AsBlondeAsLuke

Hi Albert- Glad I was able to help. With regards to tools, there is an excellent list here. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/11760-basic-tools-needed-for-armour-building/ Be sure to check out the other resources in that area. I somehow overlooked this page at first. The info in here is invaluable. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/4-assembly-mods-and-painting/ With regards to the strapping system, I photographed it the best I could for you, sorry if the lighting is not the best. Strapping for the shins. The elastics for the shoulder straps. The lens and mic tips are included with the RS bucket. The ears weren't shipped with my bucket and arrived later. If you have any other specific questions about your RS, you can also PM me. Good luck with your build.

Help! Dealing with some serious overlap on the sides. On the costume requirements, there is a lot of talk about gaps and shims between the ab and kidney plates but nothing about overlap. Here's what I'm dealing with on the sides. So, I need to figure out where to trim further so these pieces sit exactly flush against each other. If we cut the abdomen plate any further, I think this piece will sit too far forward, (i.e. the area where these two pieces connect would be closer to my front than my side.) So, the logical spot to trim would be the kidney plate. However, if we trim, we will loose the “notch†detail on the bottom of the ab plate. Is this an important detail? I can't find it listed as a requirement anywhere in the approval specs.

Yes, ever since you came over to build, I've been hearing about that bucket everyday. Have to admit it does organize all the build supplies beautifully.

Since I didn't want any details to slide, I've been focused on staying organized with the build. I started a binder of reference notes with the required costume components, and also other key documents we find ourselves referencing all the time. We do use iPads and a computer for looking stuff up as well, but the electronics are taking a beating with all the ABS dust flying around. Chest was all trimmed. Arms were pretty much done, (but not glued, it was raining.) So, we moved on to the thighs. On the Tutorials page, it says: "Thighs. One of the hardest parts to get right." Not lying. We spent hours and hours struggling with those thighs. I read so much about "church bell syndrome" in other people's build threads, I knew I wanted to avoid big 'ol clunky wobbly oversized legs. But, of course, I didn't want to trim too much. So, we trimmed just a tiny bit at a time, and I ran up and down the stairs after each trim to test the fit. We figured stairs would be about the hardest thing you'd have to do in armor. Well, that, and trying to pee. Just a tiny bit. More can always be trimmed off later. Sanding the edges so everything lines up perfectly when glued. Fittings. Fittings. Constant fittings. Did all of these with the undersuit (rather than jeans) to make sure the fit was accurate. For some reason, when my husband lined the pieces up like this, I started singing: "Knocking me out with those American thighs." Speaking of which, when I first started here on FISD, I received some lovely advice. One piece of advice was to "get some great build music." This has been very helpful. We listen to music constantly while building. OK, OK, back to those American thighs.... We were double-checking the sizing between the two sides to make sure they were sized the same left and right. Trying to figure out how the armor all fits together so we know how to trim the top edges. When we lined up the bottom, the top didn't line up. This happened on both the right and the left. We figured it is much more important the bottom line up because of the return edge. So, these pieces were trimmed to match the contour of the armor. Needed a better way to organize all of our building supplies because our "stuff to build with" just kept growing. Cousin Walter used a bucket tool organizer and ever since then husband has been having a serious case of bucket envy. So, for $3 for the bucket, and $6.99 for the organizer thingie, we set him up with his own bucket tool organizer. Wow, was he happy organizing all of his building supplies. Adorable. Tomorrow, our heat sealing iron arrives and we get to mastery the mystery of return edges. The adventure continues.

Riding high on the explosive rush of finishing the thermal detonator, we decided to finish another piece. We attacked the biceps. Since they were already trimmed, it didn't take long to finish them up. With limited daylight left, and rain on the way, we headed outside to glue. We quickly added the finishing strips and glued. We felt confident we weren't going to mess this piece up, so we went for the Zap-A-Gap and Zip Kicker. It stunk less used outdoors. Our little pile of "finished" pieces is slowly growing. I say "finished" because there is always a way to obsess about the pieces a little more. Noticed the top edge on the right bicep is not identical to the left, and maybe could be tapered slightly with the heat sealing iron. Yup. You can get really OCD about this stuff.

