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Stuff to do while you're waiting for your TFA TK kit


kme1682

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It looks like we're going to have a new round of TFA TK's. Huzzah! Since this information would likely pertain to any build, I'm putting the information here on FISD. Please feel welcome to add to the "stuff to do" list. I'm a FISD forum neophyte, so if this thread needs to be moved, please feel welcome to do so.

 

Stuff to do while waiting for your TFA TK kit (from whomeever)

 

- Visit the FISD TFA site as more info continues to be added. (Congrats, you're here already!)

 

- Prep your work area for a lot of trimming and sanding. Have a container for the ABS scraps to make ABS slurry, use as shims, or to make fun slurry figurine souvenirs.

 

- Purchase quality trimming gear to save your hands. (Lexan scissors are excellent!) Purchase heavy duty extra large band-aids to wrap around your fingers/hands to prevent blisters. Worked very well for me.

 

- Purchase your strapping/Velcro/Chicago screws, or chat with people who have ample supply and are willing to share. Purchase your sanding and painting supplies (we've compiled a list that should be coming out shortly.) Purchase mask for fine particulate sanding, be kind to your lungs! :)  You may wish to see if anyone near you already purchased paint and has extra from their build. Additionally, you may want to wait on purchasing black paint until your kit has arrived, and you determine whether it's needed.

 

- Make friends with an expert clone armour/kit builder. The techniques used in clone armour will serve you very well in this kit, and likely in any fan made sculpt as well.

 

- Learn about various methods of bonding such as ABS slurry, bondo, plastic weld, CA glue and other methods/ agents of adhesion*. Try out a few test methods so the technique quite operational by the time your suit arrives!

(Notes: Of course, I recommend learning in the safest way possible. Notice personal protective gear needed whether it's nitrile gloves, respirator, ventilation, etc. Many of the Alpha 75 TFA kit builders were pressed by time due to Celebration, thus some of the seamless methods used need to be placed in context of the turnaround time to have adhering agents and paint cured in time to pack the kit for travel. Your build may allow for using agents with longer curing times. We've compiled a list of the various agents recommended during the initial build. There is no doubt that some builders have favourites, but in your build it would be most prudent to evaluate the benefits and burden of each agent such as ABS slurry, auto bondo, plastic weld, etc. to determine which would be best for the fit of your kit and your style/activity of trooping.)

 

- Gather a build team to help you trim, keep you focused and enjoy the TFA TK  journey. Make an armour build party music "mix tape," or listen to the dulcet sounds of dremmels and belt sanders to get you ready for action! ;)

 

- Begin a meditational practice to help you find that "zen place" after hours of trimming, sanding, painting... or maybe that will be the meditational practice! :)

 

Other preparation ideas?

 

*Although there are better ways to say "agents of adhesion" it sounded funny to me, like some nefarious ensemble... Beware the Agents of Adhesion and the Post-it Prowler! 

 

EDIT : Your Ideas Added Here

- Don't Panic. There's time for a quality build before the movie.

 

- Many of us used chicago screws that are 1/4", however I found it would have been helpful to have a slightly longer post. Most of my velcro was 2", but I also trimmed a lot depending on its purpose. I think it's cheaper to buy the long roll of velcro than the little strips. My strapping was 1" and my elastic was 1", 2" and 3" wide, depending on the use.

 

- In theory, items like velcro/strapping/elastic could wait until you have your kit trimmed and your gaskets tailored to fit. Some of us used painters tape to get a better idea of sizing before adding in velcro/strapping, etc. In that preparation method, you'd have some gauge of the supplies (cost) needed. Like most armour, modification after use is likely needed to get the fit "just right."

 

- Dedicated scissors to cutting industrial velcro. Scissors can get quite "gummy" after lots of cutting industrial sticky velcro. Of course, a proper cleaning solvent could work wonders as well!

 

- Obtain/borrow belt sander. For straight and curved pieces. Invaluable tool when used well. Use the time before your kit arrives to get used to the belt sander.

 

- Consider balaclava acquisition prior to troop. Neck and head (even with neck seal) can be seen when viewing at particular angles. Balaclava also provides ease in sliding helmet on/off. Suggest lightweight balaclava for indoor and moderate temperature events. 

Edited by kme1682
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You mentioned the kit would be from "whomever" then you mentioned the bondo stuff.  Do you anticipate that fan-made armor would require bondo?  Not just a trim/paint/glue?  I know it's all speculation..

 

I would also add to go ahead and acquire ANY parts you can.  I'm ordering my shoes soon, followed by helmet and maybe gloves.  This is all in hopes that fan-made armor comes out.  

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You mentioned the kit would be from "whomever" then you mentioned the bondo stuff.  Do you anticipate that fan-made armor would require bondo?  Not just a trim/paint/glue?  I know it's all speculation..

 

I would also add to go ahead and acquire ANY parts you can.  I'm ordering my shoes soon, followed by helmet and maybe gloves.  This is all in hopes that fan-made armor comes out.  

