justjoseph63

GREAT progress, brother!

Excellent advice there, Glen.

Looking SHARP. Richard... outstanding work on this armor, sir! Once you are 501st approved, I hope we will be seeing your submission for Expert Infantry (and then Centurion)!

You can size them down as much as you need to, Matt, but it would help to see how they are actually fitting. If you have your under suit, it would give us a better idea if you could post a photo of you you wearing it. You don't want them too loose or too tight. Once you get the circumference where you need it you can trim off those points in the front and back. Another thing to consider when sizing is the return edge on the inside. Some troopers leave this and have no issue, but others (like myself) find that these can cause chafing. "Question: Is the top of the back supposed to sit right under your butt and the bottom of the front just above the knee? I was trying to look at some pics but with the black undersuit it makes it a little difficult" Leave some room for mobility..

Let me do a little research on this, but there are definitely 2 versions.

I have a lot more that may help, located under my signature below.

Congrats on your RWA purchase, Joe, and looking forward to following your build! I have a tutorial here that will help with the hand guards. Be sure to post lots of photos, but more importantly be sure to ask ANY question you may have (no matter how small you think it is), especially if you have any doubts. We are here to help!

I know the sniper knee placement can certainly be tricky, especially since different armorer's designs can vary. Are we looking for perfection at Centurion? Nope. Not at all. Heaven knows there were variations in screen used armor as seen in the references already posted, but what we aim for is (as Sha Sha puts it) that "Fresh off the Death Star" look. In a word, continuity. I think for the most part the sniper knee ridges were lined up with the top of the calf, thus the CRL requirement. Exceptions? Absolutely. Even in the CRL model. As Mario mentioned, RWA sniper knees can indeed be lined up with the ridges as seen in these 2 examples. Note that the upper ridges on the one on the right are lined up but there is a gap at the bottom. Personally, I would rather see the tops lined up (first example) as per the CRL and have that gap, since the bottoms are not that noticeable (but the tops are). So the question is "Would I get knocked for this at Centurion"? We have made allowances for all sorts of things in the past, and this is not the biggest of issues so not to worry. While we would prefer to see perfect alignment, it's not always possible, and we understand. Perhaps raise it half way if possible?

Good call on that, David, I do the same thing. Many troopers add the padding in the top but find that it causes the helmet to sit way too high, giving them a "bobble-head" appearance and making it really difficult to see.. (our field of vision when wearing a bucket is not that good to begin with). It works for some, but not for others, so best to do a test run before permanently attaching it.

That overlap is pretty normal, but you shouldn't have to force anything. Depending on where/how much tightness you have, imagine it this way... do you think you could hold that pose (arm bent) for an hour or more? If so, no problem, but if you have any discomfort, some trimming/adjusting may be needed. Looking great so far, sir, and nice taper on those forearms!

I would post up a photo of how it looks before gluing the cover strip on.

The forearms should have just enough room to get your ungloved hand through (you can tuck those in afterward). If you have the extra ABS (think scraps) I suggest using them on all your seams. Like I mentioned, they don't have to be pretty, just functional.

Just as Caleb mentioned, you need the enamel, not the acrylic. You will need to pick up a small container of mineral spirits as well to clean your brush(es). Hint: Be sure to gently shake or stir the paints before each use.

Are you using the Doopydoos kit, Thomas? If so, he may have meant how much is removed from that area in order to fit the metal bar in. The less you can get away with removing the stronger that area will be. Are you using one of Tino's finishing kits like this? (I swear by them and wouldn't do a build without one). It may help to start a build thread in progress, post up some detailed photos of any issues and ask all the questions you want to... We are here to help!

Looking forward to watching your build, Mario!

Genius!

The right forearm looks great! It may be the camera angle, but the left one doesn't look nearly as round shaped. If so, you may need to heat bend them a bit** to get the same shape as the right one. It may also help to use interior cover strips*** that are a bit wider than the outside ones to help retain that shape. They don't have to be pretty (no one sees them anyway) and they won't affect approval at any level. **I suggest the hot water method as opposed to heat guns. Trust me. ***When you get to the lower leg armor, I HIGHLY suggest using interior cover strips on the inside of the fronts. Those areas get a lot of wear and tear from opening/closing them, and having that strip will reinforce the seam.

This is the one I used for mine- (13 bucks on ebay)- https://www.ebay.com/p/2255131865 I removed the adjusting knob in the front and mounted the clamps in the rear. Some flat black paint, a little weathering and voila! The scope on the references extends farther forward, so something to think about..

I have no issue with the taller piece sticking up, as the shoulder bell will cover it when wearing your armor, but I would suggest rounding it out as seen below. That point on the return edge could cause some discomfort.

Welcome to the FISD, Chuck! I've trooped with the TB Squad many times... a great bunch of folks there! If you request access with the link that Tino (T-Jay) added above, it will open up a lot more areas here. You will also have access to merch runs and such.

You can use the same cover strips, but on the one shown below the bottom of the strip needs to come down to the bottom of the bicep. No one can see the tops as they are under the shoulder bells. What you need to look out for are those points at the tops. Those will snag on your under suit and cause holes

WOW... this is AWESOME!! It never ceases to amaze me how creative our folks can be! (Where were you with this idea 7 years ago)?

"..if I do trim down that side, I am guessing I would need to trim down the other side as well to match as I would want even height in both sides"? Correct "Is it worth waiting to see if the shoulders do in fact sit to far out"? That part is hidden by the shoulder bell, and you can certainly wait to see, but if it were me I would do it. It should take less than 10 minutes to separate them and trim them down. I would be more concerned with the return edge I mentioned. If you haven't seen it yet, I have a thread here that will help on that subject. If you have any apprehensions when it comes to cutting or gluing, it's always a good idea to post up a photo (or 2 or 3) of the area before proceeding. We are here to help!

I couldn't agree more! Our folks have some mad design skills, and we appreciate every single trooper who took the time to offer one. Well done to you all!

Great to see that you are moving along, Matt! I have a couple of suggestions if I may, but not ones that you may like, as you have already glued on the cover strip(s). The top sides could be cut down quite a bit. There are 2 reasons for this.. The first is that the extended/pointed tops may cut into your arms when bending them. The second is that being as long as they are they may cause your shoulder bells to sit out too much. Second up is the excessive return edge on the tops. Because we spend so much time with our arms bent carrying an E-11, that return edge can (and will) cut into your arm after a while. Note the lack of any return edge on the second photo above. If you decide to remove that edge, remember that the circumference will change and they may need to be re-fitted by trimming down the sides a bit. I know it sounds like a bit of a setback, but if you decide to go with either (or both) of these suggestions the cover strip should be pretty easy to remove. Just caaaarefully (as no to scratch the armor) insert a knife into the seam and gently work your way down. The residual E-6000 can be removed by rubbing it off with your thumb.