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[Odran Krayt]

So, I am working through the PreApp process right now, and I realized I never posted a WIP. I am still far enough from OM that I have things that I am still improving, so I'll post them here.

My bucket





(sculpey earcap pre-baking)

Helmet w/ new earcap (pre weathering)

(weathered)

Front to see the better balanced front view


Burnt side with lightsaber scar


Back armor


Chest armor



Trophies (the marble and wire pendants are also for sale on my sales thread)


Gauntlets (right one is my sword arm, has bicep, elbow, and hand plate, with extra trauma plates. left has a blaster, no handplate, and the blaster hose goes under my arm pouch and shoulder)
right
left
left top
elbow
dont have bicep or shoulder pics yet

My 'Mando Diaper' or cod and girth belt (I also have a kama, its not in the picture)


Here I am in kit at the Last Jedi premier. (I'm in the back right next to the TIE reserve pilot)


My beskad (spare material from my deck at my house, it is some sort of composite plastic/wood, it weighs about 10 pounds.)
It has a strap that velcroes to the spine of the blade that can velcro over my shoulder to carry.

The ring and braids at the pommel

The beskad on my shoulder


A boot, just a snowboot with a spat made with Pheonix023's tutorial http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=120390.msg1628355#msg1628355

And shin armor

The straps I used to hold the shins on (needs a way to hold down the ends)

Other shin with pouches


One side of my trophy diamond wrap that goes over the bottom of my thigh plates (laid over top of my boot)

 
A little blurry, but a lightsaber trophy, it connects with the silver side of my helmet and the burn scar. I was battling a Sith, and as he hit my helmet with his saber, I caught it and, in the struggle, the crystal became unaligned and blasted the whole battery out the side and burned away the paint on the right side of my armor. (you can see the red crystal inside. it is a chunk of glass I picked up off the road that I colored red with a Sharpie.)


My Westar-35 pistol (I have its twin for sale on my sales thread in my signature.)


My off hand short sword (It now has a ring in the hilt like my beskad, and a leather wrapped hilt)


That's all for today, I'll get more pics up when I can.

[Kris Jasra]

That's a lot of progress. Just a couple of things I can spot at the moment.

The helmet still needs a lot of sanding, barring the section you want damaged the rest needs to be smoothed out.

Your ab plate needs a large trim and shifting up into place. Trim on the green and shift up to the red line. The gap all around should be even.


Looking forward to seeing this all put together.

[Odran Krayt]

would it work to add smaller plates in the larger gaps? my whole chest armor is metal, and the height of the plate is because it is very short otherwise

[MadCelt]

would it work to add smaller plates in the larger gaps? my whole chest armor is metal, and the height of the plate is because it is very short otherwise

Just for clarity, your ab plate isn't actually supposed to cover your abdomen. It rides high, almost to the sternum.
Your belly area would be covered by a girth belt or sash with weapon/gear belts on top of that.

Check out Jango Fett's armor. Note the placement and spacing of the plates.

[Havelock]

Just for a quick visual reference:

[Odran Krayt]

The way i understand it, the bottom should sit over the belly button, and that is where mine sits, so bringing it up would make it look too high up

[Sep Ho'ban]

The way i understand it, the bottom should sit over the belly button, and that is where mine sits, so bringing it up would make it look too high up

It should end an inch or two above your navel i you want to ever be able to bend over ever.   But either way you're going to have to trim to get the spacing to be even.  That upper tab of your ab plate is currently asymmetrical. 

Kris's advice is solid (as always).  Girthbelts cover your girth. 

[grantaire]

The vest and armor tends to sit a lot higher than what most recruits assume, but even Boba Fett's vest ended along or above his navel. The girthbelt and other belt items will make up the difference.

[Odran Krayt]

Ok, I've been running off of this pic which looks like it hits his navel.

 It looks better when I wear my girth belt.
Also, any suggestions on how best to smooth my helmet? it is sanded down too deep in spots, so simply sanding isn't an option.

[Kris Jasra]

The armour on that picture looks too big all round, both front and back for that frame to me.

Around the navel is the easiest reference point, however it can be anywhere from the navel to a few inches above since nobodies navel is in the same spot (my armour stops a full 2 inches above mine)

would it work to add smaller plates in the larger gaps? my whole chest armor is metal, and the height of the plate is because it is very short otherwise

I also have to draw attention to this line from the CRLs: "If a Boba or Jango Fett ab plate is being used, the height of the plate must be approximately 1/2 the measurement of the width."

I assume you've been using bondo (car body filler) for the outer layers? If not - get some, it works wonders. If yes, mix up a tiny bit at a time, then using someshing flat (most tubs come with a small plastic spreader) smooth it into all the dips. Let it dry, then sand it down. Fill any remaining dips. Sand again. Repeat until you gain a smooth surface.

[Odran Krayt]

so what you are saying is the upper body armor is too wide?

I plan on getting some bondo tonight, i just wanted to make sure there wasnt a better method

[Kris Jasra]

so what you are saying is the upper body armor is too wide?

No. When I said too big all around I was talking about the last picture posted - the drawing, not any pictures of you, I marked the exact place that was too big on those. The width is fine on your armour.

To break down the CRL point. The ab plate should not be higher in size than half it's width. If you look at yours it is far bigger height-wise than half its width - therefore it needs trimming where marked. Some leeway will be given - it wont be measured down to the last inch, but close enough to not stand out to the eye is needed.

[Odran Krayt]

so the ab plate is what is too big?

[Kris Jasra]

Yes. See my diagram for best fit.

[Odran Krayt]

How is this?
Chest armor with adjusted ab plate, changed secondary color to copper/bronze

Helmet smoothed

Character's wife's name in new TLJ alphabet