TK ANH Stunt by CloseTheBlastDoor

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

You can trim a little more in the corners of the teeth

 

 

Although I would trim a little more into the corner some screen helmets stopped short so you may have gotten away with it.

 

 

You can also notch the ear which will allow the ear to sit closer on the faceplate.

 

More info in this thread

 

If possible try to align the ear angle to the traps, not all helmet makes can achieve this though  

 

The "ideal" ear placement is as seen below, where the screws line up with the rear angle of the trap right above it.  Because some armorers design their helmets differently or send them pre-assembled this is not always possible to achieve, but it is suggested that you try to get as close as you can.

 

Note:  Top ear screws should ideally be located directly below the rear of the trap.

     

 

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

Got it, thank you! Lots of work ahead of me!

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

Checking in... I probably spent about two hours working on the right ear. I am close, but there are still gaps. These photos are with the top two screws in, but not the lower one, where I'm holding that section down with my fingers. I'm not crazy about the gap in the front where the tube meets the face, but I don't know that I can do much more on it. Thoughts?

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

4 hours ago, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

Checking in... I probably spent about two hours working on the right ear. I am close, but there are still gaps. These photos are with the top two screws in, but not the lower one, where I'm holding that section down with my fingers. I'm not crazy about the gap in the front where the tube meets the face, but I don't know that I can do much more on it. Thoughts?

 

Gaps are acceptable, rear is looking really good. Hopefully you have added the step to the top of the ear as per the link I posted earlier. To get the ear closer at the front you would need to sand the top front of the ear.

 

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

Thanks, good to hear, whew! Yes, that step at the top was totally needed. I'll hit that top front of the ear some more, as you suggest.

[JBar[TK]]

This is really looking great. Glad you're building with higher levels in mind. I was the exact same way. I just wanted basic approval with the option to go Centurion down the road. I almost didn't a time or two during my build but once you get basic, you're gonna want to go keep going if you're like me. You don't know how many people in my garrison said they should have gone level 2/3 from the start but after a dozen or so troops your armor starts to break down and you get comfortable with it and it's a lot harder to get the energy to fix everything. And it's a lot more than just a patch and certificate, I felt absolutely elated passing the last level. From what I've seen in your build you are definitely talented and look motivated to go all the way and I think you'll really enjoy the process. Keep it up trooper!

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

12 hours ago, JBar said:

This is really looking great. Glad you're building with higher levels in mind. I was the exact same way. I just wanted basic approval with the option to go Centurion down the road. I almost didn't a time or two during my build but once you get basic, you're gonna want to go keep going if you're like me. You don't know how many people in my garrison said they should have gone level 2/3 from the start but after a dozen or so troops your armor starts to break down and you get comfortable with it and it's a lot harder to get the energy to fix everything. And it's a lot more than just a patch and certificate, I felt absolutely elated passing the last level. From what I've seen in your build you are definitely talented and look motivated to go all the way and I think you'll really enjoy the process. Keep it up trooper!

Wow, John, thank you for the encouragement! I totally agree, because I know myself too well that I won't want to open up that E-6000 or pull out that Dremel again after getting this done . I think getting this done at any level is an affirmation of skill level, 'cause it ain't easy! I'm glad I had most of the tools already, and I've certainly put them to work!

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

Now checking in on the left ear. I think I have a good fit, but when I compare it to the right ear, it's quite a bit thicker at the bottom. I know that the ears aren't meant to be symmetric, but is this too much of a difference?

 

Left ear:

 

Right ear:

 

My armorer left out a pair of the ear screws, so I don't have the left ear screwed down. Still waiting for that to come in the mail, but does anyone know what size they are so I can get them on Amazon or something? In imperial units, it seems like it's a bit smaller than #4. Who knows what it could be in rebel units ?

[Doggydoc[Staff]]

Not sure about the screw size but the ears look close enough to me.  I would leave them as they are.

[JBar[TK]]

Luckily I feel like you rarely can see both ears straight head on with the way our buckets are. Worst case you could always get a new set of ears but I wouldn’t trim the thicker side down just to try to match. Also not sure on the screw size but im now curious too and can do some digging around

[JBar[TK]]

Luckily I feel like you rarely can see both ears straight head on with the way our buckets are. Worst case you could always get a new set of ears but I wouldn’t trim the thicker side down just to try to match. Also not sure on the screw size but I’m now curious too and want to do some digging around

[JBar[TK]]

I just heard back and the maker of my WTF kit says he supplies #4 brass screws for his

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

On 7/24/2024 at 5:38 AM, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

My armorer left out a pair of the ear screws, so I don't have the left ear screwed down. Still waiting for that to come in the mail, but does anyone know what size they are so I can get them on Amazon or something? In imperial units, it seems like it's a bit smaller than #4. Who knows what it could be in rebel units ?

For Level 3, all ear screws must be "..slotted, flat-topped, countersunk and painted white".  

 

 

Note:   The recommended screw head size is #6/32 (7mm), with a length between 3/4" to 1" (17 to 25mm).

 

       

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

@Doggydoc, @JBar yeah, I feel like I shouldn't be picking at the ears much longer, since I'm bound to overdo it. So I'll leave it as-is and hopefully it will be approved.

 

@JBar, @gmrhodes13 I figured out that I was not using my screw gauge properly, and for this kit (WTF), it's #4-40 screws. I don't see anything larger than that in the kit provided. Those screws and the S-Trim (original was too short) were supposed to ship last weekend, but didn't. But now I can just go buy some. I might just get ones that are all about 1" long. The ones in the kit would of course need to be snipped, but I'd rather not do that at risk of messing up the threading.

