starsaber25's MTK ANH Stunt Build

[toybiz[TK]]

Awesome progress Steve. Just one step at a time. If I can do it, so can anyone.

 

Remember confidence comes with experience and experience comes from action.

 

You are well on your way....

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Ok so here I am again and I have made some torso progress over the last few nights.  I added the two snaps into the butt plate.  I then took the ab plate and added the rivet and elastic that attaches to the butt plate.  I then added the split rivets on the side of the abdomen and then the side of the kidney.  I also added the snap on the top right of the ab plate along with the snap with elastic on the kidney.  I think it went fairly well however I know that I suck at putting snaps in!

 

Anyway here are the photos:

 

 

 

 

First thing I want to say at this point is that I went ahead and got Echo's Centurion level rivet sets and they are a fantastic product.  They work really well and it was very easy to order everything you need from one place.

 

 

Here is the snap on the right side of the ab plate.

 

And here is the snap and elastic on the kidney plate in the process of curing:

 

 

 

For the split rivet placement I followed this thread by Droidhunter:  http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26886-split-rivet-placement/

 

Here is my outcome.  I also felt that I wanted snap plates in case i wanted to change the sizing a little after I put this together.  I felt that if you put the split rivets in and went right into elastic, you were stuck with what you did forever and could never change the sizing.  I am pretty happy with the way it came out:

 

 

 

 

 

And this is what it looks like together right now.  I know I need to paint the rivet heads white.

 

 

 

 

Anyway there is my progress over the past few nights.  The next part I'm going to tackle is getting all of this together using the strapping brackets.  So stay tuned because that will be coming your way.  Thanks for looking!

 

[JLight[TK]]

Looking good!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[I'm Batman[501st]]

See if you can take that rounded edge of the TD brackets. As mentioned in another thread, they're not really screen accurate with rounded ends. They should be square with perhaps just the sharp corner taken off.

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Ok well I'm back and I finished strapping the torso.  Those brackets that I got from Mr. No Stripes are awesome.  The whole process went very smoothly actually.  So here is what it looks like:

 

 

 

I'm happy with the way it came out.  I guess the only question I have is there anyway to try and close up that gap there between the butt plate and the kidney plate above?  Its as bad as it is in the photo but its there nonetheless. 

 

Anyway, hopefully later tonight I will glue the shoulder bridges on and paint the ab plates.  Unfortunately I did not realize that cutting the notches out of the kidney plate on the bottom was a requirement for the higher certifications until after I did this.  I am still considering taking out the brackets and making the notches and then putting the brackets in the new location.  I will probably only take me 20 min or so.

 

So thats where I am right now.  After the torso I will hopefully finish up the arms.  I just got my gloves and handguards in from Karin and they are pretty darn cool.  So I will try and work on that tomorrow.

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Oh and Ian how would you suggest I go about making those brackets straight?  I only have the normal run of the mill household tools so if there is a basic tool that I can use that would be good.  Thanks

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Hey Steve,

 

In order of ease:

 

1. Dremel, or angle grinder with cutting wheel

2. Hack Saw

3. File

4. Sand paper (could be a bit hard)

 

It won't affect any approval. It's just not 100% accurate. So perhaps just keep it in mind next time you catch up with some Garrison buddies that might help you out. (or a basic hack saw is probably only $2- to $3- from a hardware store.)

 

It's only the ends, like your pic below:

 

 

To squared off ends like the screen used one below.

 

[JLight[TK]]

See if you can take that rounded edge of the TD brackets. As mentioned in another thread, they're not really screen accurate with rounded ends. They should be square with perhaps just the sharp corner taken off.

I have reached out to Evilboy, who is in my garrison, to ensure he makes the TD clips with square edges instead of being rounded.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Unfortunately I did not realize that cutting the notches out of the kidney plate on the bottom was a requirement for the higher certifications until after I did this.  I am still considering taking out the brackets and making the notches and then putting the brackets in the new location.  I will probably only take me 20 min or so.

 

Yeah, it was only changed in the last day or so. I'm in the same boat - brackets are right in the way of the cut out. I think the only way you could fix it is to move the brackets and ABS paste the holes over. Mine are glued in. Not sure which is easier/harder   

[I'm Batman[501st]]

I have reached out to Evilboy, who is in my garrison, to ensure he makes the TD clips with square edges instead of being rounded.

