Nearly There....Almost

[Artshot]

Afternoon All

 

So, I am almost on the verge of ordering a set of TM Troopermaster Armour.

 

And now the panic sets in, I vaguely know what I need to collect before I begin, tools, glue and such.

 

But I have a few questions, forgive me if these are answered in threads, I have been scouring this site for weeks trying to sort everything out in my head about what exactly I have bitten off, unfortunately I now find my head is full of random details, I think I may have woken up once shouting "not my ABS buttons"

 

however, here we go, all answers or directions on where to look or builds to read will be much appreciated.

 

1) Is there a photo guide out there, showing the differences (in photos, not just text) between classes of build ?, I really wanted to go for "Centurion", but think I should start with "Expert Infantryman" first, I worry about biting off more than I can chew.......probably a bit late

 

2) Since I will invavriably end up fighting with gluing pieces together, how user friendly is E6000 for "gluing, getting wrong, removing, regluing...repeat", my bathroom can attest to Silicone gone wild.

 

3) Any valuable "Doh!" moments to avoid, or "I wish I knew that at the beginning moments"

 

4) Since I am not regulation issue, I will have to shim by about 6 to 8 inches (although I hope to reduce that.....wonder how many diets have been started because of Armour builds ?), My armour will be ABS, so I have been looking for good shimming guides and more importantly, ways to remove excess paste without damaging the surface, I would hate to get bright and shiny armour, then scuff up areas while trying to remove excess paste.

 

5)In reference to the above, I plan on reducing the size of the shim as I lose weight, anybody done this with success, or am I doomed.

 

6) And finally, once I have finished the build, I plan on displaying it on a mannequin (I don't want it living in a box between troops), I was thinking of building a corner piece in my room to resemble a chunk of deathstar corridor, just a thought as it will look better than old woodchip wallpaper.....any thoughts on a suitable background would be appreciated.

 

Phew...., if your still reading, thank you, if you can offer any help or advice or even a point in the right direction, double thank you.

 

Now I may need to sit in a corner for a while and think about what I have let myself into.

 

Cheers

Art

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Hi Art. Welcome and no worries about asking questions. I am not a finished TK yet but hope I can answer a few questions for you.

 

1. A great place to see the differences in Expert & Centurion is to look at the application posts of members for each category. I don't think aiming for Centurion is too difficult if you follow the requirements on the checklist. Once you get more familiar with the details that make an armor centurion level, actually building to those standards is not that far of a stretch. Just take your time and do the research . Troopermaster armor is a great choice.

 

2. E6000 is extremely forgiving if haven't already heard. I had a few mishaps and was able to remove it and re- glue parts with no problem. It rarely leaves any surface damage if you get it on places you dripped it on. It does take time to cure but certainly a great choice of glue if you are worried about mistakes. I used a PVC glue on one part of my armor and had to remove the part to reposition, it was a mess and regret even trying it. Stick with e6000, you can always use the stronger stuff later.

 

3. lots of Doh! moments for me but usually cause I failed to check reference photos and ask other members when in doubt. I wish I knew I didn't really need a ton of tools to get the armor trimmed. It helps to have lots of tools in hand but I mainly relied on a a pair of trimming scissors, a metal file and fine grit sandpaper. Bought the whole dremel set but really didn't use it much. ( use it like crazy though for my blaster build!)

 

4. See how the armor fits to your size first when you get it and start trimming. You might be able to get away with no shims.

 

5. I don't have much knowledge on shimming but maybe another member here will be able to tell you more if your idea to reduce the shims will work or not.

 

6. Displaying your armor sounds great, might be a bit tiring to remove and reassembled it if you troop a lot but no matter the backdrop,it will make any corner of the room awesome. Maybe just some interesting LED lights to highlight your armor would be a cheap but effective display option instead of preparing a backdrop.

 

Hope that answers a bit of what you asked. Best luck and post when you finally get your build going!

[gazmosis[501st]]

6-8 inches of shim, really?

This concerns me because TM armor is not a one size fits all armor. This armor was carefully sculpted to mimic the original suits which actors AROUND 5' 10" and 170 Lbs. wore. The weight number cannot be taken literally because everyone carries their weight differently. But the measuring tape doesn't lie. TM fits a max body circumference of 36 inches around the belly button. Anything beyond will be very tight or require shimming. But it's not just about the main torso, if you carry weight in your legs and have large thighs or calves, a set of armor for larger troopers like RT Mod might work better for you.

If you do pull the trigger on TM, just make sure you get the extra plastic for the shims from him.

[Artshot]

@ Bulldog44

1) I never thought about looking at application posts, thanks for the advice, I will go have a dig about.

2) "E6000 is extremely forgiving"...I like the sound of that

3) I have never trusted Dremels, once nearly sliced my finger with one while cleaning a resin Rocketeer helmet, now I stick to a trusty scalpel and plenty of blades as they tend to ping about when put under stress, I like things I can control easy.

6) I might look into either uplighting or downlighting, either by building a base and recessing the lights or mini spotlights.

 

@ Gazmosis

Thanks for the reply

Here's the sizes of armour and my size for comparison.

 

Me

Calves - 17"

Thighs - 25"

Waist - 42" very snug / 44" comfortable

Forearm - 13"

Bicep - 15"

 

RT Mod

Calves - 17"

Thighs - 26"

Waist - 40"

Forearm - 13.5"

Bicep - 16"

 

TM (possibly .5 of an inch larger on all except waist size)

Calves - 17"

Thighs - 24"

Waist - 36"

Forearm - 13"

Bicep - 15"

 

I have to admit that the shimming is a concern, even with the more generous RT armour I knew I was going to have to shim, I actually drew out the potential shim sizes last night and was surprised at how big 2x 4 inch shims will look and more importantly blend into the existing armour.

 

I have added cycling to my fitness regime to reduce some of my weight, which has slowly helped my waistline, hence my wanting to reduce and eventually remove any shims I use, however this will take time, I think my haste may have potentially got the better of me, the side effect being that my thighs are now bigger

 

I have looked into RT armour in the past, but the waiting time and potential customs sting made me seek a set closer to home, patience has never been a strong point with me and I am eager to begin a new project.

 

Thanks Again

Art

[Artshot]

After a lot of thought and not wanting to rush things with a purchase I may not be happy with if I cannot get the shims smaller, I have decided to put things on hold until I see if I can shift some waist, hopefully sooner rather than later, sooner if I can get my hands on an un built RT Mod set.

 

That being said, I really have the urge to build an ANH helmet or top of my list, a Tie Fighter Pilot helmet, just need a good source of one of those.

 

Cheers

Art

[Artshot]

Cycling and eating a bit healthier is paying off, dropped my waist size by two inches, getting closer and closer.............now I just need some armour.......now steering towards RT-Mod, built for a larger gentleman

 

Still got plenty of research to do and builds to read.

 

Cheers

Art

Edited December 24, 2014 by Artshot