maxsteele

Thanks! I worked anywhere between 1/2 hour - an hour on each tooth. I got a couple of scratches, but the only way you can see them is if you hold the front up to the light and turn it back and forth to look for it. You can just feel t hem if you run your nail across, but otherwise they're pretty invisible. I'm sure it's no different than any scratches people get from regular trooping. Next up - cutting out the ears!

Teeth check! I've cut out all of the teeth. Opinions on hole size please:

Hm, ok. I had never seen anyone mention that they taped around the mouth area to prevent scratches from file slipping, but it definitely makes sense to do it. I'll put tape around the mouth to prevent that in the future. I could probably completely ignore the scratch and no one would notice, that's how slight it is. But it is certainly there. I'll tackle that once I'm done with the front and ready to start painting. We'll see if I even need to do it.

So, what do you do when you slip with a file and get a little scratch on the front part of the face? I can't take a picture because it's so faint, but I know it's there. Can you do anything about those? I'm sure I'm not the only one who has done this while filing out teeth....

I got to use my file set tonight. They're definitely better than they were in my last shots. I was definitely able to have the lines go in the direction of the frown. If I'm looking at these right, I could go up a bit higher and a bit lower on all of the teeth?

I received the file set today. I'll see how they work with filing the teeth.

I have my support system all set up for my armor build now! A very gracious pair of local garrison members have welcomed me into their home and will be in-person consultants on how to fit and assemble my armor. I got everything un-boxed and inventoried tonight. All the pieces are present and accounted for. This kit is pre-trimmed, so all I need to do is cut-to-fit, cut and glue cover strips, glue in snaps / straps, and assemble. I cut four 15mm wide finishing strips for the arm pieces, and in the next several days I'll cut 4 20mm strips for the front of the leg pieces and 4 25mm strips for the back of the leg pieces. I also have a shopping list. Here is what I'm getting (questions in the shopping list): Purchasing from JoAnn Fabrics and hardware stores: - 6 packs of snaps (I'm not sure on the size of these. Anyone?) - 2-3 yards of black nylon webbing (1.5 inches wide) - One pair of black suspenders - extra sheets of ABS for snap assembly (purchased at TAP plastics) - industrial strength adhesive velcro - white (for some armor pieces) - 1/2 yard of white canvas (for shoulders) Purchasing from Troopergear: - Belt (I've read that the belt from Troopergear may be too wide. Can anyone comment on this? If it is, what is a good place to buy the belt?) - Gloves / latex hand guards - Helmet decals (yes, I'm going to use decals. Are these the right ones for an ATA TK Stunt helmet? ) Ordering from the forum: - Neck Guard (with zippered back) I got a pair of chelsea boots in 9 1/2 (my shoe size). They were too big, so I sent them back and I just received the size 9 pair today. The right one is a little big, but the left one is a perfect fit. My right foot is smaller than the left (yay nature!). I can make it work. These are the boots I ordered: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LZT9AY/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Yes, I will need to paint them white. I'll be able to do that. I'll be working on the rest of the finishing strips, and some more on my helmet (See my other thread for those details). I'm gone next Thursday - Monday (Labor Day weekend) for PAX, and then I'll start with my consultants on trimming my armor. I'm shooting to be done by Halloween, but hopefully it will be before then.

Something like this? http://www.amazon.com/PIECE-MEDIUM-SIZE-DIAMOND-FILES/dp/B000UCREE8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376844881&sr=8-1&keywords=file+kit

Will do. I just need to figure out what type of file to get.

I think I see what you mean. If I'm seeing his right, my left tooth is following the angle of the frown, and the right one is not. Is that something I need to cut with the knife? Or can I get a result with a file?

Thanks trev - I'll give that a shot. Now here are a head-on and left / right shots of my two teeth. I'm at the point now where I start second-guessing how much I'm supposed to cut. I certainly don't want to cut too much, but it's very difficult for me to compare to photos and tell. I would appreciate opinions and direction.

Success! I have learned how to carve out the teeth. Special thanks to Punkers and LeMaxim! I can simply pierce the tooth from the back with my reamer tool, then slowly carve little triangles out of the teeth looking from the front, and then clean it up as I go. Slow and steady. The left tooth only has a tiny cavity now! That'll clear up when I hit the edges with some sandpaper after I'm done carving.

I've seen people recommending using files to shape the interior edges. Could someone link me to the type of files they recommend? I'd like to pick up one (or a set), but I just don't know what to get.

Yep, I thought there was a bit too much taken off there. I had used that tool from the back and twisted it in, boring a hole into it. I think I'll just be able to file it up a bit once I have the other sides in the right shape and it won't be noticed. I was also looking at those pics that trev posted, and I saw some pretty gaping holes on those teeth! It made me feel better about mine.

Alright, I'm going to step away from tools and cutting. I used the reamer on a second tooth, and I feel like I cut too much off of the left side:

So, me and power tools don't really go together. I received a tool with my lexan scissors, called a "Body Reamer" (yeah, I don't like the name of that either). It looks like this: It's the piece on the far left. The description says it's used to "create and enlarge holes in ABS", which it certainly does well. That small hole in my tooth seen in the first set of pics was created by this tool. Could I simply make a hole like that, and then file it open and shape it? I don't have a file yet, so I don't know how much material filing takes off. I'm ok with spending a bit of extra time filing open the teeth if it avoids using a power tool. EDIT: I've definitely been able to open the hole more with that tool. I tried using a hobby knife to go in and carve out the opening more, but that tool is not cooperating with me. I haven't slashed an irreparable cut in the mouth or anything, but I can feel it trying to! I'm hoping I can just file away at the hole I have made and open it right up. I need to figure out what type of file to get for that....

Ah, ok. I believe this one came in my set. Did you use it as a drill to poke holes in the teeth area? Or did you get a hole started in the teeth and then slide it left / right / up / down to make the hole bigger?

There are 1001 dremel 'tips' to choose from. Could you link me to the type of tip you used please?

Thanks SorenM! Just ordered a pair.

I'd like to get some suggestions on how best to carve out the holes for the teeth. I know about the Dremel sanding barrel option. What other methods work well?

I second this. I'd love to have a link to the boots on Amazon, if you could please!

Well, here's the start of it. The start of the thread that is! Look what came today! Very nice packaging! Alrighty then! I'll just close this up and stick it in my garage for a few weeks. You know, to let it cure....

These look plenty white to me.... I'm not sure what you are wanting?

Oh, yeah. I'm following pandatrooper's ATA build, which he drew the line there, but cut 1/4 inch below it on the bulge, but then cut on the line around the circular part.

Alright, here we go. I've put it off long enough. It's time to start on the ears. My workspace is ready. Here is my first trace: Will I cut tonight? That question is still unanswered.... How do the lines look?