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[Bowfanny]

It's why I'm building my wife her own kit, I think.  She's not the handy type, but she did cut her own diamond out.

I wish my partner would want to build a kit. I have a hard enough time getting her to costume at all unless it's something like a pirate wench or old Victorian gowns.

[Straka Zulu]

I wish my partner would want to build a kit. I have a hard enough time getting her to costume at all unless it's something like a pirate wench or old Victorian gowns.

Take those as a win, vod.

[Dara Tarrk]

It's why I'm building my wife her own kit, I think.  She's not the handy type, but she did cut her own diamond out.

That is what I will be doing for hubby. I got the hands on experience for scratch bucket building, and I am the one with sewing skills. It should be fun, but stressful too I am sure haha

[Dara Tarrk]

So while I am working on my weapons I have been playing with my armor! It is all dirtied up now.









I feel that pictures don't do it justice, but I can't get any better pictures than that until there is sunlight out.

I am also working on how to attach my shnees. I was planning on using parachute clips and leather strips, but now I am wondering: Are the clips allowed to show? I didn't see anything specific in the CRLs and doing a search on the forum shows that most people hide them. Are they considered too modern to be shown? Either way I will be using them, the answer will just be the deciding factor on placement.
Gaunts and shnees are almost all painted at this point. Just one more layer of paint and then I can start doing my weathering on those too.
One last quick question- I know hardware store buckets have been used for helmets, but is the material good for making plates with? I am fresh out of sintra and still have to do a back plate (thinking of doing it sectioned). Since they only run $3 at the Ace here I was thinking of picking some up, but don't want to get something that won't work out .

Thank you for all of your help vod!

[Naasad Tal]

The parachute clips are fine to be exposed...lots of folks (including myself) use them as closures for their vests & I also use them as closures on my shknees

[Bowfanny]

The bucket would work if you can get it to co-operate.

[Dara Tarrk]

I decided to pass on the bucket for back plates. Since hubby is starting up his mando I figured I could piggy back off his 2 sheets of sintra, so I should have a back plate next week or the week after! 

I have finally finished my shnees and gaunts.





I even worked up some fur/leather to make one gaunt look larger as a "bite gaunt". I think maybe I need to add some foam under it to make it look thicker for application to the brigade, but that can be dealt with later.

To hold me over until I can start my back plate I put on my whole kit last night. I do realize I put my kama/girth on backwards, so maybe there will be more pictures tonight with them in the right order  I was just so excited to put it all on I didn't pay attention.

First up here is a picture of my spacing.

 I swear it is all correct.....But I am absolutely disliking the girls and the problems that they are causing with my kit. It is really hard to tell in pictures that spacing is correct. If any well endowed ladies have any suggestions on fixing the issue I am all ears. I think I will try wearing a sports bra next time I kit up to see if I can get everything in control.







I still need to attach my Cod to something. It was just shoved up under my girth belt for these pictures, and I need to attach chicago screws to my shoulders too. I am also still having issues with my mirror tint looking wrinkly when my visor is on the bolts :/
Anywho, I hope you all like my progress so far. Just a little bit left to go!

[Havelock]

Yeah, it appears that the spacing between your chest and ab plates is much greater than the spacing between your chest and collar.  Until the picture of you kneeling.  Then it looks much better.  It also appears that the top point of your left chest plate is higher than your right, and the collar appears to be sitting closer to the right side of your neck than your left.

And sadly, I don't have a solution to offer, as I don't have to deal with any girls the way you do.  heh 

All that being said, your kit is definitely coming along nicely, and I'm sure you'll be able to find work-arounds for everything and get your kit squared away.

[Dara Tarrk]

I think my collar issues are because of how I attached the cape- it is pulling on my left side and pulling it toward my back (you can see the wrinkling in my close up plates picture). I will try without the cape tonight to see if that is really the issue or if I am making things up in desperation  I know why my chest/ab placement looks off. I changed the darts on my vest because I kept popping snaps on the side when bending over. I may try adding elastic to the inside to keep it tight around the thinnest part of my waist. I am an hourglass figure, so there is a HUGE difference between the three parts of my torso (dangit for being a woman again!)

Thank you for pointing those out Havelock!

