khausauer

Thanks Joseph!! I agree its a shame to have to mention it as some have said but it never hurts to have that reminder!!! Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

So after a prolonged break on this without any posts i have a new update finally. Have spent time carefully and diligently making shims on the kidney plate sides and then searching high and low in Germany for matching paint.... I have made them / measured them for almost zero gap between kidney and front ab plate... Perhaps this weekend i will start on the straps to hold it all together. Here is what i have achieved. Please let me know what you think!!! Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Looks awesome Chris!!!! Great work!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thx!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I got my E11 fast but emails to them for the instructions have been never answered..... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I bought one a few months ago and am very happy with the quality of the print. It's a LOT of work sanding and gettting it right and if you follow the instructions you will not be disappointed. It's not heavy and I am sure you can add real parts to one to make it even more realistic... All in all, great seller, great communication and would buy one again. My two cents. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Niiiice!! Good job!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Nice work Cricket!!!! One can really notice the effort and attention to detail you put into this. Superb Trooper!!! :dancing trooper: Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Awesome job by all and a special congrats to the winner(s). It really is a great design. :double thumbs up: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I will say everyone here has posted exactly what we all went through or are still going through and it's all spot-on. But Joe just as well put int in a great perspective. Maybe grouping the threads under each armor maker will help trying to find those pesky issues we all want to solve. I think that would be a great place to start? It won't happen overnight, but just like building the Armor. Slow, steady and ask lots of questions. (Anyone heard that before?? Naaaah. Not here!!!!) Happy to chip in if I can even if just giving feedback. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thx Christian!!!! Appreciate the thoughts immensely. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

