Gwithian

Hay Matt, I'm enjoying your build thread, it's a small world, I worked in Sydney for a while 21years ago, had an apartment in circular quay , you live in a beautiful city [emoji3] Regarding the inner cover strips on the right forearm, I fitted the inner front strip first, I did this in two stages, stuck it to one side first then the other This is the bit I messed up with the heat gun... doh Like yours mine wasn't very flat on the inside I taped it together and applied a bit of heat from the heat gun, in retrospect a hot water bath may have been easier, anyway I fitted the rear cover strip a side at a time And held it together with brute force Left it fir a couple of days and it's fine [emoji3] The good thing about using E6000 glue is you can always undo what you have done, clean it up and put it back together, I glued that forearm twice before I got it right Good luck Stephen [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Matt, I've been told that the return edge should be 5 to 10 mm ( got that from the UKG) one part of mine is at 8mm so I will do it 8 mm all around, Regarding the right forearm , yes my inner join was very pointy , as you say like a roof , I taped it with duct tape and applied a gentle heat, looking back I think it would have been easier if I had given it a hot water bath, it's very easy for it to go horribly wrong with the heat gun, in fact mine did go wrong at one point but thankfully it was hidden by the outer cover strip. Thanks for the tip on the bottom of the greaves one side does have a longer curve on it than the other , but because the right and left greave on the RS suit are the same, the longer curve is on the outside right leg and inside left leg .... I know I should have worn my body suit rather than jeans but I was just wanting to see what they looked like rather than size them Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What size return edge do indeed to leave on the top of the greaves? Also what size top and bottom of the thighs? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Christine.... I lowered the temperature on the iron, as you suggested, and it softened the ABS without melting it [emoji1303][emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Frank [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Today I've started to trim the greaves, but before that, this is what the biceps look like now the cover strips are in place, the excess glue needs to be removed Made the 20mm and 25mm cover strips I needed plus a 10mm one... I will come to why later [emoji3] So the greaves, the left and right are exactly the same so I did the following fir both legs First of all I marked a line to cut the excess abs away from the return edge, both top and bottom Roughly trimmed the tops and bottoms Now remember that 10mm cover strip? Well I used it as a marker fir the outer front cover strips, so I could trim each side 10mm so it can take a 20mm cover strip First I marked a pencil line And then clamped the 10mm cover strip in place and used it as a guide to cut the greave Scored it six times with the stanly knife Cut the return edge with the scissors Then broke the excess off This is what it now looks like I repeated this on all four pieces, this is what it looks like taped together Unfortunately the back doesn't line up, but reading Christine's post and franks post, that is to be expected, they will be treated to a hot water bath to get them into shape I'm well chuffed with today's progress [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your costume is looking great Frank and I like what you have done in your bucket, oh and thanks fir the tip re the ab buttons [emoji3][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122] One question if I may, are the right and left greaves on the RS armour the same? Or have they given me two sane greaves by mistake? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok I've been quiet lately, we had a few days in Cornwall , anyway before we went I glued the cover strip on the right forearm Today I've trimmed and fitted the outer cover strips to the biceps And cleaned the excess glue from the outer cover strips on the forearms and gave them a polish [emoji3] They fit really well and I'm quite chuffed with the result, especially given my, well, slight mistake earlier [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will try it on a lower setting [emoji3]thanks [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well today has been better [emoji3] I glued the inner rear cover strip to the right forearm Made the outer cover strips Did the return edge on the right biceps, top, front and back, used the heat gun again, tried the iron on spare ABS and whilst it softened it some of the plastic actually melted onto the iron, don't know if I had it on too hot Drew a rough line where I wanted the return edge Heated the ABS for ten seconds at a time Bent it bit by bit Then trimmed and used the dremel to shape the edge All it needs now is it's outer cover strip. I know what I've done will be hidden under the shoulder bell but I thought I had best do the return edge rather than just cut the excess off .... so a tiny progress today from a little trooper [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the encouragement Frank and Christine , we all live and learn, I don't have a heat sealing iron but I do have an old iron we used for clothes , would that be ok? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As Oliver Hardy would say "Hum..... that's another fine mess you have got me into" Well actually that's me talking to myself, I've messed the right forearm up, I was focused on getting the fit right, trimming a bit here and there .... Glued the inner cover strip and the following day I suddenly realised it looked like this I have done all the trimming from the back piece.... doh So I need to cut it down and do a new return edge, Out comes the heat gun The glue on the rear cover strip melted in places or it just wasn't stuck that well so I removed it Tried to get it to fit a bit better with the heat gun and discovered abs is more brittle after it's been heated, I only cracked the front of the forearm, thankfully bits only a 5mm crack and will be hidden by the cover strip, so I glued a new inner strip to the damaged side, and applied abs paste to the crack This is the worst bit of it Anyway this is what it will look like when stuck back together I know I've messed this up, it actually fits really well now but I'm not sure given what I've done if it would pass clearance.... worst case scenario I buy a new right forearm [emoji52]. Anyway on a brighter note I