 

I have a nice, snug countersink on the ears, and I'll paint everything later in 1-2 sessions.

 

I'll also have to get some screws for the bottoms of the ears. Any guidelines about exactly where they go, or just eyeball from references?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

7mm was just the head size not the thread, head size can vary from 5-7mm depending on what is available 

 

TM reference: M3.5 x 25mm

Supertrooper: 4/40 flat machine screws

ATA:  4/40 flat machine screws

 

A few threads on thread sizing:

 

 

 

 

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

Thank you for the adding the threads on thread sizing to this thread . Hmm, I'm measuring these #4-40 heads at 5.5mm, so I guess that's just within range.

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

16 hours ago, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

I'll also have to get some screws for the bottoms of the ears. Any guidelines about exactly where they go, or just eyeball from references?

Oh, sorry, I still have this question about positioning.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

5 hours ago, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

Oh, sorry, I still have this question about positioning.

Sorry missed that one.

 

   

 

        

   

[shashachu[TK]]

Great work! Agree on the teeth trimming - what helped me during my build was focusing less on trimming out the empty spaces and more on shaping the teeth, if that makes sense. Once I thought about it that way, it became a lot clearer how much to trim out.

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

On 8/7/2024 at 7:45 AM, shashachu said:

what helped me during my build was focusing less on trimming out the empty spaces and more on shaping the teeth, if that makes sense.

Thanks, ShaSha! Yes, that totally makes sense, and I remember you saying that in your build thread. I've been picking at the teeth a lot, and I think still have a bit more to go. My teeth seem to have too much depth compared to the photos that Glen posted.

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

OK, I started doing some painting, finally!

 

Ab-to-Kidney rivets painted:

 

Thigh ammo pack rivets painted:

 

Helmet screws and hovi tips. Hovi tips are black on the outside, and white on the inside and front edge.

 

And then the ears. Lots of masking and painting. First masking to get the black border contained, making sure to burnish down the edges as much as possible to inhibit paint seepage:

 

Freehand topping with gray paint:

 

Allow to dry, then apply black carefully:

 

Per a note I saw from @justjoseph63, remove the tape within five minutes of applying the black. It came out OK, but there were still some smudges and rough spots:

 

After waiting overnight, I reapplied the painter’s tape to this time cover up to the black line (sorry, no photo), and used that to finish the gray. Then a cleanup with toothpick and mineral spirits, which by the way worked way better than I could have imagined!

 

 

I hope this is good enough! I know I need the black rank stripe on each one, but should I do that now, or later, since it’s for Centurion?
 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

10 minutes ago, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

I hope this is good enough! I know I need the black rank stripe on each one, but should I do that now, or later, since it’s for Centurion?
 

Nice work, I would however just touch up a little in the corners, a trick for nice straight lines is finish with a permanent marker, you have better control than a brush  

 

You may as well add your rank paint now, while the paint is handy

"Last or second to last is what's seen on original helmets. If second to last, only on one ear, never both."

 

This is a non official ranking system, it was made quite some years ago but it's a bit of fun to have a look at.

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

14 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Nice work, I would however just touch up a little in the corners, a trick for nice straight lines is finish with a permanent marker, you have better control than a brush  

 

Ah, nice trick! I did indeed have a fine tip sharpie, and was able to touch it up a bit better.

 

14 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

"Last or second to last is what's seen on original helmets. If second to last, only on one ear, never both."

 

Does "last" mean from left to right on either ear, or does it mean towards the back of the helmet? And the choice of which ear is up to me?

[shashachu[TK]]

15 hours ago, CloseTheBlastDoor said:

OK, I started doing some painting, finally!

 

Ab-to-Kidney rivets painted:

 

Thigh ammo pack rivets painted:

 

Helmet screws and hovi tips. Hovi tips are black on the outside, and white on the inside and front edge.

 

And then the ears. Lots of masking and painting. First masking to get the black border contained, making sure to burnish down the edges as much as possible to inhibit paint seepage:

 

Freehand topping with gray paint:

 

Allow to dry, then apply black carefully:

 

Per a note I saw from @justjoseph63, remove the tape within five minutes of applying the black. It came out OK, but there were still some smudges and rough spots:

 

After waiting overnight, I reapplied the painter’s tape to this time cover up to the black line (sorry, no photo), and used that to finish the gray. Then a cleanup with toothpick and mineral spirits, which by the way worked way better than I could have imagined!

 

 

I hope this is good enough! I know I need the black rank stripe on each one, but should I do that now, or later, since it’s for Centurion?
 

 

 

For future reference for painting helmet, one tip I got from another thread about areas that have to be outlined in black is to first paint the black down, then paint the gray over it once it's dried. It's much easier than trying to paint a tiny thin pinstripe of black:

 

 

[CloseTheBlastDoor[TK]]

15 minutes ago, shashachu said:

 

For future reference for painting helmet, one tip I got from another thread about areas that have to be outlined in black is to first paint the black down, then paint the gray over it once it's dried. It's much easier than trying to paint a tiny thin pinstripe of black:

 

 

 

Thanks ShaSha! I think it might have been Pandatrooper who said that, and it's a good tip. But I'll admit that I wimped out and bought the stickers for the black-outlined traps/tears . There's a guy, Chris Zabka, who makes them specifically for WTF helmets.

 

So, getting the teeth right is the next thing. I've been working on getting the trimming right on that, as you advised in the other post, before starting painting.