rzill

Commander - I appreciate the tough love pep talk. As a Phys Ed and Health teacher, I've given my share of those, and I am not above being on the receiving end. I do have a question about going Centurion. The reason I had to make my cover strips for the back thigh so wide was because when I cut my return edges down to match a 25 mm strip, the thighs were too tight. However, I was at Comic-Con this week, and I saw a TK with the proper width strips on the thigh, but he was showing at least 5 mm on each side of the return edge. This is what I was concerned about making those strips so narrow. Could I show that much space on each edge of the strip? I hope you understand what I mean.

Ha! Thanks for the pep talk I have been at this so long, I simply want approval to be in the Legion. We'll see how that goes, and I will not rule out a Centurion in my future.

Ok, I will go with this for now. Once I complete them, I may need to trim around the bottom - I don't like how they are digging into the boot. But, I won't make them any shorter as of now. Hey, the less trimming I have to do anymore, the better!

Length. I was thinking I should just do the padding first - to see how they fit without hanging over my boots, and then trim it if I have to. I'm just not sure how long they are supposed to be. Seems like they are digging into the boots too much.

Here is my progress. The forearms are done, but not padded yet. A couple questions: 1. I have yet to pad and velcro the lower legs because I am not sure if I need to trim the lower legs down a bit. Difficult to tell from this photo, I realize. So, should I just go ahead and do the padding and velcro, then trim it down later if necessary? 2. The thighs are not level - even I can see that. But, should the right one go up, or the left one go down? I am thinking the left should go down, and leave the right one where it is. Thanks! https://imgur.com/a/7vWeqNh

Oh, I am not finished with it yet. But, I did just take pics of my progress. My forearms are done, but not padded yet. Still wondering if I should trim the lower legs before I start the velcro enclosure. It's hard to tell from here, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on whether I need to trim those. And I know my thighs are not level, but should the right one go up, or the left one go down?

I have ATA armor. Something was not right with the thighs, and I am confident in this case it was not my incompetence as a builder. I originally trimmed it to put the required 20 mm strips, and it was way too tight. I actually had to glue some of the return edge back on, just to make it big enough to get my legs in them. Honestly, I don't know what the issue was, not something a hot water bath could have helped with, either, because the circumference of the thigh was just too small. Anyway, a guy on my local team of approval experts said it should be ok as long as all of the leg cover strips (on the back side, anyway) are uniform - which they are.

Thanks! Ok, those strips are actually 42 mm. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but honestly, there was no other way to make my thighs fit. I am tall (6'1"), but not wide. I sincerely appreciate your offer to help and the advice. I am nearly done building the body, so starting a thread at this point is not feasible. Arms and shoulders are done and connected. The thighs... hopefully are done and connected. Lower legs need cover strips, all but one, and will be ready for the enclosure build. After that, it's just the belt, TD, and helmet. I will contact a local guy who is in on the approval for my sector. A number of other troopers have seen this in person, and it doesn't seem to be an issue. I will post a picture of myself tomorrow in everything that I have done up to date - I want to see myself in it, anyway. Forearms need padding, but otherwise it should look pretty cool. Thanks again!

Thanks! They are actually quite longer than 25 mm. I don't know what the issue was, but I had to make really wide strips for my thighs to fit - and I have total chicken legs, so I don't know what happened there. This build has been so stressful, I just want to get it over with. I am not handy by any stretch, and I know I'll still have to work to maintain it. But, if I never build another suit again, it will be too soon.

Thanks, Joseph! My thigh cover strips needed to be extra wide, so I was instructed to make the lower leg strips uniform. I'm never going to be Centurion, anyway. Your advice is definitely heeded, and I appreciate it - especially about which direction to stick the velcro, as I was curious about that, as well. Your colored lines make this so much easier! You guys rock on here!!

Hey guys - it's me again, the guy who's spent half a decade with his TK stunt armor undone... but, I am so close! Aside from the helmet, which will take me another year, and several thousand cursing barrages to complete. Anyway, today's question is about the velcro enclosure of the lower legs. Should I overlap the outside part of the leg over the inside, or just trim the edges so they meet butt to butt all the way down? Pics in the following links. Thanks!

Oh, ok - I've never made the full set of snaps. For all of my inside snapping, I put just the one half of the female end on a plastic square, and glued that on. This makes sense. Thanks!

Interesting. So, you just pounded the female end of the snap right into the belt? And do these male ends hold well with the E6000?

Beautiful, just what I was looking for regarding Chicago snaps - thanks! As for the belt to armor... errr,... I don't know about snaps just yet. I think I'll try velcro and see how it goes. But, I do see your point - I am just awful at building, so the less drilling, the better.

