Penguitrooper Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Alrighty so I'm working on my build and I'm doing my research. I've come across many things but I'm still unsure as to where to get certain things locally. Specifically on the west coast of the US. I've built my bucket and I'm gonna fix it up as I go. I'm either 1. Getting new ears or 2. Patching the holes made by my "gauges". Either way they will be restored. I'm currently fine trimming the thighs and shins. I'm gonna go with a Velcro attachment for the shins. Does anyone know what size shims I should cut out beforehand? I've seen numbers floating around for shins and thighs but no definite answer. I'll post pictures in this thread. Lend me your wisdom oh wise ones! ! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I think your ear gap looks fine, just clean it up with some light sanding. You'll want to get the correct size screws as that one is way too large. Trooperbay.com has all the bucket parts and is located in southern CA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I have the ear screws just need a new ear. I have a guy here in AZ who vacuforms the abs so he said he'd fix me up a new pair of ears. This time I'll do them right and not rush through em. I now know the importance of "take your time you'll get it done." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Here's my supply list so far as from doing research on the forums. -Tin snips(straight and curved) -Ruler -Tandy Line 24 snaps 5/16th post(30 ct) -Snap setting anvil -Hammer -Dremel w/assort. heads -Drill w/assort. Bits -2" wide industrial Velcro (gonna split it to double) -Shop blade -finishing strips Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 I've seen these floating around the forums for shim measurements (forearms: 15mm x4 biceps: 15mm x4 Shins: 20 mm (front) 25 mm (rear) Thighs: 20 mm (front) 25 mm (rear)) would these be suitable for a guy who's about 5'5" and around 150lbs? I may go a little wider on the shins though. I wear leg braces for walking and I'm gonna need them to troop! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68Brick[TK] Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 The cover strips (not shims ) should be the spec'd dimension when viewing the armor from the front. The cover strips on the back of the shins and thighs can be thicker to accommodate different sized people. The biceps and forearms should be kept to the spec'd dimensions if possible. So for your shins, for example, make your front cover strip, check your alignment on the front of the shins to make sure they fit and have a consistant reveal against the pre-formed ridge, and then measure how wide of a shim you would need on the back in order to close the shin (with overlap on both halfs of the back of the shin). I think this sentence makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Now with that said, do I cut the edge of each side according to the cover strip width? (Ex. 20mm cover strip and 10mm edge on each side) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkTrooper[TK] Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Now with that said, do I cut the edge of each side according to the cover strip width? (Ex. 20mm cover strip and 10mm edge on each side) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That's how I've done my builds. Makes sense rt? The cover strip is going to cover two meeting sides; divide the width (20mm) by 2 and it equals the portion of one of the sides that will be covered = 10mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Awesome. I just needed some clarification before I started cutting away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted March 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Bucket is painted partially and just waiting on lenses and mic tips. Everything is trimmed so far and just needed to be glued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Anyone have an idea on lens curvature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucnak[TK] Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Anyone have an idea on lens curvature? My lens came as a rectangle. I bent it and it's screwed in using the screws that hold the mask and the cap/back together at the ears. Lots of different techniques to put lenses in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haso[TK] Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 I got mine as a strip from trooper bay. After trying the ear mounting method, I cut it into your individual lenses, put an iron over them (put a towel between lenses and iron) till I could bend them, then mounted using clips. For the clips I referred to TK1636's YouTube tutorial episode 'helmet lenses' Sent from my HUAWEI G510-0251 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 I'm gonna go the TK-1636 method. It was either that or some tape but I'm not taking that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haso[TK] Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 If you go the TK 1636 clip method and you've painted the inside of your bucket, just strip the paint off from those spots you'll glue to clips too. I just used super glue when I'd done a dry fit and knew where I wanted to put them. Sent from my HUAWEI G510-0251 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Thankfully I haven't painted the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 I'm currently test fitting everything. This is the chest with back and shoulder bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Think I can close that gap by trimming the chest down a little more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted April 12, 2016 Report Share Posted April 12, 2016 Don't put the ABS shoulder bridges on until last. Size using white elastic that you'll be using to actually join the two pieces. That back piece can come up a lot more and it'll get rid of the gap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2016 Oh okay! That's kinda what I figured. I got my painters tape finally so I'm gonna dry fit everything. Pics to come later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 I feel I may need to trim the tops of the thighs down slightly. Everything fits nicely. My shins were loose, really loose. They turned around on me. Any fix to that or should I apply padding inside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucnak[TK] Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 I wouldn't trim off the top of the thighs too much. Ideally you want to have minimum black showing. Go little by little when you do trim them. I'd suggest doing this near the end when you have everything else pretty much wearable. You'll get a better idea of how much you really need to trim off. For your shins...my shins were kind of tight, but yes, foam padding is a good way to go to keep things straight, assuming you cut them for the regular width cover strips (memory is telling me 25mm for those). I'm noticing that your chest plate looks much wider than your ab...are you bending the sides of your ab in? Hard to tell in your photos. If you put everything on like this again, try taking a photo of your sides with your arms raised. Might help us to figure out if anything might be weird here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I have my front thighs at 25 and the backs at 20mm. I'll be putting foam in there to help keep it stable. The sides aren't bent the chest and back are just hanging by tape. My ab is pretty tight around should I loosen that up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguitrooper Posted April 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 That last post was incorrect. 20mm in front and 25mm in back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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