My Tupperware AM Build[*AM]

[TKittell[501st]]

Just a couple of notes to start off. Communications with Tupperware were superb! My kit did not come with a bucket, although he's currently working on a new and improved helmet. ABS was pre-cut and has a high gloss to it. This is formed for the larger troops and every piece needed to be trimmed to get the perfect fit. BTW, I'm 6'2" and 195 lbs.

 

Photobucket Link

 

***NEW PHOTOS AS OF 15 FEB*** New photos of my arm straps and snaps for the canvas belt.

[FIVE[501st]]

Thanks for the pics!

Looking forward to this build for sure!!

 

Oh... your link was goofy... here's the right one.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Wow, the second Tupperware build for the FISD!!!

 

Before you know it, everybody will be doing AM ARMOR and the forum will have to make a section just for it

 

 

Can't wait to see this build!!!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Looking good so far. Keep the pics coming!

 

I won't have time for a while, but in the future I'd like to do an AM build. Everything seems very well thought out!

[Wildabeast[TK]]

It's a great kit isn't it..looking forward to see your progress..

[bluehickey]

WOW, I am so impressed with the clean, sharp pulls with this armor, especially that chest piece, it's almost sexy looking!

[Bill.I.Am]

This is the armor I am interested in buying. I guess you purchased the "lite" kit. I am interested in seeing if you have to trim very much for it to fit. I am 5'7 so am curious to see how much work I would have to do to make it fit me comefortably.

Keep the updates coming!

[TKittell[501st]]

Bill,

 

I'm 6'2" and 195 pounds. I had to trim almost every one of the pieces to get my custom fit. But your workload would be the same. You'd just have to make your trims wider than mine.

 

Yes, I bought the light kit (no bucket). I've ordered an AP, hopefully it's in the mail as we speak.

 

I made some progress on my kit last night and today. I just got done with the rivet gun and button snaps for my snap system.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Looking good Robert. Are you planning to have this build meet CRL requirements only, or will you be applying for EIB or doing more screen accurate ANH style (or whichever movie) details later on?

 

There might be a few things you can do now that might save you time later on since you're building it anyways (eg: gluing the shoulder straps, left side torso rivets, etc..)

[TKittell[501st]]

I'll be going for EIB. I know riveting the shoulders together wasn't canon, but I wanted to take advantage of the longer straps with the chest/back AM molds.

 

I'm also planning on doing the left side torso rivets.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

What I can see from the PhotoBucket link your progressing nicely....

 

You never stated which TK version you are doing....... ANH or ESB? or even ROTJ?

 

I know Panda Stated " will you be applying for EIB or doing more screen accurate ANH style (or whichever movie) details later on? "

[Anrev]

Looking good Rob. Looking forward to seeing the completed kit.

[Wildabeast[TK]]

Looks really clean so far, like the rivet method for the shoulders.

[TKittell[501st]]

Update to questions above: I'm making an ANH, Stunt. I just picked up my ANH Stunt leather holster from Anrev up in Denver. My bucket will be AP, but hasn't arrived yet. So just waiting for books from TKboots.com (they said they'll be getting a shipment in this week) and my bucket. I bought some black nomex flight gloves from the local AF base (it helps to be in the AF sometimes).

[TKittell[501st]]

Slight problem.

 

It seems this kit comes with long sides on the chest and back pieces. I can actually overlap them while wearing it. What do you guys recommend? Cut them? If so, how should I cut them. Both sides? Or just the back wings or the front wings?

 

Another option I was thinking of was to velcro them together.

 

If I'm a betting man, I'm guessing you all are going to tell me to cut both wings and have a piece of elastic to hold them together. Anyone have a good reference picture of how I should cut them? Angles?

 

Is this just a unique problem with the new AM armor?

 

Rob

 

***Link udated with ab button panel work***

[tkrestonva[TK]]

I believe AM was sculpted specifically to incorporate longer sides for larger-waisted troopers. The thinking was it's better to have the smaller guys trim away the extra plastic than to force the bigger guys to add shims.

 

Ideally the ab & kidney pieces should just touch at the middle of your side, so it looks like you'll need to trim both. As I recall they should be attached with a piece of black fabric and 3 rivets on each side. The idea is to form a clamshell on one side of your body. If you take a look at some of the TM builds done by the UKG crew, you'll see what I'm talking about.

[Wildabeast[TK]]

I believe AM was sculpted specifically to incorporate longer sides for larger-waisted troopers. The thinking was it's better to have the smaller guys trim away the extra plastic than to force the bigger guys to add shims.

 

Ideally the ab & kidney pieces should just touch at the middle of your side, so it looks like you'll need to trim both. As I recall they should be attached with a piece of black fabric and 3 rivets on each side. The idea is to form a clamshell on one side of your body. If you take a look at some of the TM builds done by the UKG crew, you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

That is complete correct. In the instruction there is a page that shows were the trimming of the ab and back should be done if needed. just remember to cut both side evenly, measure twice, cut once....

[TKittell[501st]]

I guess I didn't ask my question clearly enough. I understand the kidney and ab plates come together. My question is referring to the overlap of the chest and back plates. What I meant to ask was how far back do I cut the pieces? Is there a certain angle? A certain amount of black showing? Thanks for the help.

[james007bond[TK]]

Generally speaking there is no angle as such, if you have trim lines follow the trim lines and if you have to cut more off then cut off in parallel to the trim lines...

 

As a general rule of thumb, just make sure that the chest plate is 90degress i.e. straight cut down. This is because when you wear the chest plate, it will naturally fall outwards at an angle anyway..... and then you just use black elastic/straps to fix it to the OII plate..... "simples"

 

Also the gap will vary depending upon your physique... At minimum a 2inch gap is fine.... Just look at the various build threads and make a judgement call.....

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Ah, now I understand.

 

Like Shiv said, it's a judgement call depending on your physique. The ANH promo shot from Stukatrooper's photo library may help give you some idea of how far back to trim the chest and back pieces. It's the last pic in the set.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stukatrooper/...57606249339988/

[Anrev]

Hey Rob, Check out this pic.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2684/424088...63ea6e21f_o.jpg

 

And this one.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2792/425658...30ff40c47_o.jpg

[TKittell[501st]]

Boys, I've got some trimming to do.

[Bill.I.Am]

Before you do the trimming could you post some pics showing the areas you are going to trim. Maybe highlighting them with tape? Would be good to see.

[Bell[TK]]

I guess I didn't ask my question clearly enough. I understand the kidney and ab plates come together. My question is referring to the overlap of the chest and back plates. What I meant to ask was how far back do I cut the pieces? Is there a certain angle? A certain amount of black showing? Thanks for the help.

 

That one got me and i asked the maker about it. It's meant to come together in a similar manner to the ab plate so that there is no gap and so that it reduces the amount of black showing.

 

Of course it's entirely up to you but that's what i'm doing with my set.

[TKittell[501st]]

New pictures added of where I want to cut my chest and OII pieces on the sides. I want to cut along the outer-facing edges of the blue tape. Can I cut? I eyeballed the tape lines after looking at the screenshots from ANH posted online.

 

 

Update: I ended up only cutting 2 inches off of both sides. Roughly, the inside of the tape "lines." Looks good, and I can alway cut more later if I want to.