conkerreloaded

My GML helped me build most of it and he glued the cover strips like that. I think I'm alright there but I'll double check. I'm going to make the switch to white Velcro to keep it from showing black and maybe mod later with low profile Velcro. The hooks my GML installed to originally close the calves are still in place, mainly for back up and help with closure. I may take them out eventually but for now I see no need to do so. Thanks for the input! Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

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I got my boots in! They arrived earlier this week and they are quite nice. I ordered from TK Boots and I received them in less than a week. The leather is pretty hard and will take some time to break in but from here all I have left are my gloves, which should be arriving Tuesday! Here they are with the armor: When my boots arrived I went through the task of seeing how the shin armor would fit over them. I had little to no need of modification except one little thing: The hooks by themselves wouldn't cover it, especially on the left shin where my calf is significantly larger than my right due to mild hemihypertrophy. This really sucks because the armor needs to me squeezed on there and there was still black showing through the back(which I know is not good). I don't have any pictures of before, but I have plenty now after modification. On both pieces I placed strips of Velcro on the areas in between the hooks and the holes so make an actual seal. Quite crude, but it's functional. Velcro in action From the back The only problem I can see is that it gives the impression of overlap construction instead of butt joint/coverstrip construction due to the thickness of the velcro. My questions to all of you are: 1. Is this approvable? 2. Should I decide to purchase new pieces to better suit myself, who makes bigger shin armor besides AM?

Helmet Time The helmet was worked on progressively through out the time I was there. Traps, ears and cheeks painted(minus stripes) Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

I compiled all the pictures I took the other weekend and here is what we have: Everything Else Everything set up from what I had completed before After that, we gathered together everything that needed to be cleaned up and sanding and it was off to the bench for me(It took this newb awhile to sand everything) Shims and cover strips glued on to thigh and shin pieces Left and Right arm pieces with cover strips glued on crappy picture.... Torso pieces riveted together, shoulder straps glued on, and cod strap done Close-up Thigh belt and straps done; sniper knee glued on and plastic hand plates done(I will be ordering flexible ones for my shot at EIB and Centurion) Shoulder straps were attached and the belt was made somewhere in the time between these pictures.... Arms were finished quickly Closeup of belt with buttons gluing and ab buttons glued on. Holster now attached(Beautiful work, Darman) That is all I have in regards to the torso and limb pieces. The shots of everything finished and arranged on the table were pretty terrible so I won't post them. The ab buttons have since been painted as well as all rivets and snaps that need to be white. Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

This is how the eye lenses stay in my helmet. Just a few small pieces of scrap abs cut to size(a small "T"), bent just a little, and CA glued around the eye. This holds the lenses in place really well and you can switch out lenses if they get too scratched or whatever you fancy. This is my first build and I got a lot of help from the GML and this is how he does this particular part. Like you said, there are many ways to do it. -----------

Update so far: Gluing coverstrips on forearms and biceps over the next few days, brackets are all installed in the torso and my helmet has been put together though I've been told there are some issues there with the ears and I need more feedback with that. I know about the brow trim nt being long enough and have a replacement ordered from Trooperbay These next pictures are taken to show that I trimmed the ears too much compared to where they should sit. Just the ears...

Got back at it today and now the forearms are trimed and fitted. I'm planning to start gluing tomorrow morning and using E6000 it's going to take a few days but I have plenty to work on. I think I did pretty well.... I didn't taper at all, just cut a straight 8-7mm off each side to fit the 15mm cover strip and same size shim. They do fit a bit big on me but I plan on remedying that with foam padding inside for a more snug fit. My forearms are pretty skinny so this seemed the best way to do it. I trimmed all the return edges near the wrist and kept all return edges near the elbow. I had a few blade slips that I need to fix with a small amount of goop but it's nothing critical.

After watching a lot of videos and doing much research, I got my trim lines going for the forearms. I'm posting some pictures to show the method I used. I hope they look right! To start, I measure out roughly 7-8mm(about 5/16) from the seam line in the plastic and make two tick marks, one on each end. I then clamped both ends, lining up the tick marks and drew my straight line. This method is quite a pain in the butt if you don't leave a lot for the clamps to grab on to. This is the end result: a straight trim line. I've read that it should taper down toward the wrist so more clarity on this would be great. This piece had a very weird seam, though it could just be flash. I really just made a rough line and it came out pretty well when I looked it over. Any tips are appreciated and I enjoy being told I'm doing something wrong so that I can do it correctly!