Anything that gives me that good a laugh is worth a name change.

Hi Derrek- It's an interesting idea. I'm looking into it and trying to figure out what I'd need to do if I decided to go that route. Started trying to figure out the grappling hook today. I am flexible about the tdet, even though, yes, it was lovely to have a finished piece. So, the main differences seem to be in the helmet and the belt. I have an extra (unfinished) helmet. So, anyway, it's all possible. But, of course, this would set the project back. To be honest, we're at that point where we want to get done. Yes. The Luke suit doesn't seem to have a return edge on the bottom of the chest plate. However, it seems to me this would still be an important place to have a return edge since these edges add structural integrity to the piece. Searched around the local stores today to try to find a heat sealing iron, but couldn't find one. So, we ordered one online. It will be here in a few days. Thanks for the compliment on the fit. I'm much happier with it now. I felt like I was swimming in it before. Yes, husband is an engineer. Hard working guy. Smart, too, like all engineering types.

Thanks, Nick for the build thread. Great to read it and learn more about the Luke suit.

Moving on to the belt. Must reference BillHag's excellent belt trim document. By double-checking the measurements against the reference diagram, we realized we hadn't trimmed enough. We needed to trim so the top of the line of the ammo pack was flush so it would line up perfectly with the canvas belt. Wasn't sure if there was anything special about these things, (if they needed special corners or whatnot.) Double-checked the reference photos. Nope. They are squares. Will glue them later. The belt has to be riveted together first. On to the drop boxes. RS drop boxes don't need a lot of work. A bit of sanding. Some careful work with the dremel and they were ready to assemble. We are planning on making them "functional" drop boxes, rather than gluing them together. Not sure what will go in them, but storage space seems very precious on the suit.

As blonde as Luke. Mwwww ha ha! Rolling on the floor, laughing. Thank you. Love it. OK, we took your advice and took a bit more off the bottom, and also trimmed a bit a the neck as well. It did feel choking, and feels more comfortable now with the trims. Not sure if the trims are noticeable, but here is how it looks now. We were once again looking at the reference screenshots of the Luke trim line and trying to match them as exactly as possible.

Thanks, Eric. We are in "obsessive build mode" at the moment.

Hey, we finally actually finished a piece! Thanks to Steve (WideAMG's) very detailed pics/instructions, http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/25538-wideamgs-rs-props-pvc-anh-stunt-build/ the thermal detonator was explosively easy. We were confident we had this piece together correctly so we felt it was OK to use ZapaGap rather than E-6000. It dried right away and didn't stink. We should've skipped the Zip Kicker, though. That stuff stunk. Wow. I'm just going to stare at it for a while longer. A finished piece. Sigh. OK, back to work. Many unfinished pieces to go.

To trim down the chest plate, we taped a pencil to my husband's finger. This allowed a perfectly even line that followed the original curve of the chest plate. Used the three Luke screenshots sent by Germain as a reference. Before After Chest plate is definitely fitting better with the trims. Less "boxy." Still thinking of trimming it in the next some more. Feels a little choking. And, the ab buttons are covered up. Should some more be trimmed off the bottom?

Hi Derrek- Thank you for the feedback. I like these ideas a lot. So, what would I need to do differently to do a Luke version? I saw the screenshots on the previous page and noticed the additional trims to chest plate. We started on these yesterday and they already resulted in a better fit of the chestplate. Will upload some new pics in a few hours. Yes, we will be using the original strapping system. Husband is a very awesome guy. Work goes very quickly with two of us working together. We talk about armor all the time now. It's sweet. It's like he has finally entered my world. Er, galaxy.

