KMan's Anovos TK Adventure Build

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

I'll try again tomorrow. Not sure how long the firewall keeps addresses cached. 

[kman[TK]]

REGARDING SHIMS:

 

This question regarding the notch and it's placement in, and relation to, the shim, came up earlier in this build thread.

 

I made my shims by extending above the notch, not filling below then recreating the notch, and it looks correct to me. TrooperMaster agreed, Airborne Trooper did not, but at the time, it has not been formally settled yet by anyone with approval authority. That is no longer the case.

 

Here's one of my shims:

 

 

(Note I have not filled the seam yet to make it disappear, and due to this issue, I won't be, for this incarnation)

 

 

Here is the discussion I mentioned, quoted from earlier in the thread, where TrooperMaster explains his reasoning:

 

 

On your kidney where you added the shims, you need to go all the way down and eliminate the kidney notch that comes with the kit. Since you're extending it you have to make new 22 x 22mm notches on the shims. I had to do the same thing with my MTK.

Why would he 'need' to do that? Do you not understand the concept of the notches on the kidney plate?

 

If you need to shim your waist then this is the correct way to do it, although they look better glued in from the inside rather than the outside. The shim should come from above the notch as it is an extension of the kidney and the but plate line up with the notch.

 

 

From my understanding, the notches are 22 x 22mm. If you need to add length to your kidney, using the molded in cut out location, i.e. AP kidney, they would be much longer than 22mm. By going what you're saying and having the notch start where but butt plate meets would mean the notch needs to be longer than 22mm. I see from Pandatroopers thread asking about this, it is in the air until after elections.

I understand the 'rules' on here but they do not really apply to my way of thinking. The notches are different sizes on each side and they only appear on more accurate kits. I feel if someone is too big for the their armour then it looks much better to simply extend the part above the notch. If your armour does not have a notch then simply make a shim that starts 22mm above the lower edge of your kidney plate. It is kind of one of those things that does not really concern me since my kits come with the notches but I do not like to see others stressing out over something that is minor. If your kit does not have the notch then do not worry about it since it probably does not have a lot of other details it should have.

 

Personally, I agree with TrooperMaster's line of thinking, and feel I've done it in an appropriate manner. But there is an official stance on it, now, it would seem, and Ukswrath and the others have ruled my method out for Centurion. It's fine for basic through EIB, apparently.

 

Regarding the 22mm notch, btw this is for Centurion level only, the 22mm notch is to reside closest to the ab and kidney connection.

 

Centurion is the ultimate level, Sly, myself and the staff have beat our heads against the wall regarding the 22mm, it's existence in the CRL, its placement and requirements. This is our current decision.

 

If you are a larger trooper you'll have to shim or technically fill in the existing notch and recreate it in the correct location.

Shims are fairly easy to make, so I'm not sorry I decided to go the simpler route just to get it built. And obviously making a 1" longer shim (roughly) isn't going to be difficult. Filling in that notch is going to be obnoxious, though, so there's that. :/

 

I don't 100% agree with the decision, but I definitely don't feel strongly enough about it to try to start any argument with anyone, so I'll be complying and modifying them when the time comes to shoot for Centurion. It'll be an interesting challenge, at least!

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Not going to say I told you so, but I told you so   Come back to it AFTER you've got your basic approval! I wouldn't even bother filling in the seem if you may potentially replace the whole shim with ones that extend past the pre-notch length. You got this! 

[BDWC[TK]]

Since the notch is already there, has anyone tried to cut behind the notch and put the shim between the resulting pieces? I know its twice the seams to fill but the ends would be perfect

 

 

Sent from my Imperial communicator using Tapatalk

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

You could do that as well, just make sure there some kind of support brace in the back as well as the main shim too. 

[kman[TK]]

Not going to say I told you so, but I told you so   Come back to it AFTER you've got your basic approval! I wouldn't even bother filling in the seem if you may potentially replace the whole shim with ones that extend past the pre-notch length. You got this!

You totally told me so, and it's all good.

 

That's the plan. Basic, and possibly EIB. THEN I'll buckle down and start on the various upgrades needed for Centurion.

[kman[TK]]

While I tap my fingers impatiently to hear back about my 501st application (I assume they're delayed due to WonderCon... not that it wouldn't have been nice to join them for WonderCon...), I decided it's time to do some work on my helmet.

 

First up, the fan system. I've been dragging my heels on this, too, because it's a pain, but finally I had all the pieces together in one place, and it was time.

 

I elected to go with 5V squirrel fans, very similar to the ones Echo uses. My idea, however, was the power the whole thing with inexpensive cell charger battery packs, which supply 5V of power over the standard USB connection.

