Kids TK/TD build by TD8966

[wolfman[TK]]

Today on cooking with Wolfman we'll be preparing one of the Imperial Department of Military Research's (aka Rottie) favorite dishes. The TK shoulder strap.

 

The straps for the TK come flat. So in order that they will look right we'll have to curve them slightly.

 

Start by boiling up some water. I use a small electric burner I found at a local drug store and a pot my wife abandoned. Filled half way with water.

 

I bring it to a boil and toss in the straps.

 

Let me heat for awhile.

 

Once they're heated pull them out and bend them over something cylindrical a bit smaller than your child's shoulder. It'll spring back a little.

 

There we go.

 

I go ahead and glue it to the chest plate. It'll secure to the back plate with Velcro.

 

 

Now I build the drop box'.

 

After I trim them I cut some 3/8" wide strips of scrap plastic the glue to the inside wall of the box.

 

 

Then I cut a rectangle of plastic to fit inside the back of the box and glue it to the strips of plastic.

Box is done.

 

Painting.

 

I washed all the parts with mild dish soap, the same as the helmet.

 

Then I hung all the parts in my shop to dry overnight.

I also paint them here. I don't worry about overspray because I do a lot of airbrush work and built a negative air mover to accommodate. Others should spray pieces one at a time though.

 

First I use Valspar plastic primer then I use Rustolium white High Performance Enamel.

Reference my painting instructions earlier in this thread.

 

 

Other white parts.

 

 

Let everything dry for a day or two.

 

 

TD sniper plate. Secured to the left grieve.

 

First I mix up a little 2 part epoxy putty and put it into a few spots on the back side that contact the grieve the most in order to make the plate more secure after gluing.

 

After the epoxy putty cures I glue it on using E-6000.

 

 

TK knee plate. Secured to the left grieve.

 

I run glue along the inside bottom edge and clamp it onto the grieve so that the bumps line up along the top ridge.

 

Now the right knee amo strip. Secured to the right thigh piece.

 

First I round off the ends.

 

Making sure it's centered to the front of the thigh I drill through and rivet it on both sides. I'm using regular rivets instead of split rivets because I couldn't find split rivets at any hardware stores but once I do these rill be easily drilled out and replaced.

 

 

The ab buttons.

First TD.

No center button panel and three untainted buttons mounted on the left. Simply glue it. I do this before painting.

 

Now TK.

Center panel and left four buttons are painted with the same blue and gray used on the helmet. Reference the helmet painting.

 

 

 

 

After painting the buttons simply glue the panel and buttons on

 

Compare TK to TD.

[walt[501st]]

Wow!!!! Them parts fit like a glove!!!...looks like a lot of thought went into then..?:-)

Also ...sorry for thread bombibg ya...lots of people are asking me and i assume wolfman about soft parts...here ya go...walmart or target sells champion clothing line and they just came out with kids size under armor like suits..also gloves made of the same stuff...boots gotta find them online..just do a search..you will have to paint them ..belt tkettel here on the for sale side,..he does on going runs and the best by far...you will need to get a weist size for him and he is making them so it can grow wuth your kids..blaster and holdsters ..vern is working on that..a hasbro E11 is just about right...if your going dirty...the backpacks.dirtyboy over on MEPD has scaled down his packs and wow..paludrens i have PMed alot of people but have not gotten anything back yet.......bfgs i think wolfie here is making one...hopefully a small run...hint hint

[wolfman[TK]]

Thanks Walt. I'm going to cover a belt build during the torso strapping. I was going to make a custom pauldron because Sam wants a pink one but if you can get someone to do a run that would be great! and T-21's, I'm in the process. If people like what they see I will be glad to take interest on a run.

I'm so glad you covered Underarmor and gloves! I've got my kiddos on dance ware and will now be changing that!!!

[wolfman[TK]]

Oh, also, Rick is the MAN when it comes to packs!!! I've got one of his that I'm so proud of I get complements constantly! And from what I've seen his kid packs are just as amazing. I'm very excited to order Sams soon.

 

As for boots, I found these

 

http://www.buystarwarscostumes.com/child_white_boots.html

 

Not movie accurate and I will need to cut the top off of them but they are close.

 

I'd love to find some better ones.

[walt[501st]]

Cool thread, I am thinking of getting a child size lid for my youngest.

DO IT!!

[walt[501st]]

sorry thread bomb again...the shoes

[walt[501st]]

called campers..found online

[wolfman[TK]]

Strapping.

 

There are a few ways to strap up armor. Walt (Rottie) suggested I use Velcro instead of buttons for some of the strapping so that the armor can "grow" with the kid. That's the way I'm doing this armor.

 

The chest plat needs some elastic on the shoulders. I use 2" white elastic and cut 1.25" strips.

 

 

I use a flame to seal the edges to prevent fraying.

 

Now I put glue on the backplate.

 

Put the strap on and clamp with magnets.

 

 

Then put one side of the Velcro on the strap.

 

The receiving Velcro goes inside the chest plate strap end.

 

Attach the kidney plate to the butt plate.

 

Cut a piece of 1" black webbing

 

Seal the ends.

 

Glue all four ends to the kidney and butt plate. These won't need to be adjustable.

