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Daennika's build[*AP]


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Cool, Jancelot! Will look out for your build, it's always nice to know that I can help in any way.

 

Yesterday I attached the accessories to the thigh and shin pieces:

 

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Decided to just glue the knee plate on because it was nearly impossible to fit rivets in there. I tried squeezing and twisting that bad boy but it wouldn't match the shin piece. So unless I would cut the whole top of the shin, there was no way I could make those two pieces fit together with rivets.

 

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Arms done :D Sadly, I ran out of snaps... should I use more velcro to make these hold while I wait for my next snaps shipment? Seems like a waste of perfectly good industrial velcro and straps. I guess I can take a break in the build, then!

 

Next on the list of things done are the mic tips.

 

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First encountered problem were the screws which are ridiculously long. I haven't tried the helmet on at this point. Why? Because this looks dangerous.

 

And OH NO!

 

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They're lopsided :(

 

Today I've started on the belt:

 

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Not sure I should use rivets... But the holes are already made on the canvas belt (it has a plastic sheet inside) so I guess I'm winging this one, too!

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Test drive! While I wait for the next shipment of press fasteners, I thought I'd see if my costume holds together well enough...

 

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Attempting to sit down and not have my codpiece fly off :P Having to pick it up from the floor is my new definition of hell.

 

The shoulder straps are just taped on for show, I still have to heat-shape them a little more (or not?) and my shoulder bells could use some tightening from the top. What else...

 

Feedback is appreciated!

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This is possibly... Day 20? anyway, in Week 3 of building this thing!

 

Here is the belt, made with press fasteners after Mini Trooper's advice. That way I can disassemble it when I store my armor.

 

 

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And here you can have a peek at the new roomate, and he's asleep :P

 

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Right now I'm working on heat-bending the shoulder straps with the dreaded heatgun. Not easy. I'm wondering if I should use velcro to have those fixed to the chestplate but after trooping with Steve at a large convention I know that they can easily get pulled off. I might try with press fasteners! Not gonna use rivets, I want to be able to take everything apart for all transports.

 

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Flat part to the front, curved side towards the back.

 

And here is my helmet interior:

 

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The padding I used is the MICH helmet pads and they're not fitting just right. I may need more of them or to place them in a different configuration.

 

The neck seal S-trim is missing, I haven't found a cheap one yet... if there's anyone with a spare S-trim I'll gladly buy it!

 

The other thing I need is to find a better way to fix my mic tips. The poking hazard is extreme.

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This morning I figured that, in order to go to short distance troops, I don't need to buy a really tough transport bin! I can use my suitcase!

 

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At first I put the bracers and shins in the thighs and place them at the bottom. Boots on the other side with the shoulder bells containing the biceps. The holster and SE-14r rest on the side opposite from the belt armor. The canvas belt is rolled up with the thigh boxes. The undersuit, neckseal and gloves+handguards are with the thigh armor. In fact there's a lot of storage space in the armor pieces. Use them!

 

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Ab, black, chest plates on top. Taddah!

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I have the same thoughts about the mic tips. I've tried cutting them with a pair of clippers while they are in the helmet, but I fear for damaging the tips/helmet. I also thought of dremel-sawing them shorter, but I think that will 1) make them more dangerous and pointy, and 2) create too much heat and melt things that are touching the screw (i.e. the helmet).

 

I think I'm just going to cover the tips with some foam/hotglue/tape to keep from scratching myself and deal with them.

 

I'll be watching to see if you come up with anything!

 

Recommendation on the helmet - I don't think you need that much padding. (Unless a small skull requires it!) Covering that much area will keep air from circulating up around your head and make you hotter. So it's a preference thing.

 

Looking great!

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Hey Daniel, here are pictures of my mic tip with a screw that is too short :P

 

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I used ABS paste (scrap pieces with acetone) to make it possible to screw the mic tip in the helmet without damaging anything. Letting it dry for 12 hours, combined with E6000, and it's looking good!

 

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Wow how did you do that? O.o That's awesome!!

Also the build is looking good Dianna. :) For my helmet padding I just used two pieces of foam as shown below, and it works perfectly. Sure it's not the prettiest, but it works a treat. :P

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Hey, thanks John. I see that you're using the foam system. Aren't you getting any lateral wobbly action with only those two pieces? I found that I needed to push my head against the back of the helmet in order to see through the visors, and not get my nose squished against the plastic film.