 

Hi Joe,

 

If we're speculating, then yes I could easily speculate that some portions of the armour could require seamless look. For example, there are two parallel details boxes on one of the shins. As I understand from some of the more experienced builders, while some may attempt a vacuform of those boxes as part of the shin-sculpt, there may not be the angular definition required. So another route would be to adhere the boxes on after the vacuform of that part of the leg. I don't subscribe to the mindset of "this is THE way" to build; there are limitations to every method that may require the employment of another in order to make the costume appear to as is if it came off the screen. :)

-Krista

Edited by kme1682
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Hi, Krista! I don't know if you remember me, but I talked to you on Thursday during Celebration while you were wearing the TFA armor in front of the ANOVOS booth. I was wearing a blue Ohio Garrison racing shirt. You were very helpful then and now with this post. Thank you!

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Hi, Krista! I don't know if you remember me, but I talked to you on Thursday during Celebration while you were wearing the TFA armor in front of the ANOVOS booth. I was wearing a blue Ohio Garrison racing shirt. You were very helpful then and now with this post. Thank you!

 

Hi Melissa! You were so kind and respectful, I was delighted to be helpful! - Krista :atat:

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Krista - that makes sense, however, I'm hoping that's not the case.  Thanks for the input. 

 

Glad to help. I learned a ton in this build, but it was immediately helpful to have my husband Sean on my build team. He's done a lot of clones, and he knew which techniques we could employ reasonably given the time frame. He also had the science down to an art. For example, I agree a dremmel is incredibly useful. In my hands a dremmel trim would look like a drunken manic did it, since i had not used a dremmel enough. However for him, he made beautiful clean edges on tough to dremmel areas. I used the Lexan scissors A LOT. I had eons of experience with scissors. So we tagged teamed using the tools that we both had expertise.  If I had the kit now, and didn't have a 16 day deadline, I would take more time to do as much work myself as possible, so I'd learn even more.

 

Moral of the story: even if your kit (whatever it is) isn't simply trim/glue/paint, it's not catastrophic. There's resources around, and isn't FISD troopers helping troopers? Best wishes to you and all those considering the TFA TK. - Krista  :atat:

Edited by kme1682
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- Purchase your strapping/Velcro/Chicago screws, or chat with people who have ample supply and are willing to share. Purchase your sanding and painting supplies (we've compiled a list that should be coming out shortly.) Purchase mask for fine particulate sanding, be kind to your lungs!  :)  You may wish to see if anyone near you already purchased paint and has extra from their build. Additionally, you may want to wait on purchasing black paint until your kit has arrived, and you determine whether it's needed.

 

Which size Chicago screws do you recommend? 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2"?

 

 

How wide should the velcro be? 1", 2"?

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Don't panic

EXACTLY. You next round of troopers have till december if you want to complete your suit for TFA. Versus the first set who completed theirs (myself included) who did it in two weeks.

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On 5/6/2015 at 10:55 AM, allan1313 said:

What kind of information do you have?

nothing that isn't public.

---------------

Edited by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021
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Does that mean the CRL will be complete by then?

 

My plan is to have the CRL done before the next wave ships :) 

 

Ok, so here's a question.

 

Belt sander, is it a... "nice to have" or "must have"?

 

That's a matter of taste. I found a benchtop belt sander that also has a disc attached to it really handy for the TFA kit. A lot of people are better at trimming than I am though. Some prefer a dremel but have little to no dremel skills. A plain ole file helps too. I also used sand sponges here and there. 

 

-Eric

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Ok, so here's a question.

 

Belt sander, is it a... "nice to have" or "must have"?

I've always liked using it. made it easy on the big pieces & then on the small pieces for the belt, it helps you get it all done at once.

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I've been using my Delta combo 4" belt and 6" disc sander for over 10 years. A belt sander is great for getting armor halves to match up nice and straight, especially for butt joints.

 

You could probably find a nice belt sander in a pawn shop for a very reasonable price. Just be sure to test it out before purchasing it.

 

Charlie

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I found a belt sander to be an invaluable tool, so much so that when the owner of the belt sander we were using needed his back for work purposes, we immediately ordered another one. :D

 

The TFA kit requires a MASSIVE amount of trimming and sanding. Something like 68 pieces of plastic of varying shapes and sizes. Get yourself a belt sander, one that is also equipped such that you can sand curves as well. You won't regret it.

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How many chicago screws required for the TFA suit and strap system?

Quantity for suit? 1/4 best?

Quantity for strap? I read that slightly longer than 1/4 or 6mm is best, say 8mm?

 

Thx!

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How many chicago screws required for the TFA suit and strap system?

Quantity for suit? 1/4 best?

Quantity for strap? I read that slightly longer than 1/4 or 6mm is best, say 8mm?

 

Thx!

Hi Anthony,

I miss your beautiful california palm trees! The number of 1/4" screws will depend on your build method. The suit doesn't actually show the chicago screws. (Although a portion of the belt closure might sneak out of the fabric pouch, as some of ours did at Celebration.) So as far as I can determine, they're not required. However, if you follow the blazed trail, then I would think you'll need at least 20. Most are sold in bulk packets, so see if anyone in your area already has some for you to purchase, or go in a group buy. Personally I would have liked a longer post to the chicago screw to make them more dependable on the belt. We had a box drop off twice before Celebration. We fixed it, but I can't remember what we did... too many sleepness nights!

 

Your strapping really will depend on your build method. I used a very different method than my colleagues for the shoulder gaskets using elastic and velcro. It worked very well for me. I also used strapping garters for my knee gaskets. Unless you have a very tight turn-around time, I would recommend taking a look at the kit and determine which strapping will work best for your frame. Then you can order the type and quanities you need without paying extra for something you don't.

Happy Building! -krista :atat:

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