ukswrath

If I may suggest when working with the hot water, take a piece of leftover excess trim from the bicep and dip it into the how water to see how it reacts. It should soften up a bit without warping. If it warps the water is too hot. And another thing, wrap the bicep in painters tape before dipping, the hot water WILL soften the dried glue a bit, especially if submerged in the water too long. Also, if there's a good amount of tension on the seems the water could cause them to begin to separate. Keeping them wrapped helps prevent all this. What were you going to use to shape the bicep?

Yea trim the return edge to about 1/8" or so, you really don't need too much of it. Once you assemble your chest, back and shoulder assembly you'll know whether or not you need to trim the bells. Don't sweat the ears too much. You look like you're pretty handy with a dremel, ears shouldn't be too bad.

Hey Josh, The shoulder bells are different for everyone. I would suggest adding them to the pics you have here so we can see how they sit on you. Biceps - Though AM makes their biceps oval other manufacturers may have odd shape biceps also. If it bothers you, you can always give them a hot water bath in attempt to reshape them. There's a few builds out there that demonstrate how to do this. My ATA build for example demonstrates the process. Looking good sir.

You know Peter I just may wait until you're just about finished before continuing with mine haha. All the oops! with trimming by a good amount of builders has made me a bit nervous about cutting off something I shouldn't AHHHH! Great job to both you and Clint. Inspirational.

8c. Shoulders, round two. Remove clamps and asses the next step. YIKES! This aught to be fun Our goal is to, ever so gently press the unglued portion of the cover to the chest plate. NOTE: To assist the plastic during the bending process I would set the chest plate in the sun for a few minutes. I'm not a huge fan of the heat gun but if you feel comfortable, have at it. Don't warm it up too much or it could soften up the dry glue. Apple glue to the cover crevasse. I have to smile because that's what it looks like. Holding it on its side let the glue seep into the gap for a minute or two. Using a vise, a very strong wood clamp or something similar prepare to squeeze the two together. NOTE: I would keep a high tension clamp on the dried side for added protection. NOTE: On the underside of the chest plate place a 1/2" thick x 1" W x 1" L piece of wood. This will help prevent crushing the outer chest plate return edge. Place a t-shirt between the plastic and clamp. SLOWLY squeeze the sections together. NOTE: I would advise against trying to completely mate the two surfaces in fear of creating a crease mark in the shoulder cover. Let dry for 48 hours.

8. Chest & Shoulders NOTE: After the AM chest, shoulders and back plates were completed it was requested we shoot for Centurion approval. AM 1.0 back plate does not meet Centurion standards so had to be replaced. At this time we also decided to the replace the large AM chest plate instead of trim it. The upper AM sections (chest, back and covers) were replaced with ATA. This update can be found on page 5. Starting with the shoulder strap cover strips, Remove excess material leaving approximately 3mm from the edge of the bumps and 2cm from the end of the strip to the top of the first bump. Before... Bevel all edges. After.... 8a. Install mounting supports. As seen in some other builds adding support braces to the underside of the cover strip assists in the mounting process and helps to better secure the covers to the chest plate. First measure the size needed, approximately 38mm in length and 5mm in width. Cut supports from extra cover strip material. Glue in place and let dry for 24 hours. 8b. Installing shoulder covers. The AM chest plate has a huge contour in the armor where the cover strips are mounted. There's no way to glue the covers in one shot so it will be done in stages. First stage.. Glue the covers on the edge closest to the neck. NOTE: This location was selected because it has more surface area. I elected to glue it there first giving the covers a better chance bond with the chest plate. I'm also hopefully that by bonding the bulk of the cover first it will allow the second stage to bond correctly and effectively also. Let's get started, apply glue to one side of covers. The side that will be closest to the neck obviously Install covers on chest plate and check, and recheck cover angles ensuring they align with back plate. Let dry for 48+ hours.

7g. Install thigh rear cover strips. Cut rear inner cover strip from extra material. In my case the length measured approximately 295mm. The width was cut to 20mm, which is similar to the outer cover strip. Taper the top of the cover strip to match the angle of the inner thigh. Add painters tape to help thigh sections stay together and aligned during cover strip installation and gluing process. Apply glue to cover strips Install cover strips Let dry.

7. Thighs Staring with the front right & left inner thighs, right & left outer thighs. This procedure applies to all four front thigh sections. Locate return edge. Mark cut line 10mm from return edge. Cut and remove extra material. 7a. Right & left rear inner thighs. From the fitment measurements we will be marking the thigh at the section where the 45% inner thigh return edge meets the horizontal return edge, approximately 45mm the area marked starting point. NOTE: This measurement also leaves 10mm for the outer cover strip. Cut and remove material. 7b. Right & left rear outer thighs. From the fitment measurements we will be marking the thigh approximately 45mm in from the starting point. After cutting Once all the cut have been completed this is what you should be left with. 7c. Install front thigh inner cover strips. Using removed material, cut inner cover strips 20mm in width. Takig advantage of the AM design I was again able to use the natural contour of the cover strip material on the entire length of the inner thigh, approximately 410mm. Add glue to inner cover strip. Install inner cover strips on both left and right front. Secure with clamps at the end and earth magnets in between. 7d. Install front thigh outer cover strips. Reminder: Use outer cover strip material that came with your kit. After removing all excess glue, prepare thighs for outer cover strip installation. 7e. Measure and cut cover strips. In my case the length will be 400mm and the width of 20mm. Bevel all edged and chamfer all corners of the cover strips. Apply glue. 7f. Install cover strips. Secure strips with a clamp on each end and earth magnets in between. Let dry.

