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usaeatt2

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Everything posted by usaeatt2

  1. There should be a rule against your last post ^^^^. You can't say all that and then leave us hanging with no pictures! UNFAIR! LOL, can't wait to see it. Especially the final solution to your bayonet kug woes...
  2. Welcome Thorsten, I don't think you posted in the wrong section. I think Steve and Patrick are suggesting you should go look at the build threads, study up and then ask questions. Talk like Yoda, sometimes Steve does. There are incredibly talented people here and many others just starting out, like me. You could literally spend WEEKS soaking up all the build information here - ENJOY!
  3. I'm guessing wrinkle paint is formulated to quickly develop a surface "skin", then as trapped solvent slowly evaporates, the skin shrinks, causing wrinkles. There's probably not enough solvent trapped under 2 coatings, so the shrinkage is less. I guess VHT knew exactly what they were doing when they wrote the instructions, but you just proved it! Product testing for real people - Thanks, Steve!
  4. Congratulations on your celebrity status in the March newsletter! Looking forward to more build posts!!!
  5. Maybe it's just the glare/lighting, but 2 coat wrinkle doesn't look as good/accurate as 3 coat wrinkle...
  6. I'm interested to know if the paint will still wrinkle with only two coats and to see how it looks with a coating of matte clear over the top. I got my Sterling parts set from Apex tonight, so I have something to examine up close...there's no denying that wrinkle pattern is a dead on match!
  7. I'm running out of ways to express how much I'm enjoying this build. The monocular is genius. Lenses look perfect and might result in a functional piece (I guess that depends on focal lengths once the lenses are mounted). For the bayonet lug, I like the idea of cutting off the top and reversing it - joint will be more or less hidden and you can shim to make up for the 1/16" or so height difference from the saw/dremel cut. Or maybe you will cover the top with a glob of putty/bondo and sculpt to the correct shape. OR you could just mount a bayonet on it and nobody will know... If the postal service would hurry up, I'd GIVE you my resin bayonet lug, but you would STILL have to cut yours off and deal with the pin buried in the resin. Looking forward to the next installment!
  8. May not be 100% accurate, but I plan to use one of the following products on my blaster: Both of these also offer the advantage of matte or satin finish from the can. I can't see striving for fine details, then covering it with thick layers of paint. I've seen some blasters that look like they were dipped in mud before painting. For wrinkle finishes, a heat lamp will speed the wrinkling process, but BE CAREFUL! Test panels are probably a good idea...
  9. NICELY DONE, SIR! I know gluing my first piece will be tough, but after that, I bet it goes quick. Any comments from the wife (since that's really the ultimate approval, right)? Thoughts on the selector switch? I really want to drill a tiny (pin vise size) hole in the underside of the selector and fit one of those watchband "spring pins" in the hole. Then countersink a small metal disk (same diameter as the switch base) under the switch and drill slight "detents" in the metal to prevent wear on the resin. The center pin would probably be the hardest part. Having a floppy or static switch would bug me. You and Steve are turning me into a blaster build junkie... I need my next fix!!!
  10. Beautiful! You're an ARTIST with the dremel tool! My initial thought would be to rough shape the nail on a bench grinder and use a file to shape the shoulders just right, but you managed it with vice grips and a dremel. I imagine a better sight line using the dremel, but how do you hold everything so you can see you're taking the same amount off both sides? Lacking a bench vise, I'm guessing something like pinching the vise grips between your knees so you can use both hands to steady the dremel against something so small. However you did it, I'd say it's a rousing victory!
  11. Watching this thread with envy. Your charging bolt extension is genius. My frustration level is peaking as I admire your build...I've got an extremely well equipped shop but no parts to work on yet... Waiting, waiting, waiting... P.S. - Ever find any good photos of your car? You gave a great description, but I think photos would help motivate buyers...I talked to the owner of the hot rod shop in Addsion and that's the first question he asked - any pictures?
  12. I ordered a complete parts set from APEX on Thursday. I'll try to post PICS when it arrives. It might be nice to start a "blueprint" thread that organizes all the dimensions and hardware sizes in the FIRST post (instead of having to search through the whole thread). I know there nice blueprints, but I was thinking more like photos with arrows similar to the armor CRL's for those that don't read blueprints well. Drives me crazy to try and remember which thread has which measurement, etc. I'm sure guys like Andy and Vern would chime in with any corrections... I'd be happy to take the initial shot at making blaster "CRL's" once I receive everything I ordered (waiting is DEFINITELY the worst part).
  13. Excellent! <rubbing hands together> We're supposed to be getting another 6" of snow tomorrow, so hopefully there will be some good reading material by the end of the weekend! Looking forward to seeing the transformation unfold!
