A.J. Hamler

Just moved from West Virginia to Pennsylvania this past year, and as a reward for all the hassle of moving I got this plate. Before that, I belonged to a different franchise.

Actually, the shop shirt wasn't a loss. With the cut, it's no longer a wearing-in-public shirt -- Mrs. Stormtrooper's rule, not mine -- but the shirt still functions perfectly in the shop. The truth is that 2017 was just a hectic year -- an interstate move and a family member illness (with a lot of related out-of-state travel) topping the list -- plus getting the house and workshop in order all added up to accomplishing zero on the build. Then, of course, there was that danged work stuff that always gets in the way of the fun stuff. In fact, about a month ago I was wrapping up a major book edit assignment, after which I'd planned to block out a solid three weeks devoted entirely to my TK build, but I almost immediately got another much-unexpected book assignment, so my TK plans went down the tubes. In the meantime, I've squired for a couple local events and had a blast, and am getting to know the folks in Garrison Carida. A really great group of people. And, I have managed to accomplish one other thing in the interim, and here it is: By the way, the ABS hashbrowns were delish. A.J.

I used to be a radio talk show host in another life, so your thread title naturally intrigued me. <g> You didn't say anything about your size. Some armor works better for taller/huskier body types. I got AM specifically for that and because the ABS was thicker. The seller is fantastic to deal with, and when he's doing a run of armor the wait time is negligible. In fact, when I ordered my armor I was about to go out of town and actually asked him to DELAY shipping till I got back from my trip. The trip was only a week and a couple days, but the armor arrived just a few days after I got home. He's also quick to respond to any questions or issues you have. Can't recommend AM highly enough. A.J.

Good advice, Michael. I do Civil War reenacting, and that's the same technique I used on the holsters for my 1861 Colt revolvers. Cricket -- You haven't said what your blaster's made of, but no matter what it is be sure to bag it in plastic when inserting it into the wet holster. A.J.

Hi guys... Not much to update other than chiming in to let you all know that, yes, I'm still alive and well in spite of the fact that I've been silent for weeks. (Silence, although golden, is not generally one of the words people use to describe me.) We've completed our move from W.Va. to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of Pennsylvania and are settling in nicely. I still don't have a workshop -- not really even a work area yet -- and my build hasn't progressed an inch. Imperial measurement, of course. However, I have done a number of things not directly part of the build, such as acquiring a Hyperfirm E-11 that is awesome in its awesomeness. Also purchased other gear like my undersuit, Ukswrath's helmet cooling system, helmet padding and the like. Took a boot stretcher to my TK Boots, and they're way more comfortable now and ready for trooping. So, it's not like I haven't been doing anything related to my build. Eager to get back to my build, which I hope to do in the next couple weeks. Meanwhile, I have my first troop -- as a Squire -- with Garrison Carida today! A.J.

Hi folks... Been ages since I've checked in, but I wanted to let you know what's going on in my TK life. My wife and I are just now completing the months-long process of selling our home, buying a new home and moving from W.Va. to Pennsylvania. Needless to say, my build has ground to a halt, and will remain that way till we're settled in. (Heck, at the moment I don't even know which box my TK stuff is even packed in -- or, more accurately, which multiple boxes it's in.) Hopefully, I'll have a workspace set up soon and can get back to work on my build. A.J.

1) Mark them where you want to cut them 2) Remove them one at a time (so your helmet doesn't fall apart) 3) Slip a nut of the appropriate size onto the screw -- use a steel nut, not the locking kind with nylon like those inside some helmets 4) Cut the screw to length any way you want -- diagonal pliers, cutters, rotary tool with cut-off wheel, whatever 5) Use a file to dull any sharp edges at the cut 6) Remove the nut -- as you remove it, it will re-thread the screw 7) Replace in your helmet 8) Move on to the next screw and repeat. A.J.

