A Savage TK build (ANH, Hero, RT-Mod)

[AFMedic]

Went to AwesomeCon today, so I didn't make much progress. Just finished the right thigh, and put the remaining snap plates in the ab & kidneys. I tried (unsuccessfully) to bend m O2 canister clips. I couldn't get the size right.

[AFMedic]

Painting. Somehow this step seems very very cool. As if I'm reaching the end. At least steady progress is being made.

 

 

 

I'll need two (or more coats), the first didn't quite do the trick.

[AFMedic]

I've a new (from my limited research) approach to the belt.

 

1. Drilled a hole through the center of the TK ammo belt

2. Punched a small hole through the canvas belt, centered

3. Installed a female snap through the TK ammo belt and canvas

4. Installed a male snap on the Ab, centered left to right, low on the Ab, about 1.5 inches up from the bottom.

5. Sewed white 1 in wide, 3.5 in elastic loops to go around the canvas belt, left and right sides; behind the outermost ammo 'box' and hang down with velcro on the 'hanging down part' to attach my drop boxs

6. Slid the elastic loops on the canvas belt.

7. Used E6000 to attach the canvas to the ammo belt. The three snaps (left/right/center) which go all the way through the two items clamping them together will do most of the 'holding' of the two items together, the E6000 is just to keep everything aligned and to assist the snaps.

Upcoming steps

8. Snap the belt on the Ab (on my one center male snap), level and then drill all the way through the Ammo Belt/Canvas/Ab piece 3/4 of an inch in from the end of the ammo belt centered top to bottom

9. Unsnap the belt, install female snaps on the belt/male snaps on the Ab plate.

10.-? Install the holster

 

Pics so far:

Center snap

 

E6000

 

I used paint sticks to try to apply distributed pressure from the clamps across the glued surfaces

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Good thinking with the belt, John. I wonder (now I haven't researched at all - just thinking out loud), do you need loops at all for the drop boxes? Could you just sandwhich a piece of elastic between the plastic and canvas belts?

 

Also, not sure if you'll get picked up or not, but I remember seeing one Centurion application get recommended to repaint their buttons because they were too perfect. I struggled with purposely painting mine 'not neat'. Using your masks might be too neat?? (oh, you'll need solid headrivets for your knee ammo pack if you intend to go for Centurion - fine for basic though)

Edited April 21, 2014 by Sith Lord

[AFMedic]

Good thinking with the belt, John. I wonder (now I haven't researched at all - just thinking out loud), do you need loops at all for the drop boxes? Could you just sandwhich a piece of elastic between the plastic and canvas belts?

 

Also, not sure if you'll get picked up or not, but I remember seeing one Centurion application get recommended to repaint their buttons because they were too perfect. I struggled with purposely painting mine 'not neat'. Using your masks might be too neat?? (oh, you'll need solid headrivets for your knee ammo pack if you intend to go for Centurion - fine for basic though)

I put a 2nd coat on tonight, but I'll wait 'till I have pealed off my template donuts to see how 'perfect' they may be. I suspect, not perfect. As for the loops they are needed as the spots on the end of the belt where the loops are, is one of the hollow parts for the ammo belt. I've some adjusting for the loops...my velcro hooks are too low on my dangling strap. The drop boxes are close to the belt as desired, but they may not hang right. I'll get some pictures tomorrow of the 'fail' and the fix.

 

Edit 24 hrs later: No problem looking too perfect!...I have some leakage clean up to do (paint under the blue tape) and some pealed away as I took off the 'donuts'.

 

Not hanging right:

Edited April 24, 2014 by AFMedic

[AFMedic]

Rivets on left side

 

[AFMedic]

Another day, another fitting. All straping is almost done, belt is done, rivets are installed.

