Hedji's AM Build! I'm Gonna Need A Bigger Boat!

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Started to paint the helmet tonight.

 

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Here's a picture of my lower torso all taped together. Is it normal for the bottom of the butt to not line up with the crotch of the cod?

 

 

Is the gap there a big deal, or is that normal?

[Hedjii72[TK]]

After trimming about 2 inches off of each of the straps on the chest and back plate, I taped everything up and did a test fit to see how the back, kidney, and butt line up. I have not yet trimmed anything off the sides of the back plate or chest piece around the rib area. How is this looking, and how do I determine how much to trim off the sides?

 

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Hey Andy,

 

You did a great job on your arms and legs. Here is what I would do for trimming the Ab and kidney. The screen used TK's did not have that much meat on the edges of the Ab plate. AM added more for the people that need it. Trim some of the meat off of the Ab plate first, then match up the kidney to the Ab plate edge.

 

 

 

 

 

BTW, you do have the kidney plate in the right position. It has the same contour as a persons lower back.

 

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Looks good so far.

 

Best thing to do for determing how much to trim off the sides of the chest and upper back is to take a look at actual screen shots. There is actually a lot of gap there, although some troopers here prefer the fully-enclosed look of the two parts touching.

 

As for the cod & crotch not lining up, it's perfectly normal. For additional comfort, you may want to cut off the flat part extending from the butt plate, or what I used to call "the plastic wedgie". Your inner thighs (and other parts) will thank you.

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

BTW, you will need to trim some off the bottom edge of the back plate so the shoulder part will lay flush. The way you have it, it is rising way off of your shoulders. Use the tutorial that I sent you earlier in the PM. It is basically what your are working on with the back.

 

I would not trim off anything from the kidney plate.

 

As for the butt plate, first trim the little plastic tab off, then you can do either one of two things;

 

1. Try trimming the top of the butt plate, by doing this, it will pull the bottom up some.

 

or,

 

2. The way I did it. See below (the pic with an asterisk is a pic of an original screen used butt plate)

 

A: The original way the AM butt plate looked.

 

B. Using a heat gun on the butt plate.

 

C. I slightly heated the part that goes between your legs and bent the material to contour better.

 

D. And there you have it, a more contoured butt plate.

 

 

Then I trimmed the edges and made a return edge, like the originals.

 

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Tom, I can't begin to thank you enough for all your guidance and support on my build! Thanks, Bro!!!

 

 

Shin Closure:

 

I have a question about how to do the cover strip and closure on my shins. When I trimmed the shins to fit, I decided to use the trimming for the cover strip as it had the same general contour of the shin back. When placing it on the shin, I also have not yet trimmed off the upper edge. As you can see in my pictures, it offers me two different choices for doing the cover strip.

 

 

 

 

I'd appreciate anyone who'd like to weigh in on whether the coverstrip should be below the contoured upper edge, or hook over it.

 

I've looked at all the screen caps, and I can't tell what would be more screen accurate. Also, I don't have my boots yet, so I can't really tell if I'll need to trim the upper edge of the shin for mobility anway.

 

 

 

 

******************************

THIGHS

 

I've also been trying on my thighs a lot. Unfortunately, I don't like the way I trimmed them. I should have cut them on more of a taper, because the lower part fits around my knee area well, but the upper thigh is a little tight. Measure twice, cut once! So I have a solution I wanted to put up here and see what y'all think:

 

I taped up the thigh with a bit more room at the top so it is comfortable. This creates a tapered gap. I figure I have as much width as the cover strip will hide, about 20 mm.

 

If I strengthen the inside with a wide inner shim that spans the gap, the cover strip ought to hide the taper completely. Make sense?

 

 

Edited September 21, 2011 by Hedjii72

[MartinSivertsen[501st]]

Seems like you have a decent solution to the thigh problem, I'd say "go for it!"

[Laserbrain[TK]]

I'm thinking about using the trimming from the shin as the cover strip also. It isn't screen accurate but I think it looks better.

[SCTrooper[TK]]

On the shins place the strip below the edge, I hope you have left a liittle bit of room to go over the boots. The thighs should be fine as long as you can get your foot through the opening.

[Hedjii72[TK]]

I hope you have left a liittle bit of room to go over the boots.

 

Oh, geez, you're right! I forgot about that. I think I should be alright. I actually fitted it with the return edge. Then I dremmeled off most of the return edge, so it should give me a little bit of wiggle room. Hopefully the velcro closure will have some tolerance too.

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Tragedy!!!!!

 

Heat guns are EVIL! Evil, I tell ya!

 

I tried to use a heat gun to make my shoulder bells a little narrower at the bottom.

 

Well, it really messed up the return edge on both of them:

 

 

And what's worse, I now have a CRACK that formed when I tried to slip it over the bicep piece.

 

 

I'm fearful the stress on this piece will make it worse.