fitted the rear outer cover strip to the left forearm, My fluffy blue and yellow magnets stuck to the glue... doh Still it will clean off ..... So I've had quite an interesting couple of days .... it's amazing what you learn from your mistakes ... who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Today I've tweaked the return edge on the left forearm where the rear cover strip fits, it wasn't quite aligned Used the heat gun and a pair of pliers , I copied cranks trick and covered them in tape so as to stop them marking the ABS Looks ok now Tidy up with the dremel and bobs your uncle Fitted an inner cover strip on the right bicep Removed the rear inner cover strip on the right forearm, re-sized it a bit and glued a new one in, the E6000 glue is very forgiving for us novices [emoji3] Tidied up the rear joint on the left forearm Cut an outer cover strip, I held it in place with a small clamp so as to get the right length Length sorted I cut the corners at 45 degrees Just placed it on the forearm with clamps, not too sure it looks right, I think I messed up cutting the rear of this as it doesn't look square to me, what do you think? [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Today I've trimmed the right bicep and fitted one of the inner cover strips Ive also tweaked the scoop on the forearms , only took pics of the left one Thought I had best complete these before I move onto the shoulder bells [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, will do Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok I've done a bit more work on the right forearm, glued an inner cover strip on Sanded the cover strip And the inside to help the glue stick Put the glue on the cover stick and then spread it out with abut if spare abs Fitted the cover strip Added some magnets and clamps to hold it in place Now onto the shoulder bells, looking at Franks thread I have measured 12 inches up and 5 inches from the side of the raised piece, I have taped the line, does this look ok Also got left and right from franks thread, again is this correct I'm thinking it is from this screen shot I got from Frank Thanks , your thread and Christine's thread are proving very helpful [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Like you Matt, I'm in two minds re the hooks, purely because they look difficult to fasten. Christine aka Cricket has used magnets to fasten the greaves , her thread is worth a read, I'm thinking if going down that route. Regarding Velcro , I'm not that keen on the stuff , I've had to replace too many motorcycle boots because over time the Velcro stopped holding, the hook bits were fine but the soft bit it hooks into just became a fuzzy mess My mum had a stroke back in 2008, it really is amazing how people can recover from these, I hope your dad is ok Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Been working on and off over the past week, mum has been in hospital, thankfully she is home now and getting better by the day. As I say progress has been slow, I've done the front cover strips on the left hand side forearm and bicep and started to trim the right forearm Here's some pics Starting the right forearm It needed a lot of trimming The left arm with front cover strips, I think I used too much glue So I scored firm the cover trim with my stanly knife and scraped the excess glue off with a bit of spare ABS Finished Need to re-tweak the right forearm, this is how far I got And the two together Getting there bit by bit [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, I really appreciate your post ... and yes it can wait, you are right [emoji122][emoji122][emoji122] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Matt, she is back home now, she had a heart attack, they have changed her medication, she is too old and frail for an operation, so we are going around three times a day to do things for her. Hopefully I can get back to working on my armour soon Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Matt, I left the 3mm return edge on the biceps and the top of the forearm, apart from where the scoop is cut out, there should be no return edge at the wrist end of the forearm and that's required for centurion . I need to cut out a bit more for the scoop in the left forearm, but it's best to do it a bit at a time, it's much easier to cut more off than add it back. I have done a bit more over the past few days but not posted as my mum got admitted to hospital last Friday and we have spent most of our time there, so only had the odd half an hour here and there and thought it would be better to post in one go. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Christine, I'm really looking forward to this, it was your stunt thread that got me into thinking yeah I can do this .<br><br> I know this is going to be a fantastic topic

Oh and also did the inner cover strip on the bicep Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Today I've glued my first inner cover strip, I cut some 15mm strips for the forearm and biceps, fitted one inner strip on the forearm and re-tweaked the forearm a bit. Ive cut a curve on the inner right forearm like Frank did, I measures 1.5 inches, 1 inch and half an inch in. I cut the half inch line first But it needed a bit more, so I cut the inch line, that seems fine so I left it line that until both inner cover strips are on, then if it needs tweaking I can cut abut more off Making the cover strips, I took pandatroopers advice and did half a dozen light scores on the ABS and then it bent/ twisted off perfectly Then glued the inner cover strip, I sanded both the inside of the forearm and the cover strip to help the glue to hold Oh and a pic of the one inch cut out Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well this morning I decided to go for a bit of a run.... and thought I could become a biker scout ..... Nah.... I'd rather be a TK [emoji3] Anyway I have tweaked the forearm I cut among the above line to shorten it a bit I think it needs the inside top scooping out Then I retried the armour, I've re-trimmed the return edges to give more room Then I treated the butt and kidney to a hot water bath, it's amazing how pliable the ABS comes after a few seconds in boiling water. It took quite a few attempts to get it right.... slowly slowly catch the monkey.... as they say The return edges did buckle a bit So a bit more hot water and buckles flattened Another quick retry The but still wasn't quite right do it had another bath, I'm pleased with the final result , unfortunately I didn't take a pic... doh Anyway all in all a good days work me thinks [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk