PGHtrooper21's First AP build[*AP]

[PGHtrooper21]

With Spring here in the States and Winter over. I have the enthusiam to finish up my AP build! Now I can finish up gluing outside. E6000 fumes are too powerful to be used indoors! Plus I like to have the glue parts sit outside for a few days to air out. I was having problems posting before. Hopefully everythings is allright.

 

Here is my progress so far. I have all the pieces cut out except the Sniper knee and Helmet. I am saving that for last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

I am going to fix the Anh "Finishing Strips". After 5 months off. I was studying what I was doing and I saw what I should have done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

In November I did a test fit with my armor using Blue Painters and Masking tape. I did this to see a basic fit with my under armor. I am in the process of trying to lose 20 pounds. Buy working on the armor and seeing how the fit is, it is inspiring me to lose weight. My problem is around my waist. The Arms, Biceps, Thighs and shins fit good with no problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

I have the front of the thighs glued. I wished I used blue painters tape one one of them. One turned out ok and the other there is a gap. That is what

the ANH "Finishing\Cover Strips are for. For the "But Seams" I used plastic signs from 'Harbor Freight Tools". I used a wider strip for the "But Seam" for more support.

The Magnets are 'heavy Duty" Rectangle ones from "Home Depot". I like them better than the smaller Silver round ones from "JoAnn Fabrics". I did not like how they would pinch my hands and left them "Bloody".

 

I am glad that I bought a "moddeling Iron". I know I will be using it next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

Here are the accesories that I have to help to make my build EIB.

 

EXTRA THANKS to

 

1. Canvis Belt dyed to match AP Armor by Panda Trooper.

2. Garter belt with snaps to attach to the thighs by Panda Trooper.

3. Non Latex Flexable ANH Stunt and ANH Hero Handguards by Karin Schoeinstein.

3. Inner drop boxes from Quick Designs.

4. Hovis. I have two seperate ones. Stomper and Keith. I will be building a ANH Comlink.

5. Two Resin Hegenstler counters from Smitty.

6. Correct brow and neck trim from "Seals Direct".

7. Ribbed neck trim from "Trick Toys".

8. Starter "black " Spandex top and bottom. $10.00 each from Wal Mart.

9. Rubbermaid "Black" Industrial Chemical Gloves from Wall Mart.

10. Grappeling hook box from "VacTrooper"

11. Green Lenses from Runroitt.

12 Humbroil Paint Gray and Black. Also Blue Angel Blue. I still have to get Humbroil "French Blue" paint. Local Hobby Store.

13. AP E11 Holster with Hasbro E11.

14. ANREV Full Size Leather ANH Stunt Holster.

I enclosed a side by side comparison of both ANREV and AP Holsters.

15. Heavy Duty Snaps from Home Depot for the AB sides and Black and white strechable faberic from Jo Ann Fabric and a rivit gun from a local hardware store.

16. Doopy Doo's Hasbro E11 kit.

17. Doopy Doos E11 Pipe kit.

18. A REAL M40 Tank Scope!

19. My E11 WIP scratch pipe and sheet metal build.

 

If I got anyones name misspelled I apologize. I just got home from the hockey game!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PGHtrooper21]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[synaptyx]

Looking good!

[Sonnenschein]

Wow, Andy, that's a lot of pics!

 

Cant wait to see it all assembled

 

Karin

[PGHtrooper21]

How to re-trim ANH cover strips when already glued.

One of the reasons I took a hiatus break from building my armor was my ANH cover strips. I was rushing because I was on a roll. After I glued them on I was looking at other builds and comparing it to mine I noticed that my strips looked like “tongue depressors”! Looking back I should have cut the strips to the correct “15mm” with. Hindsight is always 20/20.

I noticed how strong the bond is of using “E-6000”. I was trying to find or see if there is something to remove the glue. I read a reply from my Advisor Wally Peters of “Garrison Carida”. He mention that

You can pry the bond a part by force. So I decided to go that route. I used my utility knife by slowly trimming the glue to get between the Cover strip and the plastic. I was shocked that by some force slowly at a time the strip came off! I was excited. When I was slowly removing the strip, I was cutting gently and pushing. Then I pulled the blade out and put it in backwards to pry it off.

I was glad. After I removed the strips, I scrapped the glue off both the Strips and the forearms. What is nice about using “E-6000” It doesn’t melt the armor. After, I scrapped almost all the glue off. I used ‘Goo Gone” to remove the rest. It worked. I then used a wet paper towel to wipe the armor off.

