Dark_GTI04's ATA build[*ATA]

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

I'm done with the shoulder and arms. Held in place across the shoulders with 1" elastic. Black nylon webbing connecting the forearms to the biceps. Black elastic at the top of the palms and at the wrists. Comes on like a jacket.

CA boots came in this past week and my hyperfirm E-11 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. **Side note - new TX helmet kit is arriving this week also. I'm looking forward to finally upgrading my FX blackhole trooper helmet. That build will be up here too soon. **

[ThayNerd[TK]]

Looking good Daniel.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Your ATA is coming along great Daniel!

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

It looks like you are off your meds in this pic, mate........a little Barmy!

 

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

Finally, my hyperfirm E-11 is here. I threw it across the living room . . . not a scratch

It was a fun day for receiving packages. My CAP TX helmet arrived too, assembled. Gonna say goodbye to the FX version pretty soon.

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is good! Getting er done. I wanna have this build done by the 20th. Our Garrison was invited to a comic book store grand opening and it would be great to have this armor done by then.

 

Last night I painted the helmet. Overall, came out good. A few spots with some overspray. I could buff/polish those spots smooth once I pick up some tack cloths. I sprayed it in the garage then brought it inside to dry in the extra bathroom. I brought in a small portable heater and made a nice little curing/drying "booth" Worked out really well.

 

Finished the mic tips. Used a 12mm socket to bend the ends of the mesh.

Mic tips installed and brow trim placed to check my progress.

ATA helmet and CAP TX helmet. I had time to prime the TX. Working on two helmets now.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Glad to see ya finally got your Hyperfirm E11 Daniel, but that T-21 was deadly looking

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

Thought I'd finally put up some full shots of my armor (so far). Hopefully with the day off tomorrow I can finish the helmet and thermal detonator. It feels good!

[ThayNerd[TK]]

Good job on your build Daniel!

[darthfoster[501st]]

Wow didn't realize you were this far along man. You and that armor look great together .

Right on bro.

[NoGoodSkills[501st]]

really awesome job on the build man

[Sgt JB]

Starting to trim/test fit the thighs. What do I do about this? The bottom edge doesn't line up.

 

I've seen someone else with the same ATA kit trim the back like this

 

I guess this is my route.

 

Has anyone ever filled up gaps with bondo or other type of filler material?

 

I filled mine with 'green stuff' 2 part modeling putty. then sanded, and smoothed, then after my first real fitting cut it all off because it pinched my leg. :-)

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

I took some more shots a little while ago. Finished the helmet tonight. Picked up pinstripe tape for around the ears.

 

I also made some loops for the holster to convert it to ESB style.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

RIGHTEOUS TK!!! Nice and shiny with that new plastic smell.....

 

One thing <_< you need to post more pix

 

 

Good work!

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Outstanding job! I see another EIB in the near-future.

 

I continue to be impressed with the quality of the new builds - the bar just keeps getting higher.

[TKDUEUNO]

Outstanding job! I see another EIB in the near-future.

 

I continue to be impressed with the quality of the new builds - the bar just keeps getting higher.

 

Ditto, you took the words right out of my mouth!!!

 

Impressive build!

[ThayNerd[TK]]

Great job on your build Daniel, the armor looks great on you! I can't wait to see it in person!

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

Thanks for the support guys. I'm "officially" a TK in the 501st!

 

I put the D-ring on my blaster earlier this morning. EIB hopefully very soon.

[VacTrooper]

WOW! Excellent build, man! I actually JUST noticed this thread. CRAZY fine work there, sir, VERY GOOD!!

[Darth_Finger]

That really came out good. Did you use the ATA helmet aswell?

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

That really came out good. Did you use the ATA helmet aswell?

 

Yes. i got the whole kit. I haven't trooped in it yet. Not till next month at Wondercon

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

It's definitely not even close to AP. It's directly related to the T*E armor. The reason the chest and back look different is because ATA is pulled in HIPS where as AP is pulled in ABS. The details pulled in HIPs are much more sharper than details pulled in ABS when comparing ATA and AP. AP armor is GFs old molds that were cleaned up a little more and they were not as sharp as T*E when GF originally got them.

 

after looking closely at an ATA lid, and very soon ATA armor itself the thickness of the plastic, and the type of plastic has

little to do with the appearance of the armor.

 

The ata lid I've been building looks like it was taken directly from a mould that was made using an AP lid as a base.

the trim lines and faceplate and cap are the same dimensions as the AP kit.

 

the faceplate looks reworked in some of the details. The eyes are deeper, and very different from the ap

the cap, n back are very poor. ton's of bumps, mis shapen in overall size.

it looked like the ata kit was pulled from a "bumpy cap" I was shocked at the looseness of the ata helmet.

 

the overall shape of the cap n back looks to have been reworked to look like a bumpy cap hdpe lid.

the back of the lid looks like the mould has been reworked to be wider, and has

a lot less of the undercut that you'd want to see.

 

you can see that the ata kit still has glue, and rubber trim lines moulded into it's vac forming buck.

the HIPS of ata's kits has all sorts of bumps, waves, and overall makes the ata kit NEEDING a lot

of sanding work to make it smooth.

 

the "extra details" just don't come out in the hips. the pull of thinner plastic like hips actually shows bumps

and waves, and just does not stand up to close scrutiny like an ABS AP kit.

 

hips is thinner, but that does not produce a "more detailed" pull.

 

it looks like the model produced actually has more flaws.

 

sure, the debate sounds correct, logic would show that hips could produce a more detailed model.

but the problem is:

 

the mould has flaws that require detailing that should not be present.

 

anyone who makes an ata kit look really really good, is because of all the sanding and careful assembly!

not because of any "sharpness"

 

CAP did a pretty good job with the overall look of the mould bucks, it's just a lot more work to put together a kit that you have

to sand smooth before painting. ata works does a great job on the inner details!

 

the hardware provided, including the hovie tips, and screws were all top notch!

 

the more I look at TE and older respected model makers, the more proud I am of ATA AP and TM for all their hard work.