 

These are the fans I used:

Gdstime 40x40x20mm 40mm 4cm 5v Dc Brushless Cooling Turbo Blower Fan

http://www.amazon.com/Gdstime-40x40x20mm-Brushless-Cooling-Blower/dp/B015NY81HG

 

I paid $7 each, and could have gotten them for less, of course, had I been willing to wait for shipping for weeks, but I was in a hurry.

 

These are the power packs I'm using (in black):

PowerBot® PB3011 3000mAh Universal Power Bank External Back Up Battery Charger w/ 1A USB Output, MicroUSB cable included + Aluminum Finish + Built-In LED Battery Indicator

http://www.amazon.com/PowerBot®-Universal-Indicator-BlackBerry-Smartphone/dp/B00JR3SF44

 

I got two of the black ones (which don't seem to be available as I type this), a couple of weeks go, for $4.50 each. That's 3000 mAh of power for each fan, which should deliver much longer runtimes that AA batter packs with a fraction of the weight, and rechargeable, to boot! I don't know what the actual runtime of the batteries are yet, but they've been running for 3 hours and 50 minutes as I type this, and still going strong, so I don't think battery life is going to be a huge concern for me. (maybe on multi-day troops, but as long as I can recharge the batteries overnight, all should be well)

 

I wrestled with ideas for the power switch for a long time. I've seen a lot of options, including the simple slide switches in Echo's kits, but ultimately I decided to go with toggle switches because they'll be really easy to turn on and off from outside the helmet, even with gloves on, just by sticking a finger up and swiping side to side to flick the switch.

 

I bought these two micro switches from Radio Shack, at $3.50 each, which is obscene since I probably could have bought 10 or more for the price of one, had I been willing to wait 3-4 weeks for them to be delivered. Such is the price of impatience.

 

RadioShack SPST PC MINI Toggle (Catalog #: 2750645)

https://www.radioshack.com/products/spst-pc-smini-tog?variant=5717517573

 

As a proper geek, I had plenty of old USB cables I could hack apart, since I just needed the two power wires to power the fans. I also had some very cheap project boards and pre-made wiring harnesses with modular disconnects left over from my Arduino projects, which fortuitously fit the connectors on the fans, otherwise I could have directly soldered everything together. But the modular disconnects are nice for future troubleshooting. I just soldered everything together onto a small piece of PCB board which I'll mount inside the helmet when it's all done. I'll shorten up all the wiring to clean this all up, as well, once I have a mounting system ready.

 

So total cost was:

 

$14 (two fans)

$9 (two batteries)

$7 (two switches)

$1 (assumed cost of plastic for mounting plate)

---

$31

 

I probably could have done this for considerably less than half, again, had I been willing to be patient and buy stuff that ships slow from China.

 

I did a horrible hack of a soldering job on the PCB board, but it all works!

 

 

Next, onto the interior painting. I really can't do ANYTHING with this helmet until I get it all painted inside (Plasti-Dip spray), after all, including finally installing my ACH pads instead of the horrible suspension system. (The suspension system actually wouldn't have been that bad IF they had properly attached it, AND included the back piece that is normally used to adjust the size, instead of expecting us to use poorly-adhered Velcro for adjustments)

 

First of course I tore everything out. Wheee! And the good news is my helmet doesn't appear to have any of the cracking problems around the rim that had been hidden by the S-trim, unlike a lot of others I've seen. All ship-shape.

 

I used Goo Gone to remove the leftover adhesive from the velcro, and more obnoxiously, from the foam tape they used to keep the frown screen in place. That didn't help with some leftover CA glue around the exterior rim, with black rubber color stuck to it, but I'm hoping that will just get covered up again when I put the trim back on.

 

Then to prep the surface for painting, I degreased the interior (which was covered in Goo Gone oiliness) with some Simple Green. Love that stuff.

 

Finally, I spent the better part of an entire evening sitting in front of the TV, taping up the helmet to an obscene degree, including the bag round the outside.

 

 

This morning, I went outside and started putting coats of spray in. I have 3 coats on this, with 30 minutes of drying time in between, and I think it's good.

 

Coat 1:

 

Coat 2:

 

All dried, after coat 3:

 

After removing the bag and masking tape:

 

No paint bleeds!

 

Now I'm off to the 99 Cent store to find something big and plastic that I can buy for a buck and cut up, to make a mounting plate (similar to Echo's) for the fans.

