kevster[TK] Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Well, i'm skinny so it might not even rub on the inside of the bicep until i lift my arm up lol, but I'll see how it goes, can always do minor sanding later, and what do y'all think of the lines on the back of the helmet as a finished line, not just a trim line. Think it should be a little more? and also, it looks like I need to trim about 2 1/2 inches off each side of the lower back piece to make it a bit more snug.... is that ok? I have about a 30 inch waist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 the back part of the cap looks good but from the side view it looks like the curve moves up, I would cut along the line where you have it, test fit the face plate and see how it lines up. you'll want a but of a curve going underneath since you'll be attaching the neck seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Ok, I'll work on it, but now i have another problem lol, for sizing the calfs and thighs, I made a paper template and made some lines on the outside and just did a close trim to it and it doesn't fit all that well, but if i squeeze the front and the back in, then they line up better, is this how it should be? or should they just fit together just by putting them side by side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 I had to do the same thing with mine. They didn't fit right untill I squeezed them in so yeah that's fine, all you hve to do after is glue a strip of abs on the front and back seam and your golden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Ok, and is it ok to glue and or heat on top of the paint, or do i need to do that before the paint? and here's a few more pics of the final trimming, but in the last pic, you'll see how much the ab plate and the back piece overlap, so is it ok to cut down the back and ab sides that much, or do I need to just leave it like it is and pack it with foam to shim it out? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 It's ok to cut just cut the back peice, you'll want the ab and back to line up, Remeber to have the back line up with the butt aswell. It'll be easier to do the rivits if your goin for the clam shell. Do a search for snap system. There's a post some where that shows a good way to set tht up, and it'll give you a good idea on how to trim the ab and back. If you need to heat up anything do it before you glue and paint. One more peice of advice, its stupid advice but a mistake that I did. Test fit with the body suit on not your regular cloths. Mesurements were way off AFTER I glued my thigh peices hehe. I hope I'm giving sound advice, not as experenced as alot of members here your doing well so far keep it up and keep posting pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thanks Gos, you're really helping me out a lot, and you have yours done, so you're still more experienced than me, and i'll take all i can get lol and that fit i did just to show how much my back piece overlaps, i got on thin shorts and a work out shirt, so its fairly close, just isn't a compression suit or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Well, after a good 30 some odd hours of work so far on this project..... I am very disappointed in myself, but i feel I must show my failure. This is the result of my very first gluing, thankfully it is also the only one i have done so far, I have already ripped it down before it cured any more. While it may look ok to the average Joe, I do plan on going after EIB as well and this will just not do, I know that much. I had used a template and measured from the outside of the ride instead of putting it inside. I used very capable tools, i had 2 strong clamps at each end and 4 sets of magnets holding it down, so it wasn't because of lack of clamping ability. I guess its back to getting it right this time.... hopefully or am I just over reacting to this? lol, I just think the gabs on the sides are a little too wide, what do ya'll think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 I might be the average joe, but it looks fine to me, once you put a shim of abs over the top you wont even notice. I did the same thing on my thighs. I glued the front just like you did and hard core trimmed the back cuz im really skinny. Older pics I've done a tad bit more trimming so it doesn't hit the butt piece http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/Ki...icture019-1.jpg http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/Ki...icture023-1.jpg hope you can see, I don't have any close ups at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Well, I can't see it too much in the your pics, but i think on the pics I put up, it seems like it made it look a little better than it did. I like the look of the strip in a tier pattern on the ridge instead of the strip covering the whole ridge exactly, but to me it just seemed too wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 Got some more pics, been working really hard on this, everything is glued, even the back of the shins, its very tough but i can still get in them Skinny actually turned out to be a good thing, how about that lol, but if i decide to, i could still velcro it couldn't I? It just didn't seem like velcro could hold it,the shins were the pieces with the most resistance. Here is a nifty little tool i invented to sand the teeth with, I just took a paper clip, unfolded it and super glued a strip of sand paper around the unfolded end. I know, i messed up on the front shin strips, i glued the left leg and cut it short because it would be covered by the knee plate and then when i went to glue the other shin, i looked at the first as a reference and ended up cutting the other too shot.... thats what you get for working on it for hours on end and are up at 3 in the morning trying to do it lol Lastly there are some small gaps in the end parts at one end or another, is there a way to fix this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 I am making my snaps today, and was looking at the sides, what size does the rivet need to be that hold the ab plate and kidney plate together? Is there any specific size or is it just eyeballed? http://www.flickr.com/photos/stukatrooper/...57603721766632/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Finger Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Did you glue the back of the shins? On mine I glued the out side part and used velcro for the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Did you glue the back of the shins? On mine I glued the out side part and used velcro for the inside. Yes, I did actually, and as you can see i can still fit into them somehow lol, I really have to squeeze the size in and shove my foot through... but i can do it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAZGÛL Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Man I just find this pic hilarious! The suit is looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 I dont know Kev, but I would say velcroing might be better. Shoving your foot in to hard might break something, better safe the sorry. If your happy with it then go for it, it's your armor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Man I just find this pic hilarious! The suit is looking great! Ya, thats my sexy trooper pic lol and thanks Gos, but ya I will most likely end up taking an exacto knife to the inside half of it and stick velcro on it, thing is it has so much pull on it i'm worried if it really will be able to hold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GosHawk[501st] Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 ok, if your going to unglue it, stick it in the freezer for a bit and CAREFULLY take that exacto knife to it and peal it away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Ya, i heard about that trick, and i dont plan on taking it off completely, just half of it, so one side would be glued, then the other would be velcroed on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naatsirhc[TK] Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Your doing good, just remember to avoid rushing. Most little slip ups are correctable. I had my share of things going south during my build. You are doing the right thing by seeking advice when you get stuck or have a little set back. Hang in there! It took me over 2 months to complete my build, I have a tendency to stress and sometimes be overly cautious. I did a lot of trimming and re-trimming, I had to seek advice and ask questions from the great guys around here. I studied a lot of build threads and was able to learn from others mistakes and accomplishments. Look forward to your completed build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Ya, i was thinking to correct my right shin, i will cut another piece out and stick it on the top and glue it down then use a tiny bit of filler for the little gap it will leave and sand it down to make it look like its one piece, I should of gotten a modeling iron instead of a heat gun too, ATA is just a little too thin it seems like to me, it's a very fine line between malleable and almost melting it off, but I stopped myself before getting too far with anything lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster[TK] Posted November 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Well, put in some frown mesh today just to check out how it would be. and does anyone know what the size of the rivets are on the side of the kidney and ab plate? I haven't been able to find that anywhere. maybe 3/16"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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