Splattum

OK, It took me a little longer to get this up than I'd hoped but better late than never. This thread will be in no particular order, just what I'm working on at the time. Right now it's the shin / calf armor. Here's what I'm dealing with right now. btw, don't worry about the pieces not lining up. I'm holding the armor together with one hand and taking pictures with the other. I purchased this armor from a friend who had begun construction but hadn't gotten very far at all. Most of the trimming up to this point was done by him. Here's the armor at first glance. Nothing seems out of place. Upon closer inspection I found that one side of the return edge on the top had been trimmed (previous owner). This doesn't bother me too much as I don't particularly care for the return edges but I didn't know if it would be an issue in trying to trim down the larger AM armor. Besides, if I like the return I can make it the left side and cover it up some with the knee plate. I had to take the ridge on the back completely off to trim it down far enough. I have an idea of what I'm going to do here but I'm not sure if it'll work. I'll post more on that later. The front is probably the easiest piece to deal with. I'll put the 20 mm cover strips on top so I can go down as far as I can while still being able to maintain space for the cover strips. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Hey there all, I've not been over here as much as I should. I'd like to finish up a set of AM armor for a big event this summer. I know that's a long ways away but I'm really not very good at this stuff so I need the head start. I had help completing an AP suit a while back but it never really fit me quite right. It looked great from the front but the back had some issues. I found that the FX suit fits me better and through a series of events ended up with an AM kit. My question is for anybody that has jumped from AP to AM (or vice-versa). My current issue is that I have really skinny calves. (I'm sure I'll run into other issues but that's the one I'm dealing with at the moment). The AP armor fit great for me on the calves / shins but since the AM is a much larger mold it's difficult to trim it down. I have an idea about how to approach it and I've already started trimming it but I was wondering if there's a method someone is aware of that's been 'tried and true' as-it-were. Should I post some pictures up here of what has happened in this thread or should I start a new build thread? The armor was partially trimmed when I got it so some of the stuff is beyond my control.

My motivation is also to look better in armor. I'm currently wearing an abdominal binder (see also: girdle) on troops so the spare tire isn't as noticeable. As previously mentioned, I won't be drastically changing my diet. I'll just be eating less and moving more. I used to really like jogging so now it's a matter of motivating myself to find a time to do it regularly.

I think the scale shows a lower number than what I actually weigh. I'm going to find another scale soon and either confirm my weight or get a second opinion.

Even more reason to either get my mods done, or sell it and start over fresh. Looking good.

OK, I haven't visited the FISD boards in quite a while. I tend to spend a lot of time on my garrison boards instead. In any case, I'm just looking to lose some weight around my midsection as I'm wearing an abdominal binder (see also: girdle) for troops 'cuz a fat trooper just looks bad. I don't have submission pictures because my GML approved my costume at our annual garrison meeting, any my profile pictures don't show anything from the waist down. I purchased a set of AP armor which doesn't fit me very well due to my height and weight. I know I can't really do much about the height but I will be either jogging or bike riding a couple of times a week in hopes of dropping the spare tire. The scale says I weigh 190 but I'm having a hard time believing it.

Actually our CO has been pushing and pushing people in our garrison to get their pictures to him ASAP so he could get something together, but I think the garrison as a whole showed a lack of interest so I think he gave up. Izzi and I gave him stuff, but I don't know if anybody else did. In any case I'm all over this once I get that pesky AP armor to cooperate and I have a job to be able to put money down on this.

It's not going as smoothly as I'd like, but I am working on it. I'll post pics as soon as I'm ready to apply for EIB status. I'm not even sure what the differences are but somebody'll be able to tell me when the pics are up and I'll just go for whichever's closer. hehe.

I'm a little late to this thread as I'm still getting used to navigating the boards. Having said that I appreciate what you all have done. Even "IF" there wasn't much of a change (and I don't think that's the case) there is a principle involved. After all "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". -Edmund Burke

Hehe, If I ever develop Alzheimer's Disease I could be cured by a whiff of that caboot smell. That is a distinctive smell and nothing is a more powerful memory trigger. But I digress. I've had my caboots for a little over a year now and I've never minded the odor itself, just the strength of it. The smell is still there, just not as strong. My advice would be to learn to live with it. I've actually come to like the smell because it reminds me of happy troops.

Ryan, if you look at our boards we actually do have quite a few TK's, it's just that many of them are inactive, have multiple costumes, or are in the farther reaches of the garrison. I too prefer the white! (GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE EH?)

I like the neck wallet idea. I'll have to get one of those. You could give them to a trusted spotter to hold for you, or if your costume allows it you could put it in your thermal detonator or even in your holster.

TK 2943 requesting 501st access. pleeeeeeeeeze?

For the places that can't be covered up by neckseals or armor, a "quickie" method of making the UA logo nondescript is a strip or two of electrical tape. I know the tape would still be noticeable but better a nondescript square than have the light hitting the logo just right so everyone knows what brand you're wearing.

OK, I may have a bead on these boards, but we'll know soon enough. I'm gonna try to post pics. Technically I'm "finished" but I still want to tweak it a bit to make it a little more comfortable. btw, I never had a problem with the pre-drilled holes. I don't even remember where I heard there was a problem, but my guess is that they were either on crack, or they got their kit from an imposter. I'm ecstatic with my kit Mark. Thanks. http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/DSCF14171.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/Armorback.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/Armorfront.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/Armorfront2.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/IMG_3362.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/IMG_3388.jpg http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp281/Splattum/Strictly%20Costume/IMG_3392.jpg

That is interesting. I've heard 2 things about the drill holes for the ear caps. 1. That you shouldn't use them because they won't match. 2. They are an excellent tool because they'll match up great. A friend of mine drilled the holes on the suggested marks before I'd heard #1 and it worked great, so either #1 is false, or I got lucky with my particular kit and there's a bad mold out there causing problems for others. Also, I already have a photobucket account so I'll use that advice and put it to use on this thread. Thanks for everybody's help so far.

My camera issues are taken care of and I finally got some pics to prove that I'm not all talk. I've done a good chunk of the work on this, but for the more difficult parts, or parts I'm scared of I either have, or will have help from a friend. I assume / hope this is the right place to place a build thread on ANH Costumes. If not I trust a moderator can put it in the right place? I'm still new at navigating these boards but here goes.... I tried to add more pics but I still haven't figured out how to do that yet.