ARC's ESB TK MKII - Anovos build.

[ARC[TK]]

Hello Troopers.

Thought I should get a build thread moving.

First a little backstory.
This is my second build, my original ATA kit from 2015 has done a lot of hard trooping since then and is well worn.
Physically by 2022 I started stacking on the covid kilo's and I could barely close the torso pushing belly fat in to my chest cavity, the shock of nearly passing out on a troop gave me a wakeup call resulting in a fitness kick and turned me into a gym junkie and the fat melted away and within 12months "yay it fits again", that lasted about another 12-18 months or so and then things that had always fit before like arms and legs grew muscles which slowly got tighter and tighter and to the point where things don't fit without significant discomfort.

So ESB MK1 is essentially retired at this point because I don't want to chop & shut my original kit. Who know what the future holds with it.

A few months ago knowing I'd probably need a new kit soon, opportunity came and I picked up a barely started Anovos ANH TK kit from a fellow garrison member that lost interest in the build some time ago. He already did a bit of pre-trimming, so I'm hoping all will be well with fitment. But I intend to follow it through none the less.

For this build I'll be aiming to go Centurion, so I'll be stepping it up a bit in comparison to the ATA kit which stayed at basic.

So I've done a bit of ordering of goods for the conversion from ANH to ESB.
Thanks to Justin(The RascalKing)'s thread, I've been able to source all the bits for the conversion, was a great read.

I spent a bit of time last week at another garrison members home, cracking out the remaining trimming and helping him with his build.
Still a bit of fine trimming and clean up to do, but it's moving along.

Anyhow, more to come.

Edited November 23, 2025 by ARC

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

You may find this helpful, differences between OTTK's 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10tEVteIreh6AHMogW010cuH_Bf8TBfU6/view

[Shanester[TK]]

I look forward to seeing your progress!

[ARC[TK]]

@gmrhodes13 I found your reply to the ear screws. Literally one of the last things I need.
I wouldn't think they're hard to find in Sydney, but the search goes on.
 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

4 hours ago, ARC said:

@gmrhodes13 I found your reply to the ear screws. Literally one of the last things I need.
I wouldn't think they're hard to find in Sydney, but the search goes on.
 

 

I have not had to purchase any as yet as most of the kits I have assembled usually come with the screws, I haven't seen locally but did find some on AliExpress.

 

 

 

 

[ARC[TK]]

Hi fellas,

I'll be back in to building this week, last month or two has been crazy with life and work.
I think I need to book some leave and do some therapeutic armor building 

Looking forward to regrouping and smashing this out so I can get trooping in the near future!

[ARC[TK]]

Hi fellas, just working on calves right now. 
 

I'm told i have monster calves, so I've gone a bit wider at the front. But I’m thinking of pulling it apart again and risking trimming out a couple of mm for the front cover strips so it looks more proportion. Also thinking of the knee plate which seems to need the room also. 

 

thoughts?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

17 minutes ago, ARC said:

Hi fellas, just working on calves right now. 
 

I'm told i have monster calves, so I've gone a bit wider at the front. But I’m thinking of pulling it apart again and risking trimming out a couple of mm for the front cover strips so it looks more proportion. Also thinking of the knee plate which seems to need the room also. 

 

thoughts?

You can go up in size for your coverstrips, we normally try to add any extra to the rears as the public mostly see the fronts.

 

Note some screen photos show quite a lot of area before the ridges 

 

If you go wider on the front of your shins I would also do the same to the thighs so they match, won't look out of place then 

 

As always it is entirely up to your GML as they will be looking after your approval.

 

[ARC[TK]]

Hola folks. 
 

it’s been a busy week of doing arms. I haven’t got back to the shins and thighs. More to come on that. 
 

Just some trimming of return edges and clean up to go. I think I’ll add in some internal cover strips as well for extra strength. 

Biceps came out good I think, a little tall for my humerus I think. I’ll have to compare it to my ATA ones which seem to fit almost perfect from the mould lines. 
 

Forearms, I know for L3 no return edge on the inner front. I’m looking to reduce the outer front return edge from butt join so it has a smooth emerging line with a little return edge. Maybe like a mm or two return to the middle.
 

[ARC[TK]]

Decided I’d pump out some work on the bucket today. Thought I’d stop for a moment and update the thread.

 

ESB decal kit and correct hovi mics received, Removed some of the painted Anovos bits already. Just disassembling the bucket now so I can trim out the eyes a bit and paint the inside black. 
 

[ARC[TK]]

I meant to add this on Sunday, I removed/thinned out probably half the inside of the eyes. Anovos did a pretty poor job of trimming off the get go as you can see..

 

I made new lens mounts inside, lined the inside with Plastidip, trimmed and screwed in the lens in. 

 

Just to add stripes and paint frown. 
 

Edited May 19 by ARC

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work

[ARC[TK]]

Bucket is almost done, but I have a question. Although I think I know the answer.

 

One of the bottom ear bolts is low and covered by the S-trim from the factory. I’d assume it needs to be raised above the S-trim and visible ?

 

[Doggydoc[Staff]]

7 hours ago, ARC said:

One of the bottom ear bolts is low and covered by the S-trim from the factory. I’d assume it needs to be raised above the S-trim and visible ?

 

Ultimately, it would be up to your GML if it will be acceptable for basic approval.  At higher levels of approval, We would likely request it to be moved out from under the neck seal.  As it is a fairly easy correction.  I would recommend just moving it.