I stand about 5'-11" and weigh about 205-215 (depending on the week). I just got an AM 2.0 and couldn't be happier. Although I haven't completed the fitting and build yet, I have rough-sized the chest/ab/kidney sections with blue tape and they fit great. I wear size 38"-waist jeans, and the ab/kidney connection on the armor is exactly right with a perfectly flush joint, no gap at all and no trimming. Lucky! TrooperGear is great to work with and has been responsive to all communications. A.J.

Just make sure to get the recommended splitter. It's a shame that the recommended one is so expensive, but it's a sure thing that it will work. I tried the setup with three other cheap splitters, and none of them worked. With the recommended one, though, no worries. A.J.

I'm curious about the bicycle helmet liner you used. Post a link to where you got it? Thanks!<br><br> A.J.

I got it last week. It's excellent, worked perfectly on the first try, and I couldn't be happier. And the price is right -- Best $14.99 I ever spent.<br><br> A.J.

We're preparing to move to a new home, so haven't done a lick of work on my armor. However, I did want to go ahead and order my Kittell belt so I did a test fit of the ab and kidney sections to measure. Clam-shelled it with blue tape, and once it was secured put it all on to find that... ...it fits perfectly right out of the BBB. No, I mean it fits exactly spot-on at the sides. No gaps, not too tight, not too loose. Since this is an AM kit, does this mean that I'm extremely lucky, or heftier than I thought? I know which I'd prefer to think... A.J.

Thanks, Jason, but I'm electronics-stupid, so DIY unit would be out of the question for me. I know you'll protest that it's easy, but you don't know me and my decided lack of DIY prowess when it comes to electronics. It's really sad. I did check out the TK Talkie system and I'm beyond impressed at what it can do. Still, I really need to stick to a ready-to-go unit like the TRamp, iComm or ROM/FX. Can anybody address my original questions as they apply to those three units? A.J.

Voice changers all appear to have the option of push-to-talk (PPT) or voice activation (VOX). The PPT seems like it'd be difficult to set up, what with needing to have that button installed somewhere. And since you'd have to press and hold it every single time you wanted to say something, that might quickly prove tiresome. Plus, how would you hide the fact that you're pushing a button every few seconds? VOX seems like the best way to go. But what is the sensitivity of that? I know that when you talk, it activates. But what about when you clear your throat, or cough or sniff -- do all those activate it as well? Can the sensitivity be controlled? I know no one makes it, but ideally I'd love to see the opposite of a PPT -- one that was a push-to-mute. Back in my broadcast days we used to call these a "cough button" that would mute the mic momentarily just so you could, well, cough. Where you'd put one of these wouldn't be as much of an issue as with at push-to-talk button, since you'd only use it occasionally. But again, that's a wish-list thing. Thanks. A.J.

