RaiderNick

I haven't trimmed the sides yet so they still overlap and are way too big. I am going to cut them down and probably use the heat gun to bend them in a little because right now its too wide for me. Ill post some side shots once I trim it

Test fitting of torso armor.

I finished the strapping system for the upper half of the armor.

Stupid question, but before I add snaps to the kidney plate, which side of the plate goes UP, the side with red X or the blue X?

I'm trying to build it to specialist standards right away. I wasn't aware I was allowed to rivet anything besides the thigh ammo belt.

So I finally started attaching the snapping system. I'm using webbing on the shoulders and elastic for everything else.

I will try the velcro method once I actually finish the shins. Right now I just have the backs taped closed. On a side note, am I allowed to cut small grooves in the back bottom of the thighs and top back of the shins so I can bend my leg easier without it digging in? I've seen this done before on regular stormtroopers not sure if its ok here.

I'm also having a major problem with the shoes. The top of the shoe won't stay inside the shins. It is naturally much larger than my ankle and I need to shove it into the shins and it bunches up. Then when I walk it will always come out even If I use elastic to hold it down. The top of the shoe is just too wide to fit properly into the shin, it seems like it's always going to come out.

I glued the front of the shins and trimmed the backs. I'm now facing the problem of how I'm going to hold the backs together. Since I'm using a butt seam method, I can't use velcro on the backs. Should I use elastic inside with hooks?

So I trimmed the front of the shins, as you can see they are also too long. I'll need to trim an inch or so off the bottom

I'm using snaps and belt

Those thighs seem like they are up a bit high that it might be uncomfortable, around the groin area.

ok, i'll just trim off a 1/2 an inch at a time then until it is just above my knee

Ok, so I trimmed the back of the thighs. Before I trim the tops off to make them shorter, I need some help. How much should I trim off the top? Like, how far above my knee should the thigh be? Because right now it covers almost half of my knee.

That's what I'm going to do, right now they cover about half of my knee, I figure I'll remove an inch to an inch and a half. Also, I'm going to remove most of the return edge on the bottom, it digs into my knee.

So I started the thighs. I trimmed and glued the fronts. I will do the backs next time, then deal with the length issues.

http://www.heartlandamerica.com/browse/item.asp?product=bass-amsterdam-boots&pin=136919

They are curved scissors I use for trimming my model car bodies. Much better for turns.

Finished the arms except cover strips (going to leave all of those for last) I started the thighs, I trimmed them and fitted them. That's it for now. I'll continue working on it again next week, maybe this weekend but I doubt it.

So I finally got to work on the arms. Here's the results before gluing them. Do you guys think the gap is too big? That's as small as I can make it and still barely fit my hand through. I'm hesitant about using velcro on one of the sides because it doesn't hold well when moving around a lot, even the industrial kind. What do you think I should do?

Glued biceps. Mostly done. I just need to attach cover strips

Here's the trimmed but not yet glued biceps I'm following Pandatroopers guide for modifying the pieces to use butt seams instead of the overlap seams However, I ran into a snag. His pictures don't show the bicep from this angle and if you look at mine the return edges don't line up. I'll have to use the heat gun to bend the edges to line them up. Look below

I'm going to start with the biceps first

So I finally got my kit today. My boots came at the same time, lucky me. I laid out most of the larger parts. Don't have enough room on floor for everything. I will update this as I actually start to build it.