Kirby

The flamethrower looks awesome... I think you should get extra style points for finding out that an Invacare walker can double as a light duty saw horse.... Seeing that walker gave me flash-backs to my old job.....

Good to see another Tony fan.... My wife always jokes, says he isnt a very nice person.....P90X isnt easy, and finding the time to get that workout in every day is sometimes hard.....but its well worth it, when you do...

I have seen quite a few posts on this, and figured I should throw my 2 cents in and climb on the soapbox for a few... When I first bought my armor had I started right away I would have made a better wall on a Corellian cruiser that a trooper.. I have been out of shape for a while, I still play baseball and its been rough. After some up and down back and forth dieting over the years I have finally changed my eating habits. My biggest break through has been cutting out soft drinks, soda pop, cola... Whatever you call it know it verys depending on where you live. I had switched to Diet years ago, however this is just as bad if you drink a lot of it as the sodium will have you retaining water, and I am buying into the rumors that the aspertame hurts you when dieting. I only drink one can or bottle per day now either at breakfast or dinner. Rest of the time its plain water or Vitaman Water ZERO (no cal, no splenda uses stivia.) Im eating actual correct portion sizes which here in the US; well I dont think we have known what those are for a long time, that old phrase from when I was a kid clean your plate doesnt apply today.... I have been working out more consistantly (P90X) and when I dont feel like it, or something comes up that would keep me from getting my work out in, instead of making a really good excuse or justifying it to myself and not doing it all I at least work out as much as I can even if its only 10 or 15 minutes. I have dropped almost 30 pounds since June. Averaging about 10 pounds a month, which I know isnt any really huge number, but its consistant and steadily going down, which in my opinion is better than a drop a lot, gain some, repeat and never get anywhere...

If its not a requirement then I will probably just leave it as is and take the path of least resistance....That was the main reason for me attempting it, I was thinking that it would be a requirement... Thanks a lot guys as always.. great advice from all of you...

When I was shown where to trim my armor, it was all the way back. Which left me with absolutely no return what so ever. At this point any amount that would make my armor more acceptable when it comes time for aproval would work for me....

I have been trying to practice using my heat seal iron and heat gun. My heat guns lowest temp is 400* and my mini iron maxes at 305*.... I have been trying to heat without overheating and trashing what I am working on, but it seems like its just not getting hot.. I tried letting the iron heat up to full temp, then use it by itself, making several passes with no give on the plastic, then I tried give a few passes first with my heat gun then start in with the iron... only time I got any type of bend was really doing the heat gun iron combo and then pushing down on the iron pretty firm.. Im obviously doing something wrong just not sure what.. I know a few of you have had some really good success with this, and really need to use this technique. Maybe i am off on the time is it like 10-15 minutes of passes back and forth on one section?

Thanks... I have plenty of goo gone, we use that stuff all the time around the house...

I was able to remove the strips without any problems, using the razor/pry technique since I used E6000. I was looking again, I didnt really see the best way of removing the glue thats still left behind so I can have a flat area to work with when I go to place the strips back. Anyone have the link to the post with that info?

Thanks a lot... Initial I cut my strips, worked to make them nice uniformed on both ends had them sticking over just a bit,then thought wait thats too round and went with my idea you see before you.. Before I go trying something again.. I will put a pic up asking.... Im going to pull these strips off and try again.. realized its going to be a pain trying to put the bevel back, (I know everybody else calls it a return, guess I have to be different) but I realized needed to really do that prior to iron work..

I am adding a pic of my other bicep strip job.. I am hoping that this one is closer to correct.. Also Panda if you are reading this.. I am not sure what you were talking about when refering the the notch at top.. I circled what I think you may have been talking about, if thats the case, I didnt do that, thats how my armor came...

Got ya Panda... Thanks Id rather get it right than wrong... Still not sure why I decided to get creative and cut the strip to match the shape underneath.. (OCD kicked in maybe) I did use E600 so I may be able to pull it back off, but I did put it on fairly heavy. I guess Im still not getting what else I did wrong.. Trust me Im really wanting to get this right.. So I am very open to suggestion.. Im sure if I was at an armor party I would be catching on a lot faster, but there werent any TKs being worked on at the last one I made it to, just snowies... Had one member than had worked on a sand, and he was able to show me where to trim to, but that was as much as was able to be shown at the time.. Bumps and bruises along the way, I dont mind it taking a while to get it right..

Here are the pics I took... Im hoping once I get em cleaned up painted and take the mini-iron to em' they will look OK.. Any anyone has to say good or bad about what they think I am listening. Thanks

Thanks for the input... I started witht the inside so I didnt think to take any pics last night.. Ill snap a few when I go back out to work later today... Feel like this is my first big step actually gluing something together.. "I got that excited/scared feeling. Like 98% excited, 2% scared. Or maybe its more - It could be two - it could be 98% scared, 2% excited."

Sorry everyone, I am sure that are more than enough posts about strips and shimming. I just couldnt find the answer I was looking for so here is another.. The strips on all the front facing portions that would be have the strip added, are they all the same width? (the 20mm) I know they the need to all be as close to that as possible, I would say I am probably going to have to go a little above that, however on a few pieces, I just did a 25mm actually 1/2" and its going to be very tight. This leads me to believe that my hamhock thighs and calfs are going to not come close with the 25mm and I would think I would have to shim so much in the back that it would make them appear I guess the word would be flaired out? Obviously my goal is to be approved, but comfort has to come in to play at some point and if I can just put it on and not move, that wouldnt be much fun... I guess what Im asking is,If im close as I can get to that magic mm mark onthe strips as I can, and not have em say, 4" its should be OK right? Thanks

Epic, but don't forget your schwartz ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you have the same exact set of armor that I am working on...

Well I attended an Armor Party In WV last month, and Wannabefett asked the same question. At this point Im just making an educated guess.. I picked it up off Ebay about a while ago for about $100. So at least I didnt get TOTALLY burned by paying what some of the people on Ebay try and charge. I have been trying to see if I could come across the same guy selling, and the last time I did he had TE listed in the description. I cant remeber if it said recast, however, Its evident to me know that I know a little more that it is. As far as thin, I havent taken a micrometer to measue it exactly, but its way thinner than the .90 ABS I bought for strips.. Thats why I was asking first about this set I ran across... Not looking to repeat the same mistake again..

Well since I found that page prior to reading your reply.. I will be taking the advice, its not worth the risk that it could be a subpar.. I dont want a repeat and be in the same boat im in now.. Ill just keep working with what I have and see how if I can turn this mess into a half-way decent end product.. Thanks

I currently have a recast set of TE armor that I am trying to build. Its cast in very thin HIPS and Im not sure as to how well it will hold up after I finally get it all worked out... I ran across this set of armor on Ebay, and looking for any opinions anyone might have on this set.... Ebay item #280527059003