OK. I had some serious time today and felt like I was ready for the first "real! test fit of what I had done so far. I used the Anovos Velcro to hold pieces together even though this is not my final setup, as I just wanted to see SOMETHING after all this work. My final setup will be with snaps and fitted as best as I can make it. This was a I GOTTA SEE IT moment.... so feel free to throw critic and feedback my direction. I welcome it. absolutely. My goals are as follows: first: 501st approval and my TK number second: EIB Third: Centurion lofty goals, I admit, but achievable when I see the photos below. when i consider all the details of a 2-hour session to put velcro in temp spots and try to make things work, i can also see that with some time, effort and attention to detail, I might just can pull this off!!! so without further ado.... front shot: (and you just gotta love the "neon" stripe look of "Steve" in these shots!!!! (this is because "Steve" is still a Saran-Wrap soldier for as long as needed to finish the build. (meaning he still has the plastic fantastic protective covering except were absolutely needed.) First Notes: 1-Gap in between shoulder bells and Chest. Yup. gotta fix that. I dressed MYSELF today. no handler or help. trying to get the bells attached period was an act.... 2-Gap in the outside of the Thigh Armor to the cod piece by the hips...seems a bit excessive, but the thighs were already as high as I could pull them without discomfort...(thoughts welcome here everyone...) 3-Calves (in particular the left one) can use some adjustment (but keep in mind these are not finished yet and had nothing but a strip of tape holding them together in the back today.) 4-Chest and abs plates felt like they keep slipping down and i think that is nothing more than me using eh Anovos velcro strips and guessing where to attach Velcro...if i were to tighten these up with a bit of help I think it would fix this problem, as well as my thoughts on the upcoming photo of the back where the back kept trying to climb higher... Next photo: Back shot!! First Notes: 1-WIIIIIDE gap in between the shoulders and the back plate. 2-gap between back plate and Kidney plate...seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?? 3-back plate seems to be riding very HIGH (noted above) 4-butt plate and kidney gap seems to be acceptable 5-butt plate seems to splay itself OUT on both sides (blue tape help to see this easier), so need to find a way to make this come in a bit more and form to my body (hot water bath perhaps??) 6-back of the thighs...on the tops that is blue tape and not a gap...but the bottom there is a gap that i need to cover...but with that in mind, these are biting into the back of my knees quite severely. what is acceptable to cut out? if anything?? i have seen different posts where some is cute out quite a bit and others just a bit. what are the rules?? i want to look as accurate as i can. 7-calves....oh boy. i can tell this is going to be the FUN part of this build....the left one seems to be more or less okay from this picture, and I think if i had the cover strip on it, we would be set. ( i think the front side seems to be a bit "fat"??) anyone?? the right leg though needs some more attention and lovin'... Next shot: Right side arm up--- Notes: 1-NO I AM NOT FAT!!! hehehehe (but this photo sure makes it look like it!!!) 2-the kidney plate and ab plate and the GAP. yup. noted. this id due to only using a single strip of Anovos Velcro inside on each side and one single strap to hold the two together. i think if i would have used two straps on each side to bring the plates closer together, one would see that the 6cm shim I have made for each side is actually quite good and just need to be color matched...(the gap is already covered up with ABS paste made from Anovos plastic scraps i have saved. dry to the touch but letting sit overnight and will start sanding tomorrow, and then on to the task of paint matching.... 3-calves seem to sit okay on the boots 4-gap between calves and thighs is okay? 5-gap between thighs and butt/kidney/ab seems to be quite a LOT?? 6-back plate is hardly visible in this photo...is that okay? same side, with arm down: notes: 1-NO I AM STILL NOT FAT!!! hehehehe (but this photo sure makes it look like it!!!) 2-In this shot i see a discrepancy between the ab plate and the kidney plate with them not lining up. kidney is too high and ab too low. (see above notes and i think that is the reason due to using a single straps to hold thing together....) 3-bicep and shoulder bell...the two outward dents in them don't line up here....i think the shoulder, bicep and forearm outward accents are all to line up or?? Left side arm up: 1-grrrr...STILL not fat!!! 2-this side seems to be "better" with the kidney to ab plate in terms of lining up...i can see that it seems reasonable to think they will align fairly well. 3-nothing further to note on this side, that is not already noted for the right side... Left side arm down: 1-No comment!!!! 2-that gap between butt plate and thighs seems to be LARGE.....(anyone??) am i worrying about nothing? AAAAAANNNNNNND!!!! no test fit would be complete without the "action shot without an E-11" photo... (both models i have are being worked on but not ready to be in the photo just yet so on a whim i just hit a pose and my Mrs. took the shot.) with a bit of "imagination" i am sure this would be some thing really "AWESOME"!!! alright guys and gals....its is up to you now to give me some guidance and tips, thoughts, feedback, laughs, jests, pokes, (criticism you can keep to yourselves, thank you very much!!! JK!!!) gimme your thoughts. am i in the right direction? have i picked up on the things that are important? what have i missed? and as a final note....DAMnit but was I SWEATING in the bucket by the time i got myself kitted up and UP the stairs (don't even start with me on what challenge THAT presented!!!!) and tossed my phone to my Mrs. to get some pictures. firstly she started laughing her butt off that "Steve" was in the living room but the she got on with the task at hand and the results are above. (me the dumb@ss realized too late that i had no gloves on.. duh!!! oh well. this is only a speed bump in the long journey. thanks in advance to anyone who replies or likes. MTFBWY!!!! Kevin