Thanks Airborne! I've been swing both with and without but I didn't want to go with my assumption considering my newb status. I'll definitely be trimming all the return edge on the forearms to make for easier fitting and smoother feel. Is there a certain amount of gap I'm supposed to leave for strapping in all the limb pieces or do I make them snug so they don't move? Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

That's what I keep reading and I did notice in the reference gallery during the Tantive IV assault the absence of return edge near the elbows on the forearms on some of the troopers. I have definitely had trouble fitting my forearm with return edges present so that is why I removed them. I don't mind learning how to remake them if I have to. Also, what I think is my left forearm is actually my right one....... thoughts on this??? This is the piece on my left arm(curve doesn't seem to match) Same piece but now on my right arm(curve seems to fit a lot better) Looking at it, I'm probably asking a stupid common sense question but I don't want to get it fitted for the wrong arm

So I decided to go ahead and start the forearms. I trimmed all the return edge, sanded those parts down and fit it with tape. From what I've read(and please correct me if I'm wrong), I do need some return edge on parts of the forearm to qualify for centurion level so that dream is for next time. Here are some pictures of the left forearm. I now just have to trim it to make a butt joint and then glue the cover strip.

Just a note and a question; (looking for an answer while I research it). I left a return edge on the upper part of the forearm as a video I was watching said to. I have also heard that ANH armor has no return edges on the forearms. Can someone (even better, multiple someones) clarify this for me? Trooperbay's videos brought this to light o9posite TK1636's videos on Youtube. Although Trooperbay was building a Sandtrooper, and 1636 didn't specify. Thanks for the info!

The past few days I have been extremely hesitant and slightly scared to do much on this project due to not wanting to trim something and then find out I did it wrong later. So after much research and triple checking, I've finished sanding most of the torso pieces and the helmet. I know, it's just a fraction of what I have to do and probably the easiest part but I don't want to screw up(too bad) and I know I won't by going slow and researching everything at least twice. Here are some pictures of today's progress: Too much return edge? (bottom of chest piece) biceps, will be sanding and hopefully fitting tomorrow Ditto on the forearms Did I sand the shoulder straps too much?!? I'll post pictures of the helmet tomorrow and whatever else I do. If anyone would like to see closer pictures, let me know, I'll post them.

Sweet, thanks. Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

Thought I'd post my pencil marks on the face to see how they look. I'm pretty nervous to trim without feedback as I have a somewhat larger head and it's not super clear on this piece how much of the material is excess.

I haven't started sanding at all yet, in the process of getting a Dremel and sandpaper so it's just virgin trimming. On the shoulder straps, where it looks bumpy, I believe that is extra flash that I haven't cut off yet and wanted to be sure before I do.

Thanks for the encouragement! Trimmed up the butt, kidney, and back pieces though the kidney still needs a lot of work. Some pictures of the back all trimmed up I'm thinking of switching my focus to the arm pieces due to finding some great build threads, though not having the shoulder bells yet throws me off. Question though: Where is a good place to buy the elastic I need? I asked a guy while at Home Depot today and he looked at me funny so I'm guessing that's not the right place haha

Edit: I'm aware that my lines on the butt plate are wrong and have since corrected them.

Here we are with some pencil outlines and a (roughly)trimmed kidney plate: Buttplate Pencil lines on abdomen & back trimmed kidney plate

Getting ready to start my build and boy am I excited to start trimming! I'll be posting pics as I trim and hope to hear some great feedback! I'm watching TK 1636s' tutorial channel on Youtube and am trying to follow him as closely as possible. I'm definitely taking this slow (though it seems not slow enough) and will have plenty of pictures up by days end. Also, does anyone know a good thread for detonator specs? I know its just capped PVC but that's all I do know. Here is my set, surplus 1 extra sniper knee and missing my shoulder bells (I have messaged the guy about that so all parties are aware)