justjoseph63

Hi Roberto, and nice job on that Anovos build! One of us will be with you shortly, but before we can proceed you will need to change out the screws on your TD. As per the CRL for level 2 they must be the slotted "pan-head" style, and painted black. Reference image I would also suggest painting the rivets on your ab/kidney connection. Although not required for level 2, it is a requirement at level 3 (which I hope you will be aiming for next)!

Glad to help, Jim! I'm sure you will do a great job, and if we can be of any help just ask!

You know me too well!

Steal away, Chris! First, since there are no actual lenses, I painted the openings black, cut some clear (thin) plastic to cover them. After that I went to the plumbing dept. at Lowe's and bought some rubber washers. They were a bit to large in circumference so I cut them down to size (see arrow) and used CA glue to hold them in place. NOTE: If you decide to use the clear plastic, do not glue it in, especially with CA (super) glue, as it will fog it up. I did use it (sparingly) to hold the washers in place, which in turn held the "lenses" in place. You may be able to hollow out the eye openings first for a more realistic look. I was going to try, but mine are Hyperfirms and I didn't know what it would turn out like.

I don't think that would work, as there is only one lens on the front. It wouldn't surprise me if someone did manage to rig up a working set, though!

Looking AWESOME! I am still confused about the use of the mustard, though. Can Grey Poupon be used? Since the "lenses" on mine looked sort of dull, (fake), I painted the eye openings and main lens black, and then cut some clear plastic to fit over them. I used rubber washers glued into around the rim for a little more "realistic" look. Then again, I am a detail freak, lol.

My pleasure! I always use Tino's kits... he thinks of everything!!

Looks like you are off to a good start, Sherry! The undersuit pieces you ordered should be fine, but it looks as if the decals on the pants may show when suited up. You can wear them inside/out or take a black Sharpie to them if this is the case. The ABS scissors are great for detail cutting, but you may want to think about a pair of small tin snips. They plow through ABS like butter! If you are still collecting supplies, I have a list that may help: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/31404-supply-list-for-your-tk-build/ Best of luck on your build, and if you have any questions, just let us know!

I suffered over what to use for mine, and ended up using copper tubing/caps. I thought the ends of the caps should be completely flat (like the DD ones come) but in looking at reference pics noticed that were actually slightly rounded. I cut down the caps to length and flattened the tops a bit. (The photograph angle makes the right one appear a little longer). I used aluminum for the base plate. Much easier to work with. Reference image Finished product This was the most fun for me... almost needed surgical skills, lol.

Perfect advice there, Christian. Another thing to consider regarding Velcro is that the life of the hook and loop connections will eventually fray and fail to work any longer. This means replacing them. The nylon/elastic strapping system costs a bit more and takes more work in the beginning, it will last far a very, very long time. You can purchase many of the needed items to make them yourself (assorted nylon/elastic strapping, snaps, etc.) on eBay or at a fabric store like Joanne's. I have 2 threads that may help: Supply list: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/31404-supply-list-for-your-tk-build/ Snap setting: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44617-snap-setting-101/

Got the order and will have those in the mail tomorrow for ya'.

Nice job on that build, Jim, and congrats on your approval! If I could make a few suggestions in addition to the ones that have already been mentioned, they would be the following: 1. You can/should lose quite a bit of the return edge on the arm opening of the chest plate. Some armor sets are prone to cracking in that area and doing this would help stop that before it happens. Reference image 2. The side of the posterior (butt) plate could come up a bit. Tightening up the strapping would take care of this easily. Reference image 3. The cover strip should end right above the ridge line on the bottom, and there should be no gap at the join of the ridge. If there is one after trimming the cover strip, some ABS paste will cover it. Reference image 4. The cover strips in the rear should end at the ridge line here as well. Reference image As Ben mentioned, the drop boxes should actually touch (or be VERY close to) the bottom of the ABS belt. Don't forget that the outside edges of the boxes should align with the outside edge of the ammo belt (see reference image photo on # 2). To get your shoulder bells to sit a bit closer, I suggest removing all the return edges from the bottoms. This is screen accurate and acceptable at all levels; Reference image Some fairly easy fixes for you, Jim, and hopefully we will be be seeing your EI submission soon!

That second link is fantastic, Glen.. THANKS!! Going in my arsenal of info. right away!

How well does the wire that holds the mic stay bent? I have gone through several because the wire does not stay in place causing the mic tip to move toward the front of my bucket, rendering it useless as it is too far away. I currently use a throat mic.

Looking sharp, Robert! If I could make a suggestion, it would be to shorten the straps that hold your shoulder bells to the white elastic strap between your chest/back connection. No need to make new ones, as you can just double over the straps as needed and glue them. This is what they should look like: Before you apply for 501st approval from your GML. it would benefit you to post up in the Request TK Pre-Approval area where you can get some sound advice to help you pass on the first try. https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/193-request-tk-pre-approval/ Keep up the great work!!

You might want to post up a pic of the underside as well so we can see what kind of overlap you have.

Looks as if the openings for the strap are about the same as mine, (3/4 inch wide) so this may help: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brown-Veg-Tan-Leather-Belt-Blank-Strips-Straps-8-9-oz-48-inches-Long/262234237230?hash=item3d0e60e92e:m:msD-LyLVJu8yzkqUKz6Cq4g:rk:1:pf:0&var=560986208228 What I did to attach it was to run it through the opening, double up the end about half an inch and epoxy it together. This makes it thick enough not to slip out. 40+ troops and no problems.

