VaderIncarnate ESB Build

[Shawn Kirtland[TK]]

Hello everyone!!! I am starting the process of recording my journey for my first ever build.

 

First off I purchased an ATA kit in mid February 2019 after being on a wait list for 2 weeks. Price was awesome and the quality of the armor was fantastic. Not just from my standards (since I could have been sent crap and probably still thought it was great) but confirming with some local members that the quality of the armor was great. 

 

Second, this being my first build I chose to go for a Centurion ESB TK. Why? From my research, mostly because I like that the holster is on the right hand side of the trooper. And ESB is my favorite movie...... = ) I think the extra work and eye for detail to achieve Centurion is well worth the effort as well. If I am going to be poring 60+ hours on this build it may as well be as good as I can make it. 

 

So after BBB day, I looked and held the chest plate up to my chest at least 20 times, and then waited....... and waited....... and waited...... Where to start? Should I just start hacking away at plastic, cross my fingers and see what happens in a few months? NOPE! I did my research and learned terms like "return edge, and butt join, and had to brush up on the metric system." 

 

Then my prayers were answered... an armor party! I attended a semi local armor part near Peachtree City, south of Atl, and had an amazing time. I rolled in my 52 gallon husky tote with my shiny white armor, bag full of tools, two 2 liters of diet cola, Kroger brand potato chips, french onion dip and some celery and met some amazing people. Lee (Cricket) was an awesome host, and got my on my journey with my project. I spent about 5 hours "cutting off the ugly" on my plastic. Guess who did not own a pair of lexan scissors (This guy). Luckily the young lady who I shared a table with came prepared and gladly shared her tools as well as knowledge. 

 

If you have made it down to reading this part, you can tell that my mind goes from idea to idea with very little flow or continuity. Good luck following this build thread. This is the first thing I have written in a "forums". So if I am posting something out of topic or in the wrong location please feel free to delete or move.  Also please forgive me of bad grammar or spelling mistakes. My wife is an English major and so far nothing has rubbed off on me from her skills. So why start now right?  

 

I plan to post pictures of my progress and give shout outs to those who have help me along this journey. I hope to make this thread in a form that is in my head. So I will make jokes when they come up, and give you way to much information on something as simple as cutting a piece of plastic 22mm in length. (Side note, I tried to spell check "lexan scissors" and one of the options was "Texan Scissors". 1.) Those would be some big over the top 100% cast iron cattle scissors that have to be carried in a Ford F250 Monday - Saturday (closed on Sundays). 2.) had a room mate in college that was from Texas (good guy), but made me hate every sports team from the state. Go Falcons btw. 

These are things to expect from this build. You will not learn anything new, you may even have a few points shaved off your IQ while reading this, but I hope it to be a fun read, and very realistic representation of a complete noob to this awesome world that is the 501st. I will share my story of how I first heard about this group and those who helped me get to the point of cutting plastic. 

 

That being said, my hands have finally healed from last weeks armor party (yes this is a dangerous walk of life, I have a blister to prove it, and the numbness in my hands and thumb has finally subsided.) It is not time for me to make pretty some of the ugly cuts on my shins. Note to self (Thighs front and back 20mm strips with 2mm overhang, Shins 20mm, Calves 25mm, and arms 15mm front and back.) 

 

Thanks everyone, I am looking forward to working on this literal dream of mine, and making some new friends during the process. 

May the Force be with us.

 

-Shawn

 

[Coastertk[TK]]

Following this for sure. Looks like a fun ride. The numbness and blister on your hand is a result of the quality abs that ATA provides. Give someone a hand trimming their Anovos and it’ll feel like you’re cutting a piece of paper. Looking forward to watching an ESB come together. 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Great to see another ESB build, just remember there aren't a lot of difference between the versions so you may want to add a few spares later like another helmet, holster, belt, hand plates and so on to get approval of another version and you can swap between. When rocking the ESB I did get asked a few times why my teeth were a different colour to everyone else more than a few times 

 

ATA is a lot thicker armor which most don't seem to know, a rotary tool is the way to go with trimming, cutting disc and drum sand roller I find the best.

 

Looking forward to the progress.

[Cricket[TK]]

Hey Shawn, 

How goes your progress?   Any updates?  I hope trimming that ATA ABS hasn't gotten the best of you!    

[Shawn Kirtland[TK]]

Cricket! Its going very slow unfortunately.  I have trimmed off all of the flashing bits for all the pieces. Still nervous about removing something I am not supposed too =)  Right now, I'm digging / researching into making sure I trim the correct measurements for biceps and forearms. Like cover-strip dimensions and overhang and what needs a return edge or not. I bought a bench belt sander and have been working on sanding / leveling and evening out plastic on some scrap pieces before I move to the real deal.

 

OH I can crack walnuts with my bare hands now from the workouts from the lexan scissors and the ABS plastic. Totally worth it though.  =) 

 

Im getting there. Thanks for checking in, and sorry for the late reply. I try to put in about 2  hours on the weekends most of it right now is making notes on things, and then finding visuals (im a very visual person when it comes to DIY and I second guess myself a lot.)

Ill post some pictures of progress soon, once I figure out the picture limit barrier. Im a tech guy, but this is my first venture in "forums" and its love hate right now. 

 

Side note--- My wife is working on her Jawa build now too. She didnt want me to have all the fun. We got the monks cloth and brown dye. Shes really excited to start the cutting and building. 

 

-Shawn

[Digz Graavz[TK]]

On 4/28/2019 at 7:57 PM, VaderIncarnate said:

Still nervous about removing something I am not supposed too =) 

Yup.  That first cut is the hardest.  Research, research, ask...    Even after that I trimmed the top of one thigh piece by mistake.  ABS paste is awesome.