Every time I feel like I am getting close, there's another setback! Building a TK Stunt, and I have question number 9,845... I do not have Anovos armor, so my abdomen plate does not provide any way to connect the belt to the armor. I know this is not required, but when trying on the armor with belt, the belt seems to be sliding around too much - and this is without the weight of the TD yet. Plus, to keep the belt on firmly, I have to tighten it so much that it causes the kidney and abdomen to overlap around the sides. My question is - is it a good idea to have a velcro connection between the belt and the abdomen plate? Another question - does anyone use Chicago screws to hold the belt face and canvas belt together? And what length?

I've posted a number of these little nit picky questions, but I need help, and maybe they'll help other nubes like myself. Anyway, I am looking to attach my plastic belt face to the canvas belt. I read on another post that someone used jean buttons. Has anyone used these, or a similar type of button? I want something to hold firm, but not too difficult to attach, or would scratch the abdomen plate like a rivet.

Thanks, fellas! I also found an old one I looked at in the beginning of my build - by Pandatrooper. Helpful, but yes, they all make it look so easy! I need a video made by a doorknob like myself who'll make it easier to follow

I am so geeked! As geeked as a 46 year old man who has had his kit for five years can be I am nearly finished with most of the body/arms/legs. I have an ATA kit, so the helmet is something I have to put together myself. I have a few questions about the helmet, as per my normal posts on here. 1. I am doing an ANH TK Stunt. From what I know, all of the markings need to be hand painted, correct? I have a stencil set already, but I thought I saw somewhere that the mouth can be cut every other piece with a black grill put in behind it - to allow for a little ventilation. Is this correct, or does the mouth have to be completely kept on and painted? 2. I am looking for the best tutorials that even the dumbest, least skilled builder can follow... ok, this isn't a question - it's more of a plea for help! 3. Who can put me on to the best place to buy the liner for fitting on the inside of the helmet? 4. I know I have another question that I have forgotten about, so if you love helping people like me, keep an eye out on this post. Thanks! You guys (and ladies) are the best, and so helpful on here!!! You honestly give me hope that there are more good people in this world

The metal is too strong to make any adjustments. And yes, the holes were already drilled when I got them. It will be just yet another friggin thing I have to do twice, but I think I can level it out well enough if I take off the panel, and level off that one edge. As for the second screw, I'll try to use pliers to screw the one in from the side. That part is a screw up by the maker I ordered from.

No, that's the problem - I've already drilled the holes, and when I screwed them in, it was way off. Plus, it is physically impossible to get the second screw into one of the clips where the hole is placed. The only thing I can do is take off the panel, maybe tweak it so the clips lay level. I took some better photos - I've circled and lined the difference in the level of the clips. My panel may not be perfectly straight, but it's not off by THAT much. I could maybe take off the panel and level it to make the clips hang at the same level. However, I know I am not crazy when this shows how the second hole for the screws makes it impossible to screw in that second screw. https://imgur.com/a/fLfozpz

A while ago, I ordered thermal detonator clips from a very reputable member. I do not want to mention a name, because I am not sure this is an issue yet. However, I did not notice until now, after I drilled and screwed in the clips for my thermal detonator, that they are quite asymmetrical. I lined them up correctly - this is not the issue - the issue is that I believe these clips are faulty. Plus, the holes for one of the screws is directly underneath the clamp, and I would not be able to get the screw in without bending the clamp. Please tell me I am wrong, or if this is an issue with the clip maker, and I deserve replacements. I am already a bit peeved, since there is a chance I'll have to do a whole new TD because of this. Images are on here to show the issue. Thanks!

Thanks! Your's aren't touching the end caps. Are they supposed to be a little off of the caps?

Since you've been so helpful, I wanted to ask another question - the first of many more I'll have in my stretch run between here and making my helmet. I have adjusted the snaps to close the gap between my back and kidney plates, and I'm waiting for the glue to dry. In the meantime, I am trying to finish my thermal detonator. I'm about to drill the holes for the screws. I know that I need to use the correct size bit, so that the screw grips the tube. However, is that going to hold, or should I put a little glue around the screw to help it stay in place?

Since you've been so helpful, I wanted to ask another question - the first of many more I'll have in my stretch run between here and making my helmet. I have adjusted the snaps to close the gap between my back and kidney plates, and I'm waiting for the glue to dry. In the meantime, I am trying to finish my thermal detonator. I'm about to drill the holes for the screws. I know that I need to use the correct size bit, so that the screw grips the tube. However, is that going to hold, or should I put a little glue around the screw to help it stay in place?

Thanks I actually have been putting on just the undersuit for fitting - I just got lazy this time when I wanted to take a few photos. The gap is the same in my t-shirt or the suit, so it's all the same - but, thanks for the info