To do: Belt button caps gluded (I've got two, and am awaiting a 3rd any day)

Bubble lenses installed (got it, just need to install it)

Sew White Elastic Straps to hold down the shoulder straps (got it, just need to sew them

BEND O2 Canister clips & install clips (the bane of my build)

 

I think for BASIC approval, I just need to beat the bane, stupid clips for the O2 canister

 

 

 

Front view:

 

Right Side view:

 

Right Side arm up view:

 

Back:

 

Left Side view:

 

Left Side arm up view:

 

AND THE SMILE as I know I'm getting closer:

 

OK, now is the time to open this up to your recommendations, criticisms, corrections.

 

One thing I specifically wonder is should I trim the Ab plate top side as it slopes to the Kidney plate (side view)

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Are those TD clips very thick. Mine were only 1mm and quite easy to bend around. Yours look a lot thicker.

 

Are the drop boxes just stuck on with velcro? You've no doubt worked it out yourself that they probably just need securing higher up on the box.

 

But more importantly, what are the Star Wars games doing on the bottom of the piles!?

Edited April 24, 2014 by Sith Lord

[usaeatt2]

You look good in armor!  I can only hope mine comes out as well.

 

I got a kick out f the TD clips - those seem like one of the simplest things to me - we all have different backgrounds!  I'd much rather make TD clips than tackle ears or a sniper knee!

[Techne[TK]]

Looks pretty good to me, taking into account the things you mentioned you're waiting on, like the white belt squares.  Very quick and methodical build.  Your right forearm could potentially go up an inch, that may just be the way you're wearing it in the pic though.  In terms of matching the top of the ab plate to the kidney plate, yes I would probably do it that way.  Take a look at some of the EIB and Centurion applications and see how they did it though.  Are you going to go for EIB?

[gazmosis[501st]]

A couple things I notice:

I would round off the lower corners of your thigh pack on the right thigh a little more. Use the thermal detonator as your tracing guide. Speaking of your therm det, it looks REALLY long. The final length should be 7 1/4 - 7 1/2 inches. Also, your ab buttons look big. These should be in the 10mm range.

[AFMedic]

O2 canister and clips done

 

Shoulder elastic done.

 

2/3 button covers gluded. Almost done!

[AFMedic]

Looks pretty good to me, taking into account the things you mentioned you're waiting on, like the white belt squares.  Very quick and methodical build.  Your right forearm could potentially go up an inch, that may just be the way you're wearing it in the pic though.  In terms of matching the top of the ab plate to the kidney plate, yes I would probably do it that way.  Take a look at some of the EIB and Centurion applications and see how they did it though.  Are you going to go for EIB?

Thanks, I've got to get some foam for the forearms. Am I going for EiIB? Eventually, I'm trying to make sure everything is lined up for it.

[AFMedic]

A couple things I notice:

I would round off the lower corners of your thigh pack on the right thigh a little more. Use the thermal detonator as your tracing guide. Speaking of your therm det, it looks REALLY long. The final length should be 7 1/4 - 7 1/2 inches. Also, your ab buttons look big. These should be in the 10mm range.

Thank you. The TD is 7 5/8 in long I can take off the clips/trim/reattach. The buttons are 14mm but I wonder as the painted portion is the tops only, not on to the side curve. I wonder how I'm going to get the paint off to repaint?

[gazmosis[501st]]

The fact that you used model enamels is your savior. This paint will come off using standard paint thinner (mineral spirits based) without harming the surrounding plastic. You can either start from scratch, or trace the proper size onto the button, dip a brush into thinner, dab off the excess and massage the paint you are removing until it comes off. Use the brush to outline a new circle. I know the buttons on the RT Mod plate are molded big. All are different. ATA are bigger than TM...RT are bigger than ATA. At 14 mm, they start to look cartoonish.

Just in case you want to look into it, your therm det clips are pretty thick. The correct thickness and width of aluminum strip is available at your local Lowes. 1 x 1/16 thick

[usaeatt2]

Second time with thinner strap material - should be a breeze this time!

[Techne[TK]]

Thanks, I've got to get some foam for the forearms. Am I going for EiIB? Eventually, I'm trying to make sure everything is lined up for it.