Helmet, Part IV – I like mic It doesn’t matter what kit you get, everybody’s armor has a trouble spot in the helmet -- actually, a pair of them -- that’s universal: It’s those deep holes/sockets/wells/depressions the Hovi mic tips fit into. Because of the nature of vacuum-forming and how the plastic is stretched, there’s no way to avoid a thin spot somewhere in those holes. Hold your helmet’s faceplate up to the light and it’ll shine right through. Press your finger into one of those spots and it may also go right through. As a result, it’s a good idea to beef those spots up in some manner before drilling and attaching the mic tips. Epoxy putty or gluing on scrap ABS from the back are two common ways. The mic tips are already annoying anyway. You’re trying to mount a flat-bottomed thing into a hole with a rounded bottom. They simply will not seat securely unless you really tighten down the nut holding them in place, and to do that you run the risk of pulling everything right through the thin spots. Even if you don’t damage the plastic, the chances of the mic tip pointing off in an unintended angle is high. And to make it all the more fun, if a maddening task can be fun, if your armor is well made in relation to screen accuracy then those holes probably aren’t even the same shape, so whatever you do to fix one you have to do differently to fix the other. Well, I addressed all of those annoyances with a single fix. And, like my fix involving those bottom screws on the ears, and I decided not to attach the mic tips with screws here, either. Well, not directly anyway. Instead, I used JB Weld epoxy putty, although any brand that comes in white or off-white will do. After painting up the mic tips, I went ahead and slipped the supplied screws into place in each of them, followed those with the little supplied lock washers, and tightened everything down with the supplied nuts. Then, I clipped off the screws to leave about 1/8" sticking out the bottom. http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 34 lo-res.jpg Epoxy putty is plenty sticky, but that nub of a screw sticking out will really let the putty grab the mic tip securely. The screws trimmed, I set the mic tips aside and scored the bottom of the holes where the putty would rest. http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 35 lo-res.jpg Do this carefully! It’s thin there, remember. The idea here is just to thoroughly score the plastic surface with light scratching, not cut through the plastic. Mix up a wad of putty and press it onto the bottom of one of the mics to fully engage the nib of the screw, then form it into a round mound like this. http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 36 lo-res.jpg Because the shape of your helmet holes may differ from the AM 4.0 it’s difficult to say how much you’ll need, but I used a putty ball not quite the size of a marble. Press the mic tip into the helmet hole and push firmly into place until it bottoms out. If you have lots of putty gooshing out around the bottom you used too much. Just pull it out, pinch off a bit of putty, round it over and try again. Likewise, if nothing gooshed out when you pressed it in, pull it out and add a bit more. The idea is that when you push the mic into place a small amount will bulge out from underneath -- not too much and not too little. Sounds a little nebulous, I know, but it’s really not that difficult to tell. When you have it in place with just the right amount of goosh-out, grab a thin, flat stick. I used the same sticks I use to mix and apply ABS paste. http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 37 lo-res.jpg Using the flat of the stick, smooth out the putty bulge to push it back under the mic tip, forming it into the same shape as the mic tip base. Steady the mic tip with your thumb to keep it oriented the way you want. What you’re doing here is merely directing as much putty as you can back under and in line with the base of mic tip itself. If you look down into the hole later, you won’t even be able to see the putty, as it’s all under the base. Repeat with the other mic tip and let the epoxy set and harden. The putty I used takes about an hour. When everything’s done, the mic tips are securely attached and the hole has been reinforced at the same time. This will also work with Hovi mic tips that have been converted to speakers, like those Ukswrath offers. In that case, you’ll need to drill a hole at the bottom of the opening for the post and wires to go through, but everything else works the same. This is the last structural thing to do to the outside of my helmet, so let’s flash forward a bit. I attached the lens onto the lens posts I installed earlier, followed by applying the decals for the traps, or you can paint yours, if you prefer. Then I added the tube stripe decals (or paint them if you like), and finally painted the ears. With the exception of the single black stripe on the ears, I’m considering the outside of my helmet done. Next, I'll move to the inside for the frown mesh, suspension and electronics. But meantime, here's a walk-around to take a look: http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 38 lo-res.jpg http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 39 lo-res.jpg http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 40 lo-res.jpg http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 41 lo-res.jpg Lastly, another ABS cutting mishap to share, this one more painful than the one from earlier I managed to do to my arm. I mean, that was just flesh and blood. This was my favorite shop shirt! http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr355/ajhamler/AJ Stormtrooper Build/TK 42 lo-res.jpg A.J.

Thanks, Brad! Yes, I'm definitely going for EIB right off the bat. Don't know about Centurion, though, as the CRL calls for hand-painted everything on the helmet and I'm not sure I could do that to my satisfaction. I like the idealized clean look of the decals, and I could never get them that nice by hand. A.J.

Yeah. It's just welded at the bottom, though, so if for some reason I wanted to replace those ears -- and I can't imagine why -- I could do it. Since the welding is at the bottom it'd be easily repairable, and the S-trim covers it anyway. I decided not to worry about it. A.J.

