Wife's TB- Might need help here n there.

[miqt]

Hey Gang- Im pretty serious about clearing my workbench so heres the Wifes TB on the

go. Im ginna start the vynil on the boots in the next couple days. Ive cut the details into the

boots also. Heres the biggie though- I yakked the KS bucket the seam that mates the back

to the top (I overtrimmed, now theres a gap)- So now It'll be a bondo and paint more like a

resin bucket job. Also- heres some of her parts cut down (shes 5'2") as you can see the

awesome MC armor parts have lost size and lost their return edges. Do these edges pose

a problem for 501st entry? I can always sculpt new edges in plastic and filler and paint- It'll

match the bucket for color then :-). ? What do you guys think? Also- theres a bit of heat gun

to be used on these parts and I have to move /create the slots for the elastic:

[Griffin-X]

Great work overall and nice boot detail. Armor should be good for general 501st clearance.

[M.J]

Mike I'm 4'11 and did a fear bit of moulding and triming, dont forget when making the soft parts to just size the pockets down a little, because you are sizing down the armor the soft parts need it also. A hint make the black undergarment a two piece your wife will love you for it, I just used a mens Black shirt and boys schools and did a little sewing to make them into the underarmor that they are.

Good luck Mike

[miqt]

Thanks guys- MJ unfortunately the first thing we got for Joyce was the speedway racing suit.

I can see where a 2 piece might be very convenient though! I sent a msg about an SC bucket

for Joyce- I see now that they are smaller than the KS so I guess We'll either be selling the

KS or Ill keep it and do a scout myself in a few years.

Here's where we're at with her parts now. Hopefully the shape of the lens area is pretty good.

I didnt screw up the helmet nearly as bad as I originally thought- might still need a paintjob

though- not the end of the world- future floor polish sprayed over Tamiya gloss white ought to

do the trick. The boots are coming along too-managed to hide almost all the stitching.

[Dart]

You can always put a return edge by using a craft iron and a bit of an old sock. That'll help with the look if you care to do it. It's not that hard as long as you take your time.

[Griffin-X]

Helmet looks good and the boot is clean and straight. You might consider trimming a little more around the inner lens area.

[miqt]

Thanks for the input guys. I dont know if I left enough material to fold any down with an iron.

I might be inclined to add a return edge with some evergreen strip-stock and body filler but

Im not sure yet. Ill take another look at the screen used bucket and look at sanding a bit more

lens area out Griffin. I went to Fabricland this morning and got some 2" anti-roll elastic for

the thigh straps and we ripped apart a thrift store leather coat for the patches and mudflap.

Also picked up a pack of RIT black dye for the cuffs on the speedway racing suit (cause they're

white), and some tulips fabric paint in golden tan for the sides of the boot rubber- though its

pretty think and I dont know if It'll atomize in the airbrush without thinning (with my little

compressor anyway).

Mike

[Dart]

You shouldn't have to worry about dying the cuffs. Unless they're not covered by the gloves, I wouldn't bother. As for the return edge, you don't have to have it and since you've already cut it, I'd just leave it. Less work to do with painting, etc...

[miqt]

Well, the tulips fabric paint work to match up the sole sides and make the color more accurate

(not perfect by any stretch though). Had to wiggle the trigger to get it to come out the gravity

feed airbrush though! I like it - whuddya think?

[Dart]

Looks good. Boots look like they're coming along nicely.

[miqt]

Moving right along- the boots are done! That was an ok way to spend boxing day :-)

[Griffin-X]

Great job and happy boxing day btw...!

[4505Marcel]

The boots turned out great mate, loving what you did with the soles. 2 tones soles are not acceptable for lancer, so you may have cured the problem for a lot of state side troopers who say they cannot get a single coloured sole, youve also lost the sole stitching again a lancer requirement.

There very nice top job, my only suggestion would be have been to try and lose some of the dip between where the laces are at the bottom, I really stuff the toe section undernieth that point, which tightens up the vynil normally and you loose some of the dip, you can get rid of it 100% unfortunately due to how the boos are constructed.

Big thumbs up from me though.

[miqt]

Thanks for the feedback guys- Im glad that the experienced troopers think

the boots turned out well! I managed to do most of the heat forming late last

night. I found the shoulder bells really resistant to heat forming- must be

because of their shape. Just the sides of the knees left to bend in a bit.

Now I have to cut the mudflap and saddle patches and figure out what

size elastic goes where. Is this right:

2" for knees (have I seen 2 straps on some.. with rivets?)

