Nacho[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Well. I have been gathering building materials all week and am finally starting the build. My goal is Centurion Standards, so I will definitely be absorbing all the knowledge I can from everyone on here. FISD has been an invaluable asset for my build thus far. BOOM...big brown box. Everything looks in order. GREAT kit here. ALRIGHT...lets get to it. I started with the Right Bicep. using the 5/8 measurement for the strip, cutting the line 5/16 below the crease. At first I was a bit concerned that i didn't leave a return edge on it. Sanded the rough edges down and decided to leave a bit of a return edge on the outer bicep part. So I shimmed it in order to make it flow. In the pic below, you can see the outer part is where it went from no return angle on the inner bicep, and gradually made a return angle. In the end, when fitting onto my bicep....let's just say I'm glad I didn't leave a return angle and i have sanded down the outer bicep return edges down quite abit...almost non existent. Will be updating as I go along from each set of parts. I have most soft parts already. Only thing missing are the Boots (which I'm in contact with Francios at Imperial boots), black compression undersuit, neck seal, holster, and belt....alight...quite a lot actually haha. Please..any feedback and tips will be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sly11[Admin] Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 No need for concern with regards to your return edge, the screen used suits didn't have them, so you will be good either way. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 No need for concern with regards to your return edge, the screen used suits didn't have them, so you will be good either way. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk From the countless hours of FISD research I conducted, I figured so. Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmosis[501st] Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 That return edge point is for the biceps alone!!! Don;t apply that to your other parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 That return edge point is for the biceps alone!!! Don;t apply that to your other parts I thought the same went for the lower forearm at the wrist. I have an edge there with a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnjelRedemption[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 If you are going for Centurion, there needs to be NO return edge on the forearms at the wrist. Forearms For 501st approval: Forearms are fully closed. For level two certification (if applicable): For level three certification (if applicable):No return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed. Forearms must be constructed using the butt joint and cover strip method. Overlap construction is not allowed. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 If you are going for Centurion, there needs to be NO return edge on the forearms at the wrist. ForearmsFor 501st approval: Forearms are fully closed. For level two certification (if applicable): For level three certification (if applicable): No return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed.Forearms must be constructed using the butt joint and cover strip method. Overlap construction is not allowed. Hope this helps! I went back and looked at the applications. Remembered it was an actual criteria. They are gone now . Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Alright. Build day 2. Arms are done cutting. Now only gluing left....which made me realize that i should have bought more clamps and magnet. Pieces waiting for glue. Cutting forearm pieces. Measure 18 times, cut once. And here are the Shoulder Bells....a bit hard to tell where the mold needed to be cut. Before final sanding. Should I bring the sides back to the crease about 1 cm in? Here are the bottoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Alright. Finished trimming and sanding the arm pieces. Had to take apart the left bicep since it was tight (I kinda trimmed a bit too much for the butt joint. NO Problem since I was able to space them out enough and re glue them. E6000 is pretty forgiving. The right bicep fit great, first time go on that one. Glueing the forearms. Trimmed the rest of the return edge on the wrists and better defined the return edge on shoulder bells. Then I moved into the body pieces. I kept the return edges on the front plate. Rear plate I still need to get the hobby iron to make the return edges around the arms. Ab plate. QUESTION: Do Trim the bottom part ( near legs/crotch) in towards the defined line or is that a return edge? ( I think i might have answered my own questions by looking at a couple Centurion submissions, but just want to make sure) Same question for the butt plate, i know the top that connects to the kidney plate has a return angle, but what about the bottom parts. And heres the kidney plate. I need to roll the return edge on the ends obviously. As well as cut the notch on the sides that are required. How am I doing so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) Build still going strong, slows down through the week with the bulk getting done on weekend. Thermal Detonator construction Right on the money. 