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jmm7375's ANH Stunt RT-MOD Build


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Well, it is raining today and doesn't look like little league is going to happen so, some more pics as promised.

 

Thigh ammo pack attached.  I'll paint the caps white when I get to that stage of the build.

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Here is a shot of me with boots, shins and thighs (held up by me.  I am debating a garter system or just snapping them back to the ab plate.  I know a garter system is more screen accurate, but I don't know if I'll tire of adjusting the height of a garter system each time I troop)  Any input or comments (good or bad) are always welcome :)

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Hey Lee,

                Here is the link to how I strapped my thighs :- http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/21968-bids-anh-hero-build-thread-rt-mod/page-3  (if the link doesn't work for some reason it's on Pg.3 of my build about 1/2 way down).

 

I use a webbing belt around my waist done up tight, and then a pair of suspenders over my shoulders clipped to this belt to stop it sagging (the belt and suspenders are put on before my Neck Seal.

I then have a snap plate glued into the thigh at the top/front, and an elastic loop that the belt runs through.  I've found it easiest to put the thighs on with the loops attached to them, unclip the belt and feed each one through it.

 

As you have no doubt found so far if you look at 3 different suits or armor you'll find 3 different strapping methods.

 

Nice work on your build mate, very neat.

 

Cheers

Craig

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Torso

I am going with torso as a general label since I'm a little all over the place lately.  I haven't had time to size the ab and kidney, which I think I'll have to trim and is totally fine.  I went with the RT-MOD kit so I wouldn't have to shim, and based on Craig's feedback it is not the most fun.  I am tall, so I was fearful that the other kits based on the info provided might be problematic for me, so there ya have it.  On to my pics and progress...

 

Here are some obligatory crotch and butt shots...does this ever get old...I don't think so!

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I used the split rivet popper method which I love since it is so efficient and it was easy.  I used a small washer under the male snap (I'll have to detail this when I get to the ab/kidney section) so I wouldn't have to fight bending the split rivet inside the snap so much.  Instead of a screwdriver, I used my vario pliers to split the rivet fully. Yay!

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I almost screwed up this part big time.  I created the holes first with a 1/8" bit, but I wanted the male snaps to seat better and not be so raised.  I tried to countersink the hole with a larger bit and it tore up the abs.  After my heart began to beat again, I used my heat gun to gently warm up the chewed up plastic and push the snap in place forming it and seating it nicely.  Out came the anvil and hammer, and viola!

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Before I got my armor I decided on snap plates with 1mm styrene I ordered on the b@y rather than the black webbing.  It gave me something to experience and master while I was waiting, so I decided to put some in place where I know they'll be needed.

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Next I hope to getting around to sizing up my ab/kidney along with the cod and butt plate.  I'm not sure how easy or difficult it will be so I plan on taking my time so I get things right.

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AB/KIDNEY

So I actually had to trim the ab/kidney a bit so I was happy I didn't have to create any shims.  I got to drilling some holes and setting my split rivets. :)

 

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I used the dreaded, cursed vario pliers to get the split rivet started.  I also used a washer under the popper on the inside of the armor.  This allows the rivet head to set flush and I could care less if the popper was seated perfectly (they can get a little bent and work just fine.  This also meant less time fighting to get the legs of the split rivet down below the popper rim completely or having to file the legs down.

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Sometimes I needed help getting those legs spread, so I used the popper setting tool :)

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A piece of granite was an unfortunate casualty...

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Ab side done (I'll paint them white later)

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Kidney side done

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Side by side showing poppers with split rivets inside

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I'm sure I'll work on the right side next...to be continued.  

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Zipping right along nicely! This thread makes me want to build something again :)

 

-Eric

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Glad I can inspire others as I have been inspired and encouraged since joining this forum.  My goal is to be ready by October, but I'm hopeful I can do my first troop before hand.  I like to think I'm going at a good pace, but I have other hobbies (non star wars related) that may distract me, so I hoped by creating a build thread it would keep me on track.  

 

Fortunately, I made a bunch of snap plates in advance of receiving my armor and I have been merrily rolling along getting them in place so I can create the strapping system and get the sizing right.

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Random TD build

As I continue to attach snap plates and size up elastic (boring!) I decided to work on the Thermal Detonator canister.  There are a lot of neat tools that I don't have at home at my school, plus the custodians gave me some tips to accomplish my goals :D

 

I first used a belt sander to try and angle the 2" black pipe so I could fit the end caps on...that was an epic fail.  I purposely left the pipe long in case I screwed up, which I did.  Then one of the custodians suggested using a grinder which worked awesome.  Cut the excess plastic so the TD would be a perfect 7.5" with the end caps on and ta-da!  I used post-its and tape to give myself some idea of a straight line and a point of no return.  I teach science, but I can be creative I guess.

