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So I thought I’d share my tattoo work I just had done. June of 2015 I lost my nephew to a terrible accident at my work. So I wanted some sort of a tattoo for a tribute to him so this is what the artist and I came up with, hope you enjoy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In my case a solid piece of hard plastic was used, just because it was available. Dan's idea with the MDF is much better, as this material is way easier to shape and will lead to the same result.

mag release block 1st operation threaded hole...s1255.photobucket.com

FX BLASTER PROJECT based on Arduino microcontroller Do It Yourself! with just 15$ of electronics and your own ability bring life to your E11 blaster! (speakers and battery excluded) THIS POST IS MIRRORED AND KEEP UPDATED ONLY HERE: www.tkarena.it/fxblaster all schemes and pictures of this topic are mirrored here: facebook.com/fxblasterarduino Main purpose of the project: an accessible device that supports high powered RGB led and sound effects for E11 Blaster or any other prop/replica What is Arduino? Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. WIP Video Final Work Video Updated version (august 2014) Final Work Photos [/url] Main Features (not final) - SUPERBRIGHT 3 WATT RGB LED with customizable colors (256*256*256=16.777.216 possible colors!), blinking and fading effects - Preset sounds from Star Wars and our Planet weapons, included (but not only): E11-fire, E11-Stun, Boba Flame, AT AT fire, Xwing fire, TIE Fighter fire, chewbacca and jawas random voices, 44 Magnum, M1 Garand.. - Play any music tracks as well (darth vader march when trooping!) - SD Micro card support up 32GB of sound effects and music tracks! - 3W + 3W amplified audio power ouput to deal with the noise generated by a crowd of people - 3 switch buttons: Fire, Reload, Selector or Radio mode (when long pressed) - Radio Mode: 45 minutes of stormtrooper radio chat in loop, a 110Mb mp3 file made by TK2243 here, to keep going when hold the blaster in the holster - sound and light effect when empty ammo is reached - sound and light effect when reloading weapon - sound and light effect at start-up - random Vader welcome voices at start-up - green and red segments led bars as counter - long battery life ca.7 hours (battery suggested: Lithium 7,4V 1400mAh) - last but not least: Fart Machine! fart sounds as last weapon available (just for fun ) Change log from version 4.02L to 5.0 - Arduino Mini Pro replaced Arduino Mini - DFPlayer Sound module replaced WT5001 - code and scheme updated Change log from version 4.02H to 4.02L - added radio mode when holding the select button more than 3 seconds - added vader welcome sound at start up - corrected bugs - added WT5001M02-28P sound board support Costs Electronic modules (sellers mainly from China, free shipping) Arduino Pro Mini 5v At Mega 328 c.a. 2$ Arduino USB to TTL adapter c.a. 1,30$ DFPlayer mp3 sound board c.a. 2$ 3W mini amplifier c.a. 1,50$ 3x 350mA Constant Current Regulated LED Driver c.a. 1,35$ each 5V Positive Voltage Regulator 1,30$ Electronic Components Total: c.a. 12,15$ Leds 3W led RGB c.a. 1,5$ Led Bar Graph 10 Segments (3 red/7 green or any other colors) c.a. 2,50$ (i used this ) Leds Total: c.a. 3,50$ other components speakers 2x 35mm diameter 57mm 4W speakers 9$ batteries costs may vary, read below microswitch, resistors, wires, read below Main Scheme Power supply: 7,4V - 9V max Latest update scheme v.5.0.1 with DF PLAYER sound board (last update: oct. 9th 2017 ) tested and working mirror link Picture of the assembled boards (note: bar led counter not installed) Discontinued schemes: old scheme with WT5001 sound board List of Components the list doesn't include tools like solder, tin lead with paste and battery, sd card.. 1) ARDUINO #1 Arduino Pro Mini 5v At Mega 328 should be installed on the back of the pvc pipe, pay attention 328 version (that means 32kbytes of space for programming) avoid the 168 v.2.0! #1 Arduino USB to TTL adapter with a DTR pin, needed to load code to the board 2) SOUND MODULE #1 DFPlayer mp3 sound board A small and reliable sound module. Rread both MP3 and WAV files. Sound quality, build in amplifier, easy to handle (everything via serial commands, only TX and RX module to Arduino), When you put files on the card, you should first create one "MP3" folder (@ root level) and put your MP3 files in that folder. Audio file must be named 0001.mp3, 0002.mp3.....0255.mp3 (4 letters not 2 or 3 letters) Audio file names can have any characters after 4 digits, such as 0001_Bruno_Mars_Count_On Me.mp3 A ready to use mp3 list of sound files is available, just send me PM. It uses a micro SD card to store all MP3 files up 