I use tape to clamp it.

 

Attaching the back plate to the kidney plate. I use strips of black webbing. I glue one end to the backplate and use Velcro to attach to the kidney plate.

 

 

 

 

Codpiece to the butt plate. I use a strip of the black webbing. I glue one end to the codpiece and a Velcro end to secure the butt plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attaching the front to the back. I use a piece of 3" elastic on each side. I glue one end to the ab plate. I don't use glue until about 1" from the edge to allow for play.

 

 

 

 

 

The chest plate has decorative shoulder straps that cover the elastic ones. I just Velcro them on. Sandtroopers don't have theses.

 

 

 

Attaching the chest plate to the ab plate I use the 1" black webbing. I glue one end to the chest plate using tape to clamp. The other end attaches to the ab plate using Velcro.

 

 

 

 

For the shoulder bells I just glue a strip of webbing to the underside of the white elastic strap. Then use Velcro to attach the shoulder bell to the strap.

 

 

Attach the biceps to the shoulder bells using the black 1" webbing. I glued one end to the bicep and Velcro the other inside the shoulder bell.

 

 

 

Attach the thighs using the black 1" webbing. Glue one end into the thigh and attach the other to the inside of the codpiece using Velcro.

 

 

Now the calves or grieves. I put white Velcro to seal the opening. One on the inside edge of the cover strip and the receiving on the outside edge of the facing

 

 

 

I strap the drop boxes with black webbing. I glue one end to the box and glue the other to the belt with about .5 - .75" gap between the box and the belt.

Sandtroopers do not have drop box'.

 

Hand plates are attached using a combo of 1"black elastic looped and glued inside the plate and a piece of Velcro.

 

 

 

[wolfman[TK]]

Belt.

I measure her waist with the armor on. You want the belt to be a bit tight in order to help hold it all together. I use white canvas and cut it to length I mark out my other measurements on the edge go the canvas. The overall width will be 5". I leave .25" on the top and bottom for sewing. Then 2" for final belt width with .5" in between for sewing.

 

I the cut very thin plastic in 2" strips. I put this inside the belt for strength.

 

First I hem the ends. I sew right through the plastic.

 

Then I sew the top of the belt.

 

I close up the ends.

 

Then I fold one edge of the belt over the plastic and sew it.

 

Then I fold under the other edge and sew it.

 

I put a 2" x4" Velcro on one end. On the other side I put the receiving side.

 

 

I sew them to the belt for added strength.

 

 

Attaching the ammo belt to the cloth belt I first drill in middle of the piece in between the center two rectangles.

 

Then at both ends.

 

Then I drill in the middle of the cloth belt.

 

I then rivet them together through the center holes. I used a plastic retainer to keep the rivet from going through the cloth.

 

Then I straighten the cloth belt along the plastic and drill through where I first drilled. Then rivet with a retainer.

 

Now I attach the drop box''. Sandtroopers skip this step.

I just glue them on the inside of the belt by the outer rivet retainers.

 

 

 

Neck seal. I measure her neck. Circumference and length from shoulder next to neck upto the bottom of her jaw.

 

I transfer the measurements to a piece of pleather with batting glued to the back of it.

 

I cut it and a respective piece of cotton out.

 

I also cut out a piece of the same cotton cloth about 10x11". Using something called math I find the circle I need to cut out of the center.

 

I cut the circle out. Then hem the edges of the square.

 

I turn the pleather and cotton wrong side out and sew around the edge.

 

Turned right side out.

 

I start sewing parallel lines down the length of the pleather. Just estimate the distance between the ribs. I just tried to make it look right. I think there's supposed to be 7 ribs.

 

 

I cut the square in the middle from the edge to the circle. I hem one edge the sew a 1" strip to the other side so that it overlaps the other side.

 

Now I sew the collar to the "dicky". I sew them so the seam will be inside when tuned right.

Just working it around slowly so it follows the circle.

 

Now I attach Velcro on each end of the collar.

 

 

 

Thermal detonator is attached to the belt using two clips.

I start with 4" long .5" wide strips of 1/8" thick aluminum.

 

I drill one end and bend them like this.

 

I put the clip about .25" away for the bottom of the control plate. I drill through the hole I already drilled into the pipe.

 

I revet it.

 

Then I bend the strip around the pipe.

 

Then I drill another hole through metal and PVC.

 

I rivet that hole. Then bend the metal over.

 

Edited January 9, 2014 by wolfman

[wolfman[TK]]

For now she'll just sport a TK. Once I get the pauldron made by Pandatrooper, the pack made by Dirtyboy and I build the mini T-21 I'll turn her into a proper Sandtrooper.

 

SAMI TROOPER!!!!

 

 

Happy little rocker!

[Cantina Security[501st]]

Fantastic. What a thorough thread. Lots of hard work pays off in the end with a smile...

[wolfman[TK]]

Fantastic. What a thorough thread. Lots of hard work pays off in the end with a smile...

thanks brother. She is very excited and happy.

[aicire]

This is such a great thread!

 

I cannot wait until my little girl is big enough to troop!

 

Thanks for the share! Your girl is adorable!

Edited May 13, 2014 by aicire

[walt[501st]]

Well done