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I followed TKLeper's tutorial on the TD clips which is awesome.  I started trying this before my armor arrived and consequently had my first fail right before Hurricane Sandy hit.  A few more trials and I thought I had it, but I noticed that in the screen cap pics my curved metal was too long and far from the hole.  This caused my bend to be off and it was back to the vice.  After a total of 6 tries, I got a set I am happy with and will use once I'm ready to paint and complete the TD.  I test fit it on my belt that I just got from Rob(TKittel) and the "hooks" are a perfect 3" in lenght.  Now I just have to try and find those pesky black anodized pan head screws :56pullhair:

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Edited by jmm7375
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Thank you Eric and Sean for the tips, feedback is always appreciated.  If I have no luck finding what I need locally I'll either paint/sharpie the screw heads or order them and offer the extras up to other troopers :)  

 

I am trying to get as close as I can to "screen accurate" with the RT-Mod.  There are some areas that can be improved for accuracy, but the benefits of this kit far outweigh the negatives in my opinion.  I am really enjoying my first build, and I wouldn't have had the courage to try without the support of this forum.

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Ohhhh Snap!

Since I made most of my snap plates prior to getting my armor I've been cruising right along, but I needed to make some more and realized I never documented the fun! (Please sense my sarcasm here).  After cutting and drilling holes in 1mm white styrene I basically recess press the styrene onto the base of the snap after heating it with the heat gun for about 3-4 seconds.

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Here I hope you can see the recess on the bottom of the plate which allows for good contact after the E6000 is applied.

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My original snap plates have a rivet that secures the snap together...

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These recent ones I've made I decided to omit the rivet...

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Ok, so why the change.  Before I learned on my own how much the vario pliers sucked that is what I used to make the snap plates and the rivet was definitely necessary.  Now I use a punch and anvil and I feel that it is much more even and secure setting of the snap in comparison to the pliers.  Don't get me wrong, the pliers really helped me get the split rivets started and I found them invaluable for that job.  I prefer now to set all my remaining snaps with the anvil and punch.  Plus I knew there were going to be certain areas where I couldn't use the pliers.  So there you have it, my sad snap story.  

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So, snaps aren't fun, but I'm getting excited about suiting up and I like to think I had a simple solution to a snap issue that may help others down the road.  

 

Trimmed the styrene to fit the square...

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Cut a thin section of 1/2" PVC pipe to lay over and around the snap to apply equal pressure upon the plate

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Clamp it down with enough E6000 to set it in place 

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Great idea with the spacer for glueing your snaps on.  I used a similar system to glue my Nylon Snap Plates in and it worked well for me.

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Thanks Craig.  I was going for the quick and easy solution.  You were certainly dedicated to your snap system, which is far superior to mine.  I figure I'll reinforce areas once I get trooping, but I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to make progress.  I've got a custom saltwater reef tank coming soon (my original tank was destroyed due to Hurricane Sandy) and I have to get that going once it arrives this week or early next week.  So, when the tank arrives, my armor building will have to take a short break.

 

Here is the latest...not much but a few things all at once.  Drop boxes are appropriately named because when I went to pick them up the bottoms dropped out...can't believe I never glued them.  Oh well, easy fix.  Working on the belt and some snap plates on the cod.

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Thanks Craig.  I was going for the quick and easy solution.  You were certainly dedicated to your snap system, which is far superior to mine.  I figure I'll reinforce areas once I get trooping, but I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to make progress.  I've got a custom saltwater reef tank coming soon (my original tank was destroyed due to Hurricane Sandy) and I have to get that going once it arrives this week or early next week.  So, when the tank arrives, my armor building will have to take a short break.

 

Here is the latest...not much but a few things all at once.  Drop boxes are appropriately named because when I went to pick them up the bottoms dropped out...can't believe I never glued them.  Oh well, easy fix.  Working on the belt and some snap plates on the cod.

 

 

I think you're snaps look pretty good mate, very neat and well made.  Mine is probably a little overkill, but then again I carry a little more heft than most troopers and I haven't had a snap fail yet.  I double up not only for strength, but also to provide a backup in case a snap failed.  Having the extra one beside it means you can keep on trooping and fix it when you get home.

 

You'll definitely find things to adjust/modify once you get trooping, I'm still tweaking mine here and there trying to get better range of motion & comfort.  I think these are a perpetual motion type thing, never totally finished, always evolving, repairing ect.

 

Nice progress mate, keep the pictures coming when you can :jc_doublethumbup:

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So, my tank shipment has been delayed so more time to work on my armor.  Things are really starting to come together, and I feel like I've accomplished a lot, but there is still plenty to do.

 

After shortening the length of my RT belt, I used the buttons to cover up the rivets that hold the canvas belt to the ammo belt.  I tried to form a third "correct" button to replace the center, but I had no luck with this.  I know some troopers have extra buttons from other kits, but it wouldn't match.  So, right now I'm going to look past this and continue the build.  I may come back to this at some point down the road, but I didn't want to risk destroying the belt (heat bending can be a little nerve racking).