[Havelock]

No problem.  And I have absolute confidence that you'll get all these little wrinkles ironed out and get approved as an Official Member.  Keep up the good work, vod.

[Dara Tarrk]

I partially did what I said I would. Not a full kit up, but a partial to show issues both fixed and to be fixed. (pardon the HORRIBLE bathroom mirror selfies please)

And here is where I am kinda holding the collar in the correct space

I think using the sports bra really fixed the majority of my issues. 

Currently this is what I see that I have to fix:

• move collar piece to the right by ~ 1/2 inch. My eyelet and chicago screw aren't matching up so it is pulling my chest plates together on top and apart on bottom
• Add more velcro to pretty much everything to keep it from hanging out/off of my vest
• Fix seam on shoulder (sleeves? tabs? what the heck do you call the tab-y sleeve-y things anyway?)
• screw on shoulder plates

Of course, fixing these may lead to more fixes, but I'm in the fine tuning stage of my build it seems.
If you see anything else that needs to be addressed please throw it out there!

[Havelock]

That is definitely looking much better.  And once you can get some shots taken by somebody else, that'll help folks look things over, too, which you already know.     But for quick bathroom selfies, it appears you're certainly getting things squared away.  Nice.

[Kris Jasra]

Think that list covers it for fixing it. Sports bra would have been my first suggestion. Trust me - go buy a few all the same, fit the armour to them then pop one in your kit box. Then when you get to an event and realise you are wearing a non mando bra you'll still have one handy

And a tiny thing - paint the top inside of your shnees, just a quick silver or black will be fine, doesn't need to be fancy. (Also if any of the underside of the shoulder plates shows get them too) and just the first inch or so of your helmet on the inside so it's not showing.

[Dara Tarrk]

No updated pictures of my armor today, sorry to burst any bubbles, but I have made some progress. Collar is now fixed and shnees are repainted silver on the inside uppers that show. I am still sticking down velcro, and waiting on the sintra to come in the mail for my back-though amazon swears it will be here by Saturday, so I am very close!

I DO have a couple pictures of my weapon though!

Hello beautiful!

I knew from the start that I really had no interest in a blaster. The only long range weaponry I have ever really wanted was a bowcaster but that isn't going to happen right now (maybe it will be a future upgrade?). So I went with the wonderful tutorial on making an electrostaff, and I think it turned out excellent. It is taller than I am, which means it is a little over 5'5". Size comparison!


Now, I have seen over and over again that the app team likes to see blasters, but I also have read that just a single weapon should be approvable. Think my staff will be ok as a single weapon for approval? I have a vibroblade in the works, but I want to give it the time it deserves rather than throw it together really fast to get approved.

[Bowfanny]

I got kicked back and told to make a blaster. They don't care if it's a holdout blaster or big carbine. The staff looks amazing Vod it's very nice. Might need some additional greeblies and my Mir'Shebs card says add a screw somewhere since they're now canon because of Rey's staff lol

[Dara Tarrk]

I just finished black washing it tonight, so I will be looking through my box of greebs tomorrow to see if I have anything on hand that might fit. I think I also need to look through my weaponry book again to get inspired. I'm really trying not to spend anything else on my kit right now if at all possible, especially since we are putting out money to start building hubby's mando.

Blarg! I wish it was listed that a gun is the requirement and everything else is just icing, because that isn't how the CRLs read, nor is it how some questions have been answered (so far as I have seen at least)

[Kris Jasra]

A blaster is not required, a large melee weapon is allowed instead. An electrostaff will certainly fulfill that requirement.
The ruling on melee weapons is the same as blasters - a smaller knife or sword will be treated the same as applying with only a tiny hold out blaster. Whatever you apply with must be substantial enough to look like you are very well armed to Joe Public.

[Dara Tarrk]

A blaster is not required, a large melee weapon is allowed instead. An electrostaff will certainly fulfill that requirement.
The ruling on melee weapons is the same as blasters - a smaller knife or sword will be treated the same as applying with only a tiny hold out blaster. Whatever you apply with must be substantial enough to look like you are very well armed to Joe Public.

I could kiss you vod! One big or the other big was how I had taken the rule of thumb, but I kept seeing different things everywhere. I was going to write in to the app team to ask today, but you beat me to it. Thank you thank you!! I am so burnt out of creativity from scratch building my bucket that even thinking of making a blaster had me exhausted.

