CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 This is an upsize of a used body. I am larger and shorter than the previous owner. http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-tk-stormtrooper-suit.html I began blogging the rebuild on Blogger because the apps on my devices refused to behave. Plus my old 'droid (Samsung S2) had a bad motivator. My husband has since bought me a newer 'droid (S5) & now I can do both Tapatalk and Messenger. I'm still a little shy of the Photobucket app because it caused my iPad to freeze (yes iPad freezing...which never happens to it) and made me go a little Khan Noonien Singh-crazy Anyway, I will post some here (like queries and size adjustment check pics). I don't want to stop the blog, and I don't feel like copying it all over to here, so please visit and post comments to this thread. I will transfer any important updates/pics here as I move forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm325i[TK] Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I read the blog posts. Sounds like you're doing some innovative things with the re-use plastic signs and the bicep hook solution. As for the frustration of sizing and photographing your work in progress, maybe see if your hubz will take the pics for you instead of in a mirror? Just a thought. Keep going and keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) Yeah. That post was one of those venting moments... he would have photographed if I hadn't chosen that late night moment to do what I was doing. He's a great guy, don't get me wrong. It's just that as soon as I stood up and put on the body he announced he was headed to bed. Didn't want to argue so I just tried a solo work around. The mirror is a must because only I (and Xenoman-read on about him) know what the armor is supposed to look like so when the image in the mirror is spot on, then the pic can be taken. Today I have my friendly neighborhood Xenoman (my starving artist ex) over to help sizing and pics will follow. Plus my trooperbay abs strips came in and my helmet bag!! Woohoo!! The test fit pics will not have my undersuit because I don't want snags or glue mistakes. The pants and shirt are fairly tight and before any permanent work (i.e.: final gluing), I will post a pic wearing the proper undies. Edited April 9, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) Wootini. The Jawa speaks. The clamp and magnets removed. Thighs snapped to belt. A little walkaround and remembered some of the 'For Sale' sign has to be trimmed off to test fit because it keeps riding up where I don't want it to be. Update: trimmed a little. So we test the foam size: The foam is from an HP laptop box. I never throw anything away so it was in the Poltergeist Closet (as my son calls it). It will (in theory) push the kidney plate out to meet the back and butt. My back is looks like the top of a heart. Plus my butt is big. Where the three back parts are supposed to be according to the tutorials. the whole back together rides lower than the front. Actually the crotch of the butt plate hangs two or more inches away from my crotch. The front (when my gut is sucked in) is right on the money. When put together and sucked in (I'm holding this together with my hands-pay no mind to the translucent thing, that is the side shim pattern, not permanent). Mirror time: **Be aware that my front is sticking out a bit because I do not have on my belly clencher and I am holding the sides in place while sucking in my gut. As you may notice, when I stand up straight the back overlaps into the kidney plate. The previous owner had the butt and back overlap the kidney. I know this because of the scratches visible in the kidney plate. Here is a pic from a parade with her wearing it, you can't see the butt, but there is definite back overlap and she is taller than me. My question is: What allowed adjustment exists to alleviate this problem? Does the kidney need to be shortened? Or am I being too picky on detail? Edited April 9, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khazid[TK] Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Some veterans will know better than I, but look to change your strapping at the shoulders to pull the entire back plate up. This should allow it to align with the kidney plate. No trimming needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) Khazid, I wish I could but there is no more clearance to pull up as you suggested: **The snaps came with the armor. She kept the elastic. I have been making my own to my size fitting. I'm probably 5 inches shorter. Did you see the previous owner's pic? I've been told that much overlap is unacceptable but her pic shows more overlap than I'm getting. Plus, the ab plate and kidney are lined up now, if the kidney gets shorter, it won't line up. My main concern is if overlap is an issue of requirement or suggestion. My side extensions are on hold until this question is answered. I don't want to waste good ABS fitting to the current kidney if I am required to trim anything. Please respond. I only have Xenoman one more day this week. Update: I decided to dry fit everything. When I got the armor some pieces would not go over my body parts so they had to be cut (biceps, thighs) to shim. Now that I can actually put them on I notice the. clearance between them restricts movement. I have to walk like threepio! This can't be right, I can't bend my knees more than this. As for the butt plate rising, I'm hoping the belt will hold it down. (I watched ANH, and I take back the belt holding comment, strike that from the record.).here, I am holding it down. I'm going to watch the real non CGI-ANH and watch the troopers when Hubz finishes watching Three Amigos. Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) Also...aren't I'm supposed to be able to bend my wrist with the arm on? ? If I push it up past my elbow I can flex the wrist but not the elbow .. Do I need to trim the wrist in this case? The handplates won't fit if the arm is over my wrist!! I am pointing at where my elbow is. I'm beginning to have a bad feeling about this. Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) Next stage http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/next-stage.html More room in the arm by removing foam. Have to replace with thinner foam because of residual crusty glue. Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khazid[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Going to have to rely on the more seasoned vets than I. I think you could still raise the back a little by doing some alterations at the shoulder to pull up the back plate. However; there is large amount of overlap on the kidney, my suggestion will only get you like 1-2 inches at most. Maybe Gazmozis or TK Bondservant will chime in here for you with some suggestions for you. I wish you luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks Khazid. I have so many points to fix, when I get hung up on one, I move to another. Never give up, never surrender. LOL. