Finally.... ABS ATA build[*ATA]

[gymbeau2000]

Got my ABS ATA kit after about 3 weeks. Super smooth transaction. I am getting my helmet a couple of days later cause he was out of neck trim, which wasn't an issue to me cause I bought some Trooperbay stuff and have extras now.

 

Now unopened box pic, but shockingly, the box was small. I have seen other ATA build threads and they talk about his ridiculously awesome packing job...yeah it's true. I did take it all out and laid it on the sofa. Reading up here I was very confident about this build, but have to admit, I'm alittle intimidated now.

 

 

As I was looking at the pieces for the trim lines, I saw a couple of pieces were scraped and looked melted really bad on one thigh...

 

 

but then I remembered on some of our Mando armor that we made out of the thick solid PVC and how it had protective film on it so it maintained the shiny scuff free appearance. Just as I though - it was the film that was scraped and bubbled! This wasn't something I had heard about on here so far and yeah I figured it out fast, but was a spooky moment.

 

I'll be studying the pieces for a couple of days till I trim. Luckily I have homework and finals till next Friday which makes me keep the TK to the side for now and prevents me from diving into it.

[FIVE[501st]]

Looks like acid splash from killing ALIENS.

[TK_LEPER]

FUN FUN FUN!!

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Nice! Great to see you taking the TK plunge Jim. Please do say you'll go at least EI (if not Centurion) as it's terrible that we only have two other EI troopers in Garrison Titan other than myself

 

I could use a little trim if you have any extra...

[gymbeau2000]

Yeah I plan on EIB from the get go..I mean why wouldn't you? After doing a ESB Boba, the EIB standards don't seem too hard. I really don't know what all the fuss is about the FISD and EIB being overly elite if this is the reason why, lol.

 

I need to go get some E6000 and ABS cement and some of those small trimming shears now. My Stanley box cutter is ok as is my tin snips, but after starting on the battery boxes, I see I need a little more finesse in the cuts. I can dremel it, but that's almost overkill.

 

One question I never saw answered, although I am sure its out there - what is the pipe diameter for the det...2"?

[gymbeau2000]

Disregard the Det question...I took the hand off my Vader PVC mannequin and the 2 inch pipe he is made of fits the det ends like a glove.

[TK_LEPER]

Detonator pipes were 2 3/4"... The ones that were screen used anyway.

Edited March 11, 2011 by TK 4702

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I'd have to suggest that you follow peter's tutorials for a detailed handling of each part.

 

the whole thing that sped up my build was this simple thing:

 

take a piece of plywood about 8" wide and 2 feet long.

 

take a piece of 3/4" aluminum flat bar.

 

2 3" C clamps.

 

1 box cutter.

 

60 grit sheet sandpaper.

 

lay the armor on the plywood. lay the aluminum bar over that on your line.

 

clamp the aluminum bar, the armor and the plywood together firmly with the inside of the armor facing up, with the clamps touching the inside.

 

cut along the aluminum bar 3x.

 

remove the clamps.

 

start the cut at one end with a small 1/4" cut at one end of your score cut.

 

carefully bend and snap the plastic off from your cut.

 

sand the edge slightly where you've cut, and slightly across the front surface

 

where the finishing strip will go... say about 8mm for that on each side.

 

save the cut off part for your "inside finishing strip."

 

when you cut out your arms and legs you can use the first trim cut as the inside strip.

 

if you've cut your first cut at the proper place your remaining trim parts can be used

 

to make a very strong and flexible joint this way.

 

clamp the cut off part to the inside of the part you just removed it from and instantly you have

 

a strip that conforms exactly to the part you're preparing to glue up.

 

after you have inside strips glued to one side of each join, you simply line up the parts and

 

glue them together from using the inside strip as a glue base.

 

then when your parts are joined, run a bead of plastic weld down the seam with the inner strip underneath.

 

then when that 3rd step is completed you can simply cut out your finishing strips on the plywood and aluminum jig

 

and then glue those down, over the top of the join, and inner strip.

 

I then put white duct tape over the inner strip for a really clean looking interior!

[gymbeau2000]

Even though it's finals week, I could not resist. The beautiful shiney ABS called to me, so I did a little bit of work. Since this is my first TK, I decided to work on the hand plates first. I figured no loss, as I plan on replacing them next week with latex or rubber ones (go EIB!). Also, I wanted to monkey with the det. I had some experience with that from my weak pulled TS that I turned into a Blue Star Trooper.

 

So the things I have been working with are a set of Stanley tin snips, everyone's highly recommended Exel (right?) scissors from my local model shop. I got the curved and straight ones, well cause they were both fairly cheap. I also brought out the Stanley box cutter, a nice pencil, masking tape, the measuring tape and pencil sharpener.

 

 

 

So not knowing much about the return edge (I need to rewatch Panda's youtube vid and get an iron), I simply practiced trimming the excess off the handplates. I left some on there and they are still a tiny bit too large for my hand, so I should be able to practice the return edging on them next week. I ended up with this:

 

 

Next, I trimmed up the det. I figured if I really screw it up, I can buy a finished one. I rough trimmed it with the tin snips, then referenced a fellow FISD member's thread where they showed a det beside a ruler. I measured mine out to match. I used masking tape on the ABS to make the straight edge for pencilling in my cut line (since the det is not flat). Once drawn on, I peel off the tape for a nice crisp line to cut out.

 

 

 

Then I got the straight scissors and cut along the line. I know it doesn't look straight in the pic, but I tilted the det at a little angle. In the other pic, you cannot even see where I cut.

 

(Don't steal my fingerprints, bro!)

 

I didn't take pics, but it fit like a glove on my 2inch pvc pipe.

I got my bucket in the mail today from ATA, so now I am even more fired up, as my TK stares at me from my dining room table. I'm just glad finals are done this week. It's hard concentrating when you can see your box 'o TK from your laptop....

[gymbeau2000]

Well, I never got any real feedback or tips after this, so I just drove on by myself. Trimming the armor was fairly easy. The helmet was spooky, but I followed Terry's example, except I used the lexan scissors and an Xacto. Paint and decals from TrooperBay really helped. I was not pleased with the alignment of my bucket, so I am going to prob pick up a RT Mod or see if someone can assemble and paint me another ATA ABS bucket. I went for the low brow, but some people seem to think it's too low, but others like it. I saw some super low brows in ANH in the Death Star Hanger (which is what I used as the majority of my references). Was a fairly easy build, just alot of plastic to work compared to a Boba.

 

I bought some of the correct rivets for my left side from a seller in England. I got 50, so if anyone else needs some.... And I'm waiting for the next troop so maybe an EIB holder can show me the proper right side snap and cod snap before I mess stuff up. Also, waiting on my Doopydoos kit. I'm not going hyperfirm yet...too many other projects in the hopper that are more important.

 

Other than that, was a fun build. The kit is comfortable and not pinching. I'm really happy with it. It was a lifelong dream of mine, now complete. I got approved this morning. I'm proud to say I got it all done all by myself with absolutely no help outside my own research and the 2-3 comments you see above.

[TK-7980]

Post some pictures, friend.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

And congrats on the approval.