DT - Jim Tripon Calves and Forearms HELP

[productionsbykyle]

Hello there,

I have Jim Tripon’s DT Armor kit and am really struggling with the calves and forearms. I’ve seen people epoxy both sides together for the gauntlets and that works great for them, but my problem is I am also making two DT kits for my parents, who are approaching 60. 
 

I would like to make the kits accessible for them (as much as being in a kit of armor can be) and don’t want them straining their hands and feet to get into the calves and forearms. 
 

My first attempt at this was using magnets. I drilled into the armor and used ABS strips to add magnets to both sides of the valves and forearms. This didn’t really work as it made it difficult to put on without the under-suit getting caught and it wasn’t a very strong bond, with my worry that it would come off during a troop. Additionally, after installing the magnets, I placed the pieces in boiling water to help heat form them, but that caused the gorilla glue epoxy to fail, undoing all the work. This procedure of drilling was only done to my calves and forearms, so I plan to fill the holes with fiberglass resin and restart. 
 

With the backstory out of the way, here are my questions:

 

1. What epoxy should I be using with this kit? Mainly the calves and forearms as heat treatment will be needed to properly form it to my calves and forearms. 
 

2. How did you heat treat your pieces to fit? The forearms were in such a warped shape when I got them, so something needs to be done to get them in a better shape and more comfortable. 
 

3. How did you connect the two halves of your calves and forearms? Is this a method that you believe would be accessible to individuals who are approaching 60? ( my mom had hand surgery last year so the forearms are my biggest concern)

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this! 

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Kyle, my kit is a Jimmi one. Tomorrow at work I will put together something for you. If could take some photos of your forearms and shins so I can see what we are working with.

[productionsbykyle]

Thank you @Chaos  Here are some photos:

I’m new to forum posts so I am not sure if I attached them the correct way or if I could have alternated text and pictures.
 

Some pictures here show the method I was trying to do with the imbedded magnets and the ABS strips, as well as how this failed with the epoxy when I boiled them to heat form.
 

The most important pictures are the ones that show how they align  the forearms has a lot of curve at the ends that I would want to straighten.  For the calves, when the front edges are held together, there is a ton of overlap in the back.  Finally, when the front and the back of the calves are aligned, the front the back length is small, with the opening being an oval shape, making it uncomfortable/ hard to get on/wear.  I am hoping heat forming will help all of these concerns  

 

[productionsbykyle]

Hello there.  Is there anyone that is able to give some suggestions I have listed above?

 

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Kyle, apologies it has taken me a while to circle back around to this. Seeing how I have Jim's kit and am approaching 60 as well, I think the way I built mine will work well for you. Now that I see your photos I'll put together something for you in the next couple of days.

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Oh and go purchase yourself some tubes of Devon Plastic Welder. It holds very well and won't seperate in a hot water bath.

Also go buy you a tall inexpensive soup/stock pot 32 quarts or more.You'll need these for my suggestions 

[productionsbykyle]

Thank you @Chaos  I have removed the previous work done to the forearms and calves, which included removing magnets, abs strips, and sanding down previous epoxy and stuff, and now I have some fiberglass resin filling the magnet holes.  Plan on getting these done and ready! Thank you again! 

 

[productionsbykyle]

Here is what I did for fiberglass resin to fix my previous attempt. I used tape on the outside of the holes and brushed the resin on the inside of the piece, filling the holes and painting along the edge. My hope was that it would strengthen the areas that now had holes in them but also to ensure the resin filling the holes won’t come out. Here are some pictures of one of the forearms. 
 

I can still flex them a little bit but am not trying to flex it like a piece of rubber as I know that is not the intent of the piece. 
 

if anyone has comments on my application on if I did this wrong, please let me know. Thank you for your time. 

[productionsbykyle]

[productionsbykyle]

With this, for the outside, I will use bondo to fill in and smooth these areas once I have the attachment method figured out. For the inside, I will coat with something to prevent fiberglass from getting everywhere once it is done. 

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Kyle, before you get too far with the bondo, I would not do any bondo work before you water bath the pieces.

I am just about done with a "how to" for the forearms and calves for you.

[productionsbykyle]

Thanks @Chaos not planning on doing bondo until after the water bath! Thank you for the help!

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Ok I got the forearm info done, this should keep you busy while I finish up the shins info. Let me know if you have any questions. Slow and meticulous are the words of the day for this.