32GB! A library is needed in order the code works, just download it from here (click on Clone or Dowload button, then Download Zip) and unzip to your "documents\arduino\libraries" folder. like this C:\Users\YourName\Documents\Arduino\libraries\DFPlayer_Mini_Mp3 #1 5V Voltage Regulator This sound board is better associated with a 5V Positive Voltage Regulator to provide power in order to reduce EMI. I used a L7805CV. 1k ohm resistor between arduino's RX, TX and DFPlayer's Tx,Rx is also needed. For any other sound modules used in the past in this project, look the post n.3 3) SOUND AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKERS #1 3W+3W mini amplifier c.a. #2 speakers 3 watt or higher that fit the E11 pipe inner diameter and leave enought space to fit the cables. Speakers impendance best at 4ohm. i used this on my set: http://www.ebay.com/itm/220734504352?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 3) LED AND DRIVERS #1 RBG 3 watt (Red Blue Green) superbright led NOTE the led must have all the 6 pin (anode and cathode) as the one linked #3 350mA Constant Current Regulated LED Driver needed to power the RGB led and control colors by pwm output of Arduino #1 10 SEGMENT LED BAR GRAPH DISPLAY - i used Kingbright DC-7G3HWA 3 green + 7 red bars but you may use any other color scheme; it should find place inside the hengster counter, working as ammo status display 5) OTHER COMPONENTS (SWITCH, RESISTORS..) #5 resistors 30 ohm for bar graph led #3 resistors 1 kohm for output pins (pwm RGB led) #3 resistors 10 kohm for pull-down buttons (selector, trigger, reload) #1 resistor between 1 kohm and 10 kohm for TX/RX arduino/sound module as suggested in the manual of DF player mp3, in order to keep EMI low (i tested 10 kohm and maybe works better) #1 microswitch for trigger #1 momentary switch normally connected (normally close) for weapon selector (installing hole 6 mm) - u can get also a normally open but the code need mod #1 Momentary DPDT Normal OFF-(ON) TOGGLE SWITCH for weapon reload #1 Slide Switch for main power ON/OFF one or two circuit boards to manually resize, where to solder the bar graphs and some connectors 6) BATTERY any battery or set of batteries with total voltage between 7.4 and 12 volts 1) Camera lithium batteries On my project i used a lithium LP-E8 Phottix battery 7,4volts 1400mAh (last c.a. 7 hours), but its dimensions (55.00 x 36.98 x 15.40 mm) needed a little modification of the receiver (5 mm larger). Anyway i strongly recommend to use a lithium battery sold as Camera original battery replacement of a well known (but not too expensive) brand (as Phottix, Weiss..). Avoid unbranded oem batteries , i read many bad stories about them (explosions..) and the amperage often is not real. Actually, the smallest 7,4 volts camera battery found is the Nikon EN-EL1(Dimension:52.00x32.20x15.70 mm), 800mAh. Same suggestion for the charger (VHBW sells very cheap charger for most any lithium camera battery). As battery holder you may use a cutted charger plate, it's a safe and cheap choice and they sell for mostly any camera battery. 2) 2x18650 3,7v lithium batteries (7,4v) [not tested] Because of its size, good amperage and right voltage, you may also use 2x 18650 batteries in series (7,4volts total). As showed here, best brands are Panasonicand Sanyo. As battery holder you will need any 2x cells holder in series If you are going to use these batteries, probably you will place the arduino in the magazine receiver, and the cells inside the rear part of the pipe. In this way modification of the magazine/receiver size is not needed. 3) 2xCR123 lithium batteries 3,7v, series connected (7,4v) [not tested] 4) Airsoft battery A battery like this one might be an alternative if you already own a lipo charger. 7) SMOKE EFFECT (OPTIONAL) needed: - a smoke machine from RC car toys, sold for about 20 euro over ebay china (oil included) - a standard NPN transistor like 2n2222 the scheme with smoke machine feature: the arduino code download here (Servo Library already included in arduino) : http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/19322-arduino-a-cheap-board-for-e11-blaster-effects/page-18#entry521377 =========================================================================================================================================== [Download] Sound fonts: please send me a PM [Download] Code: Latest update: v.5.0 with DF PLAYER mp3 player support released, attached below Discontinued: v.4.0.2F with WT5001 mp3 player support, attached below you need the software from Arduino home page to edit and to upload it to the board. Final note English is not my motherlanguage, sorry for any mistake e11_ver_04_02L_WT5001.zip e11_ver_05_DFPlayer.zip

