LoveMonkey[501st] Posted September 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 So here is what the left ear looks like with no screws and touching the black trim at the brow. I'm not sure how to fix this. It seems like the ear has too much curve in it to sit right. The right ear doesn't have this problem at all. Any suggestions? Only thing I've come up with his to use a heat gun to take some of the curve out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 WOW! Ok a couple questions. Are the ears the same size, and is there a right and left? If you were to use a fabric tape and measure the distance on the right side helmet ear indents (upper ear mounting holes) to the lower ear mounting hole would they be the same between right and left sides of the helmet? Is the helmet symmetrical? The lower section of the helmet, where it curves in relation to the ears, are the right and left sides equal in size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted September 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 (edited) So, I made progress since my last update in three areas: strapping system, bucket, and weathering. The strapping system is pretty straight forward. I made new snap plates and installed them now that I purchased the correct size snaps. They are gluing and since I already post pictures of that, no need to repeat. Second, the bucket. After trying to mount the left ear starting at the bottom and it not working at all, I decided to start with the top two screws. I was able to make the top two screws fit for the most part and it seemed pretty flush. I then pushed the bottom down and held it in place while my wife screwed in the base screw at the bottom. Here is what it looks like from a side profile: What I’m concerned about is that after pushing the ear flush and holding it for my wife to place the final screw, the top screws are now at an angle, which you can see in the pictures below. They stick out from the ear enough that I notice it when compared with the right ear. They are also at an angle inside the bucket. The general public might not notice but I do and it bothers me. The only thought I’ve had so far to remedy this would be to remove one of the top screws, drill the hole a little bit bigger, replace the screw, and then repeat with the other top screw. By making the holes a little bigger might help them sit flush. And when I say bigger, I might just go back in with a ⅛” drill bit and go through all the holes at the same time, thus helping them all line up correctly. However, before I do anything and before I attached the nuts on the inside of the bucket I thought I would ask for your advice. Also, I worked some more on the weathering. I used mineral spirits to strip some of the burnt umber away and then added some lighter brown, yellow, tan, and gray. I know that you can still see some of the brush strokes in these pictures. I did not have as much time as I wanted to work on weathering today after trying the fix the bucket but I wanted to play around with the new colors I had purchased and see what effect I could get. This is the result. Was mostly just trying to get the basic color scheme to be more accurate to what I need it to be. Anyways, there you have it. More progress. Since I did not meet my Comic Con deadline, my new deadline is the end of the month, 09/30/2015. To Be Completed: 1. Finish Helmet Assembly ---Faceplate Assembly ---Inner Padding ---Seals, Green Lenses, etc. 2. Thighs ---Attach ammo boxes 3. Minor trimming on chest and back attachment 4. Canvas belt and ammo belt attachment 5. Internal Strapping System 6. Weathering Edited September 20, 2015 by LoveMonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted September 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 Tony, what do you think about that left ear? Any suggestions to make the screws sit flush? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted September 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 Salt Lake Comic Con was this weekend. Part of the 501st booth was an armor station where people could watch armor being built and then ask questions. My armor was featured at this station. I would love to say I'm ready for approval but as per the norm, I encountered several more setbacks in the strapping system and weathering. Needless to say I'm hoping to be ready in time for Halloween so I don't let my kids down. I was able to finally attached the left ear. I removed on screw at a time and redrilled a new hole, which was fairly close to the original factory setting. It seems to sit pretty flush, which you can see below. Here is the big question I have. When I went to attached the bottom seal, I noticed that the ears are off at an angle. When I put the bucket on, it goes on snug. It was suggested that I left the side of the bucket so it sits flush with the ear and gives me more room to put on. I'm not sure if I should trim just on the sides with the ear or if I should go all the way around. I also don't know how much I should trim. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I trimmed just like you have penciled out on both sides of my bucket. When I put the S trim on, I don't tuck the bottom of the ear in the s trim because it makes a gap in the slot of the s trim. I wear a 7 1/4 fitted baseball hat so I don't know if my head is considered big or not lol but it was tough putting my bucket on before making these cuts. I still have to "screw" it on but that's just the nature of the beast anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Hey Kirk, sorry for the late response brother. Looks like you figured it out. Great job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 So while at Comic Con I worked with fellow garrison members on my internal strapping system and weathering. Neither is completely done but progress was made. After Comic Con, I went back with a damp rag and worked off a lot of the paint we put on, attempting to recreate that classic Sandtrooper look. I think it looks great. My GML is going to