 

Hot Water Bath Shaping.pdf

[productionsbykyle]

This rocks, thank you! @Chaos I didn’t think about just using my forearm to keep them closed for the clamshell method. 
 

I have two questions:

1) is there a place on the forum that this can be stored so that others can view it?

2) For doing the clamshell method, is there a way to ensure both edges of the unglued side are painted? Like did you separate the halves slightly while painting to achieve this? My worry is putting stress on the parts and causing them to crack, so I’m sure that opening the clamshell slightly during painting may be bad. Let me know your thoughts on this. 
 

Thank you again!

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

On 11/20/2024 at 3:29 PM, productionsbykyle said:

This rocks, thank you! @Chaos I didn’t think about just using my forearm to keep them closed for the clamshell method. 
 

I have two questions:

1) is there a place on the forum that this can be stored so that others can view it?

I am sure I can put it some where. I have posted several "Informational" comments in the forum, I usually title the subject line so its specific and can be found easily when using the search function. Maybe when I get a chance I'll upload all my pdf. documents to a single post and "sticky" it.

2) For doing the clamshell method, is there a way to ensure both edges of the unglued side are painted? Like did you separate the halves slightly while painting to achieve this? My worry is putting stress on the parts and causing them to crack, so I’m sure that opening the clamshell slightly during painting may be bad. Let me know your thoughts on this. 

When I was sanding and painting my forearms I used an old hand towel and rolled it. I then slid it into the forearms to separate the open edges. Jim's material is quite flexible.  After the paint has cured I took a small strip of black felt (you can use "mole skin" as well) to prevent the outside edge from marring the inside edge.

Some advice, if you go the clamshell route, hold off on attaching the rubber straps on the wrist until everything is fitted and painted. I posted above a technique I used on mine. This allows the wrist end to expand enough to allow my hand to pass through.

Another thing that you can do is put elastic cord straps on the inside of the forearms to pull them tighter. Paul did this for his Shoretrooper forearms which are basically the same design as the DT. The little rectangles you see on his forearm are where an elastic string (used to make beaded bracelets) is tied in to pull the pieces together.

Thank you again!

[productionsbykyle]

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-atbULePyifWLApIrdA3qI5CIJmpb4tE
 

Link to pictures of my forearms!

 

 

 

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

They turned our great! Nice job Trooper!

[productionsbykyle]

Thank you for all the help!! The cylinders and the bands were attached with screws, specifically Chicago screws for the bands so that nothing gets glued to the gloss paint job! 

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Great idea.

[productionsbykyle]

Hello there. Getting ready to start the calves. Is it a similar procedure, just gluing the front edge together of each and forming them around my calves while wearing the boots? 
 

Additionally, any advice on getting the small greeblies on the from of the left calf? 

[DoggyDoc[CMD-DCA]]

On 12/14/2024 at 3:06 PM, productionsbykyle said:

Hello there. Getting ready to start the calves. Is it a similar procedure, just gluing the front edge together of each and forming them around my calves while wearing the boots? 
 

Additionally, any advice on getting the small greeblies on the from of the left calf? 

Hi Kyle. 
 

Probably best to start a build thread for your kit so we can answer questions there. 
 

Many have used JB Weld plastic bonder for bonding the armour pieces and attaching greeblies. The front of the shin is bonded and then the gaps will need to be filled with Bondo or some similar type of filler. 
 

Careful when putting the shins on, as they don’t open as easily as ABS pieces and can easily crack along the front part when opening the back. 

[productionsbykyle]

On 12/17/2024 at 1:56 PM, DoggyDoc said:

Hi Kyle. 
 

Probably best to start a build thread for your kit so we can answer questions there. 
 

Many have used JB Weld plastic bonder for bonding the armour pieces and attaching greeblies. The front of the shin is bonded and then the gaps will need to be filled with Bondo or some similar type of filler. 
 

Careful when putting the shins on, as they don’t open as easily as ABS pieces and can easily crack along the front part when opening the back. 

I apologize. I was thinking since I called out the Calves in the title and that Chaos said he was planning to start a memo on the calves, that this would be a good place to ask. 
 

Please let me know if I should post here or create an additional thread. 

[DoggyDoc[CMD-DCA]]

@productionsbykyle  My apologies actually, for some reason, I thought that you posted on someone else’s build thread. You are fine posting it here, but if you have several questions about different parts, then it is definitely easier to have everything on one post, rather than spread over several.