ukswrath

Take your time. Practice on some of the scrap to get the hang of it then proceed.

Go spend $20-$40 and get yourself a dremel kit. The kit should come with a sanding barrel that you can use to trim down these area. You can also use a file and/or sand paper

Best practice is to align the upper edges of the two halves. During the fitment and trimming this may not always be the case, just get it close.

As mentioned above the only part that shouldn't have a return edge is the lower (wrist side) of the forearm and the lower shin. Edit: Return edges are NOT a requirement however, if you choose to keep them they MUST be removed from the lower wrist and lower shin (ankle) at the Centurion level

There is nothing wrong with gaps in certain areas, helmet included. The suits were never meant to be perfect. from what I've seen so far the gaps nearest the ears are perfectly acceptable. A this time I have no plans on fixing mine but then again, things may change.

My pleasure Thank you and your welcome Yea, what Shaun said Thanks for your input Shaun Again, my pleasure. I mentioned earlier if you're a larger trooper as you start your initial trimming it's not a bad idea to trim outside the molded trim line. This will give you extra room to work with however, the armor is only so big. If you exceed what the suit was designed for you may have to add shims. There are many talented builders here on the FISD, and sounds like maybe a few in your garrison. Build parties are a great way to get hands on help, I encourage anyone that is uncertain about the prospect of building armor to get in contact with your local garrison to see if there are any up and coming build parties in your area. That said not everyone has access to this kind of help. In their case I encourage them to read as many build tutorials as possible. Reach out to experienced builders for advice. Check out the Centurion application threads. There you'll see what your finished armor will look like if built correctly. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/72-request-centurion-status/ http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/140-fisd-centurion-requirements/ Don't be afraid to ask questions, that's what were here for.

Hey Davide, sorry for the wait and thank your for your Centurion application. CRL and Centurion Application Requirements: All required submission photos have been posted. Thank you for making all the requested repairs suggested on your EIB application. After careful review Sly and myself are requesting you fix a couple things. The back to kidney clearance to still to excessive. The CRL states little to no gap. We would like you to tighten up the straps that hold the two together. The forearms still have return edge. According to the CRL there can be absolutely no return edge. Take care of the couple items and the badge is yours brother.

Hey Michael Sly or myself will be with you shortly.

Pre Assembly cont... 2c. Biceps So as with the forearms I installed the armor and took a fitment measurement. In my case my bicep was just around 13.5in (I know, really bug guy). I just so happen to have a 14.5" diameter paint can container lying around in my garage. Starting with the right bicep (armor sections #13 & #15), I simply installed the container between the two halves and confirmed the measurements that were on my arm. Note: You don't have to use paint can technique it just makes it easier when no one is around to help. If you look closely you'll notice the rear butt connection at the rear of the armor is wider than the front. 2b. After marking the over lap between the two halves I decided to take a little more off the back section to even it up with the front. Dividing the measurements. 2c. Mark and trim as necessary. After... 2d. Left bicep (sections #12 & #14). Similar to the right side. Check overlap measurements. 2e. Divide the width of area needed to remove between the two sides. 2f. Trim excess. Finished to be cont...

Well I would consider it granted I could get the correct front buckle assembly. Right now I'm at the mercy of buying it from the guy that actually makes and sells the vest of FB. You can always buy his version.

10c. Shoulder Harness Cont... Unfortunately there still isn't any screen shots available for the rear vest shoulder strapping. Reluctantly I will have to follow the Toy version until new information comes to light. So I left off just after the upper buckle After this section we'll be adding a 1" black plastic "D" ring to the 1" nylon webbing and a 2" "D" ring buckle to the floor mat material subsequently ending this section of material. Cut the nylon webbing to 3-1/4" 10d. Feed it through the buckle from the bottom like so that approximately 1" is remaining. Using a leather punch or soldering iron punch a 1/8" through the nylon webbing only. Afterwards install a 1/8" x 1/8" pop rivet. 10e. Install 5" of nylon webbing through the 1 "D" buckle this time with the material flowing from top to bottom. Sew the nylon only where indicated below. 10f. Install another 1" "D" buckle 4" further down the belt like so. 10g. Cut off 1-1/2" floor mat material near the 1" buckle. Cut the 2" floor mat material 2" past the 1" "D" buckle. Feed 2" floor mate material through the 2" "D" buckle. Fold it back under all three materials. Sew all three material together. Should look like this when finished 10h. Now take a 14" section of 2" nylon webbing and feed it through the other side of the recently installed 2" "D" buckle. Sew together with the nylon on the bottom. 10I. At the opposite end of the 2" nylon webbing sew in a 1" x 8" nylon webbing. 10j. Install male buckle and adjustment slider. 10j. Install 1/4" neoprene foam with adhesive on main body of strip to keep from scratching armor. Finished!!! Test fitting. My son was kind enough to be my mannequin.

Well the armor setup was intended for Hero 501st basic. The ANOVOS belt is fine for that and that's all the novices need to know. Not everyone is interested in L2 or L3. Stunt is whole other subject.