Helmet, Part III – Lend me your ears Well, no, I don’t need your ears. I made my own. Keep yours. It’s been a while since my last update; been busy with all that annoying "work" stuff that gets in the way of my personal fun and enjoyment. Plus, we’re in the process of selling our house, so fun keeps taking a backseat. The ears went fine, but I did have some issues. I'll flesh out the details when I get to that step. As with any ear-trimming and mounting, this was a slow process. Fortunately, the AM 4.0 helmet ears come very nicely trimmed (as does everything in this kit), so all the rough trimming is already done for you. The whole process of trimming ears is just an incessant repetition of trying the fit, marking the high spots in pencil, sanding/cutting the high spots, and trying the fit again. Then rinse and repeat a few hundred times till you’re satisfied with the fit. I find I'm using a sanding drum on my rotary tool a lot in this build, but when I want both speed and control of what I'm doing, for my money nothing gets the job done better than a sanding block with coarse paper. For fast waste removal, I use 80-grit paper. For flat or convex areas of the ears I use my regular flat block, and for concave areas sandpaper wrapped around a nice fat dowel does the trick. The coarse paper removes waste to my pencil marks quickly and evenly. When everything fits to my satisfaction, I'll do a final sanding of that edge with some 150-grit. For now, I'm almost there. A bit more sanding on the first ear and I was finally pleased with the fit, so I clamped it in place and drilled the top two screw holes. Then it was just a matter of slipping the screws into place and adding the nylon lock nuts on the inside. Yikes, those screws really stick out on the inside. To avoid turning my armor into an iron maiden -- the torture device, not the band -- note to self to trim those impalers off later. OK, moment of truth; let's see how it turned out. Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about. I was thrilled with the fit. It was perfectly flush in the back, with only the slightest gap in the front. Once I add the bottom screw it'll pull it tight. Or so I thought. As it happened, however, my thrill was short-lived. When I added the bottom screw, getting the angle just right was extremely difficult and I must have had the angle off a bit because even though the ear fit almost perfectly initially, tightening down the bottom screw skewed it, creating a big gap front and back. On top of that, once I trimmed the neck opening I realized that in addition to getting the angle off, I'd placed the screw too close to what would become the trimmed edge. Couldn't get the S-trim on. Well, poop. Double poop. Imperial-level poop. So, I'm no longer pleased with my ear fit because the screw skewed it -- generally, I eschew screw skewing whenever possible -- I figured it was time to do my first build repair consisting of drilling a new hole and filling the old one which, of course, is a job for ABS paste. Although this is my first TK build ever, it's not the first time I've worked with ABS paste so I'll pass on what works for me. When mixing up paste the smaller and/or thinner the pieces of ABS, the faster the acetone will liquefy it. Rather that tediously snip or cut small pieces of ABS with scissors or a knife, I grab one of my block planes instead. As a woodworker any of my small planes will do, but I have this little baby plane I use for lightly beveling sharp edges when I make furniture that was perfect. Just secure a sheet of ABS in a vise (or clamp to the edge of a table or other work surface), and start going to town on that edge like this: It slices, it dices and it juliennes -- if this was a potato, I'd have the best hash browns in town. Just look at those little curlicues. Look at them! Since I'll likely need more ABS paste before I'm through with this project, I just went ahead and curled me up a big ol' mess of these I can just put in a baggie or something till needed. Now it's just a matter of dropping my ABS hash browns into a small jar with acetone and mixing it up. If you elect to try this method, you'll be pleased with how quickly it mixes up. Now, what's the best consistency for ABS paste? Reading here in the forum I've found "toothpaste," "yogurt," "pudding" and at least a dozen other descriptions but here's what works for me. I've found that the more liquid the paste is, the better it fuses to the parts. So I mix mine up so that when I pull my mixing stick out of the goo, it tries to drip off the stick but can’t quite. For me, anything thicker just creates too many troublesome ABS paste "strings" that get all over everything. I keep the mix as thin as I can without it actually dripping off my applicator stick, and that gives me the best results. OK, back to those ears. I drilled a new hole higher up on the base of the ear, but once again my angle was off in the new spot, and once again it skewed my great-fitting ear out of place. So, the hell with this, methinks, I won't even use a screw. And you're saying, A.J., what are you, drunk? You gotta have a screw there. The CRL says so. Well, just wait. I removed the screw and dabbed a healthy wad of ABS behind the lower "Y" shape of ear and lightly clamped it in place (which, in the process, filled the old too-low hole). As the paste was setting, I clipped the screw off so it was less than the thickness of the helmet at that spot, then squirted some ABS paste into the hole and pressed the shortened screw into place. The end result was that the ear is solidly attached without skewing, it still has a screw in place to visually satisfy the CRL, and everybody’s happy. The S-trim pretty much covers the filled hole, so I didn't bother to refine the filling. From this point it was just a matter of repeating all of the above steps to attach the ear on the opposite side of the bucket. With the ears done, it's on to the Hovi mic tips. Spoiler alert: Just as I used an unconventional means of getting those ears just right, I did something unconventional for the mic tips, too. Gosh, whatever could it be? Find out next time. A.J.

