Locitus TM build[*TM]

[Locitus[Admin]]

Hi

 

I just got my big brown box, and you know how it is.

 

 

So I'm starting with the rough trimming today and see how far I get.

 

Sorry about the poor photos, it's from my mobile phone, and ofc my hands were a bit shaky!

 

 

Here it is on my bed, straight out of the box.

 

Unfortunately this happened in transit. But I guess some E6000 will fix it!

 

 

Any tips and tricks are welcome, but I think most things are covered elsewhere

 

Cheers!

Edited June 2, 2010 by Locitus

[Elder]

Woho! Gz Mathias! I'm still waiting on my shipment. Damn I envy you!

[Eric]

for that crack, i'd say make some ABS paste and use that instead of glue. once you start trimming, use your scraps for it...

[Locitus[Admin]]

Woho! Gz Mathias! I'm still waiting on my shipment. Damn I envy you!

Thanks!

 

for that crack, i'd say make some ABS paste and use that instead of glue. once you start trimming, use your scraps for it...

 

I've thought of that as well. Need a reminder on what to melt the ABS with into the paste, though. I've got a box of scraps by now. I got pretty far on the rough trimming yesterday.

[Elder]

Mathias, Im about to order this poly weld Poly Weld.

[TKDUEUNO]

I've thought of that as well. Need a reminder on what to melt the ABS with into the paste, though. I've got a box of scraps by now. I got pretty far on the rough trimming yesterday.

 

Acetone, strong one in big bottle, not the one for nails.

 

Cut the spare abs in very small pieces, put them in a glass jar and puor acetone until you sunk the pieces, let melt for a week.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Acetone, strong one in big bottle, not the one for nails.

 

Cut the spare abs in very small pieces, put them in a glass jar and puor acetone until you sunk the pieces, let melt for a week, apply in layers and let them cure for some days each.

That's gonna take ages! but I guess it's worth it.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Mathias, Im about to order this poly weld Poly Weld.

 

 

I'm thinking of getting this as it's far easier to find in sweden and cheaper than ebay is with all the shipping fees. I saw it at hobbex last time as was there.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Now I think I have some parts almost ready for sanding.

 

 

And these are the tools I've been using so far. Plus an ordinary pencil to mark cutlines. I think I've used the curved scissors about as much as the score-and-snap method. Both seam to have their advantages.

 

 

 

 

 

Sizing up myself against the untrimmed pieces I think I'll have to do some heavy trimming to get them down in size.

Edited June 3, 2010 by Locitus

[Rich330[TK]]

Sizing up myself against the untrimmed pieces I think I'll have to do some heavy trimming to get them down in size.

 

Looking good, man. I do notice you have a large return edge on the forearms. That's obviously fine if that's the way you like it but the screen-used suits had little or no return edge at the wrist openings and you may find you need to remove all your return edge to get your hand through comfortably. Is that maybe what you meant above?

If so, have no fear: the less return edge, the more screen-accurate (and easier to get on the arm).

[Locitus[Admin]]

Looking good, man. I do notice you have a large return edge on the forearms. That's obviously fine if that's the way you like it but the screen-used suits had little or no return edge at the wrist openings and you may find you need to remove all your return edge to get your hand through comfortably. Is that maybe what you meant above?

If so, have no fear: the less return edge, the more screen-accurate (and easier to get on the arm).

 

I haven't really started trimming the return-edges properly yet. I'll get around to do that soon. What I mean was that they're too big overall. Both width- and length-wise. I'll aim for about 5 mm return edges once i start on that.

 

Thanks for the input!

Edited June 4, 2010 by Locitus

[Rich330[TK]]

they're too big overall. Both width- and length-wise.

 

Trim the area inside of the elbow to adjust the forearms armour to the length of your forearms. I wouldn't go shortening the parts themselves.

I wouldn't try and trim the seams short of the natural lines either in an attempt to make assembled armour narrower. It would kind of defeat the object of buying screen accurate armour if you then go and change the overall shape.

If you're slim and you think the armour rattles about on you a bit, you can always pad out the inside with foam.

But please don't go altering those beautifully sculpted lines.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Trim the area inside of the elbow to adjust the forearms armour to the length of your forearms. I wouldn't go shortening the parts themselves.

I wouldn't try and trim the seams short of the natural lines either in an attempt to make assembled armour narrower. It would kind of defeat the object of buying screen accurate armour if you then go and change the overall shape.

If you're slim and you think the armour rattles about on you a bit, you can always pad out the inside with foam.

But please don't go altering those beautifully sculpted lines.

 

Good idea on trimming the inside elbow. I'm sure I'll end up padding the insides as well. Too bad I'm super skinny.

[Rich330[TK]]

Good idea on trimming the inside elbow. I'm sure I'll end up padding the insides as well. Too bad I'm super skinny.

 

Hey, skinny is screen accurate!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Hey, skinny is screen accurate!

Yeah, but I don't think they padded the insides of their armor! I'm a bit like Mark Hamill size-wise.

[Rich330[TK]]

Not wanting to take credit for the advice on the forearms (almost all of what I know I have picked up from chaps who are much more experienced and better at this building lark than I am) I dug out the original post from Pete Stukatrooper about the trimming becasue he included this very helpful picture. I figured it might help you too ...

 

[Locitus[Admin]]

Thanks anyway, to all of you!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Did not have much time to work on my pieces today. Did some more trimming during the weekend, fixing some return edges and such. Did however mount my speaker-hovi-tips today. They're the ones from 501st creations which I bought from Boklast, including the microphone and amp, which I'll mount in the helmet later. I'll post a picture tomorrow if I got the time!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Here are two pics of the hovi-tips I installed yesterday.

 

 

 

And here's a thing I was wondering about. The hovis can't fit snugg to the inside of the "cavity", they are slightly too wide. Is this expected? See the gap between the back of the hovi and the back wall of the "cavity"?

 

Edited June 8, 2010 by Locitus

[trooper18938]

You can fill in the gap behind the Hovi with a rubber washer from the plumbing department at your local DIY store. Get the half-round shape - the flat side rests against the back of the Hovi, and the concurve side fits into the concavity in the helmet. Fills the gap, and strengthens it as well.

[Locitus[Admin]]

You can fill in the gap behind the Hovi with a rubber washer from the plumbing department at your local DIY store. Get the half-round shape - the flat side rests against the back of the Hovi, and the concurve side fits into the concavity in the helmet. Fills the gap, and strengthens it as well.

 

Cool, thanks!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Today I had a long session out on the balcony with my dremel and the drum sander-tool. For a good 5-6 hours I trimmed down 23 pieces to a state where I only would need a quick rub with a sanding paper to get those edges perfectly smooth.

 

Before

 

 

And after

[Rich330[TK]]

Do I see blood on one shin/calf piece?

[Locitus[Admin]]

Do I see blood on one shin/calf piece?

 

 

Yes you do! I don't think there is one single piece (or yes, maybe the chest straps and kneeplate) that haven't got/had my blood on it somewhere. I even cut myself on the plastic itself twice. I barely touched a knife today.

[SW1]

Yes you do! I don't think there is one single piece (or yes, maybe the chest straps and kneeplate) that haven't got/had my blood on it somewhere. I even cut myself on the plastic itself twice. I barely touched a knife today.

i did not use a dremmel just modle curved sissors and some snips for trimming and lots of sanding be cafefull i dont want to keep hurt yourself check out peter(sukatrooper TM tutorail)IT HELP me a lot on my build.

 

Regards

 

Steve