baldormoline[501st] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) First off, a big THANK YOU goes to BILLSID29 for selling me this awesome AP armor kit! I just got it this morning, and I am already in love with it. The ABS plastic is a lot thicker than I expected, which will make me feel a lot safer when trimming it and putting it together. Plus it should wear very nicely. Bill sold it because he said it was too small for him, so I expected to have to shim the ab and kidney plates; but I am going to have to trim some off of both for it to fit me right. I will say that I am very pleased with the entire kit so far, but i will need to do a few thing to get it right for 501st approval, and my own happiness. The first is to buy a piece of S-trim for the helmet, since the piece that came with it is the same as the brow trim rubber. Overall, I am thrilled to have my first Stormtrooper armor in my hands! Now to get it built and approved in time for Christmas and the premiere of Rogue One!! Edited August 2, 2016 by baldormoline 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 BBB days are the best. Looking forward to your build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretzel[TK] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Good Luck on your build! Take your time. DO NOT MAKE MY MISTAKES and you will be shiny and white very soon! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaar121[501st] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Congratulations on the build and good luck. I will follow your tread too. Take your time, ask questions and don't forget to have fun. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troopacoola[TK] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Looking forward to the build! #following 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABS80 Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) Congratulations!!! Make sure when you trim the ab 5 button plate to leave a 1/8" lip all around same for the shoulder straps, many make the mistake to trim to the edge. When applying the vinyl decals on helmet, use a bowl of water with 1/2 a drop of dishwashing soap, wet surface you can also just dip decal into water don't be scared decals will still stick, this will help you to adjust decals, once in position with your thumb rub decal from center toward extremeties to remove all water from underneath and wipe with cloth, this will eliminate any airbubbles for a nice painted look finish. For the ab button decals just stick them on without pressing them down all the way just enough so they are set in place, leave the edges raised then use a hair dryer set on hot to soften them a bit then press down rubbing edges, they will conform perfect to the raised surface and will look like paint. Mark (AP) Edited August 2, 2016 by ABS80 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zv288bot[TK] Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 All right Martin, let's do this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldormoline[501st] Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Congratulations!!! Make sure when you trim the ab 5 button plate to leave a 1/8" lip all around same for the shoulder straps, many make the mistake to trim to the edge. When applying the vinyl decals on helmet, use a bowl of water with 1/2 a drop of dishwashing soap, wet surface you can also just dip decal into water don't be scared decals will still stick, this will help you to adjust decals, once in position with your thumb rub decal from center toward extremeties to remove all water from underneath and wipe with cloth, this will eliminate any airbubbles for a nice painted look finish. For the ab button decals just stick them on without pressing them down all the way just enough so they are set in place, leave the edges raised then use a hair dryer set on hot to soften them a bit then press down rubbing edges, they will conform perfect to the raised surface and will look like paint. Mark (AP) Mark, As a lifelong model builder, decals have never been that big of a problem; except on very old decals. I use your dish-washing soap idea for a lot of my decals, and I even use a little bit when I airbrush acrylic paints to help the flow of the paint through the brush. I really do appreciate your comments, and I am a permanent fan of your armor! This stuff will make me into an awesome servant of the Empire!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABS80 Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Mark, As a lifelong model builder, decals have never been that big of a problem; except on very old decals. I use your dish-washing soap idea for a lot of my decals, and I even use a little bit when I airbrush acrylic paints to help the flow of the paint through the brush. I really do appreciate your comments, and I am a permanent fan of your armor! This stuff will make me into an awesome servant of the Empire!! Then your good very happy you like your AP armor. Mark (AP) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldormoline[501st] Posted August 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2016 Okay, so I was finally able to make my first cuts on the armor. I cut the belt boxes out of their frames, along with the main belt and the ammo belt for the thigh. I also trimmed down one half of the left calf. I didn't have a chance to take pictures, but i will post some soon, after I get a little more cut and then I will post as I go on to clean up and sand down these pieces, before I start gluing parts together. I was amazed at how easily the scissors and blades cut through such thick plastic. A friendly warning for my other armor builders.... If you have never built a model, or an armor kit, please be careful and take your time. Fortunately, my experience with vacuum formed model kits, prepared me for this project!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABS80 Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 (edited) Are you using the score and snap technique? its the easiest and fastest way, just score and snap ABS will break clean were you scored don't have to be afraid this is top quality ABS and wont split. Mark (AP) Edited August 9, 2016 by ABS80 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldormoline[501st] Posted August 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 (edited) I am doing that on the flat straight pieces, and my lexan scissors for the curved parts. Sadly, both of the forearms (both halves) have already been trimmed, and I think I am going to have to put some sort of shim on them to get it to fit. Edited August 9, 2016 by baldormoline 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zv288bot[TK] Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 I am doing that on the flat straight pieces, and my lexan scissors for the curved parts. Sadly, both of the forearms (both halves) have already been trimmed, and I think I am going to have to put some sort of shim on them to get it to fit.I would take them to the armor party next week and get a second look before you go through the shimming process. I followed Bill's thread since we got or armor roughly around the same time and it seemed like his concern was being a bigger guy the armor wouldn't fit correctly but I think with a little extra work it would have worked. I believe it just was beyond his comfort level. Sent from my LGLS740 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldormoline[501st] Posted January 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) Well, it has been a while since I could actually get going on my armor, but I am now deep into the build. My issue is my helmet..... I have gotten it together quite easily, but it will not fit over my head. I know that you have to turn it sideways to get it on, but even then, it cuts my ears and scalp. This is how it looks currently... Now, I am hoping that I can cut the opening enough to be able to get it on with a little more ease, and not such a risk of blood-letting. I an thinking of cutting it along the red line that i have illustrated here.... My main concern is whether or not it will have any bearing on my getting approved, after I make the cut, and apply the S-trim to the bottom. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, if i am not going in the correct direction with my thinking. Edited January 19, 2017 by baldormoline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldormoline[501st] Posted January 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Then your good very happy you like your AP armor. Mark (AP) Mark, when I got the armor from Bill back last Summer, I knew that he had already trimmed one of the forearms. But now that I am actually able to start work on the armor, i have discovered that he had trimmed it down way too small for even me. He trimmed it to the smallest trim line on it, which makes it very very small. Is there any way that you could sell me a spare? I have looked at the second forearm that he didn't trim, and it appears to be able to fit me just fine. So a second one without the trimming already done would be perfect.Please let me know what you would charge for one, if you have a spare two pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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