SethB6025 Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 After being a little chicken about hacking up my ab plate, I tried it. I am very happy with how it turned out, and would have to say this was one of the most easy mods I ever did. There are pictures from start to finish in my photo gallery. You just cut out the "bumps and ridges" at the top ridge line of the rectangle on the ab plate. Odds are your drop box is just a little bigger than this hole. Cut away the "flashing" around the edge of the drop box, then mount it to a larger piece of plastic. (I used the drop boxes so the ABS matched, the ABS scrap I was going to use originally was BRIGHT white) Then mount this to the backside of your ab plate. Then cut out the center piece from the other drop box, cut the little rectangle into it, and glue that onto the recessed rectangle ( the "reveal" around the edge is about 3/16"). Add dirt, your done. Not counting glue dry time, this took me about an hour. Now go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motman241 Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Amen, brother! Don't need any more of that "purchasing" stuff than we really need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 28, 2005 Author Share Posted February 28, 2005 Right on! We build our backpacks, bfg's, and binocs. So why not mod your ab plate? Gotta have money left over for the cantina! BTW, nice mg15! I'm trying to finish all the crap I've started already so I can build one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abntroop Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 yep, did the same here. didnt wanna get wrapped up in the chaos of the ab-plate orders. still needling the other TD's in my squad to get theirs modded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandbucket Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Left this mod for last, the one I was most worried about was the easiest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abntroop Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 see! it aint hard! for those of you on the fence, just take your time, but it's really not rocket science! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain4434 Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 This idea is BRILLIANT! but... I'm scared. ..what if I want to go out as a standard TK...? I can't make up my mind Damnit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_imperial Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 Matt, I did mine!! It was easier then I thought it would be. It just made me cringe a little when I cut into ab plate. The "Oh now what if I screw it up" syndrome. But it turned out great. *whew* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solarpickle Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 When you guys start cutting your armor, what's the best thing to use to cut it with that comes out the cleanest and easiest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jodo_Kast Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 I used a dremmel with the smallest cut off wheel I had and then cleaned it up with an X-acto knife and some fine sandpaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_imperial Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 That's pretty much what I did. Disposable nail files work great on projects like this. The kind you can get in large packs for around a buck. There's a rust brown side and a tan side. I have found them to be an invaluable tool for mods to ABS armor such as the TK kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 I used a dremmel with the smallest cut off wheel I had and then cleaned it up with an X-acto knife and some fine sandpaper.Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motman241 Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 ..what if I want to go out as a standard TK...?There's no going back!! There's more than just the ab plate and a pauldron that seperate us from the "white meat". Heh. I guess that makes us "the off-white meat". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caomhanach Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Any chance of a picture showing the result? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD7722 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 http://www.sandtrooper.net/gallery/disp ... =10&pos=14 http://www.sandtrooper.net/gallery/disp ... =10&pos=22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caomhanach Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Thanks... Gives me something to think about when I'm ready to mod... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted August 31, 2005 Author Share Posted August 31, 2005 Thanks 7722, I had my toes in the sand for a few days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeroroskk Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 tk4434 said:what if I want to go out as a standard TK...? ......once you've had sand, you'll never want to go back........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted September 6, 2005 Author Share Posted September 6, 2005 [img--> QUOTE ("xeroroskk"......once you've had sand @ you'll never want to go back........ [img) {SMILIES_PATH}/icon_twisted.gif[/img] Right On! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD1149 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Isn't that the truth? I remember having those concerns a few years ago wondering if I would be able to go back to plain white. After you wear all that gear for the first time you'll forget all about being a plain old stormtrooper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umbatu Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 WEll after reading all this, I have reached the point of no turning back. I cut the ab plate of my armor, and have begun the sanding process. Soon, VERY soon I will have the armor complete... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Excellent... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 OK, this is the last thing I need to do to be MEPD compliant. Are there instructions for this somewhere with the dimensions / how-to, or does everyone just eyeball it? I only have one crack at this to get it right (duh!), so am a bit hesitant as you can well imagine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted November 22, 2005 Author Share Posted November 22, 2005 I "eyeballed" it. I think most others do as well, but if you have an FX type kit the plate you need to back the cut-out area is about the same size as a drop box (that's what I had used) that is, if you cut out the bumps&ridges area inside the first framing ridge. Then I made the second panel approx 1/4" smaller all the way around, and cut a little hole in the top. (maybe 1/2" by 1")?? Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted November 23, 2005 Share Posted November 23, 2005 Holy smokes! Whoever said this was an easy mod...ugh it's been the hardest thing I've ever done to armor. Thankfully it will be my last mod to sandtrooper-dom. Well for those of us dremel-challenged, here are some pix of how bad it can look: Placing the plastic inside the cut-out. http://www.hoeffer.com/public/dsc02786.jpg Close-up of how ragged the edges are: http://www.hoeffer.com/public/dsc02787.jpg Keyhole: http://www.hoeffer.com/public/dsc02788.jpg OK, the keyhole pic is a bit blurry but man, making straight edges with a dremel is not as easy as it seemed. I'm trying to use sandpaper now to make it more even. Cleaning out the keyhold itself with a file has not been smooth either - one slip and it's back ot more evening. :-p Hopefully when it's all done the dirt will hide the mistakes. How the heck do you guys get such perfectly straight lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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