Since we're on the topic of the belt, when you folks have a chance visit the gallery and check out the movie belt. It's a cross between the ANOVOS and Kittel belts, in other words neither one of these two suppliers are any more accurate then the other however, if the ANOVOS supplied belt looks like a sagging bra after it's installed we might recommend a change. If it doesn't then why change it? Just a thought http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/gallery/image/3156-dsc02493jpg/

Pre Assembly If you have any questions along the way ask. Nothing is worse than making a huge mistake because of pride. Everyone has a different skill level so take your time and enjoy the journey, it's not a race. "Measure twice, cut once" 1b. Forearms In this section I'll be making fitment measurements and further trimming of the armor at the butt connection locations prior to final assembly. The butt connection is the location where the two halves of the armor come together. Later on and a strip pf plastic (cover strip) will be glued in place connecting the two. Starting with the left forearm (#16 outer section, #18 inner section) front butt and strip section. Note: You should have been supplied with three different cover strip widths, 15mm are for the arms (front and back), 20mm are for the front of the legs (thigh and shin) and rear of the thigh, and finally 25mm for the rear calf. When I refer to a section as upper or lower visualize yourself standing, there's an upper or lower side to everything. When I refer to front and back well, you get the point . From time to time I will make reference to something called a return edge. The return edge is where the plastic makes a heavy or very sharp turn from a relatively flat or contoured area. Return edges not a requirement. Most, but not all butt connections locations have a heavy or minor return edge. Areas like this will be needed to perform a task. Other return edges, like at the upper and lower sections of the forearm for example, where the plastic curves towards your skin, give the armor the look of thickness. Return edges may be removed to increase the space between your body and the armor. Continuing on.. The front forearm butt connection was pretty close to the width of where it needed to be after the initial trimming which is around 15mm. I made a fitment check by wrapping the armor around my arm and holding it together with painter's tape. After the fitment I trimmed the armor a bit more using a exacto knife, and later fine tuned it with my belt sander. The area doesn't have to be perfect, the cover strip will hide most imperfections however, the neater the better. After trimming I rechecked the butt connection location. Important notes: It is encouraged you put on your under armor before taking any fitment measurements so that they'll be more accurate. Whether you have you under armor or not give yourself a minimum 1/2" of clearance between your body and the armor. If you don't have a 1/2", as long as it's close you still should be ok. If you have "0" clearance you might want to try removing the upper return edge material (the areas closest to your elbow), the lower will be completely removed for L3 approval anyways. If you've removed the upper return edge material and it's still to tight you may have to consider adding shims. Everyone's body structure is different. Your arms as well as other body parts may be larger or smaller than anyone else. To be perfectly clear, return edges are NOT required anywhere, but some areas can really benefit from them. If you want to go Centurion (L3) there must be NO return edge on the wrist or (lower shin) ankle. Another note: When trimming inner and outer butt connection sides of a section it is a good rule to align the upper edges of the armor first as illustrated here. In this particular section (forearms) if you have to remove any return edge material at the upper/lower ends of the armor, or add shims, do it now before you make any butt connection location cuts. The goal here is to have the front of the armor as accurate as possible. using the rear as the area to add any shims if needed. Note: The procedure just described will be a common throughout the build. Everyone's skill set is different, you can continue to follow along or skip ahead at any time. A. Fitment check B. Checking the front return edge butt connection measurements. Ready for assembly C. If the armor fits you comfortably measure the outer circumference of the forearm armor. Using fabric tape measure the upper, middle and lower sections. These measurements will be used to assist in setting up the right forearm, which by the way is shaped slightly different then the left. Upper Middle Lower Left forearm, rear butt connection area. Ready for assembly D. Right side (sections #17 outer & #19 inner). The front butt connection on the right arm is considerably different than the left arm. Trimming will require a slightly different approach. I suggest you do a fitment check first to ensure you have enough room to make the butt connection area 15mm. If you have larger forearms you may have to go a bit wider in the front butt connection area. Result of my fitment, I had plenty of room to make the required cuts at the front butt connection location. With the two haves side by side I measured the area to be cut. E. using a steel ruler as a straight edge cut along the ruler (green line) F. Remove the cut section After... After cutting both inner and outer sides this was my result. Right forearm, front butt connection location ready for assembly G. As with the left side, measure the right. Top, middle and right. Once you have the measurements you can make any cuts at the rear butt strip connection (if needed) If you notice by my measurements I needed to take off approximately 1/2" to 1/8" from top to bottom. Measured and marked the armor then cut off the excess. Rechecked fitment. Right forearm is now ready to be assembled. to be cont...

Thanks Christina

Paint. At this point we don't see anything regarding the sanitized structure of the teeth and ANH Stunt, Hero is a different matter for the higher levels.

Sly and myself were talking about the bucket details tonight. The frown for ANH stunt is fine with the exception it needs to be cleaned up for EIB and Centurion, Hero version is whole other topic outside of basic 501st. My bucket in particular has over spray around the teeth that will need to be removed and the eyes will need to be trimmed up, too much return edge material. We also feel the the tube stripes may be too far away from the face, which I'm trying to determine the best course of action for this.

Deleted last post wrong forum DOE!!!

For the record, anyone who knows me and how I build I'm definitely not a speed demon, especially when I'm documenting. Update coming soon.

On it!

To be precise I state, "Waist Belt (I'm pretty certain the ANOVOS belt will not fly IMO....". I also state even further on regarding the belt, "The jury is still out to lunch". It all depends on if I can made the mods needed without damaging it Let's no panic people, we have a ways to go.

Ah hahaha nice Yea I just trimmed it down, no worries. Thanks Rich Sounds good That's good news

About time you showed up I was beginning to wonder if you were lost in the armory department Like Germain has mentioned the button plates will have no return edge, this is just the rough cut. I wanted to illustrate that though there's a pre-marked cut line made by ANOVOS about 1/4" below the face, you actually want to cut it much closer to the face itself as shown. The lower chest return edge is a bit on the thin side but I'd planned to cut it this way. My goal was to reinforce the area underneath the bracket anyways and I personally dislike the heavy return edge look. Thanks for the advice though. For the novices, if you choose to use the bracket system as I've done, since you may not know what to expect with your armor give yourself some extra return edge material as Germain has suggested, I recommend an additional 1/8" + outside of the ANOVOS pre marked cut line.

Well your kidney is definitely in better shape than mine