Nice job Chris!!! Looks awesome and you got a wicked Centurion number to boot!! Great job sir!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Updates for today (then into weekend break).... 1- Thermal Detonator (DONE!) 2-Left Side Thigh top and bottom returns removed (and it fit quite well with what i left (about 4mm) just like in the right side) I need to figure something out for the back of the thighs to fix that gap...but can get to that later. (open to any suggestions everyone!!!) 3-Biceps to forearm elastic (DONE!) both arms done and dried now....test fit seemed to be okay on both. i know why troopers can't hit anything. they can't move!!! i left about 1/2" between them (hard to tell with clamps, but even that is tough to get a 90 degree bend out of...maybe i need to learn how to move like a TK??? 4-Shoulder Bells Elastic (DONE!) hopefully this works out as planned... 5-Kidney Bridge!!!! have installed the first part of the side shims i will need to the kidney plate. These are the backing/support strips shown and the final piece gets glued to the top of these, which puts it almost perfectly flush with the armor itself and giving it the strength and support it needs. I will glue those on sunday night or monday. once done with that then i can go and try to match the paint... (giving me nightmares already... 6-I got tired of the battery Dremel, so i pulled out the corded version and went to Town..I trimmed now all the following pieces to where i want them to be, (cod piece still needs a bit of trimming in the crotch or things will get ugly...) Ab plate Buttocks plate back Plate Chest plate Kidney plate will get its final trimming once the shimming is done and i can blend everything in nicely... oh yeah, i also gave a hot water bath to the top pieces of the back plate as well as the chest plate. QUESTION:::: i trimmed a LOT back on the return edges of the points where the chest to shoulder straps go but left about 3mm and it is STILL poking me in the collarbones. what is allowed here?how much modding can be done and still be okay?? No rush. can't do any more till monday. I wish everyone a nice weekend. Be safe, be cool, MTFBWY!!! For my German Garrison Colleagues: Ich wünsche euch all ein schönes Wochenende!!!! Bis später!!!!! --Kevin

Great Stuff Garry!!!! Take your time and ask questions! I have found everyone here to be. Dry helpful as I make my own way through the same kit. Good luck to you!!! :dancing trooper: Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Me too!!!! I need to take out a loan if this keeps up!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I had actually thought about this as well when glueing them in and bent them a bit more. They don't hang out too much... maybe it will be okay, but the tips are super appreciated!!! Right side Left side (from the back...) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Cool. Thx Tony!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Today I managed to get the right side thigh return edges top and bottom trimmed back to about 4mm all the way around and a test fit felt pretty good, so probably going to leave it there for now. Need to figure out the back of the thigh though at the knee...Not sure how long it would be "comfortable", but its not a priority for the moment so it goes on the list of "follow-up" items. Both shins now also have their inside strips glued and curing overnight. I continued work on the TD as well. Panel was glued on, holes drilled and screws sorted. will get them painted then ready to install ukswrath mentioned to me on a previous post that the paint on my AB buttons was too much. cool. no sweat i can remove the extra. HA! nope. Mr. Intelligent here used the Xacto knife to trim the tape when making them originally, and looks like i cut just a hair too deep. the paint seeped into it, and now i cannot get it out. Tried various solutions, no luck. took it one step further and used some acetone on a Q-tip. SUPER MISTAKE! it actually damaged the gloss now on the large button plate around one button. sooooo, am now going to repaint the whole plate with a white paint using my airbrush, paint the buttons PROPERLY this time, then put a gloss finish over the whole plate. I think i can make it work with a little finesse and patience...(short supply on the second one lately for other reasons, but its fun doing this, and i think its a great relief valve for me) next item, I trimmed off the velcro from the Anovos Arm connection strips and glued them into the biceps so far. clamped and magnets holding things till tomorrow. i also made the two clips for the bicep middles to latch onto the Shoulder bell straps. using ukswrath's notes, I think i did a pretty decent job of things. (Pat one's self on the back here) oh yeah, and my Droopy Doo E-11 Resin Kit arrived today from England. So now I have something else to do when i run out of clamps or magnets. so all in all, pretty happy with progress today. tomorrow i will get the left thigh, and should straps started in the bells, etc.... Other things on the calendar for the weekend, so Steve will be left alone for a couple days. poor guy! but for that, Monday is a holiday here, so i can make it up on some other items then.

