Zinfer

I'll see what I can do to reduce the edge bow. Just hope I don't introduce a gap or oh here we go into the box folding thing again...

Alright, so man, all these trips out there to the arcade I'm going to get hypothermia. Anyways I went out there with a measuring stick. The Left thigh is up on the workbench as I attempt to reapply the CS tomorrow. So I closely examined the knee joint of the Right thigh and my center mark. I moved the top out a bit to match my measurements evenly. I got a measurement of 60mm and 55mm from center on either side to the edge. Working with metric is not my strong point.

I mean I could and just today when I posted that image, it did look like I could recut that line on the inside but then on the other hand I considered the above photo you showed me before and apparently someone else had this very specific and exact issue as well. Leads me to believe the original mould was this way. So maybe it's right and the way it's supposed to be?? I mean by looking at the photo YOU KNOW that's going to slim the fit down at the upper Leg. I could ask Rob about it, and I think it's even covered in one of his tuts. I'd probably have to watch it again. Building the Left Thigh.

Now for complete fitting of the thighs. This could take a bit because it's VERY tricky and challenging plus = there's two of them to get right without spending hundreds of dollars to buy another set and you can imagine the wait times for a replacement set to reach me from Merry old England. So = slow, careful, methodical. And I STILL could screw it up. For starters and kicking this off, I need to correct this issue with the existing mold (mould?) pull. Essentially I needed to pull the 20mm cover strip back off and get all the goobers off. Thank goodness I didn't use Super Glue or CA glue. This time I need to apply it off center at an angle. The problem with this is that, while it may appear symmetrically correct, only the very edge of the top of the cover strip will be making contact with the inner piece. So not a good butt joint. I am thinking I may apply a second cover strip on the inside just to insure a Good Bond and a stable joint that is hidden from view. This is a 20mm strip so can't hide a whole lot. I'll be applying this tomorrow as I simply don't have enough magnets to go around and on this piece about double the amount I've got would have come in handy. But anyways, that's tomorrow's work. Then I can get back to thigh fitting.

The odd thing is, and maybe this is because my thigh pieces as I hold them (no strappings yet) are too high up, I get an effect where, yes I can walk, but if my stride exceeds a walk (run) the thigh pieces at the very tops tend to limit my mobility. I think this is an effect of being higher than the hip joint. Only then would there be pressure on the thigh piece and it would mainly be at the very top. But yea. I don't know. I don't have to build it like a tank, but I'll just have to eyeball it to see if there is going to be a split joint in that area.

Alright, wrapping up the forearms. Last 15mm cover strip applied to the bottom of the Left Forearm. Clamps and Magnets. Removing the internal tape for it tomorrow, did a brief rubdown of the one cover strip with a popsicle stick and got all the goobers off.

I'd sure like to know why the left thigh inner pull looks so different from the right. Apparently copying a flaw of the original costume, continues the flaw.... Kinda like the left helmet bump. I'm wondering if in this instance I should put a second CS inside just that one left front thigh joint just to make sure that joint IS solid. I mean I don't think the thighs flex that much, as is the case with the calves needing an internal CS (doubling up). I don't think my CS on the exterior front of the left thighs is going to provide as solid a joint on those halves as only the edge of it barely overlaps the outer from the inner side. Going to be much more cover strip on the inner than on the outer at the top. (hard to describe). Pretty sure someone once said I should do internal CS on the shins AND thighs, but up until now I didn't see the reason for the thighs.

So, today the plan is to finish off the last cover strip on the left forearm. It'll take a day/night for that to cure. I've removed the cover strip from my left thigh entirely. Removed the glue boogers on both the thigh sections and CS. Tomorrow I'll glue the thigh section again (Not enough magnets to do both tonight. I'll have to let it cure then overnight. Soonest I could begin this thigh thing again looks like Monday.

I gotta get near the ballpark yet, but yea cut more than you need and be careful of the ridge join.

