revlimiter[Staff] Posted May 16, 2022 Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 congrats!!! Let the plastic hacking begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpacesNoTabs Posted May 16, 2022 Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 Yes!!! Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) Ok. I started the biceps tonight. I think I measured 8 times before I made any cuts. LOL. I have a few questions for the experienced armor makers. Is this fit ok? The top is pretty snug but there is a lot of room at the bottom where my elbow is. I can taper the bottom down but then the raised areas where the cover strips go will be very triangular. When I bend my elbow, it feels pretty comfortable. I still need to trim the return edges clean up the corners (red lines on the 4th image) and trim the piece that is overlapped to create the butt. The next question is about the part sticking up in the next photo. Do I trim it along the dotted line? If so, then is the cover strip trimmed on an angle as well or does it still stay square? Final question, with respect to the cover strip, the raised area is pretty thick (about 25 mm which is a lot bigger than the norm. Do I cut the strips to the width of the raised area to almost completely cover them even though they will be very thick? Thanks Edited May 18, 2022 by Doggydoc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wook1138[TK] Posted May 18, 2022 Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 Hey there. Looks like you have your biceps upside down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 18, 2022 Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 Umm you have it on upside down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 LMAO. glad I asked. It seemed too tight at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) Ok. I turned it around. it fits so much better. Go figure. LOL So do I trim this piece on the red line? and does the cover strip get cut on the angle with the line of the top of the biceps, or does it still get cut square and stick up on 1 side? Edited May 18, 2022 by Doggydoc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 18, 2022 Report Share Posted May 18, 2022 Just now, Doggydoc said: Ok. I turned it around. it fits so much better. Go figure. LOL So do I trip this piece on the red line? and does the cover strip get cut on the angle with the line of the top of the biceps, or does it still get cut square and stick up on 1 side? You can cut on an angle or leave flat either is fine, really depends on the make of armor, I prefer the more finished angle look, albeit they get covered by your shoulder bells You can see screen used armor had angle cuts to the cover strips in places A few threads on the subject https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/51701-arm-cover-strip-alignment/ https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26736-cutting-cover-strips-at-an-angle/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 Now that I understand which way is up, I am ready for sanding and cover strips. Please let me know if anyone sees any issues at this point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 21, 2022 Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 Looks like you don't have a central trim line on the left image, the right has, normally you try to centralise your trimming something to take note of with trimming other pieces, not as important with your biceps but will be when you trim your thighs as the bottom ridge is exposed and covered with a strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 6 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said: Looks like you don't have a central trim line on the left image, the right has, normally you try to centralise your trimming something to take note of with trimming other pieces, not as important with your biceps but will be when you trim your thighs as the bottom ridge is exposed and covered with a strip. Makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 @gmrhodes13 hey Glen. One question. The photo you posted of the biceps above looks like the cover strip doesn’t cover a lot of the raised ridge. I was under the impression that it should cover most of it. The raised area on mine is about 19-20 mm. Should I cover it with the normal 15 mm cover strip or should I go up to 18 mm or so ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 21, 2022 Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Doggydoc said: @gmrhodes13 hey Glen. One question. The photo you posted of the biceps above looks like the cover strip doesn’t cover a lot of the raised ridge. I was under the impression that it should cover most of it. The raised area on mine is about 19-20 mm. Should I cover it with the normal 15 mm cover strip or should I go up to 18 mm or so ? A lot of makers added the raised ridges to their molds but as you can see in that image there are none, but other armor parts there are raised ridges. Also added a few references to match your cut/angle line on the biceps we discussed previously. Ideally for biceps (if you have a loose fit) would be trim 8mm from both ridges, then add a 15mm cover strip. If you need more room you can add slightly larger cover strips. Here's a thread from last year in regards to larger cover strips A couple of other bicep references, note none of this have raised edges on the biceps. Here's the "Promo" trooper, notice the cut angle on his cover strips on the tops of the biceps And the trooper on the right, cover strips to the end 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwede[TK] Posted May 21, 2022 Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Doggydoc said: The photo you posted of the biceps above looks like the cover strip doesn’t cover a lot of the raised ridge. Actually that is just the light playing tricks, that’s a photo of an original bicep and those have no ridges at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 I have another question about the forearms. They have some curvature which looks like they would fit as a right and a left but both of mine are the exact same. Is this normal or did I get sent 2 of the same arm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 This thread may help you Also this one Another good build with some references 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CableGuy[Admin] Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 I have another question about the forearms. They have some curvature which looks like they would fit as a right and a left but both of mine are the exact same. Is this normal or did I get sent 2 of the same arm? Hey trooper,I’m not familiar with the lineage of AP, so not sure if it’s supposed to be supplied with specific left and right arms, however, the original suits definitely had specific left and right arms. As below, one has 11 divets, one has 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wook1138[TK] Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 19 minutes ago, Doggydoc said: I have another question about the forearms. They have some curvature which looks like they would fit as a right and a left but both of mine are the exact same. Is this normal or did I get sent 2 of the same arm? This is normal for AP armour. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 Thanks for the forearm info. I have them trimmed and sanded and ready for cover strips. Just want to make sure they look ok before doing the strips. They fit fairly snug over my upper forearm, so I can’t trim down the raised areas under the cover strips anymore. Should I still go with a 15 mm cover strip or should I cover the raised area with a thicker cover strip? I removed the entire return edge on the wrist and most of it at the top. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 Really depends how wide you would need the cover strips, if it's only a few mm you should be fine. Note screen forearms do have some gap between the ridges and cover strips 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2022 Progress update: I have got the cover strips on the arm pieces. Had a bit of trouble with the forearm strips lifting after 24 hours of E6000 setting. I finally left them for 2 1/2 days and they are not going anywhere. the left forearm is a bit snug at the top by the elbow. I may need a hot water bath to round it slightly. I don’t think there is any extra material to trim to open up the opening. should I be attaching the biceps and forearms at this point with the elastic, or so I wait until I have the chest and shoulder pieces done to make sure the positioning is correct? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wook1138[TK] Posted May 29, 2022 Report Share Posted May 29, 2022 2 hours ago, Doggydoc said: Progress update: I have got the cover strips on the arm pieces. Had a bit of trouble with the forearm strips lifting after 24 hours of E6000 setting. I finally left them for 2 1/2 days and they are not going anywhere. the left forearm is a bit snug at the top by the elbow. I may need a hot water bath to round it slightly. I don’t think there is any extra material to trim to open up the opening. should I be attaching the biceps and forearms at this point with the elastic, or so I wait until I have the chest and shoulder pieces done to make sure the positioning is correct? Looks good! There might be a bit of return edge you could trim off to help with the fitting of the forearms - but I also found that a bit of reshaping of the forearms were needed to get a more round opening (one forearm was good, the other was not). Also, it looks like the top of the biceps have a bit of return edge - I find it more comfortable to trim that away. As for attaching everything together - it wouldn't hurt to wait until you get a feeling of how it looks with the chest piece in place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted May 29, 2022 Report Share Posted May 29, 2022 Any pieces under any strain usually take a little longer to dry, I leave mine for 48 to 72 hours. Although they can be seen on some screen used armor you may want to trim these ends of your coverstrips as they may catch when moving your arms, this is more a comfort thing than screen accuracy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggydoc[Staff] Posted May 31, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 Guess what I worked on tonight? I guess you need to become a snowman before you become a stormtrooper. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revlimiter[Staff] Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 My garage cabinets are STILL covered in a fine layer of lil plastic... like 9 months later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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