Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) I have started to fit the armor to my body and I am having some trouble. Keep in mind that I am just holding the armor (expect for the painters tape on the shoulders) 1) Any adjustments? 2) Does the back plate need to be lower? Edited January 23, 2021 by gmrhodes13 photo updated gmrhodes13 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) at the top of your shoulders the distance is determined by the thickness of your chest. the shoulder straps need to be taped into position with 5 small ribs plus the large tab at the front. with the shoulder straps in position, cut the rear large tab off. then with the proper position of the shoulder straps you can hang the back plate with 4 ribs overlapping the back plate, using your shoulder straps as a guide. this puts the chest, back and other parts in proper alignment. Edited January 23, 2021 by gmrhodes13 photo updated gmrhodes13 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK Keith[TK] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) There was a thread a few weeks ago where we talked about skinny guys having problems with the ab. Here's the link: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=20357&hl=&fromsearch=1 I personally ended up trimming a little from the sides of the ab, which I read about in the Ab tutorial: ----------- I waited to trim until after my back, kidney and butt were all connected, as well as the chest and ab, so that I could see exactly where everything was lining up. I trimmed a little at a time to make sure I didn't go too far. I had someone helping me by drawing the cut lines while I wore the armor to make sure that the lines were in the correct spot. As you can see in the thread, other people suggested using padding in order to avoid messing up the way the armor looks. You may want to start with this step, since it's not as permanent as cutting. Edited February 28, 2022 by gmrhodes13 link not working removed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 you need to line everything up properly before you do anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) I won't trim anymore! I will use the foam becuase that just seems more logical to me. Can you guys help me out with the alignment with the back and kidney plate? What do I need to do about that gap? Also, is this statement correct: "No matter what size, I will always glue the first 5 ribs on my shoulder strap to my chest plate and always cut the large tab on the back." Edited August 9, 2012 by Boba_Skywalker3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) you can use less ribs in front than 5 if the fitting is better. some use 3 or 4. the alignment of the chest and back, determines the position of the AB front, and then you line up the kidney with the ab, and the butt with the kidney. in your photos, it looks like your back plate is too high, and kidney also too high. so in essence you start from the top of the shoulders and go down. Edited August 9, 2012 by TK Bondservnt 2392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK Keith[TK] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) you need to line everything up properly before you do anything. Excellent point Vern. And then since I am nervous about everything that has to do with my armor, I check again to make sure it really is lined up correctly and hope I'm not missing some glaring mistake. I won't trim anymore! I will use the foam becuase that just seems more logical to me. Can you guys help me out with the alignment with the back and kidney plate? What do I need to do about that gap? Also, is this statement correct: "No matter what size, I will always glue the first 5 ribs on my shoulder strap to my chest plate and always cut the large tab on the back." I think I ended up gluing 3 ribs plus the large tab of my ATA armor. If I glued more than that I would have had to severely crease the tab over the ridge/bend in the armor. Are you expecting your back and kidney to line up perfectly with no gap? Based on the pics I've seen of other troopers, plus the reference pics I've checked from the movie, there is probably going to be a little black showing between those two pieces. The CRL says they should be flush, but I don't think they are expecting perfection. Edited August 9, 2012 by TK 5376 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) when you line everything up, look at a screenshot. do not use any other way of lining up armor. no fan photos really suffice. you have to have it all together with the belt and everything to really know where to trim. so don't cut anything until you get everything done. the belt is going to change the shape of the AB kidney and butt plates. don't trim until you're almost done with the armor. you should add the butt plate to the situation and let us see where you're at. Edited August 9, 2012 by TK Bondservnt 2392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 the belt will pull everything tighter. so account for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) Ok, I need to finish trimming one edge of my kidney plate. Once I am done with that, I will line it up with the ab plate and then line the butt plate up with the kidney plate. I will then buy the belt and then I will start working on that. Once I am done with the lower torso armor, I will start on the chest and back plate, or should I start with those before the ab, kidney, and butt plate? Also, you send the back plate should come down lower? Edited August 9, 2012 by Boba_Skywalker3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 (edited) start with the belt and bottom of the torso, then move up to the chest and back. the bottom torso needs to pull up like a dance unitard. you want the butt plate and ab plate up really really high on your body, then the chest will naturally overlap. the harness strapping system seems to work best on shorter people. connect the bottom parts of the torso together with the belt tight. then add straps over your shoulders from the ab to the kidney. then put the chest, back , shoulders, biceps over the top of that. like a t shirt. wear your undersuit when fitting the lower torso, board shorts won't cut er bro! Edited August 10, 2012 by TK Bondservnt 2392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 Sweet!! Thank you! Should the top of the kidney plate be at the same height of the ab plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solcar23[TK] Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 After your done fitting the back to the front, no matter how you do it (by trimming it to your size or just padding the inside, you may still find that the butt and kidney will be flaring. I've seen this as a common problem with folks with the ATA kits on here. Both Gazmosis and I found that we needed to slightly heat bend the butt and kidney to reduce the flaring that seems to be inherent in the forming process. The belt helps a bit obviously, but as I'm finding in taking practice/sample pics for my submissions I still see just a few mm of flaring in my kidney still (fixing that tonight!) Since you're a skinny guy, I'd say bring those parts in a bit with the heat gun as you do your final fitting. DON"T do it before you assemble the entire back pieces to judge how much you'll need to do. You want to be careful that you don't go too far and end up bending too much, then it'll look like the ab plate is flaring instead of the back pieces. A little at a time and be really careful with the heat gun! Too much heat will easily warp the armor. Just go slow and air on the overly cautious side. Slightly bend the armor as you heat it and don't let it get too hot! Repeat after the plastic has cooled down and keep going until you get the bend you want. Good Luck Man! Nice progress! btw: Did you get to the MWG booth at WW on Saturday? I was there trooping on Friday! So fun! Sorry I missed you my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thanks Carlos! Congrats on finishing the armor!!! I was there on Saturady! It was awesome!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigironvault Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 And wear your boots if you have them when fitting.... everything is connected to everything else. Until you figure out the nuances of your own unique suit, better to do it this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba_Skywalker3 Posted August 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 I am having a problem understanding the belts effect on the ab and kidney plate. Will the belt pull them together in which case the kindey plate will be overlaped by the ab plate? Should I connect the ab, butt, and kidney plates together BEFORE I get the belt and start fitting it to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigironvault Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 (edited) If you fit your ab to kidney plate well enough in a clam shell + a harness system, the belt basically just keeps everything in place. The TD then tightens everything. At least that's how mine works now. I can literally jump up and down and the body section doesn't move at all. Edited August 15, 2012 by bigironvault Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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