2" camel thong to back of 'bund (plain elastic)

2" non roll (ribbed) around legs patch-to-patch sewn under

1.5" forearms (plain elastic)

2" bicep (plain elastic)

1" plain elastic through chin cup

Are any of these wrong???

Thanks gang.

Mike

[4505Marcel]

Yes if your looking for what lancer requires now, then some need changing, pop over t o the lancer crl bro.

 

The 2 elastics on the knees is what we have found from the blue ray release, only a requirment for lancer

[miqt]

Thanks Marcel- Sorry to be a bug. I just found the lancer standard which are an excellent

resource- Over at the RL there are no pics to illustrate exactly what is required. I think

the lancer CRL could use a few MORE pics- esp thigh straps, mudflap, and thigh straps

etc. But whomever was repsonsible for putting together that lancer page has done an

excellent job! Now back to work patterning the saddle patches!

Mike

EDIT: Here's how the suede came out (its recycled from an old leather jacket)

[Dart]

For the knee elastic, the stuff that MonCal sends is perfect for the main strap. I still like having some velcro on the inside anyway.

[miqt]

Thanks brother Dart! I think I will hand-stitch some velcro onto the suit to hold the

armor parts secure, epsecially because wife is so wee.

Mike

[miqt]

Ok... so Ive built alllll kinds of stuff, including from scratch....... but I am absolutely

banging my head against the wall with her KS bucket! *bang* *bang* *bang* agghhhh!

I might have to post up some pics soon. I cant get the correct angles following the

moulded guides on the dome front/rear. I cant get a proper angle for faceplate/visor

mounting and even when I get really close (which I can), the bottom of the side

flare out wayyyy too much, not just the sideburns mind you, they would be too easy

to heat and press in... Id have to heat and evenly bend in the neck portion of the

wrap around. Im gonna give it another go, but Im very close to lighting it on fire

and watching it burn...... while having a Guinness and giggling like a school-girl.

Mike

[Dart]

I hear ya about the KS build. I paid extra to have it assembled and when I got it, I got all ADD and took it apart because of some minor stuff I wanted to change. Then it sat for 2 months. I was afraid of it. Just go slow and remember that the top of the dome, when attached to the wrap around bit, should be parallel with the bottom edge (ie. when you put the bucket upside-down on a table, the bottom edge should be level with the table top).

 

You may end up having to heat and pull in the sides of the helmet. I did. I just tied some twine through the earholes, tightened the twine and then heated it and let it set. Did that until everything kept it's place.

 

As for the visor and faceplate, just go slow. Trim and test until you get it right. Usually, the angle of the edge of the visor continues with the bottom of the faceplate. The groove in the side of the visor should match up with the top of the ear hole.

 

If you don't want to use glue, get some 3M indoor/outdoor mounting tape. It's a really great double-sided foam tape that is much easier and cleaner to work with than glue.

[miqt]

Just a bit more to do on this costume guys. A little more heat for the shoulder bells I think

and some thin shoulder pads i think. Cumberbund, vest, and pouches are in progress. Ive

decided to glue the bucket together and let the chips fall where they may. Itll work or Ill

light it on fire and watch it burn (Im not a pyro.....just frustrated). Heres a pic of the 'stume

as it is, and a closeup of the saddle patch and ribbed strap. I also sewed the pockets shut

and cut them out (to remove bulk), and removed the belt, keepers, epaulettes and any other

bits that are'nt just a plain black coverall (It is a speedway motors suit).

Mike

[miqt]

KS Bucket thrown in scrap bin (where this particular one belongs IMHO).

[miqt]

So here is the 'bund in progress. It still needs to be turned inside out (the 1/4" batting is sewn onto

the reverse side right now). Getting ready to finish it all off today. The pouches have been scaled

down 6" tall, 5" wide, 2" deep, I made the patterns up last night, so these should be good for a shorty

girl trooper. We've got spare material- so there will be 2 bund and pouch sets going up in the F/S

threads tonight or tomorrow- for the Girl trooper 5'5" and under!

Mike

[Chef]

personally bud, I'd make the top of the crotch bit a little wider.

 

Check out this screen grab, you can see that it's actually fairly big.

 

http://forum.bikerscout.net/index.php?app=gallery&image=414

 

 

Also, you'll need to make sure that it doesn't show any white on the backside area.

[miqt]

Thanks for that Bro! That pic has bothered me for a while though. It looks like theres more than 6

vertical sections on the bund. But the bund at the top does span the (huge) gap between the pouches.

On a little wee person -like 5'2" ish, the codpiece diaper bit will be narrower: it will Still span the

distance between the 2 pouches and look as correct as it can on a person without all that room to

play with the placement of things.

Mike