See if this works. https://www.amazon.com/Stormtrooper-Captain-Phasma-Armor-Costume/dp/B01MRV40BU/ref=sr_1_1?m=A1AEYH1FOLQP98&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1490046808&sr=1-1&keywords=phasma A.J.

Hi guys; got a few assorted build questions. 1) So, is it notches or no notches on the kidney? I'm seeing conflicting info. 2) Sheen of the paint on the TD screws -- gloss or satin, or does it matter? 3) Chin strap for the helmet, or is a chin strap only really appropriate/needed for certain helmet padding? 4) Helmet suspension -- "hardhat" type, or those Apache type pads you scatter around inside? 5) And speaking of helmet suspension, I've had no real luck searching here for a how-to on installing either hardhat suspension or pads. Can someone link me to one if it exists here? 6) Finally, is it necessary to add "rank stripes" on the helmet ears, or can you skip that and just leave it plain gray? Thanks! A.J.

Yeah, that'll do it! Jesse Pinkman would be proud. Thanks!! A.J.

Is it just me, or are those tiny little lids absolutely impossible to handle without fumbling them and getting paint all over your fingers -- and on whatever you drop the lids on, always painty-side down? Every. Single. Time. A.J.

So, I should trim the neck opening first before setting the bottom of the ears I guess. The way the front and back halves of the AM 4.0 helmet overlap at the neck opening is very jagged and uneven -- you can see what it's like AFTER trimming in the photo above. Here's what the other side looks like before I trimming: BTW, the bottom edge of the ear's "Y" at the bottom comes almost all the way to the untrimmed edge. A.J.

Anybody?

I'll continue with the build shortly, but I've hit my first issue. I didn't plan to trim the helmet neck opening until after the ears were installed -- pretty much like everyone else, I guess -- but when estimating the distance from the edge for placing the screw my eye got fooled by the extra material I'd be cutting away. As a result, I think the screw is way too close to the rim after trimming. I did a test fit of the S-trim, and although it goes over the head of the screw more or less all right, it bumps right up against the nut on the inside, not allowing the S-trim to seat properly. Also, as you can see I probably need to trim that spot a hair more to remove that jagged overlap of the helmet front and back, but with the screw there I can't. As an aside, I trimmed that ear pretty nicely, but once the screw was in it didn't quite hold it down on the curved portion of the bottom "Y" shape of the ear. (You can see that in the photo above.) I'm thinking that with the screw so far down at the end of the Y shape it just doesn't have enough leverage to press the that curve of the Y shape tightly against the cheek. So... should I re-drill and relocate the screw a bit higher up and, if so, how far from the rim? TIA A.J.