I need to find and mark where that ridge is, I've not considered it nor measured it. Maybe I need to find the two sides that ammo belt secures to. It's the back edge of that, that is the back of the knee joing right? Just one straight edge along the back. I threw out all of Robs measurements because I'm trying to fit ME. So I disregarded that segment. I can try what you say. All I did was wrap the pieces to my legs, taped and eyeballed it. Split the difference in overlap and then I marked my lines on the inner and outer top and bottom.

Regardless, Thanks, Kudos, Love, Thoughts, Prayers and Best Wishes to all of you that have gotten me this far. Without you, I'd look like a Minecraft StormTrooper.

I think the overlap is what is throwing these images off with the outer and inner Glen. I'm also thinking I'm not exactly lined up on the camera, like it's off to the right a little bit or I'm standing to the right just a tad looking at the hands. Camera Timer 10 seconds. I mean I'm in no hurry to slice and dice a bad cut. But man. I'm going to loosen up the right upper. YES this IS Rocket Science. I will probably use wide cuts to give me more to shave down as I go. Man this is, this IS Rocket Science. Yea 1 days work perhaps with a build party, but I am completely alone in this Covid laden Madness. This is HARD for someone that's never done this. I'm either dumb as a box of rocks or this is HARD. To get it right, THE FIRST TIME around. lol. Remote learning has it's caveats. Ask any kid in school (or rather out of school) during this time. We're all just running with the ball and throwing hail Mary's. I'm so hoping I can get this right but given this isolation, maybe best to just sit on it for a while? Probably the smartest move.

Feedback: So two alterations, apparently my upper right thigh may need loosened up a bit and a correction of my left thigh front CS. Things to tackle tomorrow. Probably a bad mold pull, but I've got to compensate for it by mounting the front CS crooked. May take a bit to pull all the glue back off those 3 pieces.

Test Fit #3 using the Split Difference method. Am I going to be off by overlapping the same direction with both thighs? Opinions, Critique? Feedback?

Test Fit #2 Expletive's forthcoming Well it seems my thigh fronts tend to want to (my legs) face outward, leading the butt joint at the rear to be inward. Left thigh a bit lower because I'm getting poked more in the left cheek methinks.

Thanks my friend. I've checked with multiple people, sources and conversed with them. Some got back with me, while others didn't. Some gave vague responses. I get the feeling alot have simply muddled though this part of the build. It's terrifying and muddling and confusing and annoying. I am not going to cut a thing until I am completely confident and KNOW how it should come out first.

God this looks so impossible to me.

Alright, I have never done this before in my life and I really don't want to buy another piece of armor just to get it right the second time around. So am I on the right track or am I completely off? All about the thighs right now. Right Thigh: Left Thigh: Well Obviously the Right has problems. Oh! I think I figured out the problem. I reversed the overlap on the Right Thigh. Am I even remotely close?

Left Forearm cover strip trimmed and applied. Clamped with Magnets.

Thanks Sly, Yes that is an issue with me. I have to be careful, even though I want them to be form fitting and sexy - I have to be careful they are not tight. Currently the only thing that hampers me is plenty of return edge and the right one kisses my calf on the right (as I alluded to earlier with a bit of a larger calf muscle on the right).

Several pics from the Thigh Tops. No idea if I have these taped right or what, but they are taped to fit using Gaffer Tape. Do you see my dillemma - there are so many ways this can go wrong! My buddy from the Ohio Garrison is helping me with this via pics.

Can't see how this remote picture taking is going to work but here goes nothing.

Ok, so removed the clamps and magnets from side one of the Right forearm, took a popsickle stick and shaved off all the glue boogers and started in on Side 2. Used my last 15mm cover strip, trimmed, test fit and adhered. Clamps and magnets applied. This finishes the right forearm. Tomorrow we'll hit the Left forearm. Made a couple more 15mm cover strips. After the Left is finished all that remains is fitting thighs and shins and finally on to the elastic straps.

Not to get too offtrack, but does anyone have a favorite shoehorn to get these dang boots on a little easier?

Thanks man. I've decided to go straight Velcro as I really don't want to piddle with those hookstraps and bending over for that is just not going to work for me. I want to be able to suit up quickly and with as much ease as possible.