Vadersf15t Posted October 14, 2007 Share Posted October 14, 2007 ok so i listened to everyone's comments about the armor and have started to rework the armor over. this includes removing the belt and im just waiting to get some canvas to complete my belt. i took a good majority of the paint off yesterday and this is what i have right now. as always, leave me comments and let me know what you think!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/ in comparison to what i had before: http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... mall-1.jpg http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... 6small.jpg http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... 4small.jpg http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... mall-1.jpg http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... mall-1.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dewbackrider88 Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 GREAT improvements brother. Looks more realistic now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Much better. Good!!! work trooper, i like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatooineboy Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 World of difference Again, though, great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 16, 2007 Author Share Posted October 16, 2007 thanks guys i really appreciate it! i just got a yard of white canvas today which before checking some screen shots and a couple other pics will be assembling shortly. while thats in the works im also going to modify the arm strapping system to hang properly. i personally dont like too much of my black undersuit showing, the rebels may pick it out and get me although with an MG 34 on the way and a sandtrooper's natural sharpshooting skills... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Wow, looks much better! b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGreatSot Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 WOW! Much better weathering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 way to go! great improvement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 21, 2007 Author Share Posted October 21, 2007 i re strapped everything and put it all on to see how it fits. It fits good but for one MAJOR problem. The sniper plate keeps pinching the knee skin. Do you guys have any advice for this problem? Also i noticed the amount of hip area showing. i have no idea what to do for that and i think im just going to have to leave it that way. Heres some pics. The belt is missing because right now its drying. i didnt want to put any strain on it today, maybe ill take some more pics tomorrow. As always guys, feel free to comment! http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1678873165/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1678872969/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1679725118/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 OK, you got to get the thigh pieces higher so that your inner thighs are up close to the family jewels. I imagine that this means that the front of your thigh pieces jab into you when you try to walk or *Gasp* try to sit down. What I did was trim the top of the thighs down while trying to keep the same contour lines. That way I could pull the thigh pieces higher without all the pinching. This will also alleviate some of the issues with the sniper plate if I understand it right. Remember, these suits are all cut the same roughly and were sized around someone who must have been shaped strangely to boot. It took me a long time before I had the courage to cut the pieces, but it looks a lot better in the end when you do.....remember, just a little at a time! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I agree, you gotta get those thighs higher. It may mean shimming them to make them slightly bigger so they'll fit. You might also look into a closer fitting undersuit...looks like the fabric's bunching up over your thighs. The weathering's looking good though. You're making good progress. It just takes time to sort it all out. The first time I tried on my armor I thought it looked like ***, but I still had a long way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 22, 2007 Author Share Posted October 22, 2007 oh man. i really need help. At this point i dont have anything to sand down the armor that falls within my budget. the only other idea i had was maybe to use the thighs from these pictures? i need to tone down the weathering on them first but thats all i can think of. all the mods i've dont on my armor have been lucky enough NOT to need any expensive tools but the thighs pieces do not have a velcro or any other type of reattchable method. they were closed using the abs cement glue which i tentatively tried to pry open (and remembered that abs glue basically melts the abs making it a permanent fastener) and just kind of put them down with a sigh. any other ideas gentlemen? and what do you think of the idea of using these thighs: http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... mall-1.jpg http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14 ... 6small.jpg what does shimming mean? how do you shim the armor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 If you are on a budget and pretty good at following lines, you could map out the cuts with a pencil and follow it with Aviator Tin Snips (Less than $20.00). Then sand the edges with sandpaper. I would trim a little at a time til you get to the "right" spot and then sand once. Make sure to do each leg as a stand alone piece as none of us are actually symmetrical. "Looking" even is completely different than "measuring" even. It is all about how it looks on YOU. In the end there should be only a few milimeters difference anyway. You could try the other thighs but I think matching the weathering would be more of a challenge....anyone else think of something better/easier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 22, 2007 Author Share Posted October 22, 2007 I actually love fooling around with the weathering and wont have too much of a problem doing but everyone who i asked thinks the armor with too much hip area looks best (one person told me the other overly weathered set looks like im wearing a baggy set of swimming shorts lol). and it does fit nice except of course for it being a little too low. steve12201 im not following what your saying i should do. could you draw a diagram or send me a PM? where would i cut? On what line would i draw the line? I've had previous experience using Aviator tin snips before (i went to Aviation High School and we had to use them to cut aluminum sheet metal) so i could pick those up but im just not sure where i should cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 OK....understand that this is the most "high-tech" photoshoping I have ever done....hope it works: Here is the area to trim: The red dotted line shows the path to trim. I would only do a quarter inch or so at a time and re-fit with your body suit on. The goal is to get the inner thigh part closer to your crotch while still being able to bend or set down without the high point pinching you. By trimming along the original shape of the piece, you retain the original look and it doesn't look weird when you are done. Does that help? PM sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Tom has a good point too. Your problem might be more that the tubes are too tight in diameter because the photos of your tops already appear to be quite a bit more rounded/less pointy than the kit in my example. If this is the case, maybe your undersuit might be too thick/ baggy/ or not "form-fitting" . You might need underarmor that compresses your thighs so that you can get the thigh tubes up higher into your crotch area. If this is already tight, your going to have comfort issues as well. Unfortunately, I don't know much about shimming. Basically though, you would have to open the back of the thights without tearing the ABS and adding a strip of either contoured ABS or something else to give the tubes a larger diameter. One of the big guys in my garrison used white leather or vinyl in the back. He did it in such a way that it looks pretty good and you don't really notice it unless it wrinkles when he walks. I don't have any pics of it though. Either way, a little bit goes a long way. Mesaure often and check, check, and triple check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 22, 2007 Author Share Posted October 22, 2007 thats an idea i was considering too. if i can somehow get a straight cut somewhere on the inside of the thigh and just get some white vinyl i can increase the leg diameter just enough without any visible changes tothe armor. I think ill have to go ahead and do that. I'm also up for any other suggestions. As far as the top of the thigh its already been trimmed; the pinching i was referring to was from the sniper plate catching my knee right in between the thigh armor. i actually woke up with a bruised area from where the pinches were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Shimming means you add some ABS to the gap where the parts would normally connect in the back. In the case of your thighs, I'd say you'd have to cut them open along the overlap line, then add the shim of plastic between the two pieces underneath. You could glue the shims or use industrial velcro on them if you want to be able to open them up to put them on. Either way, I'd use ABS so it'll match the suit and won't wear out easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 hmmm i fiddled with it and lowered the abdomen armor so it covers some of the hip... what do you guys think? Read the caption too! http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1702101530/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 It does look better now. I would still consider shimming it though and try to get about 2 more inches up the thigh...especially the right piece. TM suits use strips to connect the halves of each part. I believe that the strips on the thighs are supposed to be 18-20 MM wide. You might be able to get away with spreading the pieces a little and adding strips to the outside of the armor to hide the space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 i was able to get the thighs up just a little bit more so take a look!!! tons of pictures and i would love to here anything you guys have to say (except about the ammo pouch, i realize it slipped right under my armor after the armor came off): http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718569472/ (Stomper has a pic like this and i really liked and wanted to try it too! http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1717722543/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718568692/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718567074/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718561368/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718560512/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718559694/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1717712633/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718560074/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1717714499/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1718565812/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/14990581@N02/1717721439/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Lookin' pretty B.A. there man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadersf15t Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 thank you sir!!!! what does B.A. mean? lol i feel stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve12201 Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Bad ***...and I second it. Looks much better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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