KSUNole's AM2.0 Build Thread

[Ksunole[TK]]

Hi All,

 

I've had my brown box for about a month and a half now. Between finishing my basement, work, and grad school it hasn't left a lot of time for building the armor. I've got to buckle down as my main motivation (outside of owning actual armor) is my nephew's birthday. He will be turning 6 on May 4th and is a huge Star Wars fan. He has had and will have a SW themed birthday ("May the 4th be with you") and he doesn't know that I bought this or that I plan to show up to his birthday in it. I can't wait to troop for charities as well.

 

Needless to say, I've got quite the task with just over a month to get it done. This is my first ever build. I'm following NavajoBro's build as my reference guide.

 

General info: I live in North Georgia. I'm taller than most troopers at 6'6, 225lbs with long arms and legs.

 

Older pictures: BBB Day!

 

Edited March 20, 2016 by Ksunole

[Ksunole[TK]]

Helmet:

 

I've built most of the helmet (minus fans and voice); however, after reading more, I may have messed up.

 

The hero build requires bubble lens (which I have), but only 6 teeth cut out. I cut out a total of 8. Can I pass basic approval as is or should I fill the 2 extra teeth in?

 

 

[Ksunole[TK]]

I made my first cuts on the forearm today, which caused much anxiety. No glue yet as I wanted to ask for advice.

 

Right forearm:

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm tall and have long arms. With my wrists being smaller, but having bigger hands it makes for the armor being fairly loose around the wrists as you can see from the pictures. I know it will be connected to the bicep, but do you think I can put padding on the inside to keep it from moving around? I can't get the wrist smaller and still be able to get my hand through it.

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Fairly common to add foam in many places, especially the forearms. You'll want to go back and make the proper adjustments on  your bucket if you plan to go Hero. Or swap the lenses out and just go with Stunt. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Thanks for the reply. From the requirements site it says stunt lenses should be flat, not bubbled. So I either have to change lenses for stunt or fix the teeth for hero?

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Correct, among a few other things specific for Hero. Unless you really want to go Hero, I would swap lenses for Stunt. 

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Kennesaw State University? I grew up around that area 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Yep. Undergrad there and doing my MBA part time at GSU while working. I live in Woodstock.

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Sorry, to detail your thread a bit. I know the area well. I grew up in Powder Springs and plenty of my friends graduated from KSU in 2008. I went the opposite route and joined the military a year after graduating hs in 2004 though. I worked at Town Center Mall before I joined the military. Small world! Now I live in Albany, NY where my wife's family is from. If the stars lined up, I would move back south in a heart beat. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

It is a small world. I graduated in fall of '08 also. No problem about the details, it's probably helping keep my thread at the top and I need all the help I can get.

 

Thank you for your service.

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

I went to McEachern High School. Well at least you got AM armor and not a smaller armor type so you got that working for you. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Before I glue the forearms, do the cuts look okay as far as the top and bottom go? Is it more of a personal preference so long as they line up?

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Yeah looks good. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Yeah looks good. 

Thanks, I'll start gluing.

 

Any idea what these pieces are? My guess is that they are just extra material to use for cover strips and whatnot? There are about 10-12 of them.

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Yep, used for cover strips, inner strips, shims if you need them. 10-12?! That's very generous! 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Yep, used for cover strips, inner strips, shims if you need them. 10-12?! That's very generous! 

I thought so as well. I went and bought some "for sale" signs that I've seen people use in preparation for the build. Guess I can return those.

[Ksunole[TK]]

Sometimes, I really hate being so tall. I know the AM armor isn't as long as the RT, but the shins seem really short on me. Two things:

 

1. Does the placement seem okay my leg? If so, there will still be quite a bit of black showing even with the sniper plate. I'm going to have to buy RT shins or figure out some sort of fix  . If the is black showing, does it make a difference?
2. I can't figure out how it is to go over the top of the boot without flaring the ankle out more. These are imperial boots and if I raise the shin piece up more, the top of the boot comes out from under the shin armor. As you can see, the top of the boot is bubbled out (almost slipping out in the picture). I've read people use white velcro on the boot and inside of the armor and while that is possible, it would require the armor to be wider at the boot, but would that be as contoured?

 

Edited April 9, 2016 by Ksunole

[Ksunole[TK]]

Glancing through other threads it appears that gap is okay for approval (like this guy: TK-50297 Requesting ANH Stunt Centurion Status [ATA]

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?/topic/36626-TK-50297-Requesting-ANH-Stunt-Centurion-Status-%5BATA%5D)

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

That's just the nature of having long legs. Leave it where it's at so it covers the boot like it's suppose to. Eventually you can order TM's XL shins. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Thanks man. I'm going to use the stirrup method to keep the shin down on the boot.

[Ksunole[TK]]

Alright, so it wasn't much of a "build" thread, but I appreciate your help Airborne.

 

I believe it is ready for submission for basic approval. See anything out of place (outside of my helmet being tilted)? Remember, I'm 6'6 so it may look a little different than normal.

 

 

 

 

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

Try to drop your biceps down a bit to eliminate the gap. Basically right above your elbow. Everything else is just the nature of the beast because you're tall. Won't effect basic submission but later on you can get some of TM's XL shins. 

[Ksunole[TK]]

Try to drop your biceps down a bit to eliminate the gap. Basically right above your elbow. Everything else is just the nature of the beast because you're tall. Won't effect basic submission but later on you can get some of TM's XL shins. 

Thanks for your feedback. My first unofficial troop was today. My nephews 6th birthday party. Everything went well outside of sweating to death. I've seen the fan in the helmet, but any other tips on keeping cooler?

Edited May 8, 2016 by Ksunole

[Airborne Trooper[501st]]

I wear nomex flight gloves instead of the chemical ones so that helps a little. Drink a lot of water the day BEFORE a troop. Do the day on you'll be peeing all day instead of trooping. Other than fans and maybe a cool bandanna under your neck seal, there isn't much you can do. Hope for a nice breeze! 

[Ksunole[TK]]

I'm officially a member of the 501st as of yesterday! Time to sign up for my first troop.