 

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Next, I wanted to use chicago screws to hold the belt to the ab.  I know from most builds I've seen people use snaps/poppers, but I was concerned that with the weight of the blaster the belt might not be secure enough.  To ensure I drill the holes in the proper place and the belt is in the proper position I placed some black double sided foam tape? on the screws, then placed it on the ab section.  Oh, the white duct tape is there just to prevent the rivets from scratching the plastic unnecessarily.

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I will probably work on attaching the holster to the belt next.  I'm kinda glad my tank is a bit delayed since I'm really enjoying the build.  I had to wait a while for my armor to arrive (it was late too, a few weeks).  I'm just glad I have another hobby to keep me busy while I wait the extra two months it has taken to get my new fish tank :(

Edited by jmm7375
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So, due to a lot of rain and flooding my tank was unable to be shipped from Florida until this past Friday...

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I had some time to work on a few things and I will continue until my tank arrives.  I really don't want to take a long break from this build.  I am having a lot of fun and I feel like I'm so close to the end.  I want to apply and get my TK# so badly and go for EIB and then Centurion standards  :smiley-sw013:

 

Got the chicago screws attached to the belt through the ab...

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Attached the holster.  I got a Darman original holster, but he was advised of some more accurate measurements, so I was proudly able to make the adjustments myself to get closer to screen accuracy.

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This is how high I could get my belt and still be able to cover the split between the cod and ab.  I've seen a lot of builds where the belt was too low, and I think I did the best I could with my RT kit.

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Started to attach some snap plates to the shoulder bells.  I have to find the time to suit up and size the shoulder straps and cod/butt strap.

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Nobody's perfect...especially not me

 

In my haste to get things done I screwed up a little bit.  Nothing catastrophic, but I had to do some fixin' to get things right.  Those lower snaps on the shoulder bells above...not the best location once the biceps are in place, so correction number 1.

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I also started to get the straps read for attachment to the shoulder bells, since I am in multitask mode.  I would try and be a bit more linear with my build, but with three kids and a busy end of the school year I am doing my best to make progress.

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I was so satisfied with the placement and attachment of my ab section to the belt with the chicago screws (sometimes they are called binding screws) and the holster I completely forgot about the drop boxes!  So, here is correction number 2

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I bought a sewing machine, a decent one on the cheap side (black Friday sale), so I could make my own belt to hold up the thighs.  I thought I might get more use out of it, but I could have done it by hand.  I think initially I thought I might try to make my own canvas belt and holster, but those plans were quickly abandoned.  I am much better at sewing by hand, I am able to get the machine to work, but it looks like a birds nest of thread.  No one will ever see it, so no biggie.

Edited by jmm7375
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A few little steps that I've taken in the meantime.

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Is it good or bad that I already started thinking about making some sandtrooper armor before I finished my first build?  I think this may be the beginning of an addiction, I need to stay away from MEPD for now.  I'm sure I'll snap out of it once my fish tank is up and running.  That is another expensive hobby unto itself, but I love it.

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Looking good so far, a good tip is to use double snaps in places that are under a lot of force, like arms, shoulders and ab, reason is if one snap fails you still have another to hold everything in place. Keep up the great work :D

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Thanks for the tip Glen.  I have never trooped before, but I've tried to mimic what has worked best for most here on FISD.  I figure I'll be making adjustments once I start wearing the armor more regularly, and I do plan on using double snaps to attach the shoulder bell and as you can see below the forearms.

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I also just received my order of paints.  I saw a couple of Testors paint markers that I wanted to try since my confidence with a brush is on the low side right now.  My first attempt seems pretty good on the thigh pack rivets.    I might try to do a little bit more today, but I have to change gears since my fish tank is being delivered tomorrow and I know my priorities will shift temporarily. 

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Edited by jmm7375
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Don't think there will be much to build on your fish tank lol. That testers paint pen seems to work well, nice find :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm Baaack!

Well, my tank finally arrived and I got it set up.  Now that school is done and camp is about to begin, I can take some time to get back to my build.  

 

I had to fight with my shoulder straps to get an idea of how they should be placed.  Tried using some boiling water to soften them up, but I'm going to attach one at a time.  Nothing a bunch of clamps, tape, magnets and E6000 can't solve.

 

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Love this little painting trick/tip that was posted here on the boards.  I know Craig "Bids" gave me the idea of using CD labels for masking the AB buttons, then I went over them with my white paint marker.  Next, I'll add some color and avoid the color paint bleeding through (I hope!)

 

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Edited by jmm7375
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Well, unfortunately some of the paint did bleed through, but nothing a little paint thinner and some q-tips can't fix.

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While I had the paint and brushes out I figured I would start painting the TD pipe as well.

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Paint has to dry so I got the other shoulder bridge attached.  From looking at other kits it appears to me that it is a bit easier to get these on other types of armor.  There was very little if no wiggle room for the bridges to be attached onto the chest plate and lined up looking good.  I found myself checking periodically to make sure they didn't slip out of there intended position.

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