have me work with another member to get the final touches done. Here’s to being done in the next few weeks for Halloween! Does anyone have any suggestions to keep the paint from rubbing off? I noticed that there were streaks in the paint where the armor rubbed against each other while being transported in my bin and I don't want it to come off after a few months after all of this hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 You can try to spray it with a clear enamel but in all reality you're a sand trooper, your dirt (weathering) will come and go. As my Sandy wears I just add more acrylic paint as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Once you get SWAT approved, clear coat that sucker! lol Did you get any done this weekend? I'm almost done with my AM2.0 legs. Just gotta find the best way to taper fit the back of the thighs. I already took off 45mm from the inner thigh pieces like Tony's build he did a few months back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 Once you get SWAT approved, clear coat that sucker! lol Did you get any done this weekend? I'm almost done with my AM2.0 legs. Just gotta find the best way to taper fit the back of the thighs. I already took off 45mm from the inner thigh pieces like Tony's build he did a few months back. I'm working a weekend shift right now, so I never get to work on it over the weekend. I think I have about 2 weeks left. I need to finish the weathering with a garrison member (my GML wants him to help me with the small details), finish the strapping system, and the belt. I also had to order new green lenses from Trooperbay because I cut mine wrong. It's so close to being done I can hardly stand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Havoc[TK] Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 <br> Great job so far Kirk. Well done on the weathering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 AM armor is so awesome, I wish I would have got their whole kit to start with. How did you go about sizing the rear of your thighs? I'm trying to avoid the church bell knee. I think I need to keep the bottom aligned size it has that built in ridge around the knee and then pull it in an angle towards the top. Then mark it and find the center point. Does this sound right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 AM armor is so awesome, I wish I would have got their whole kit to start with. How did you go about sizing the rear of your thighs? I'm trying to avoid the church bell knee. I think I need to keep the bottom aligned size it has that built in ridge around the knee and then pull it in an angle towards the top. Then mark it and find the center point. Does this sound right? What I did is I cut the front for the proper cover strip size and installed the inner strip. I then held the back pieces together until I got a good fit and had my wife tape and mark them with a pencil. When I was happy with the fit after walking around I lined up the marks with the metal ruler and made the cut. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 That's the plan for tonight. Going to redo my shoulder straps tonight so I can complete the strapping to the ab and chest plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanTX Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Nice weathering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Ok, the final push begins to be done in time to trick-or-treat in this Halloween night with my kids. I am going to a fellow garrison members house on Thursday to hopefully finish the weathering and add to fine details to it. One thing that I still have left to do is attach the thigh ammo boxes. I've noticed on mine that the end is a square, there is no rounded off part like I have seen on many build threads here. How much should I cut off one end to round it to the correct form? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Look at ukswrath's ATA bucket build thread. He has the measurements. Then you use the PVC pipe for the thermal detonator to trace out a rounded edge then cut it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Look at ukswrath's ATA bucket build thread. He has the measurements. Then you use the PVC pipe for the thermal detonator to trace out a rounded edge then cut it out. Thanks, I knew I had seen this somewhere a long way back. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 So I've been struggling over the past month to get the final fitting done on the chest/ab/back/kidney/butt pieces and the internal strapping system. I've tried twice to make the internal straps but I think I messed up both times as it didn't fit quite right last night when I tested my last batch of straps. It's hard to do this by myself and hold up all of the pieces for fitting. My wife has tried to help but she doesn't really know what she is looking at. Any advice or tips to getting this part done myself? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 What section are you struggling with exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) I'm struggling with all of it. I have a hard time holding the pieces against me to fit and then when I've taped them together, I can't figure out how to measure between the snap plates for the strap lengths. That and I can't tell if the pieces fit right when they are on me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited October 17, 2015 by LoveMonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Alright well let's take one section at a time. Pick one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveMonkey[501st] Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 We can start with the back plate. So when I held it up last night, my wife was saying that the back piece wasn't butting up with the kidney plate and that there was a large gap where the under armor was showing. She also said that there was a large gap between my back and the center of the back plate. Any thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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