Day 4 2h. Calves cont.... Left calf rear cover strip install. Measure the left calf section from just below the return edge just above the lower return edge. Cut rear cover strip length, in my case 322mm and width 25mm. Apply glue and install cover strip from just below the upper return edge to just above the lower return edge.

Haha, thanks my friend.

The bit works excellent, cuts through the plastic without melting it like you mentioned. On thick plastic, especially in corners this thing is a lifesaver

Hey Josh looking great on your build so far. Keep up the good work I echo your heat sediment though I'm in CA where there's only 10% humidity.

2f Calves cont.... Installing front cover strips. Clean excess glue from calf cover strip surface. Measure distance from the top calf return edged to just above the lower return edge. Cut cover strips. In my case the length was 372mm. The width will be 20mm. Bevel rough edges and chamfer corners. Apply glue to cover strip. Install cover strip from the top of the shin to the bottom just above the return edge. Secure with clamps and earth magnets. 2g. Installing calf rear cover strip (right calf). Measure the right calf section from just below the return edge just above the lower return edge. Cut rear cover strip length, in my case 326mm and width 25mm. Beveled rough edges and chamfer corners. Apply glue and install cover strip from just below the upper return edge to just above the lower return edge.

2j. Bicep cont... Prep opposite side for assembly. Install painters tape to help secure align the two halves. Place outer half of bicep in vise or wood clamp to align sides. Apply glue to inner cover strips. Install and secure with end clamps and earth magnets.

Day three. 1k. Forearm cont... Installing the opposite side inner cover strips. Preparation, Clean forearm sections. Cut inner cover strip material. NOTE: Width can vary though I personally cut them the same size as the outer cover strip which is 15mm. On this side we'll need a little help with keeping the two halves together so painters tape works excellent. Stronger clamps will also be needed to help keep the two halves aligned and secure while the glue dries. At this stage applying glue to the strips is the only logical option. Place them into position. Add clamps and magnets. 1l. Installing the outer cover strips. Preparation, after glue has dried clean off all the excess glue. Cut cover strips width 15mm. The length will vary due to the leading and trailing forearm edges will not be completed until this portion has been completed. Bevel rough edges and chamfer corners on cover strips. Apply glue to strips. Installing cover strips. Center the cover strips between the two forearm sections and between leading and trailing edges. Again, leading and trailing forearm edges and cover strip lengths will be finalized once glue has dried.

Ah hahaha Thanks Peter

Ok, after unpacking the NEVER ENDING levels of plastic, dang Alice and her rabbit hole, I finally began the armor trimming preparation. Tools - 1. Outline all the sections. I'm not going to post a pic of all the sections I traced out at the moment. If I run into something that I, and maybe others are concerned with I'll post the pic. Chest plate. - Ab 1a. Trimming (STOP!) I need to be honest with you first. As I started the trimming I quickly realized (after 10 minutes) there's no amount of medicine that I can take to eliminate my arthritis pain and stay coherent so, as much as I'd like to say I trimmed with my scissors, in the spirit if armor building, I couldn't do it. On a positive note I have a friend, I like to call him Mr. Dremel. With a plastic cutting bit I trimmed out and sanded 6 pieces in 45 minutes. An did I say I'm in far less pain today. The Dremel is not for everyone, but it is for me. NOTE: A good rule to everyone building TFAs is to NOT round off the top and bottom joining edge corners as they will need to appear seemless in some areas of the armor. Ex. In the following picture of a thigh section (that will be illustrated in more detail later) the corners should be left square so that when it is connected and glued to the adjacent section there is a fluid seem. Back to the trimming. After... More to come...

Wow that's all you got from your first troop, wish mine went that smooth. Besides my ink stains like yours, walked into a flower pot I couldn't see and gouged my thigh armor and popped a snap out of an elastic strap. I thought got away easy. lol

You go Joseph whoo hoo! good luck sir

Hey Jamie, thanks brother. Yea at first I wasn't sure that I wanted to build another classic TK but after starting in on this one it's been a blast so far. Funny, all the things you learn during and after your first build comes into focus on everything afterwards, granted it stays fresh in your mind lol.

Hey Brandon, Thanks, works very well.

ANOVOS TFA, yes

SWEET! congrats Joe

EDIT: To be clear, the cover strip corners will be chamfered, just not at the cannon level angles. For the sake of canon specifications Germain's is correct regarding what cover strips should look like. As for the cod rivets. From preliminary measurements the rivets will remain where they are however, anybody that has built armor knows things change as may this area. Stay tuned. From preliminary measurements of the armor's owner. HAHA thanks Jason, he will get the Hovi speaker system and possibly my new Stormtrooper Hearing Assist System (aka SHA). Since the complete system is still under development that honor is still reserved for just me......at the moment lol

Ok I was bored in between assemblies and made a few snap mounts for the strapping system we'll be using. 6. Strapping system Starting with 1" black nylon webbing, I cut and cauterized twenty 1-1/2" long sections. 6a. Using a 5/32" leather punch, punched holes for the male snap mount. 6b. Using snap setting tool assemble snap sets. Ok now I'm done for the day. Day 2 completed.