catch up post..i chatted with ukswrath on the space between kidney and ab plates and the shims i seem to need. it is not in the build doc, but if you need to do shims for this space then they should attach to the kidney plate and NOT the abs... (Thanks Tony!!!!) I taped the butt and kidney plates together to get an idea of fitting.... After taping the whole ensemble together i discovered that i mis-judged the spacing between the two sides with one being smaller than the other: even with the shown dimensions it was still a bit tight, so am going to err on the side of caution and make both sides the same as the large side. I had originally attached the shims to the ab plate with tape and the angle was PERFECT but as noted, they need to be on the kidney plate, so will figure out a way. i think kman did something similar in his thread so going to go check there.... The only thing here that bothers me still just a bit is the butt plate and the kidney as shown below...the but plate is lined up on the other side perfectly but on this side it sticks out. i guess that is okay?? as shown in another pic above, the two parts are lined up right for back viewing, but this side sticks out a good centimeter....not sure what to do with it so leaving it alone for now..... well then....here we go. what i did today. I was all over the map so to say. i have uploaded all my pics to Photo bucket and am using my Computer instead of iPad to make this post. Lets see if "Captain Plastic Fantastic" can figure this out!!!! I started off with the Calves. I followed ukwraths build guide with particular attention to the front return edges and after a session of "should I? Or shouldn't I", I again took the leap of faith and cut. (sweating bullets is putting it lightly) I kept the front return edges as close as i could to the size of the front cover strip and paid again special attention to which calf halts went with each other i think so far we are going in the right direction:' Insides.... This picture shows the Left and Right calves as "Left and Right". The inside halfs are longer than the outside which by all research so far seems to be the correct sorting. (even though i had another combo earlier that i thought both fit quite well, it apparently was incorrect.) I put inside strips into the forearms today as well for both left and right: My table now looks like a Trooper Graveyard.... (gotta admit i am becoming rather fond of the blue strips of tape that are holding the ends of the plastic covering back; hence the name Captain Plastic Fantastic) I also started on the TD (Thermal Detonator)...(ok, gotta mention this as i thought it was funny....I told my wife this was a Stormtrooper Lunchbox. I mean they gotta eat too right?? she was NOT amused.) g 1 Hot water bath later and after cutting about 1/4" off the tube....as per build doc from ukswrath it should be between 7 1/4" and 7 1/2".... I then cleaned up some of the parts that had become victims of the dust caused by using my airbrush to put the first "tacky" coat on the E-11 blaster. Me, Mister Intelligent coulee not wait to go outside with a spray can...NO!!!!! I HAD to be smart and say i got an airbrush with compressor and lots of paint, so lets get on with it...had i remembered that all the armor is covered in plastic saran wrap, thus creating a sort of static field around it, i would have waited but....I didn't. It was only later i discovered that anything NOT covered in saran wrap had funny black DUST in it. So I used some Isopropylalchohol on an old T-shirt and got the insides all nice and white again.... And Biceps are also done now, with inside strips and a water bath to make them a bit more round rather than oval... (OK, so now i have spent the last 30 minutes putting this post together....we shall soon see if it works or not.) if not, i will repost this from my iPad with pictures uploaded as i have done before... Tomorrow on the calendar is... 1. trimming back on the upper and lower return edges of the thigh because when i put them on a feel like someone has shoved a rod in my buttocks. the do "fit" but i think i won't be comfortable in them very long...so will follow the advice of justjoseph63 and trim them back. We shall go as far as the Dremel battery takes us. i have a powered one as well, but the re-chargeable one feels and fits good in the hand, especially for things like this, so have not used anything else for this type of trimming. 2. trip to the hardware store (for a few other things as well) but will try to find compatible screws for the TD 3. Once the inside strips are dry on the forearms, I plan to start on the straps for those to the biceps, and also setting up the initial straps for the shoulder bells and the biceps hook. if I can get all that, then I will be VERY happy. what is not hit tomorrow will carry over to friday. most of the big gluing is done now except back of the calves but that doesn't need all my clamps so I can then start working on trimming the chest, back, butt, and ab plates...and then on to making the kidney plate shims I need. Captain Plastic Fantastic signing off now....what a day!!!! MTFBY!!!!

Perfect reply!!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Congrats guys!!!! Thanks for the work and best of luck to you all!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sweet!!!! :dancing trooper: Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Oh yeah. Posters would work too!!! Good idea!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wow Eric!!! Totally incredible. I love the Orange one and your reasoning behind it. But I also love he blue FISD with both buckets. You just raised the stakes here!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk