Kagamaru’s Build Thread ANH TK Hero

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Ears Update IV

 

Got the right one trimmed and attached. How does it look? …they look?
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FN1313[TK]]

Looking pretty good to me, I agree with the echoed information previously, but looks like you’ve got some good progress.


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[Doggydoc[Staff]]

Looks good to me as well

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Lower ear left is a little thick, but you have closed up those gaps well, should be ok for basic approval but for higher levels it's up to our DO's @Deployment Officer Team

 

A couple of references to compare with

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

20 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Lower ear left is a little thick, but you have closed up those gaps well, should be ok for basic approval but for higher levels it's up to our DO's @Deployment Officer Team

 

A couple of references to compare with

 

 

Regarding the lower ear section, checking others WTF armor builds and EIB and Centurion submissions it looks like this armorer in particular has this detail in the ears armor. 

 

Looking to the back view of this helmet and compared to reference , the ears looks  ok

 

 

 

 

 

But if we see the front view, the WTF ear mold is thicker.   This is not a issue in any level, and  it could be just a suggestion to leave a little gap to make the ear looks thiner.

 

 

 

 

Keep it up 

 

 

[Nairy[Staff]]

Hey Bryan you have done an awesome job!   The helmet looks really good in its proportions and you'll be a beautiful Hero! 

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Bubble Lens Installation 

 

Back from vacation. Couldn’t wait to get back to the build! I’ve attached my shims to my kidney plate according to the advice earlier on and am now slowly trying to get the consistency correct for my abs paste to smooth the joint and sand. Hopefully to make it seamless. It’s making me nervous. I’m going to try to smooth in as little as I can to cover so there’s not so much to sand. I have sandpaper all the way up to 3000 grit. I still need to order polish and polishing cloth. I’ll post all of that when I’m done with it or run into problems. 
 

In the meantime, I’ve been installing the green bubble lenses on my helmet. I cut them to size and used the Sugru method to attach. They looked a little sharp on the edges so I added some craft foam cushion for comfort around the eyes in case they touch my face. 
 

I think they look pretty cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foam inside to simulate a full helmet. Lenses are adequately dark. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Kagamaru

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, you could if you wanted too close up the open gaps around the lens by fine tuning, a little sanding in places that are touching, a bit like the ears. Not a must and as is the gap will allow a little air flow so entirely up to you.

 

[FN1313[TK]]

I for one second the idea of leaving some gaps for airflow, it helps lenses not fog up, but that’s a personal preference and not required


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[Kagamaru[TK]]

Seam Sanding

 

I’m really feeling down right now. I haven’t polished this seam with Novus yet, but it’s not right and I don’t see any way just sanding and polishing will ever make it look seamless. It’s already cracking at the top where the seam is as the abs paste got sanded too thin. Is there another path forward? I don’t want my centurion bid to end here. Maybe I’m missing something buried in the archives that I can’t find. Maybe some sort of white filler that isn’t abs or something. 
 

this is the unsanded side. 
 

Sanded down to 3000 grit. The seam is starting to come through. 
 

Distant view. 
 

I feel like I’ve ruined it. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Kagamaru

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Should really apply in thin coats and build up to what is required, it helps to dry fully.

 

Sanding ABS paste is not a quick process, sanding wet will help our sandpaper last longer (if using wet and dry sandpaper) also wrapping around a small piece of wood helps to sand down high spots.

 

A few ABS paste How To's

Wet sanding

 

[Kagamaru[TK]]

More filling. More sanding.

 

Im feeling better about this. It’s still not perfect. Little pits keep appearing. Wondering if I need to just paint it. Filled, sanded, and polished with Novus. Still doesn’t match the high high gloss surrounding. But honestly it’s shiny enough and I feel like I’m an obscure enough location not to stand out as odd. I don’t know. Thoughts?

 

 

 

Still have to refill and resand and repolish this bit. 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Unfortunately you can get a air holes due to the paste curing and heat build up.

 

It is definitely looking better, using a block of wood with sandpaper wrapped around can help to take down any high spots.

 

Depending on the final outcome some do apply some paint to match the armor better, it's a case of trying to mix a shade that best matches your armor.

[FN1313[TK]]

I think I did about 3 times over with a little tiny hole I filled, a length like yours may take a little more time, but the work is definitely paying off as it’s looking much better. Just keep applying thin layers and sanding down until it’s right where you want at which point using something like Novus 1-2-3 can polish it up much better!

Keep up the good work!


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[Kagamaru[TK]]

Belt Questions

 

1. I’ve seen a few threads on belt attachments. Some used Velcro. Some snaps. I was going to do the snap method but was wondering if it mattered what type of snap to use. 

2. When attaching the ammo portion of the belt to the canvas are people using split rivets or another type? And does it matter?

 

As always thank you for guidance. 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I use snaps on both the plastic to canvas and canvas to abdomen, some use a combination of snaps and rivets or velcro. I also use both snaps on the outside as well as the center, stops the belt from drooping.  Does not matter what way you attach.

 

Rough position. CRL L3: 

• 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.
• The top of the ABS ammo belt should sit at or just above the bottom of the central and vertical abdomen button panels.
• Canvas belt must be firm / sturdy in appearance. No creasing or sagging 

 

Bending your belt will also help it not to spring off when you move

Also make sure your drop boxes align with the end of the plastic belt section

• Drop boxes are vertically aligned with the end of the ammo belt with minimal gap between belt and box.

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Belt completed 

 

Holster is in the Han configuration. It’s a little under the button panel but it’s just because I don’t have the other bits of armor in place. I though about adding one more snap from the canvas to the middle of the Ab plate to make it where it would never slip. But didn’t know if that was advisable or passable. It wouldn’t be seen. 
 

Photos are reversed mirror shots. The holster is on the left side. 
 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Just check:

 

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

[Kagamaru[TK]]

7 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Just check:

 

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

The corners are at 45°. What does “meet” mean in this case? Like “lie flat against” or the inner point of the angle flush with the top/bottom edge? 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

38 minutes ago, Kagamaru said:

The corners are at 45°. What does “meet” mean in this case? Like “lie flat against” or the inner point of the angle flush with the top/bottom edge? 

 

Some references for you

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Okay, yeah that’s where they line up. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

In this image it looked like the angled corners didn't meet the outer edge of the fabric belt, if they do they are fine

 

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Helmet Painting Detail Question

 

Do the small lines on the back side of the helmet in the trapezoid shapes have to be shaky? Can I make them really really clean and evenly spaced? Or is that a no no? (I’m hand painting)

 

As always thanks for your guidance!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

They have to appear hand painted, so not quite perfect.

 

• Tears/traps shall be hand painted or use decals that emulate hand painted (with correct ANH TK details).

 

 

With the tube stripes make sure you add the correct lean of the first tube stripe, it falls from the top

 

 

You can find some great references over at star wars helmets http://www.starwarshelmets.com/original-ANH-Stunt-Stormtrooper-armor-helmets.htm

 

 

 

 

[Kagamaru[TK]]

Teeth paint borders

 

Is this too much gap? I keep seeing “leave a gumline” but this looks like too much white to me when I look closely at the original reference photos. The white gap is at ~2mm right now. (Hero helmet)