 

 

This is the first moment I have not had fun with the build. I guess it happens.

 

What do I do now? Anyone have any spare shoulder bells?

[kevster[TK]]

Well if the outside of it isnt damaged in any way, just the return edge then i would say keep it. You can always repair the crack with some cloth and e6000 behind it. People aren't really going to notice the wave on the return edge on the bottom of the bell. Heat guns can be touch and go, some people can use them but ive had nothing but problems when trying to use them but a hobby iron has done me good..

[Hedjii72[TK]]

I haven't fixed the crack yet, but after another test fitting, I'm not stressing over it too much. I will try a little cotton fabric and superglue to hold it though.

 

On to better, more fun stuff. From tragedy to triumph: I painted my tube stripes!

 

 

 

I used the masking templates from Trooperbay. Worked like a CHARM!

 

 

I have minimal clean up on one or two spots. I was very, very pleased with how these turned out. The satisfaction I felt after accomplishing perhaps the most dreaded paint app was positively intoxicating!

 

I try to do a little bit every night, with whatever time I can muster. Day by day, I'm getting there. My deadline is Halloween.

 

Coming up: the belt, the strapping, and the shin closures! Stay tuned!

[TKmAx]

Your doing great, keep it up, if your Halloween target looks iffy dont feel you have to rush because Halloween happens every year, you only get one build.

 

Alan

[geordietrooper]

i think you can afford to trim a little more off your shoulder bell return edge

Edited September 28, 2011 by geordietrooper

[Hedjii72[TK]]

A HUGE thank you to all the help, suggestions, and encouragement from everyone! It's coming along pretty well. The "end" is in sight!

 

 

Haven't updated in a while, so here's some pics...

 

HELMET:

 

 

 

 

 

[Hedjii72[TK]]

S-trim is not my friend. It didn't want to go on. It didn't want to stay on. It split a bit and will have to be glued somehow.

 

 

THIGHS:

 

I was able to hide the tapered gap as planned. I'm pretty happy with their fit.

 

 

Here's the big huge shim inside:

 

 

 

KNEE AMMO:

 

I'm not crazy about how this turned out. It doesn't want to sit level or tightly. I may eventually replace it.

 

 

For some reason, I can't help but see obi-wan's beard when I look at it:

 

Edited October 8, 2011 by Hedjii72

[Hedjii72[TK]]

SNIPER PLATE:

 

No sweat! A little E-6000 and it held firm.

 

 

 

SHIN ENCLOSURES / COVER STRIPS

 

I'll probably go with velcro for now, as I'm not too confident in the Screen Accurate bra-strap enclosure thingy. My plan is to put hook velcro on the underside of the coverstrip, and loop velcro on the other part of the shin, within the tape line you see in the pic.

 

 

BELT

 

This took some time. Tough part was installing the male snaps on the AB plate and getting it all to confidently line up, but I think I got it.

 

 

[Hedjii72[TK]]

SNAP SYSTEM

 

Not much to report here. It's a time consuming step, limited by how many clamps and magnets I have, and cure time.

 

 

 

 

Also got my iComm and Aker Amp! Yeaaahh! My TK Boots are shipping, as is my neckseal.

 

Coming up next: Thermal Detonator, Shoulder snaps, and elastic straps! Gettin' there!

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Looking good! In the home stretch now for sure.

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Setback!

 

My snaps are too wimpy. They're not holding. I think I am having the same problem as Jorran: http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=16499&st=0

 

Vario Plyers are EVIL! They don't do their job well at all.

 

So close to being done, and now I may have to rip out and re-do all of my snap plates. *SIGH*

[tkrestonva[TK]]

I found (after experiencing snap failures while in costume) that it works well if you use the vario pliers and setter tool in tandem.

 

The vario pliers allow you to quickly and precisely set the snap without ruining it. Follow up with the pin-and-anvil setter tool (and a good hammer) on the female snaps to really get them in securely, which results in a much stronger hold when the male snap is mated to it.

 

It looks like you mostly used male snaps on your glued-in snap plates, so I don't think you'll have to pull those out. Just make sure the opposing female snaps on your straps are installed nice and tight using the method I outlined, and they should hold fine.

[Hedjii72[TK]]

Thanks so much for the advice, Brian!

 

I've replaced a few straps with the female snaps re-done. You're right, the pliers are good for getting it started, and then the setter tool finishes it off. The good news is that the straps seem to be holding better, and I don't think I'll have to rip out all the male snap plates.

 

Did some test fitting over the weekend. I'll post pics soon. Not sure if more trimming is needed for everything to sit right. I'm always terrified I'll trim off too much, so I'll be looking for some feedback.

 

Ordered my lens material and helmet fan! Woooo!

[Johnny Cab[TK]]

This thread is exactly what I was looking for. The detail that you go into is super, and I have a lot of the same questions that people have answered here. Great job so far! This has helped decrease my anxiety about making the first cuts. Thanks!