pandatrooper

Congrats! Nice work!

Technically, you don't "need" to add a return to anything unless you're trimming the part past it's original shape. The AP kits have shins and thighs that don't line up very well. You can assemble the kit without the need to use a heat sealing iron, a lot of people do it. But if you want to trim it and do a return, that's optional. You can also pretty much assemble the whole kit first and then do the returns last if you need to. Stukatrooper's build is a great guide to follow, but there are several troopers who have built AP's without need to do any heating / returns. Just browse through the build threads.

If you get the "Easy to do" kits from tandy, it comes with 20 snaps and a setter and the little anvil. Everything you need to make 20 snap plates. Get 2 packs, you can do an entire set of armor and have a few extras as spares. ----

The chest is an AM for sure. Look at the shoulder straps and the "pecs". Very AM looking. Helmet looks like an FX with the new dome. Looks a lot like an AM "full" kit.

Your build sounds like it's coming along nicely. Here's a tip for getting a good bend on your belt armor. http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=8757

Haven't updated this in a while, but I finally got a chance to weather the blaster and assemble the final parts. After the previous paint work (see thread) I did a black wash and sponged off the excess, so that the back filled all the nooks and crannies. After that came some highlight weathering using silver dry brushing, along with fake "chips" in the paint. I glued on the cooling fins, and weathered them using silver, bronze and black. I have also assembled the rear sight. Close up of the front sight cover and cooling fins Rear view of sight in action! Close up of front sight cover weathered Close up of front sight. I also added 2 WWII replica Enfield slings like the original ones used in ANH. Left side receiver view I weathered the side grip panels and the stock with a combination of black, burnt umber and burnt sienna acrylics. Before applying the paint, I bashed the stock with a screwdriver hand and head from various angles to create "dents" and crevices for the black paint to sit. Then highlighted it with the lighter colors. I have added the greeblies for the "gun lube" cap and reservoir. I know the rear sling mount is the wrong one, but I'll use this one for now until I can find a more screen accurate version. Completed T-21

Nice to see troopers helping troopers in full effect! Welcome aboard as well!

Looking nice! Soon, I'll be joining the dirty side as well. Make sure you have white elastic shoulder straps under the chest / back for your submission.

I've moved this topic to the electronics forum.

It's not a requirement for EIB. It's just a nice "finishing" detail and it's optional.

Will you be leaving the armor glued as is or will you be adding some cover strips on top? if you add cover strips, the ends can extend about 1/8" past the armor and it will "hide" the gape slightly. If you've already glued the parts, the only way to minimize the gap is to use a heat gun or heat sealing iron, and manipulate the plastic to minimize the gap. If you assemble the kit with butt seam edges, and use a cover strip, you can hide those irregularities a little better. It's tough with the AM kit because it's sort of oversized and made to be "one size fits all" but you're going to run into situations like this where the parts don't fit perfect. Even if you decide to leave it as is, I think it's fine. It's not a huge gap and only picky people like us SW nerds will notice.

I have a lot of people asking me how to do a return edge, or tips when they've bought a heat sealing iron and can't get it to work. So I figured a video tutorial would be helpful. Pete / Stukatrooper came up with the original concept and created the original web tutorial here. Pete's stuff is always inspirational, so many kudos to him for this! http://whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2313 I did a lot of trimming and return edges on my AM build here, also good for reference: http://whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=10434 Here is another tutorial for modifying the thigh armor tops to create the "ANH" look (notches) http://whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11836 Here's online sources for heat sealing irons: ----------- With that out of the way, here's a 2 part video tutorial for how to create return edges using a heat sealing iron. I hope it's helpful for all the people asking for tips on how to get a better return edge!

I wouldnt sweat it. The general public would never notice.

Kirby, you can make the plates slightly bigger, maybe 1.75" square, and when you apply the E6000, just spread some on the back of the snap plate on the plastic only. Spread some on the inside if the armor and clamp on the plastic of the snap plate, not the rivet. This way, the plastic makes full contact with plastic, theres no adhesive on the metal to cause any reaction, and the E6000 is used as contact cement, not a filler. I've found if you try to use it thick like a filler, it causes problems and thats not how its intended to be used.

Looks like an Fx lid and armor. Can't tell if its legit or recast from that photo.

My bad. "ANH strapping brackets" -----

Use a hair dryer or heat gun on the old velcro to soften the adhesive, then pull it off slowly. It should peel away easily. Use Goo Gone to remove the residue. You may also want to consider using snap plates and elastic or even the new wire hooks to strap your armor together if you want to upgrade it.

Nickel would be good if you plan to do the visible cod piece snaps and the exposed snap on the right of the ab. If you're making snap plates, about 35 will do.

Here's some close ups of the backs of the thighs and shins. I trimmed away a section on the lower edge of the thigh for better mobility. Yes, it's not screen accurate but neither is the armor. I move a lot better in it with the lower thigh back trimmed.

Congrats Brian!

They've taken notice of our needs! Nice work Doopydoos! The scope looks 100% better. As Vern stated, I wouldn't bend the resin. It's prone to cracking, so just trim it to fit.

Just use a sanding block and only sand down the barrel along the holes to reveal the un painted barrel. This also creates a flat spot for the t track to sit against it. Paint the t track black leaving the underside un painted but sanded. Now jusy glue the t track on. Depending on what material the t track is, use the appropriate adhesive.

Yes, I trimmed the shoulder straps narrower. The AM ones were trimmed really wide. I heated up an bent the straps to blend in better with the chest. I also flattened out tge shouler areas on the chest plate as the shape wasnt really right. The hand plates shown are ATA ones. I'm going to trim and do a return edge on the AM ones soon.

Theres some links to t track suppliers in this article here. http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=12507&pid=154230&st=0entry154230

Thats awesome! Very clean setup! Does that fit in your back armor with the amp in the chest?