7.5 inches Started installing snaps Some light sanding required still to get rid of flash Edited June 21, 2015 by Nacho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) Holster and Neckseal from Darman. Arrived. This is some quality work, shout out to him and his wife. Worked on the helmet. Followed a couple guides on here. VERY helpful The dreaded ears.... only thing left is Paint, lens, and interior (I ended up fixing the minor gap between the cheek and ear. Little bit of heat and TLC, got it closed up.) Didn't realize this cap rivet would be such a pain to put on, but i got it Some minor sanding on the edge of the thigh belt and painting the rivet. Edited June 26, 2015 by Nacho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Left side armor closure. the cross brace was made in order to keep the ends butt jointed, minimal gap. With the canvas belt, it will hold perfectly. The outward facing side of the plastic was painted flat black. Creating the lenses, traced the basic shape onto an index card. After measuring about a centimeter bigger than my traced opening, I used Sugru to attach them. This stuff is great, VERY forgiving if you mess up. Leaves a greasy residue on the hands but if you mold it into elongated shapes on the sides and bottom of the opening, bend them back a bit to make a sort of wave type shape facing away from the lens, you'll be able to press the lens onto it without it mushing into the opening and being visible from the outside.....trust me...it took me two attempts and various curse words to figure this out. Thankfully you can take a microfiber cloth and wipe it right off the lenses. Set time is 24 hours. Gap on top and partially on bottom for ventilation. Handpainted everything on the helmet. Tube stripe masking was a failure. The ones on the right side came out a bit better then the left ones. I had a bit of run off since the tape failed me. I used light coats (pretty much transparent) with about an hour between them. Had some come off and it was actually worse than the pic at first. This was after I freehanded them to clean them up and connect the tops and bottoms. SOOOOOO....I decided to take them off. After much research on something safe to use on ABS to dissolve or take off paint. I ended up using Goo Gone and a Chopstick....yep.....using it to scrape off the paint. left NO scratches. When finished, hit it with a bit of goo gone to get rid of a bit of the blue tint and buff and wax with whatever you use. Novus or whatever. I reached out to a local decal maker I used in the past that has done some great work. So I am having him create the tube stripes to the correct hand drawn specifications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 My decal guy did an outstanding job with the tube stripe decals. Gave him the CMYK code for French blue and here's the final result. Went with the "hand painted" look on them. Subtile Here is the inside. Top is padding from an old motorcycle helmet with some ACH/MICH pads to help fitment on the forehead, back of head, and cheeks Garter belt system for thigh armor pieces. Riveted snaps to a tactical duty belt. Elastic snaps to thigh pieces. Plastic hand guards for normal trooping with black nomex gloves. Ordered a pair of Latex guards with rubber gloves from Karin for certification and the fancy trooping. Canvas belt from TKittell and Holster from Darman. OUTSTANDING work by both of these individuals on the craftmanship of their products. Drop boxes have back to them both attached and closed magnetically. incase i want to put things in their, you never know. Obviously something that wont be affect by a rare earth magnet. Waiting on 2" Elastic so I can attach the chest and back plates, then attach shoulder pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 6, 2015 Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 It never occurred to me to use a tactical belt. That looks really good. I may need to check my Army surplus store. All I have left from my Army days is a tan rigger's belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 It never occurred to me to use a tactical belt. That looks really good. I may need to check my Army surplus store. All I have left from my Army days is a tan rigger's belt.Yea. I have tan ones for my uniform. Haven't had a black one since the BDU days. This belt was no more than 8 bucks. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 http://s247.photobucket.com/user/engulf_me_in_flames/library/501st%20Submission%20Photos And here are my 501st Application Submission photos!!!! Thank you to everyone for all the help and feedback during my build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Can't see them, it's set to private Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Can't see them, it's set to privateThat's embarassing. I sent the same link to my gml haha. Fixed. Thanks for the heads up. ABN. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 You might want to taper the return edge towards the end of the bottom of the kidney plate and the top of the butt portion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 You might want to taper the return edge towards the end of the bottom of the kidney plate and the top of the butt portion.Yea, I had a problem hunting down a hobby iron to do it. Didnt want to use the heat gun, thinking it would have been overkill. Appreciate it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Should be fine for basic approval. I ordered mine off amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Should be fine for basic approval. I ordered mine off amazon.Awesome. Once my latex handguards and rubber gloves come in from Karin and I get a blaster, I'm going for expert infantry, then ultimately centurian. A couple things to tighten up here and there Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacho[TK] Posted July 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2015 I have been APPROVED!!! TK 46700, Midsouth Garrison! Onward to EIB Certification 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 16, 2015 Report Share Posted July 16, 2015 Congratulations!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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