Hi Nick- Thanks for the build thread. We've marked the back piece, but haven't trimmed it yet. You're right, though. It could use a small trim. We marked in the burgundy tape how much we are planning on taking off of the back plate. As I understand it, the kidney will be pulled in and taper in better with the belt on.

Measuring before heat bending. The cod was pointing straight down. We used the heat gun to bend it and give it more of a curve. Also used the heat gun to apply a curve to the ab plate and bend it so that it wraps around my body. Once you get used to working with the heat gun, the ABS is very cooperative. Cod is definitely fitting much better. Going to work on the chest plate next.

Thanks, Echo! Just working on trimming down the kidney some more. Here's how much material was removed. I'll need to create a new return edge. How big does the new return edge need to be? Is there a requirement for this? The existing return edge looks to be 0.5 mm?

Germain, thanks so much for the screenshots. These are awesome. Good advice on the cod and the strapping. It is funny how often I get compared to Luke Skywalker. Whenever I dress as a Jedi, kids ask me: "Are you Luke Skywalker?" I guess maybe I have freakishly similair 1977 "A New Hope" hair. I guess I should just start answering: "Why yes, you clever lad. I am Luke Skywalker."

Hi Nick- >>Your not that short, with boots you'll be about 5' 8". 5'8." Loving the sound of that. Thanks so much for the thread from Pandatrooper. It was very helpful seeing how he sized down his armor. We're going to work on trimming the ab and sizing down the chestplate this weekend. I'm puzzled by the actual cod, though. As husband put it, "How does anybody walk with that thing?" Granted I don't have any of the actual strapping system in place, but even with the chest plate taped on, I'm feeling chaffing from it. Can you even reshape or trim the cod? Or, is it all down with the strapping to avoid chaffing? Huge chestplate. Need to do something about that. But, owwww. Chaffing.

The troopers in the movies were slim British fellows averaging a height of 5'10" and weighing 150 pounds. But, they're still taller than me and weigh more. So, there's not a single piece of this armor that comes even close to fitting. No, not the gloves. Or, the helmet. Definitely not the cod. But, with enough perserverance, we'll make it all fit. So, merrily we trim, trim, trim. So, trimming the kidney plate wasn't enough, so we reshaped it using the heat gun. We weren't sure of the melting point of the ABS, so we tested it first on a spare piece until we figured out how far to heat it until it went "bendy." Then, we marked that set point on the heating gun with a piece of tape so that we never had the gun any higher or lower than that exact point. The butt plate came next. We used a fruit bowl to simulate the size and shape of my butt. (We do still use that bowl for fruit.) Before After (Sorry, the perspective is different. I know it makes it look like a flapping seagull.) Ta da!

Thanks, Nick. That is an outstanding thread. One of my favorites, actually. It's really well done. We were just having a moment of frustration tonight because two of the pieces weren't lining up properly no matter what we did. (You know how that goes.) We put a piece of tape down the exact center of the kidney, and the exact center of the butt, and noticed the edges didn't line up properly on the armor. They're off by about 3/4" inch on one side. I'd contacted Luis (BobaJuice) a couple of days ago regarding his thread about modifying armor for a female trooper and he gave some excellent advice. He basically said when he was working on it, he basically went for it. So, we decided you know what, we're just going to have to dive in and attack this thing, alignment issue or not. I'll post the pics below. I think we worked it out with a lot of help from a handy heat gun and a shapely fruit bowl.

OK, I'm stuck on the butt. I can't find good reference pics on exactly how to trim down the butt plate. Mine is much too big. (The butt plate, that is.) I want to make sure once I do it get trimmed down it still lines up with the kidney plate properly. Anybody here trim their butt plate?

Steve- You look amazing! Having followed this build since the beginning, it is amazing to see you're nearly done. Thanks for the detailed info and pics on the RS strapping system. Just trying to figure all of that out and needed a reference. Your build pics had exactly what I needed to puzzle out which strap goes where. Thanks again.

Woo hoo! I finally helped somebody else. So glad I was able to help out with your build.