  14. Well, first picture post accomplished...but MUCH bigger than intended. I was thinking thumbnail size... Didn't mean to highjack your wonderful thread with a HUGE off-topic picture.
  15. Nice! Trust me everyone, you can truly hear the joy when Army guys are running and singing! I say singing for lack of a better word, but there's much more to it than that. Tim, is there a word or a phrase for it? I'm right there with you on your description of places...I chalk it up to experience. Good or bad, it's still experience, and that makes you a better person. Sort of why I found my way here - I love the movies and I love the characters, so I'm taking my experience to the next level. My kit is on the way here from England, so I have to live vicariously through your posts til it arrives. One of the areas I thought could stand a huge improvement is EXACTLY what you posted tonight. This tells me I must be on the right track... My best friend is a sound engineer and he also does video and lighting. I help him build sets on the side and I'm always blown away by the overall improvement made from proper lighting. Light and shadow work together to create realism. The "cuts" you made may not look like much, but I think they'll cast some shadow to achieve the desired effect. I recently did a project that perfectly illustrates your concept. Totally off topic, so delete if it's distracting. We throw a huge "themed" Christmas party every year. Last year's theme was Hawaiian Christmas. For decoration, I carved an 8 foot tall Tiki out of stryofoam house insulation glued together with Great Stuff foam. The biggest cuts were only about an inch and a half deep but the lighting makes them look much more dramatic. The shadows totally sell the piece. Picture attached (first time I've ever tried to upload a picture here, so I hope it works). Same effect you're going for on your E-11 stock. Awesome work. Nerves of steel with the cutting tool, for sure! A light coat of paint should really set it off the way you intend, as long as the shallow cuts don't get filled in the process. And if you need to punch it up just a tad more, you might be able to dry brush a slightly darker black into those areas for contrast...like "shadow weathering". Can't wait for the next post!!! Inspiring work, Tim!
  16. C'mon, C'mon!! <running in tight circles, waving my arms over my head> Thanks for your continued service, Tim! For anyone who hasn't done it, you should check Tim's profile to see all the places he has suffered. Funny, I worked night shift maintenance (where all the real work gets done) for almost my whole 8 years in the Air Force...the Army guys used to piss me off in Korea - just getting to sleep and they would start PT and singing in the parking lot at 5AM!
  17. I have the same question. I read sometimes velcro comes undone when removing the helmet (like during a break). The zipper might be more difficult, but it's probably more secure. Anybody experience this? Seems like the older neckseals used zippers, but the newer ones use velcro. And it's good to know you can achieve higher levels with a velcro neckseal - Thanks Todd!
  18. Beautiful build! Loving all the OCD details. I've got it too...takes forever to finish things, but when they're done, theyre done right!! It takes some "professional ergonomics" not to shoot those little pin shards across the room. I was shocked to see all the little pieces in a neat pile on your towel! Reminds me of replacing the F-16 throttle assembly while I was in the Air Force - there's a bunch of TINY , non-magnetic hardware and a spring under huge tension. All this had to be removed and replaced while sitting in the cockpit leaning to the left at a ridiculous angle - almost upside down. We used to go to the tool crib and get as many white rags as we could find. Then carpeted the whole area around the throttle with the rags and hoped like hell if anything dropped or popped out, it landed on the rags... Finding and reaching small hardware under the ejection seat is nearly impossible and those magnetic wands don't work on non-magnetic hardware. Saw many ejection seats removed by the "egress" crew for exactly this reason. Can't have conductive metal objects floating around in a cockpit loaded with electronics!!! Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Did I mention I'm enjoying your awesome build?
  19. Anybody else have a different picture of a one piece lens? I'm waiting on AP armor. Once I have it, I was considering making an aluminum "buck" or "form" for a one piece AP lens. I figure it would offer more attachment options and/or each side could be extended to reach the ear screws. The problem with a one piece lens is that it would likely only fit one type of helmet well. Slight differences in eye spacing/angle/shape would probably cause fitment problems with different types of helmets. But, as Todd pointed out, it would be a nice option for armor makers to offer...
  20. AWESOME! That wasn't the picture I had in mind, but yours is BETTER! The picture I saw was a one piece lens lying face down on a table. My wife thanks you, Mathias.
  21. I'm pretty sure I've seen a photo of a one piece hero lens somewhere. Maybe in a book or from an archive or prop site? I've literally searched for days...FISD, RPF, starwarshelmets and searched every combination I can think of on Bing and Google. If you have this photo or know where I can find it, please post? Thanks.
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