 So with an approvable weapon officially crossed off my list I just have to: weather my soft parts, add more Velcro, do my back plating, attach cod, and apply. Things to do not required for OM: New mask/ears, vibro blade and other small add ons for brigade.

[Fenn Beviin]

That electrostaff looks awesome! Also, I am really digging that Krayt (I assume?) dragon on your chest armor. Your stencil game is pretty top notch. Mine still leaves some room for improvement...

[Dara Tarrk]

That electrostaff looks awesome! Also, I am really digging that Krayt (I assume?) dragon on your chest armor. Your stencil game is pretty top notch. Mine still leaves some room for improvement...

Thank you! Yes it is a krayt dragon. To be totally honest I didn't know what the heck I was doing when I did my stencils. I ended up pre-drawing my design and then taping the paper down on top of a wax paper sheet of painters tape and cutting it all out with an exacto knife. Then when I went to put the stenciling on to paint it I had to spend a couple hours removing the wax paper from the stencil with tweezers and an exacto knife. It was a really long process, but turned out pretty good for my first try. You will be amazed what complete determination can accomplish. I probably spent a total of 6 hours on the stencils. 2 for drawing, 2 for cutting, and 2 for application.

[Havelock]

That looks great.

[Draceline]

This kit looks really cool! I wouldn't have thought of the Zygerrian ears, and they're impressive.

The electrostaff and the krayt dragon look pretty darn good. I'm planning a staff or spear myself.

As for your tail, have you considered putting some armor at any point down its length? A tail is part of your spine after all, so that being vulnerable could be a very unpleasant thing. Something that is lightweight, obviously, so that it doesn't drag it down too much.

[Dara Tarrk]

have you considered putting some armor at any point down its length?

Thank you!

 As for the tail it is in the works actually (super secret side project with all the little scraps I have) I need to do some more field testing to see how much movement it may hinder and how much extra weight it adds on before deciding if it is viable. I also want to make sure it won't end up smacking into everyone/everything as I walk around since my tail has a natural movement to it.

[Draceline]

I understand completely. I had the same problem with my dragon tail when I built Toothless last year. It was wonderful, but it just kept getting stepped on (mostly by myself) because it dragged rather than being help properly by the wires I put in it.

Secure it well: maybe add a good belt loop or two to it if you haven't already. I used alligator clips on my last cat tail. It works surprisingly well.

If nothing else, it might be good just to have a plate for the base of the tail. That would be the most important part.

[Dara Tarrk]

Secure it well: maybe add a good belt loop or two to it if you haven't already. I used alligator clips on my last cat tail. It works surprisingly well.

I didn't realize I didn't post how I made my tail back when I first started my WIP log. It was one of those things that happened in less than a day because I had a plan and slammed it out. 

For anyone that is curious my tail is a metal coat hanger unbent and cut to the length I wanted. I bent the top into a loop and sewed that loop into a thick piece of leather with some thick quilting thread doubled over. The leather was then turned into a loop to slip over a belt. Then I ran the wire through plastic tubing, wrapped the tubing with cotton batting, and then sealed it all up in fabric. The fabric was then sewn to the outside part of the belt loop, and the whole length of the tail was coated with latex and then flocked so it looks and feels a little more realistic.
Here is a picture of the attachment. This side with the loop sits on the inside of the belt so it sits snug against my back.


And this part is the outside.


 It has great motion, is really light, and because it sits against my spine it moves fairly accurately (or so I think). It also doesn't drag on the floor or underfoot because of the wire and tubing. It has held up through all of the running around and wearing I have put it through so far. I have not been easy on it, nor has my kitty - he likes to chase it and tug on it whenever I kit up. If it doesn't budge when an 8 pound cat is holding onto it dead weight I think it passes as secure and I don't see a little sintra causing very much trouble at all aside from figuring out how to keep it all in place without looking fake. 
I am hoping to have enough scrap sintra and/or extra pvc to cover the upper length of the tail and have the last plate be wrapped completely around the tip of the tail. And if everything works out I have some flashy decorating ideas for the plates too, but I'm leaving that as a surprise