Hey everyone! I just finished up my hero TK (Luke version) and am looking for some feedback. I apologize for the quality of some of the photos, they are screen shots from a video. The the biggest thing I've noticed I need to address is tightening the straps on the split rivet side of the armor so there is no gap. It was also pointed out to me that the snaps I used for the holster may be too big. Thanks in advance for any feedback! Imperial communicator action shots [emoji23] Snaps used for holster Close ups of helmet Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here are some pictures of my Shoretrooper costume build so far. It is an ongoing project so I will not call it finished yet.

Howdy y'all. TKboots, as you know, are very limited on supply and it seems that Imperial is out for the month. Unfortunately, I need some boots before the Great Pumpkin rises from the pumpkin patch. I found some black Chelseas that might work but would greatly appreciate some opinions from those of you here with more knowledge. Is the missing pull on tab a big deal? The soles are leather, too. I reckon I can glue on thin soles over the leather when it comes time for approval. Thank you!

Sorry for your loss and what a great way to memorialize your nephew.

Lol that's pretty much where I'm at Get crl going for almost naked trooped Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thanks fellas. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What a great way to remember a fellow trooper.

I separated them a bit from how they were before. I thought you had also said they looked big, but must've been a misunderstanding. Just have to get some good approval photos then it's off to EIB! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For those who purchase one of the large Husky bins, here's a tip: When getting ready (before or after a troop) slide the handle out. The tray that comes inside fits perfectly in the opening, giving you perfect access to everything inside the bin and tray as well.

Congratulations Trooper! A job well done! Your efforts have been paid off.

These bins are now $49US. Both sizes. The big one is huge and won't fit in smaller cars for sure. I picked up the smaller one today as well as two cans of Plasti Dip and some 4-40 slotted flat head screws. Impossible to find in Toronto and even hard to find in Buffalo. So $49 instead of $117 for the bin and $6 each for the spray instead of $23 each in Toronto. $61US vs $163CDN. Crazy.

That is stunning!!

Let’s make a neck seal! I found some vinyl at the fabric store, and it seems to work. Make a pattern first Test patch to see if it works seems good prep the real piece now bit of sewing aaaaaaaaaand I’m happy with the results.

TK 21003 of the NER requesting access please https://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=25541 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Perhaps Tino can enlighten us on what material he used for making his piece...intrigued

Looks great, sorry for your loss

Congratulations trooper

Thanks about the 3.5 jack comment. It was a useful piece to incorporate , making it easy to keep things in place but not fall off. Great at progress on the charging handle and spring. For the ejection port, just carving out the edges for depth will be more than enough. It looks cool when it’s done, just like your t-track idea.

