Ryss Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 After waffling between an ESB TK and a sandtrooper for ages, I finally made up my mind: dirty all the way! My ATA kit (Christmas present to myself, with both ESB and TD parts included) arrived today, and man is it bright and shiny. Glad I don't have to worry if I scratch it up! I can already tell this is going to be challenging to trim to fit me - I'm almost 5'2". I know it's been done before, but...holding up a thigh piece and seeing how it almost covers my knee if the top is aligned properly is a little daunting! I think I've got every short-person build thread at FISD bookmarked. Still, any advice on that is very welcome. I'll be putting lift heels in my boots, and plan to use foam padding inside the armor. That's me as an X-wing pilot, for an idea of my height compared to some other troopers in my garrison. Anyways, so glad tomorrow is the weekend so I can dive into this kit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartermaster Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Congrats Rachel! The ATA kit is awesome! If there is anything I can help out with, feel free to let me know. Good Luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Good luck just take your time I'm sure you will get it done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Congrats and good luck! I just finished my ESB as well... and am ready to do another TD now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks for the support! I'm on the lookout for a budget T-21 or DLT-19. If anyone has a Cushman they want to let go (I know enough not to order from them firsthand...), or could do an affordable scratchbuild, please let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lasse Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Any progress on the TD Rachel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Any progress on the TD Rachel? Got a deal for a T-21 worked out... And I'm waiting on a bunch of things in the mail. My special scissors arrived yesterday so I started trimming with a bit more confidence. I wish I could take a couple days off just to sit at home and work on my armor! But meanwhile I'm reading up and doing my research. Can't wait until I get to the weathering stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarbucket Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 If you need a hand or advice, give a holla-I have extra tubing for T-21 ribs-lemme know. BTW ....Q's packs rule! See ya, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Pics pics. Pics need pics !!! Lol we just want to see how you are coming along Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Okay, here's some progress pictures! Sorry about the photo quality - I don't have a camera so I'm taking pictures with my phone... Starting out with the biceps, like every tutorial suggests. I haven't sanded any edges yet because I have no idea how much more I'll need to trim, so it looks very rough here... Right arm test. I think it's large on me? Left arm test. Not sure whether to leave it large and add padding, or cut it down more. I figure I'll trim a few more arm pieces and see how they look together. Bottom of the left bicep lines up pretty unevenly, so I'll probably cut more and forget about leaving any return edge there. The workstation! Getting started on the shoulder bells. Canvas pouches arrived today! I'll just use the left one - spray paint it black and re-attach the smaller pouch in a better position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 We love pic Your coming a long !!! You will be a sandy in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Coming along... coming along... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBoy Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep up the great work Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark-GTI04 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Good job so far. I think when I put together my biceps I lined them up from the bottom. The outer, top portions of the biceps are covered by the shoulder pieces anyways. But you are right in that there is little to no return edge on the bottom pieces of the biceps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Well, this is taking slightly longer than expected... Today I finished the basic trimming of everything. If I were an ideally-sized 5'10 160lb man, all my trimming would be done! As it is, now I'm ready to size everything to me. I'm mostly satisfied with the biceps - I can't trim to make the circumference any smaller or I wouldn't be able to glue them, so I'll just have to use a ring of foam padding inside. Glueing the edges and an inner strip. If it turns out fine in 24 hours, I'll know my glueing technique doesn't suck and I'll glue more stuff, haha. Meanwhile I'll work on sizing down everything else. And I got my T-21! I'll do some paint touch-ups and weathering on it. Here's a crappy cellphone picture showing how tall it is next to me: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 I think I'm getting more comfortable working with all this white plastic. It helps that I'm reading on FISD and MEPD during every waking moment. Here's how the shins look right now: I only trimmed a quarter inch off the bottom. They seem to fit fine lengthwise! I think they might be sitting a little low, and they're a bit loose, so I'll probably use foam padding inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 You go girl It is coming along Wow that gun almost as tall as you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartermaster Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Looks good Rachel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRIBBLER Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Awesome progress, Sister ! Looking forward to the results! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconoclasta_88 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Looking good! Keep us posted on your progress. Saludos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 So I've steadily been working on this... Got the rest of my undersuit (going for a two-piece setup, for obvious reasons) and my neckseal. Making snap tabs out of webbing. Way easier to work with than little rectangles of plastic, and the webbing is thin enough for the shorter posts of the Dritz snaps. Back piece is trimmed, sanded, and ready for its snap tabs. Chest piece with snap tabs. I bent the sides in a little closer with a hairdryer! I might have to bend them a little more later - we'll see how it looks worn with the rest of the armor... Ab and kidney pieces are also bent with a hairdryer. Again, I might have to be more dramatic with the bending later. Left shin front glued! My technique still needs a little work...it looks like the ankle edges tried to slip apart. So far I've been gluing the edges together, inner strips, and outer strips all at once, but I might try tacking the edges together with hot glue or something just so it stays together while I glue the rest. Once again, so glad I'm doing a sandtrooper so I can hide all my mistakes with weathering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 You are doing good. You will be done a asking for deployment in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandman Tigui Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Welcome to the Dirty Bunch girl!!! You are comming out great on the build, carry on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryss Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 It's still slow going, but I have a bit more progress to report... Small Spanish pouch arrived from a user on Etsy. They didn't call it a Spanish pouch, but it looks absolutely identical. Also got my trooper1 pauldron! This thing is gorgeous. Completely worth going for the more expensive accurate option. Not pictured are the latex handguards/rubber gloves I also got in the mail yesterday. Still debating getting a more comfy pair of gloves just to use for casual trooping. I still need to get canvas for the belt, velcro for the shins, helmet padding, and probably some other miscellaneous supplies as I go along, but this completes the major items. Over the weekend I finished gluing the shins, made a bunch of snap tabs, made the shoulder straps, finished the shoulder bells, and worked on fitting the torso. I didn't take photos of most of it, but here's me looking ridiculous, wearing the chest/back and testing a thigh... I figured out how much of the lower chest to chop off Luke-style: And here's the newly-cut chest with the ab piece - the buttons will now show! Decided to order a heat gun after all, since I think the torso pieces still need bending, and I'll use it for future projects. I'm hoping to get this done by a troop on the 20th, so I really need to buckle down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron ram Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Nice job You got a great deal on the spanish pouch ( I almost bought it when I saw it but Iposted it instead glad you got it) I have a mp38/mp40 shoulder pouch you can have for $10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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