even a comparison thread once completed so people can visualize the differences between the two suits. Idk. We'll see. Crossing a few items off this week and trying to forge ahead. Rainy weather and work have slowed me down lately, but I want to get this finished out soon, and still to a high standard!

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Look at those beauties!

[liquorbetter]

Looks awesome... I've picked up quite a few tips from this!

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

I have quite a few updates to include at some point, but I have been focusing primarily on actually finishing my suit and less on documenting, especially as I can add to this thread with additional photos of mentees I'll be helping build once I've kind of got this all figured out (hopefully). But let's go on a tangent real quick to hopefully help clear some things up - as much as Denuo Novo got right on this suit, and the fact that is a massive improvement in quality and design over the original "Alpha" TFA suits that were briefly somewhat available(?) from Anovos... they still messed some stuff up pretty bad. On a few of these, I remember early on thinking that I was going crazy, but they turned out to be just known errors in manufacturing.

 

Consider this all constructive feedback but unlikely to change, as it's not uncommon for even licensed makers to make concessions in order to make manufacturing easier or less expensive, or to appeal to a broader customer base. In addition, sometimes things are just lost (sometimes literally) in translation between the design (usually stateside) and manufacturing (usually in China), and other things are simply just missed entirely. Let's take a look at what DIDN'T go right on these suits (or at least the one delivered to me) and how we can potentially fix or improve them.

 

I'll flesh this out more and add pictures or any others that I'm forgetting, but let's start with:

 

- The forearms are shaped incorrectly at the wrist and should be larger and more square

- The forearms are molded incorrectly at the elbow and are indicated in the instructions to be cut in a shape that is not accurate (not TFA/TLJ/or "Finn Mod", really)

- The tall belt pouch is too short to accommodate the ABS panel

- All gaskets are sewn inside out, without velcro attached to a potentially L1/2 usable shiny side

- Forearm rails provided are TFA style, without a provision for a hex-headed bolt for TLJ

- The ABS Standard line TLJ helmet features TFA-style clips (fiberglass Premier seems to be correct)

- Several of the included templates in the instructions (like for the "kit-kats" and thigh holster) are just not remotely accurate for drilling holes

- The included screws for the belt boxes and holster are too long and will protrude through and damage the part if installed all the way tight. Both should be replaced with shorter ones or a different solution.

 

Though these are almost certainly intentional manufacturing concessions, let's acknowledge that:
- All of the resin pieces are beautifully cast, but very HEAVY - I will be replacing several of them

- The single-piece resin thermal detonator is more suited to TFA-style, than the 2 piece tube/carriage style for TLJ

- Many of the clips need the bottom of the casting reshaped to lay correctly where they go

- The included resin holster is not functional

- There are visible seams at the sides of the barrel at at the top of the chest/yoke at the shoulder necessary to allow for vacuum forming

 

I'll propose solutions for each at some point in each section of my build, then link them back here in the future, but hopefully at least making people aware will help!

Edited June 20, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[Sly11[Admin]]

Loving the detail Justin.

[FN1313[TK]]

Loving the detail Justin.

Details as to what isn’t quite up to par with the CRL and how to make them so from different vendors is the kind of value I look for in build threads!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

***WIP***

 

 

25. Shin "Kit-Kat" Assembly

 

After prepping and painting your white of choice, it'll be time to attach the resin "kit-kat" accents that go on the LEFT, outer shin. 

 

 

NOTE that the holes on the included template ARE WRONG, DO NOT USE THEM. But you can still use the template to get the kit-kats positioned correctly on the paper, then poke new holes with a pencil into the predrilled recesses on the parts. Then use the template to drill out those NEW holes on your shin armor. You'll note that this is step 25 and comes before shin assembly, as I learned that this is much easier to do BEFORE gluing the two halves together, and had to use a phillips bit with a ratchet to screw them down, after adding a few drops of CA to the faces and kicking with NCF Quick.

 

 

 

 

26. Shin Assembly

 

Let's build a shin.

 

 

I'll try to take some additional photos in the future, but trim your two legs out, overlap them, and glue them together, using the clip recess as your guide for alignment and spacing. I used E6000, clamps, painter's tape, and a whole bunch of n52 Neodymium magnets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a prestigious award.

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

****WIP

23 Thigh Holster Assembly

 

 

 

24. Thigh Assembly

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

Popping in with an update just in case anyone was worried I'd given up.... Not this time. I've been prioritizing getting stuff done over posting about it, but have been taking photos along the way. I've had setback after setback with first attempting unsuccessfully to slurry weld my parts together, then to fill and paint them. It's been a journey of constant frustration to meet my own high standards, frankly. My enthusiasm for the project has come and gone, and coupled with extreme heat in my garage workshop, an impending (but constantly delayed) move-in date to the home we just purchased, and my first child set to arrive at the end of November, progress has been sporadic. However, the pressure is on to figure this out and finish. 

 

I've been going through and adding additional photos and info in many of my previous posts, and will have several more coming, chronicling the trials and tribulations that have got me this far - ready for my first full suit up once it cools down this weekend. More to come. We're getting there...

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[JmTrooper]

Looks great did you end up painting the seams with Behr spray paint too?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

7 minutes ago, JmTrooper said:

Looks great did you end up painting the seams with Behr spray paint too?

 

I'm not done yet, but in short, yes.

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

First nearly-full suit up! Belt and ab boxes are next, along with some fine tuning, but I'm pretty happy for its first time being worn! Grabbed the wrong helmet on my way out of the workshop, oh well. More updates soon.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheSwede[TK]]

Looking good and I see you followed Denuo Novo ’s  version of the forearms 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

1 hour ago, TheSwede said:

Looking good and I see you followed Denuo Novo ’s  version of the forearms 

 

Cod and forearms are from Imperial Surplus and are TFA version... Spoilers 

[TheSwede[TK]]

3 hours ago, TheRascalKing said:

 

Cod and forearms are from Imperial Surplus and are TFA version... Spoilers 

They are on the wrong arms 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

23 hours ago, TheSwede said:

They are on the wrong arms 

 

Oh I do see that now! Clips should be facing forward, correct. Appreciate the tip and will label better! 

Edited September 5, 2023 by TheRascalKing

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

These have been over in the Pre-Approval forum for a bit, but I suppose I should post my photos now that I have been approved!

I do intend to get back to updating this thread, as I'm feeling much more confident in sharing my build now that it is complete. I also am helping a few squadmates with their builds, which will afford me opportunities to take more photos of my process on subsequent go-arounds. I think it came out well enough and hope this thread has been helpful to others even in its current state, and I'll do my best to finish it out in the future.