Edited March 27, 2016 by kman

[allan1313[TK]]

Nice job on the helmet so far. Interested to see how the fan set up comes out. I used the 4×AA set up for each fan. I actually don't mind the weight, but wouldn't mind something lighter. How do those batteries fit? They seem long.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[kman[TK]]

Nice job on the helmet so far. Interested to see how the fan set up comes out. I used the 4×AA set up for each fan. I actually don't mind the weight, but wouldn't mind something lighter. How do those batteries fit? They seem long.

Thanks!

 

They fit fine with an empty helmet in my hand, but they're definitely long. What are the dimensions of your 4x AA battery case? 4x AA is 6 volts, so with fresh batteries, yours probably spins faster, but as voltage drops these probably go longer, with more consistent speed. (LiIon puts out a very stable voltage right up until it dies)

 

I'd like to fit them behind an Echo-style fan mount/backplate, which I'm in the process of hacking together, but we'll see. (I will be buying one of Echo's mounting plates as soon as he resurfaces, but since he's fairly unreachable right now, even for us locals, I'll have to make do until I can buy his.) If they don't end up fitting nicely behind the bracket, hopefully one on each side tube, for balance, I can probably still mount them vertically in the helmet. I have a lot of flexibility at this point, since I have yet to install my helmet padding.

 

Battery life is excellent. They've been running for nearly 7.5 hours nonstop, so far. At this rate I'm going to have to bring them with me to my friend's house for dinner, so I can still keep an eye on them!

Edited March 28, 2016 by kman

[allan1313[TK]]

The battery holders are 2.8"×2.5"×0.8". So they are shorter but much wider. I haven't done a battery test but my last troop was around 3 hours and they are still going when I am testing some things.

[kman[TK]]

The battery holders are 2.8"×2.5"×0.8". So they are shorter but much wider. I haven't done a battery test but my last troop was around 3 hours and they are still going when I am testing some things.

These are about the same thickness: 2cm, or just over 3/4". Almost identical depth, which is one of the most important stats for mounting purposes. So much narrower, though, which opens up options for placement.

 

These are definitely longer, though, since they're 3.5" long and you actually add a little over an inch for the USB connector. (I could get smaller USB connectors, like Apple ones, but I had these on hand.)

 

It's just a question of creative positioning, though. Should fit fine.

[kman[TK]]

Two quick updates:

 

1) The first battery pack gave out at approx 9 hours and 30 minutes. The second gave out approx 10-20 minutes after that. (I did indeed have to bring it to dinner at my friends house and didn't catch exactly when it went stopped!) SCHWEEEET (><)

 

2) I have been accepted into the 501st, with a couple of minor notes to adjust, which were things I already on my to-do list. WOOHOO!!!

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Two quick updates:1) The first battery pack gave out at approx 9 hours and 30 minutes. The second gave out approx 10-20 minutes after that. (I did indeed have to bring it to dinner at my friends house and didn't catch exactly when it went stopped!) SCHWEEEET (><)2) I have been accepted into the 501st, with a couple of minor notes to adjust, which were things I already on my to-do list. WOOHOO!!!

Congratulations Kalani!

 

Nice work on the helmet too. I'm curious to see how you are mounting the fans in the helmet.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Congrats on your 501st membership Kalani and well done on your helmet progress also 

Have you requested 501st access on here now?

If not here is the link http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/16-501st-trooper-status-requests-include-link-to-your-501st-profile-in-your-request/

 

Im in two minds about using plastidip as its not available here in Ireland and to get one can from the UK would cost me 28 euro (31 dollars)(half of that being postage) 

Did you find the plastidip strengthened up the lid a lot?

[kman[TK]]

Thanks, guys! I have a few things I need to adjust, but again, they're all things that were on my list to adjust anyway. Except lowering my belt about 1/4" which is a fair point.

 

Congratulations Kalani!

 

Nice work on the helmet too. I'm curious to see how you are mounting the fans in the helmet.

Well, I know how I'm mounting the fans, I'm just not certain how I'm dealing with the battery packs just yet.

 

I'm mounting the fans by copying Echo's fan mount design as closely as possible, given available materials. I could copy it nearly exactly, but that would require more time, effort, and materials costs than I want to get into, plus I actually want to buy his bracket, as soon as he comes up for air, and support a fellow (local) trooper. I'd feel bad about stealing his design so blatantly, under different circumstances!

 

First I went to the 99 Cent store in search of cheap black plastic. I came back with two likely candidates, and chose the round one.

 

 

I copied Echo's design to a template and attempted to cut it out of the round planting pot (or whatever the heck that is). Unfortunately, the plastic was just as cheap as the price, and it cracked in a few places while cutting. Also it was pretty sharp, and I didn't want to tear up the inside finish of my newly pretty helmet. Fortunately, I hit on the idea of using black Gaffers tape, and and reinforced the whole thing, as well as covered all the edges. Worked great! Ish. Great enough for now, until I can get Echo's, at least.