 

Excellent! Wasn't sure it was my place to do so. Glad you did

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Hey Guys.  Ian I see what you mean now.  But now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know how I can do it.  Unless I built it wrong.  My end caps are glued on.  Its going to be a huge pain to try and pry them off and then I might damage them. They were tight before the glue!  Thats the way I would have to go in and unscrew the clips.  I don't know overall if it will be worth it.  It sucks I guess.  I didn't really pay too much attention to that detail.  I got them from Evilboy and thought they looked great and put them on.  I guess its just gonna be an unfortunate part of my build and at some point maybe I will just have to replace the whole TD together. 

 

Unless someone else has a decent suggestion about how to get off the end caps without any damage occurring. 

[starsaber25[Admin]]

So hey everyone.  I'm back to posting some pictures.  Its been a week since I have put anything on here.  That doesn't mean I haven't been working on the armor.  Basically most of the last week I spent fine tuning a lot of things.  I ripped off my coverstrips to my biceps and forearms.  I reshaped them and reglued them.  I am a lot more happy with the results now.  I attached the bicep and forearm together for the right arm.  I haven't attached the left arm yet because I am having trouble with the left forearm.  Does anyone else have trouble with the left forearm on a TE derived suit?  I have used clamps and magnets on the forearm but it still won't hold together well.  I have done it three times now.  If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.  I also started putting the shins together.  I have one that is in the glue drying process. 

 

 

 

 

Here is the left shoulder bell and bicep minus the forearm

 

 

And here is the pesky forearm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway I hope to do more work on the shins tonight so we will see.  And if anyone is wondering, I have 5/8 inch coverstrips on the forearms and biceps and my coverstrip for my shin is 7/8 inch.

 

And man I'm gone from posting for a week and there are sure a lot of AM builds that have popped up.  Good for all of you guys.  You can all bounce your builds off of eachother and work as a team.  Good Luck to you all.

[maxsteele[TK]]

I had a problem with my forearm closure as well.  Here's what I did:

 

First, I used a U-clamp on each end of the forearm to keep the ends tightly in place.  Next, I put strips of painter's tape down across the strip, pulling them as tight as I could.  After that, I put magnets on along the strip and clamps between the magnets where I could reach.  Finally, I wrapped an elastic band around each end of the forearms and pulled them tight, which pulled the two pieces in and gave some more downward force to let the glue adhere better.  Here's a photo without the elastic bands tied:

 

[I'm Batman[501st]]

I ended using CA glue on mine for that reason. Once I got one side done (I think I used E6000 for the first coverstrip), I used CA glue and physically forced it closed. You only have a minute to work with, but you also only have to hold it closed for a minute. Less if you have a mate to spray zip kicker on it as you hold it.

[Jaren[TK]]

Great Job!

 

I wish I could move as fast as you! I have been cover stripping both the inside and outside. It might be overkill but it works for me.

 

It's good to see that the MTK's are growing like the trees of Endor!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

I wound up with some parts covered in painters tape for glue curing, too. Looking good!

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Thanks for the replies and all of the ideas and suggestions guys.  My forearm is currently curing so I will see how I did this time! 

 

Anyway I am in need of some major help!  I think I finally made my big huge mistake.  I think I messed up my shins.  I was going along and put a 7/8s inch cover strip on the front of them and that was all well and great.  I made my elastic with a bra hook but I think I took off too much of the back of the shin!  I test fitted it with my boots on before I made any cuts and I thought all was well but I was somehow way off.

 

After I glued the rear coverstrip on and glued the hooks in, I drilled my holes and then put them on with my boots again to see the "finished product" and low and behold I couldn't get the bottoms to close!  I couldn't for the life of me get the bottom of my shin to close around the boot.  So I ended up gluing a shim in them now and basically this is where I am:

 

 

 

So I did this lastnight and when I went to work on them again tonight to finish them again, I still couldn't really get them to fit around my boots.  And when I got them where I wanted them and had my wonderful wife make my marks where the hooks were it really looks silly.  Basically the gap from one side to the other would need like a 1 1/2 coverstrip to cover everything up.  Now I'll remind you guys but my calves are no way big.  They are 15 1/2 inches.  Am I doing something wrong here?  Especially around the boots?  Should I be opening the bottoms of the shins somewhere and I dont know about it?  This has been the part that has really been a bummer so far. 

