lucnak

I know I've seen a bicep hook tutorial around here somewhere, but I can't seem to find it right now! I searched the tutorial and how-to sections...

Yeah it looks like you left more ridge near the bottom when you cut the two sides of your shin. Not sure if a lot of people get asked to fix that. Definitely your call for now!

So I made all the panels for my snap panels last night and I still need to add the actual snaps and I'm trying to think ahead - how did you guys measure out the length for the straps, particularly for chest to ab? Hold them up on you and tape them to tell the distance and then make the strap fit? And it seems to me that back + kidney + butt is always the same height for everyone since these should all be edge to edge, so really the fit comes in how long your shoulder straps are? Anyone know the measurements for the butt plate snaps and cod rivet? I can't seem to find that info right now and I would like to get that done soon. Sorry for all the questions, just trying to make sure I do this right the first time!

Whoa that's a pretty cool idea! First I've seen of this...is this joining issue common? Won't just shortening the straps or adding one more at the top fix this issue?

Ah too late! Do people tend to scratch the buttons when assembling the rest? I didn't even think of that! I could just tape some paper towel over top once I start handling the ab? I am thinking definitely some nylong for backt o kdiney since that needs to stay nice and tight. Elastic for chest to ab for some movement. Not sure about the sides for kidney to ab...I was thinking nylon since this should stay nice and tight as well, but then again, could make breathing a bit harder if it's too tight?

Have finally started gluing things...another question for you guys: internal strapping - did you use nylon everywhere or elastic in some key areas? Just trying to figure out how to make it comfortable and keep it looking good!

Finished cutting and sanding my thighs and shins this weekend. Thighs are slightly low here since I'm not holding them. I really need to hold them to keep them up. How much mobility do you guys have with these on? Can you bend your knees and walk pretty freely? Just trying to get an idea of trimming requirements. I've already trimmed the pointy end on the left thigh. Please excuse the crappy mirror selfie of my legs. I will be using 26mm strips on the thighs and front of shins. 30mm on the back of shins. I also cut and trimmed down everything else and painted my ab buttons, drying here: You can still see some pencil that I used to center the circle I drew. My circle template has lines to show the middle of the horizontal and vertical axes. My advice for painting the ab buttons, keep with the natural curve of your wrist and spin the piece as you go. Much easier. Cleaned up the edges with toothpicks and paint thinner. My next step is to create some snap panels while I wait for the weather to warm up. I might also glue some basic stuff like the buttons to the ab and the elastics in the shoulder bells. The only thing I haven't cut yet is the kidney tabs...still figuring out where this line up and I can't do that till I join up the rest of my torso stuff!

I would suggest you tighten your strap between the back and kidney to close that gap. Not sure what level you're going to be shooting for, but I see a lot of people get dinged on that in Centurion applications. Making great progress!

Your kidney plate should curve upward at the top...it follows the same curve as your ab. Bottom is flat and it should be flush with your butt plate.

Couple of questions for you guys: My thighs are a bit bigger than average and my legs are slightly shorter than average. Will it look weird if I add about 5mm to my thigh cover strips but keep my arm cover strips at 16mm? My arms are not bigger than average. Also, can I shorten the thighs by taking some off the top? And can I remove all return edges on things and shins? I feel like I need to keep a little bit. My forearms appear to be a little shorter than most...what's the recommended way to shorten these? My hair is long enough that it would stick out the back of my helmet. Would a balaclava be the best way to take care of this problem? If so, recommendations? Can I remove all return edge on the chest plate around the neck area? I feel like this part would be rather uncomfortable.

Thanks everyone for your help so far! A few things: Received my TK Boots! I ended up buying them from someone who found these to be too small, so it was quick to arrive! Also got my gloves and hand guards from Trooper Bay. Will need to glue these a bit better later on to make sure they're on there nice and solid. It might look like they're glued low, but when I close my fist, they're right up at my knuckles. The gloves are a bit smaller than I'd like, but they'll do the job! I finished painting over the weekend. Looks like stirring did do the trick, but I had to let it sit for a while. I initially stirred a bunch and didn't see a colour change in the tin, so I assumed I had defective paint. My wife was going to be near the store, so I asked her to pick another one up for me. I opened the tin and thought "wow this looks way better!" and it turned out that that was the tin that I stirred. Go figure! Thanks to Andy in the Capital City Garrison for the paint mask for the tube stripes! I had to clean up a little with a q-tip and paint thinner, but I think my paint job turned out alright! Here's my helmet as it is now. I need to order a new S-trim as I trimmed mine a wee bit too short and that's bothering me, but no rush. I also need to protect my head from the ends of the screws that I cut. I added some foam around my forehead in the helmet. My head is quite large so I don't need the helmet to sit any higher, otherwise I'm looking out through the teeth! Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on what to improve. I may touch up the rear traps since some lines aren't as clean and straight as I would like them to be, but they'll do! My right ear definitely has a bit of a gap and I tried my best to close it as much as possible. I think if I ever build another helmet, I'll be able to do a better job with that. Now the question is...what do I work on next? I still have some pieces to trim, so I will probably do that, cut some cover strips, and also paint my ab buttons. Weather is warming up, so hopefully I'll be gluing pieces in my garage in a few weeks!

I'm gonna try shaking the tin for a while before using it when I get the chance. Hopefully I don't need to buy another tin! The store I went to didn't have a lot of stock.

Is it just me or does this grey look too light? It's definitely Humbrol 5 from the container, but I'm not so sure that it's the right darkness. Could I have bought an old canister of paint? Does this paint get lighter over time? This is my second coat on the frown.

The advice I've seen around here is always try your armour on with your under suit on. It will add some tightness and if the piece is too tight, could pull your sleeve in this example up your arm.

Thanks for the help guys! Trimmed the screws and installed my mic tips.. I sanded the rims to make the white come out. Started painting last night. Will post an update once my painting is further along. Have to wait to get some tube stripe stencils this weekend!

Looking good!

Can I ask what you used for padding, etc. in the helmet? Trying to decide what to use in mine.

I'm working on an ATA right now as well! Lots of trimming in your near future! Have fun!

Do you guys have recommendations for how to secure the screws for trimming? Take a piece of scrap ABS and drill it into that? I feel like that might not be solid enough. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Made some progress on my bucket this weekend! Though it was frustrating, I managed to get both ears on! They're far from perfect, but they'll do! I also attached my lens. Managed to make that work, despite my earlier worries. I cleaned that ear up a bit so it's a bit smoother than in the photo above. As I approach the completion of my bucket, I have two questions for you guys: Is the rim of the mic tip black or white? I've seen both. What's the best way to trim the screws? My toolbox is pretty limited.

Looking pretty good! I am gonna need to track down one of those bins eventually...still a ways off from that though!

Thanks for your help, Gary! I have made some progress and am working on the ears now. Botched the left one, so I'll have to use the backup. Right one is almost good to go! Will have to wait till another night to work on it since I don't have the spare time right now.

Question: Am I missing two screws? Here are the contents of what I got in terms of hardware from ATA: Shouldn't I have two more screws like in the bottom middle? Two to join mask and cap/back at the ears and two at the base?

Can I ask to see how the lens is affixed in your helmet? Also, I realized that the eyes are asymmetrical in that the "orbital" under the left eye protrudes less than for the right eye, so that seems to be why the other eye seems totally fine and I can sand it down flush but it's different with the left eye.

Hi guys, I'm a bit worried that I cut away too much around the eyes. Thoughts? The third photo shows why I'm concerned...to get this flush, I would have to take away most of the ABS under the eye.