Yep, and he moved before I could get home on leave. Wellllllll.... Not for long anyway. lol

Looking GREAT so far, Chris! Most of those rough areas can be filled with XTC-3D or something similar for a smoother look. After that, time for weathering! For HWT armor weathering, I am a fan of "less is more", but for these the more the merrier. Remember that the yellow/mustard color is usually for Sandie armor/accessories. We HWTs go with shades of black/gray. Here are some pics of my "battle worn" binocs if it will help:

Glad to help, Chris! You did a really nice job on building that kit, so now you have the knowledge it will take to take care of the issues, and as I mentioned we are here to help, sir. Your line "... look forward to the challenge of L3" is awesome... GREAT attitude! I have every faith in ya', brother, and I'm looking forward to seeing that Centurion submission!

Hi Chris, welcome and thank you for your EIB application! CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required photos have been posted. Your armor displays all necessary elements as set forth in the level 2 CRL. On behalf of the D.O. Staff, I would like to congratulate and welcome you to EI, Trooper!. Other-Armor Fit/Assembly: In this section we review observations made by your fellow troopers and ourselves. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. If any suggestion affects any application, it will be listed separately in the section below. I appreciate you changing out those TD screws... much better! As we go through this keep in mind the accuracy of your armor is ultimately up to you, and while some items may seem trivial, when it comes to the higher levels it's all about the details. We have a few areas to go over, brother, so let's jump right in to it, shall we? 1. Just a couple of small issues on your frown paint that will improve the look. The corners need to come down to a point as seen in the reference images, and it appears that you have the "Anovos overspray" on a few of the teeth. The lines should be a lot sharper and not extend past the actual tooth areas. My suggestion would be to carefully remove the overspray with a non acetone paint remover and repaint all the teeth in the same color. (Actually a pretty easy fix). Reference image 2. Your tube stripes are a little low and could come up a bit. The top of the stripes should be about a pencil's width away from the cheek. 3. The ears on both sides are offset quite a bit. The center of the circular part at the top should line up with the rear of the trap. The bottom could be moved back a bit as well. Note how the screws in the reference photos below follow the angle of the rear of the trap. If you can safely move them it would bring you a lot closer to screen accuracy. Reference image 4. Your back plate could definitely stand to come in a bit, especially on the left. This can probably be achieved by adjusting the strapping. Reference image 5. The cover strip alignment on your left arm/bicep is spot-on, but your right one needs some adjusting. You may want to check/move the strap that holds that connection. Reference image 6. An easy fix here... Some of your cover strips are extending beyond where they should in a few places and should not extend beyond the edges. 10 minutes (or less) with a Dremel tool will take care of this. Reference image 7. The large ab button plate edges are good, as they have been trimmed flat, but the small plate still has a rounded ridge on the edges and is a bit thick. The edges should be perfectly flat and the corners at sharp angles, not rounded. I see that you used E-6000, so it can be carefullyremoved with a razor knife. Reference image 8. Your ABS belt is sitting a bit low, and the top should overlap the bottom of the ab-button plates. Please see #4 in the Centurion section below. Reference images 9. Your drop box on the left side is sitting noticeably lower than it should, and should be raised to level of the right one. The tops should be touching (or very close to) the bottom of the ABS belt with no (or minimal) gap. Reference image 10. Your posterior (butt) plate is riding out and should be aligned underneath your kidney plate. Another issue that can be taken care of with some strapping alterations. Reference image 11. The D-ring on your Hyperfirm is really off-kilter and should sit level with the ring mount it is attached to. Reference image Centurion Suggestions: Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EI, items pertaining to level 3 might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all we can from what is seen but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. 1. The top 2 ear screws on your ears are the correct type, but the bottom ones will need to be replaced with the correct ones, as per the CRL "Ear screws shall be slotted, flat topped (and) countersunk...". Reference image 2. Your shoulder bells will need to come in quite a bit. The tops should touch (or be VERY close to) the shoulder bridges. This will minimize the existing gaps between the shoulder bells and chest/back plates as required for level 3. Reference image 3. The ab/kidney connections will need to be tightened up to eliminate the gaps. You may be able to so this by tightening the belt, but tighter strapping may be an alternative. Reference image Reference image 4. I realize that you "upgraded" the belt that came with your kit yourself, but there can not be patches covering the holes, so a new belt will be needed. 5. Although your drop boxes align with the end of the ABS belt when not wearing it, they need to align while you are wearing it. When you decide to change canvas belts, this would be my suggestion: The drop boxes are not required to be on a loop of elastic. I had the same issue on my first submission, so I cut the front of the loop off and glued the back part straight to the canvas belt in the correct position. Bada bing, done. Reference image You have a bit of work in front of you, but trust me, it's not going to be as difficult as you may think to get ready for level 3. We are here to help you in any way you need, so don't be shy about asking for advice. It's what we do!

You can also cut down the bottoms of the ears a bit more if it makes it easier to fit them tight. Note how thin the screen-used ones are: Reference image

I've seen more than a few shoulder bells pop off during a troop in my time, (including my own on my first troop). I had a single snap connecting my shoulder bell to the white elastic band between the back/chest, so I switched that out. I now have 2 snaps on the white elastic band that connect to the 1 inch wide black shoulder bell strap, and have never had one pop off since. I also painted the tops of the center snaps (below) white so they would blend in better. I couldn't find a pic of my shoulder bell straps so I doctored one up to show what I mean.

The hand guards will be attached to your gloves, which you put on after you are suited up.

Thanks, Chris! That'll do it, sir, be with you shortly!