Foam is good, or you can run a strap from the biceps to the forearms, that will keep them at the right distance all the time.

[AFMedic]

ANH Hero build, ready for basic submission, email with high res pictures sent to the email I believe is our Garrison's Chief Armorer/he whom I hope I should submit them to.  

Now to work on improving my TD (new TD done and and new clips 1/2 bent), and installing my bubble lenses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detail pictures:

Gloves:

 

Closed Biceps, with butt joint and cover strip style build:

 

Split Kidney/butt & straping:

 

Belt/holster detail:

 

TD details:

 

 

Boots:

 

E-11:

 

 

 

 

[AFMedic]

Made a new TD, 7 5/16 wide, 2 5/8 diameter, thinner clips 1/8 from the caps:

 

[usaeatt2]

NICE!!!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Hey John. I thought I had posted this earlier, but I don't see it anywhere so I'm guessing it is half-typed on my iPad at the moment.

 

Anyway, I think your build looks great. There is only one thing that I see that could (potentially) be an issue when you go for EIB/Centurion, and that is with your belt. It looks to me as if you could have shortened the plastic a bit to ensure that your drop boxes aligned with the ends of the belt.

 

Other than that, I'm more excited about my box arriving than ever, due to seeing your armor completed - and inspired by how quickly you managed to do so.

 

I only hope that I can be as exact and efficient when mine arrives - and I'd really love to be able to get my helmet looking something like yours. I really love it!!

 

Good luck with the approval, I expect that you'll have no problems whatsoever!

[usaeatt2]

John,

 

I've been following along and think you did a really nice job.  I also have a minor, but different question about your belt.  I'll be curious to see what kind of response you get because I have a similar problem with my belt.  You cut the 45 dergree angles on the 4 corners exactly as I had planned.  Before making any cut or modification, I spend some time researching.  I found some references which say the angles should be 45 degrees and should be cut only in the area that extends beyond the edges of the cloth belt.  Your belt is 3" wide and it appears the ABS ammo belt is just slightly over 3" wide.  If your ammo belt doesn't really extend beyond the edges of the cloth belt, how do you correctly cut the angles?

 

I think your belt looks good, but I'll likely wait to see a response or your EIB application before making any cuts.  I'd be delighted to see it meet approval so I could do mine the same!

[The5thHorseman[TK]]

I found some references which say the angles should be 45 degrees and should be cut only in the area that extends beyond the edges of the cloth belt. 

 

Actually that's kind of a good reference:

 

However it is possible only with accurately wide enought ammo plastic belts. I don't know if the AP ammo belt would be wide enought. And if the ammo belt doesn't really extend beyond the edges of the canvas belt, i would use these measurements i read from TrooperMaster some time ago: trim 10mm in from the top and bottom and 13mm in from the sides. Most belts seem to have slightly more off the sides than the top and bottom

[I'm Batman[501st]]

 

However it is possible only with accurately wide enought ammo plastic belts. I don't know if the AP ammo belt would be wide enought. And if the ammo belt doesn't really extend beyond the edges of the canvas belt, i would use these measurements i read from TrooperMaster some time ago: trim 10mm in from the top and bottom and 13mm in from the sides. Most belts seem to have slightly more off the sides than the top and bottom

I was about to cut my belt at the 10/13 rule as I read that too, but the CRL's now state that it needs to be 45 degrees, so it would need to be an equal cut both directions. I think this was raised in a previous thread. Must have been one of several soft changes that Mathias has mentioned occurred.

[The5thHorseman[TK]]

Well 45 degrees is an easier and faster way than to say " trim 10mm in from the top and bottom and 13mm in from the sides. Most belts seem to have slightly more off the sides than the top and bottom", it gives a good and quick representation of how it should be cut.

 

Also keep in mind that when the armors were assembled there's no chance that the guys were measuring at the mm accuracy how they were cutting the corners. So a certain room is given when you are cutting yours to represent the randomness of the assembly.