thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 26, 2012 Report Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) I received my AM armor about a week ago and started the fitting process this past Sunday. I am also on the back order list for boots. I already have a E11 blaster (holster another member is giving me), neck seal, & a squad member is selling me his RT ESB bucket. Here is what I have done so far: I have trimmed front of the shins according to the how to thread for am shins and trimmed the round-overs I also have the forearm armor fitted, but I do not know how much of the round-over on both ends to trim off (I do have some of it trimmed) As of right now I will not glue anything until everything if fitted & trimmed properly. Any advice is welcome. Edited May 26, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted May 27, 2012 Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 Nice job on the shins so far, but you can trim the return edge (what you call a round-over) at the ankles even further. Ditto for the return edges at the wrists - trim it all the way off. You'll also want to taper the forearms such that they follow the natural shape of your forearm. The wrist opening should be just big enough for you to slide your hand in and out. Use the butt join and cover strip method of assembly for the arms and legs, it looks a lot better than the overlapping method you used in taping the forearms, and it actually makes the kit itself go together easier. There are quite a few AM build threads, spend some time perusing them and (if need be) asking the thread owners questions before you do anything permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 For the forearm armor as it is i can barely get my hand through the hole so i don't know if i will have it clued on both sides, as well as the shins. I am thinking for comfort to just have velcro close off one seam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) While I am working on it I would like to get everything set for centurion, but until I get a proper blaster EI is what i would have to settle for in the mean time. A good question i have is, how much of the return edge on the rest of the pieces should i take off? Edited May 30, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 "Barely get your hand through the wrist opening" is actually what you are looking for in terms of properly sizing the forearm. As long as you *can* get your hand in/out, it's all good. Taper the forearms so that they follow the natural shape of your forearm, and definitely glue both sides shut unless you absolutely have no other choice - it's more accurate and simply looks cleaner and more streamlined. Aside from the returns at the ankles and wrists (which of course should be completely gone), it's all up to you. Take a look at the screen grabs, behind the scenes photos, and archive photos. The returns were all over the place. So do what best works for you in terms of fit, comfort, and appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) basically then for the biceps and upper leg armor its just for comfort? and for the sniper plate i have seen pics with it very thin and ones with barely any taken off Edited May 30, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Yes - pretty much whatever works for you. As for the sniper plate - best to have a look at the archive photos: http://www.whitearmor.net/fisd/Tikipedia:LFL_Caleb:ReferenceGallery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Thanks, now back to building it i go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Almost forgot to post pics of the blaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 trimmed the rest of the return edge off the forearms and tapered them just a bit. will post a new pic later on, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) I did a 10-12hr armor session with another member of my squad and I now have the suit about 80-85% done. This is just after we got everything glued together & I decided before leaving that we need to try everything on. There is no strapping or velcro on any of the parts yet! I will be doing more detail work and strapping in a few weeks when we can get together again to finish everything up. I hope by then to have my boots, but since they are on back order I have no clue when I will even be able to order them. Edited June 13, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilboy[501st] Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Wow. I wish I could do this with the speed you have! Hopefully with my next set of armor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 me & TD-2817 were working on it. for something like this it helps to have someone who had done a build help (for me anyway i learn better with someone in person rather than reading something on a forum, but that is not the case with everyone else) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) almost forgot if anyone sees anything that i would need to fix now for EIB please let me know. i will try to post some close up pics when i get home from work. Edited June 13, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnnfr72[TK] Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Hey Matt! Looking good there, boss! I really like your blaster too ... cause it looks just like mine! We need to troop together so I can see it up close. Congrats on going for EIB - you're gonna be rocking! All I can see so far is that your left knee plate did what mine kept doing. I fixed mine by adding that air condintioner padding stuff to the inside. It helps to keep it from going underneath the left thigh. There's lots of ways of strapping - and I like the suspenders with industrial strength velcro sowed on - to keep up the thighs. Be careful with your snaps... i didn't test my snaps fitting together before glueing them. Some of my snaps got too warped and barely will hold together. I can't think of too much else right now, but you will find stuff as you go. You and Chris did an awesome job. Hope you are recovered from that marathon build!!!! ttyl! Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I am building everything to go centurian for the stuff i do not have to make major modifications to, so all i would have to do is the major mods later when i get the $ to do so. I still have to do the detail work, & yes padding will be added... I do not plan on having it complete for at least another 8 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 after a few days of not looking at the armor i realized that i had a problem. the first one in the picture was obvious to me, but the second issue is the kidney plate. A) do i have it flipped the wrong way is the top edge supposed to line up with the top of the abs plate & C) do i have to trim it down in this pic i have the butt plate sitting on it also what size are the buttons on the abs plate supposed to be? I also got the 4pack of humbrol paint and i don't know which blue to use for the 3 blue buttons the dark blue or the light blue, so if someone can get me in the right direction on that it would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 It does indeed look like you have the kidney plate flipped, and yes, the top edges of the ab and kidney plates should be aligned. Also, at some point you're going to want to trim up the extended crotch (I saw it called a 'hyman' in one of the AM build threads here ) and completely cut off the wedgie tab on the butt plate. Walk around for a few minutes in your kit as it currently is, and you'll soon find out why. By buttons on the abs plate, I assume you mean the 9 buttons in front. 7/16" comes to mind, but I'd have to confirm it. The AM kit comes with the correct-sized buttons - did you misplace one or more of yours? As for the color, per the CRL either light or dark blue is acceptable, but light blue is considered accurate: http://www.whitearmo...?showtopic=8117 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) i was just wanting to confirm the size for the abs plate buttons. for ei on esb tk's does there have to be snaps anywhere even if they are not functional? i ask cause i want to have all my ducks in a row when i get going again on the kit with TD-2817 Edited June 20, 2012 by thechosenhitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 anyone know if you can bake the humbrol paint? I am having an issue where even with a good primer and a light coat of paint, when I go to handle them to put them on the abs plate the paint wants to come off. I have let them sit for over 24hrs each time and it does it every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 The side & crotch fasteners are a Centurion requirement. They are not required for EI, but lately most applications I've seen put them in anyway. The idea being it's easier to do the initial build to the higher standard than having to go back and retrofit it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 The idea being it's easier to do the initial build to the higher standard than having to go back and retrofit it later. that was my plan from the start. on a side note i have ordered the last part for my suit, the boots! the only other part i am waiting on is the doopy full resin kit, so i can have a proper esb blaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 and now i am finally done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captsafe66[Admin] Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Looks great Matt!! Does the gap on your shins open to the inside of your calves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechosenhitman[TK] Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yes mark it does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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