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Also, justjoseph63 suggested industrial Velcro on the buttplate. My posterior tends to unsnap the center elastic every time I move. I did a test fit with auto racing tape and it is a sound theory, even though the tape peeled back when walking. What I theorize is if I glue two short soft side pieces of Velcro to the kidney side and two short soft side pieces to the buttside, then use two long black hook loop strips vertically to connect the kidney Velcro to the buttvelcro...it might work, and look acceptable. I use e6000 so gluing is forgivable. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm325i[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) If the previous owner was 5" taller, you're looking at quite a bit of cutting and resizing. The biceps and shoulders should be fine. Looks like the forearms need to be shorter. I'd take the extra off the wrist end. Might need to also shorten the shins and thighs. I'd take the extra from the ankle side of the shins, but follow the existing curves of the opening. Take the extra from the thighs off the top, again following the curves. How much you take off will be up to you. As for the back, kidney and rear plates... I'd take some off the lower edge of the back, some off the top edge of the rear and possibly off the lower edge of the kidney. Make sure the top of the kidney still aligns w the top of the front ab plate. There is room to trim the back and the chest at the shoulder, but you'll need to possibly relocate the snaps. Have you considered separating the ab and cod, then taking a bit off the top of the cod? You'll need to reattach the cod w snaps and straps. The seam should be hidden by the belt if this route is taken. Here is a build for a smaller framed guy and how he made it fit. Here is a great build from another lady trooper. *these are only suggestions of what I would personally do to make this fit me if I were in your shoes. There is always more than one way to skin a cat. Edited April 10, 2015 by cm325i 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thank you so much cm325i. The cutting locations are what I needed to know. I have an overabundance of male snaps so relocating is not a problem. I have to be careful removing the old snaps because they used epoxy or something. Back to the workbench I go!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm325i[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Just remember to only take off a little at a time. It's easy to go back and take off a little more. It's harder to add it back in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) My helper has two questions regarding the shoulder trimming. With the front all the way up, the neck opening is cutting into the wearer's neck. Is trimming the neck hole allowed? When the back is brought all the way up, the curvature causes the back to stick out -and- the neck hole is cutting into the back of the wearer. Is heating the back to curve it -and- opening the neck more allowed? Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) Is belt placement an important issue? I'm asking because the three pics all fail avcording to rules I've read. Belt laced on kidney covers ab buttons. Belt placed under ab buttons covers kidney/butt split. Belt placed under ab buttons and belt placed on kidney makes kidney too low. Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm325i[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 belt should just barely cover the bottom of the center rectangular area (where the buttons go). Kinda like the second image, but remember the plastic part is a little wider than the canvass part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm325i[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) yes, you can trim the front neck line if necessary. I'd try to utilize as much of the existing plastic curvature as possible before trying to use heat to reshape anything. Bad things can happen quickly. *you may have brought the back plate up a little too high. Edited April 10, 2015 by cm325i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 To clarify: the second image is proper? I need to prepare the belt snaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 (edited) I trimmed the arms at the wrists about 1/4 inch. Need to prob do a couple millimeters more on the inside of the wrists for comfort. It will not be noticeable. I'm in the process of taking 3/16" off ay a time on the thighs the same way I did the wrists. Mark. Score. Tooth. Pop. Xacto rough spots, then sand. Just like we did the kit cars' interior trim back home. Mark all the way around. I'm using a piece of 1/4" trim and a flat pencil. You can tape three pencils together (one for marking, one for distance, and one for a guide). Tape a line if the pencil line is hard to see, or if you don't have steady hands. Score Tooth Pop Clarify Sand Test fit. Photobucket keeps crashing everytime I ask it for a pic link. It's not my phone this time because its brand new. I deleted the useless app. Please view pics on my blog until they update their junky app. Edited April 10, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Ab plate reduction http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/ab-plate-reduction.html I cut the cod! Come see! It's beginning to fit!!! I want to shout, but I read the forum rules so... (caps understood: Woohoo!!!! It's gonna fit!! It's really gonna fit!!) Edited April 11, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Just remember to only take off a little at a time. It's easy to go back and take off a little more. It's harder to add it back in.I not a "measure twice, cut once" person...I'm a "measure 5, begin to cut, measure again, begin cut, stop recheck, finish cutting" ... OCD can be unbearable sometimes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Since I have to trim the creature, OCD had to check the measurements. They were off, not as off as the posterior plate...but that will be a whole post in itself. Dremel + Cyanoacrylate = Lachrymator http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/dremel-cyanoacrylate-lachrymator.html Edited April 12, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) Shims and Cover Plates http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/shims-and-cover-plates.html Edited April 14, 2015 by CRXPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRXPanda[TK] Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Updated: Bigger biceps...I think my body is working against me. http://tkarmor.blogspot.com/2015/04/bigger-bicepsi-think-my-body-is-working.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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