 

 

That solved, and after my dinner engagement (and once the battery runtime tests finally finished and I could actually work with this stuff again!), I mounted the fans and switches into the new mounting bracket. I also had to Dremel the little circuit boards smooth, and cover the soldered parts on the bottom with hot glue to protect the helmet interior. (While I was at it, I hot glued the frown screen back into place... and replaced the S-trim (no glue), this time, moving the split part to under the chin instead of the back, as advised)

 

 

What remains is working out exactly how it goes in with the batteries. I zip tied them in the rear center as a test placement, but it's just a little too big to fit well, so I'll probably try another mounting position. It's a big awkward right now because I'm recharging the batteries, but I hope to settle on a position tomorrow (working in conjunction with the helmet interior padding, if I can't fit the batteries in the bottom surround tube). And of course once the final position is determined, I'll tidy up those USB power lines.

 

 

Also, tomorrow I'll pick up T-Nuts from Home Depot and tackle splitting, shaping, and mounting the lens. Once the T-Nuts and lenses are in place, I'll place the helmet pads and be done with the helmet interior! (for now)

 

Actually, tomorrow is pub night. So I may not get the full list done. But I'll try! Oh, and T-Nuts will be E6000'd into place, so that'll chew up another 24 hours.

 

I'm heading out on vacation for a bit next weekend, so I'll be taking a hiatus on improvements for a couple of weeks, so in addition to packing, I've got to keep this moving as much as possible!

Edited March 28, 2016 by kman

[kman[TK]]

Congrats on your 501st membership Kalani and well done on your helmet progress also 

Have you requested 501st access on here now?

If not here is the link http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/16-501st-trooper-status-requests-include-link-to-your-501st-profile-in-your-request/

 

Im in two minds about using plastidip as its not available here in Ireland and to get one can from the UK would cost me 28 euro (31 dollars)(half of that being postage) 

Did you find the plastidip strengthened up the lid a lot?

Thx! My GML said it will probably take a day or two for my paperwork to go through and my TK ID to be assigned, but once I'm officially in the system, I'll be right on signing up on the forums and getting access and such.

 

I didn't use PlastiDip as a strengthener, rather as a nice tough (and flexible) black finish that gives smoother coverage. Only the hand-painted variety, in conjunction with cheesecloth, really strengthens the helmet, as I understand it. I'm satisfied with the helmet as-is, though.

Edited March 28, 2016 by kman

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

I was just thinking about fabricating myself a bracket too as we all await Echo's return. Your setup came out awesome! 

[Sentry71[TK]]

Congrats, trooper! <br><br>

Great work on your fan bracket as well.

[welshchris77[TK]]

Thx! My GML said it will probably take a day or two for my paperwork to go through and my TK ID to be assigned, but once I'm officially in the system, I'll be right on signing up on the forums and getting access and such.

 

I didn't use PlastiDip as a strengthener, rather as a nice tough (and flexible) black finish that gives smoother coverage. Only the hand-painted variety, in conjunction with cheesecloth, really strengthens the helmet, as I understand it. I'm satisfied with the helmet as-is, though.

Thats good to hear!,

 

At one point I was thinking of using a automotive fiberglass repair kit to strengthen the inside of my lid but maybe I will just leave as it is for a while a get some mileage on it first,

I am in the process of adding some padding and a chin strap though 

[kman[TK]]

TK91423 reporting for duty!

 

I believe I've updated my status everywhere, including here, the SCG forums, and I have access to the 501st forums now.

 

And now the work continues...

[welshchris77[TK]]

TK91423 reporting for duty!

 

I believe I've updated my status everywhere, including here, the SCG forums, and I have access to the 501st forums now.

 

And now the work continues...

Good man Kalani,

TK91423, has a nice ring to it! 

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Make sure you request to have your status changed here. Add your ID # to your profile too!

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

TK91423 reporting for duty!

 

I believe I've updated my status everywhere, including here, the SCG forums, and I have access to the 501st forums now.

 

And now the work continues...

well done.

[kman[TK]]

Make sure you request to have your status changed here. Add your ID # to your profile too!

Done!

 

(Just have to wait for the admins, to catch up, I believe)

[Sentry71[TK]]

(Just have to wait for the admins, to catch up, I believe)

There's a thread to request updates here at FISD... I'll see I can link it.

 

Edit: You found it. ☺

Edited March 28, 2016 by Sentry71