 

Also I like your neck trim, is that the S-trim that one can find on TrooperBay? Because I just ordered that and should be receiving it soon.

 

Lately I was given the opportunity to show my armor and do some mini trooping at a friend's party. It was great! I only had minor issues with my left shin kneeplate being too high, rubbing against the thigh plate. And my belt wasn't fastened tight enough so now I know how to deal with it.

 

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Suiting up has never been so difficult for me before :P Not used to asking people around to pick up pieces of armor for me!

 

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It was fun :D I was also able to sit on a stool for a while so that was a relief :P

 

To go back on the topic of the build, here's an updated picture of my strapping system:

 

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Edited by daennika
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yeah foam is great. :) The helmet only wobbles very slightly to the sides, but that's only when I turn with significant force (like a dramatic chipmunk turn. :P)

Other than that the two pieces along with the bit on the lens holds the helmet on my head really well. Originally I put the piece on the lens to stop it from cutting my nose, but it also helps for stability. :)

That is indeed Trooperbay's S-trim neck seal, it works very well. I had to glue mine on becuase the ears were stopping it from staying on properly and it split a bit, so i glued it every few inches along the helmet. It's definitely worth getting. :)

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Brilliant idea with the short screw (sexual innuendos aside). Plus, I bet that bondo stuff that it attaches to help to solidify that area of the helmet...

 

As far as padding goes, mine is pretty minimal. I've got two small pieces on either side of my head to keep it from shaking side to side, and two that go against my forehead, pushing my head back against the back of the helmet (no padding there... though I do have the microphone transmitter back there, but it's low enough that my skull isn't pressed against it). On the top is a very thin piece of foam (that came with my computer's video card, actually). I also made a nosebridge to help "guide" the helmet when I am changing perspectives. It also keeps my schnozz from knocking around in there. All of these things are velcro'd in so they can be adjusted.

 

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Thanks for the tip on the aerators!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey again everyone!

 

I was able to show off my new costume on wednesday as we trooped for the launch event of SWTOR. Being really nervous I tried to prep my kit as much as I could. The first thing I worked on was the fixing of the shoulder straps. I want to be able to disassemble my armor completely, that way it fits in my luggage.

 

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I made these out of white elastic canvas, one side glued to the chest piece, the other part folds from the bottom and has velcro loops glued to it. It goes up toward the back in order to keep the shoulder strap from detaching.

 

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The shoulder strap with velcro hooks underneath. The elastic strip with velcro keeps it holding on nicely. For the back I use snaps and thin white elastic bands that I made the day before the troop.

 

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You can see it fine in this picture.

 

And here's an updated pic of my helmet's insides.

 

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I placed the fan at the bottom because I wear contacts, and too much flowing air makes them go dry, rendering an already half-blind trooper yet more blind!

 

More pictures will be posted in a different topic :)

 

I want to thank the FISD and everyone who encouraged me with this costume. It's not done, there's a list of things I need to modify on it so that I can keep trooping as a Stormie and get approved as "TK" :D

Edited by daennika
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  • 5 weeks later...

Did you fix the knee plate/thigh issue? If the plate is getting caught under the thigh, put some padding in the back of the thigh behind your knee. This will keep the front of your thigh tighter against your leg so it doesn't go under there. Looking good!

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this is sooooo awesome Diana!! thank you so much for this thread!!!!

 

You're welcome! Hopefully this will make your build nothing but smooth-sailing.

 

Did you fix the knee plate/thigh issue? If the plate is getting caught under the thigh, put some padding in the back of the thigh behind your knee. This will keep the front of your thigh tighter against your leg so it doesn't go under there. Looking good!

 

Yep! I made the garters shorter and added padding to the shins. Velcro is also useful on the boots to keep the shins from rising too high...

 

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On other news, I finished my thermal detonator! This is thanks to Jesse's TD clips http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=10053&st=0&p=127007entry127007

 

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The last piece of the puzzle... soon, I will make the approval pictures :) I hope the little strange mods I made won't get in the way. I'm thinking about my shoulder straps that aren't glued on, the dramatically cut off thighs, and other things that I might have forgotten about.

 

Thanks everyone for reading and supporting me in this build!

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Here are my approval pics! I don't like keeping stuff to myself...

 

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I said it before, but I'll say it again. Thanks so much to all of you on the FISD and the work done behind the references, tutorials, guides... I wouldn't have done it without you all!

 

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