Instead of measuring the strips and cutting them, I used one of my plastic signs that I had been using for the inside brace strips. I bought the signs at “Harbor Freight Tools. The sign is about 1 ½ mm thick. I made myself a cover strip template. I measured out both a “15 mm” biceps, and “20 mm” thighs and shins cover strips templates. It is not perfect. The strip may vary by 1 or 2 mm, because of trimming. I figure, I rather make a mistake on a $5.00 sign than messing up on the ABS strips.

The template came in handy. I placed it on the strips and used a pencil to trace the pattern and it worked. I trimmed the strips wearing my rubber coated utility gloves. I CAN NOT STRESS HIGHLY ENOUGH TO BUY THEM!!!!! THE SAVED MANY TRIPS TO THE ER! After I had the strips trimmed, I rough up the backs by lightly sanding them and using my utility blade to make lines for the glue to grab hold to.

Before gluing I prepped the strip by wiping it with a wet paper towel, and when dry, I used an alcohol prep pad to clean and when dry, I used the “E-6000” to run a bead down the strip and the seam line on the forearm. After letting it set for 5 minutes I added the strips to the left and right forearms. I used clamps on the ends and magnets in the middle.

I put one strip on each forearm and let set for a day. The next day I glued the other side. I made another mistake during the glue. I put glue on the smooth side instead of the rough side of the strip. I was not thinking. Oh well. What I did was go into my ABS strips. I am glad that I asked for some extra ones to be put in. So I used them. After I cut the strip and rough the back side, I put some blue painters tape on the smooth side to identify the smooth side of the strip. I then glued the other side of the forearms, put the clamps and magnets on and let sit over night.

After taking the clamps off, and looking at the results. I think they look much better. What I have to do is take my utility knife and trim off the excess glue that the clamps and magnets pushed out and then polish and they are done. The next step is to re trim the biceps cover strips.

 

[PGHtrooper21]

[PGHtrooper21]

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[Daetrin[Admin]]

Andy - that post needs to be separated and added to the Academy site. What an excellent idea and a great demonstration of how to fix a problem.

 

Terry - take note!

[Quinn_101]

PGHtrooper21,

Nice what you did to remove the strips, I had to do the same thing. Re pain trying to remove the e-6000.

Word of advice on gluing;

On the strip I lay a line of the glue down the center. Then with like a scrap plastic or like a Popsicle stick spread the glue evening through out the strip. If you use to much, then take some masking or painters tape and run it just outside where you want to glue that way if you get "spillage" you can easily remove it.

 

Keep up the good work, take your time, measure twice cut once.

Cheers,

Quinn

[Obievon[501st]]

A little bit of e6000 goes a long way.

[PGHtrooper21]

PGHtrooper21,

Nice what you did to remove the strips, I had to do the same thing. Re pain trying to remove the e-6000.

Word of advice on gluing;

On the strip I lay a line of the glue down the center. Then with like a scrap plastic or like a Popsicle stick spread the glue evening through out the strip. If you use to much, then take some masking or painters tape and run it just outside where you want to glue that way if you get "spillage" you can easily remove it.

 

Keep up the good work, take your time, measure twice cut once.

Cheers,

Quinn

 

Jesse,

 

I did use a popsicle stick to spread the E6000 on the stick. I also put some E6000 on the forearm as well. The magnets that I used to hold the strips in place pushed the glue outside of the edges. I am going to use my utility blade to trim the excess glue off then shine them up.

 

Andy

[PGHtrooper21]

After taking a long break I decided to get back to my armor build. I decided to begin my helmet. After studying different builds and looking at “Mikes†helmet builds I decided to take a leap and go for it. For a while I wanted to put the helmet until last. I wanted to get skilled with working with my armor. The last few weeks I was getting the urge to continue and finish up my AP Armor. Thanks again to “Mike on his fantastic builds.

The first thing I did when working on my helmet was the “ear capsâ€. I decided to drill out the “screw holes†first. I did this because While looking at the “Caps†I felt that it was more secure to hold on the big piece together than cutting out the “ear caps†and slipping up and drilling a hole into the kitchen table.

When I was drilling I was two different size bits. “1/8†and a “3/32â€. I started out with the “3/32†then used the “1/8â€. What made me do this was studying the “screw hole†at the bottom of the “Ear Capâ€. It is there but it is not as defined as the “screw holes†on the other two.

After I drilled out the holes, I began to trim out the “ear capsâ€. First I used a “carpenter’s pencil†to mark out the “cut linesâ€. Then I used my “utility blade†and a “xacto knife†to start to score out the “capsâ€. For the lower part of the “caps†I tried to cut below the lines because I know how tricky the caps can be when fitting them on the helmet.

[PGHtrooper21]