 

I have also glued the cover strip on the thighs tonight.  Here is what that looks like.  I went with an inch coverstrip for the thighs.  I think if I have a problem really fitting anything, the thighs will be it.

 

 

And finally I wasn't sure if I was going to show any pictures like this on my thread but it was too cool and exciting of a part to leave it out.  Its not a great picture and excuse my bathroom but this was the only way to take my picture.  Here is my progress so far

 

 

It looks pretty good but I still have some fitting issues.  I gotta figure out why my chest always rides up and goes above my ab plate and basically right up into my neck.  But everything else is fitting great so far.

 

 

[Jaren[TK]]

Looking good to me! Keep up the momentum!

 

Quick question, where did you get the Bill Hag templates for the belt and buttons?

[Dday[501st]]

If your neck/chest is riding up, it's because your backplate is likely to high, which means it will pull the chest up because the butt and kidney are pulling the back down, and since the chest is connected  to the back it pulls it up. Get a shot of the shoulder bridge area when it's on, as well as the full back. Since you are using the bracket connection, I know the back pieces are in the right relation to each other. You might need to lengthen the shoulder strap to get the back into a more comfortable position so it doesn't pull the chest up.

 

For the shins.... you were not able to close them before you put in the internal shin right? A shim like that will cause closure problems because it's not form fitting to the inside of the leg. The best thing to do is show us a photo of the shins on your leg.

 

Sometimes, they are just cut too small and you either have to wing it and be ok with it or get replacement shins :/ Not many people look at the back of your legs, it''s likely no one will notice it if it's only the bottom that isn't closing.

[starsaber25[Admin]]

You know what Derrek I think you are right about the shoulder straps.  I think I have to loosen them up a bit.  Thanks for making that suggestion because that makes total sense.  I will try and post some pictures of my shins in a little bit.

 

Hey Jaren Bill Hags "Bill-o-Grams" were discussed in another thread.  This wonderful link was what came of it :

 

http://s405.photobucket.com/user/Billhag/library/TK%20Armour%20Help?sort=3&page=1

[Rystan]

You know what Derrek I think you are right about the shoulder straps.  I think I have to loosen them up a bit.  Thanks for making that suggestion because that makes total sense.  I will try and post some pictures of my shins in a little bit.

 

Hey Jaren Bill Hags "Bill-o-Grams" were discussed in another thread.  This wonderful link was what came of it :

 

http://s405.photobucket.com/user/Billhag/library/TK%20Armour%20Help?sort=3&page=1

 

So happy I asked the question...I've got lots of useful info from there!

[Jaren[TK]]

Thank you, this link is really informative!

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Ok so here is a picture of my shins on with my boots on.  In the photo I am mildly squeezing the shins.  With the original holes that I drilled I was able to close the top two but there was no way to close the bottom ones.  Then I added the shim and I can now drill a hole and probably get it to close but I think its just going to look awful.  But here are some photos:

 

 

 

 

'

 

So am I doing something wrong?  Or did I just really screw up and I shouldn't have cut off any of the one side?  I do feel like if I want to cover up this mess I'm going to need to put like a 1 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch coverstrip in the back.  It just sucks because I really feel like my calves aren't that big.  I never thought I was going to have a problem in this area.

 

Any help would be great at this point.  Thanks

[Jaren[TK]]

I have the same problem, I did not cut anything off on the sides and they still don't fit. I am going with the 2 inch cover strip that just Velcro's on and off. I never thought my calves were big too. Sucks getting old! 

Edited August 14, 2014 by Jaren

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Yeah Jaren I don't quite understand either.  I have been slammed at work and haven't been able to touch my armor in over a week.  However, right before I stopped I finished up my thighs.  I'll get pictures up soon.  It sucked not being able to work on my armor for that long.  But I'm going to get back into it tonight. 

 

However in the meantime looked what showed up from Germany!  Now If I can just finish my armor!

 

 

 

 

Yep thats my DVH kit.  I know I won't get to it for a while but it was still cool laying it out for a couple of pictures.