Ok, I completed my trimming and I am ready for the next armor party to tape it up on me and determine what is next. I need to pickup a soldering iron as well to start working on my webbing strips and snaps. (I have the rest thankfully)

first try with the snaps, ABS plates are not yet glued, I think to shorten the shoulder elasticity near the bridges, to see less black, and raise a little forearms, what do you think? Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

Dan, check out theFISD reference sections #16 and #17. I did this mod by first carving out the perimeter to create depth but then got crazy and removed the whole ejection port, then created an aluminum plate to replicate the bolt . It slides into place. Took a lot of work but it was fun doing it. Gives it a bit more realism but beware it also required me to make the wAlls thin enough to get that effect, makes it more fragile.

http://i.imgur.com/tMi7dUH.png In Memoriam From the DL Thank You For Your Service Announcement New CRL FISD Achievement Award Legion News Detachment Affiliation In Focus Featured Troopers Hall of Fame Obscure Trivia Costume Totals Competitions Notable Troops Imperial Attaché Program Imperial Attaché Award Advanced Tactics Awards EIB - The March To 1000 New Merch From the PRO Follow FISD Ryan Hubbard, TK-91185 of 501st Garrison Tyranus, passed on the 9th of September, 2017. Ryan is remembered for his cheer, mirth, and a zest for life that set the pace for fellow troopers and audience alike. Ryan also was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, a dance instructor, and an EMT/paramedic (the significance of the "911" in his Legion ID number). Memorial donations may be made to Christiansburg Rescue Squad http://www.christiansburg.org The Hall of Eternal Legionnaires will become a brighter place for Ryan’s presence, "buckets off" With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications When I first got in to the Legion in 2005, my garrison was relatively sleepy. I remember my new garrison mate and I jumping at the chance to troop a local QFC simply because it was the first troop in 2 months. Yup, when you only have a dozen a troops a year, you try to go to every one you can, even if they involve standing in cold rain. My garrison now has something like 100 trooping opportunities a year – nearly a 10-fold increase, yet most of us “older” – and by that I don’t mean age so much as tenure in the Legion – don’t troop much more than we did 10 years ago. In some cases, even less. Why is that? Part of it is age – most people join the 501st when they are in their 30’s and single, and 10 years later they are married with kids and have a lot more things competing with free time on weekends. Sometimes its burn-out, they got in to a personal argument at some point and are now “jaded” on their garrison or Legion. Sometimes it is just that other things seem more appealing. Today I rocked the TK for the first time in months, and as I went to the changing area it was like reuniting with a bunch of old friends. Everyone was welcoming, and I left the event much later wishing I could have hung out with my garrison mates for many more hours still, and am already eagerly looking forward to my next troop. As October is census time, it’s not uncommon to see Legion members come out of the woodworks to get their “hour of trooping in a costume” done for a year so they can remain active for 12 more months. When you see them, how do you greet them? Are you creating an environment that is one that they want to come back to? Something to think about when you see “old timers” come out to a troop after a long break. With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” FISD Detachment Leader As many of you have noticed, our Executive Officer, Tim (Dark CMF), has not be as active on the boards as he used to be earlier in the year. As somtimes happens Darth Real Life issues have come up that are higher priority. Trooping and the Legion is a hobby after all, and sometimes one has to step away for a bit to focus on family and work. As a result he has taken a sinecure as DL Emeritus and stepped down as XO. I want to extend on behalf of myself personally but also from FISD a big "Thank you!" to Tim for his dedication and all of his hard work in the first half of the year when we had election transition and also Celebration, where he devoted himself selflessly to make it a great experience for others. He truly embodies our motto "unquestioned loyalty". TK-8020 "Daetrin" Detachment Founder | DL He was the one who first asked me to become an Attache, and helped me immensely with my endless questions during my first build. I also credit him with inspiring me to take my E-11 to the nth degree by following his incredible build thread. Hopefully things will smooth out soon and he can continue to be an integral part of the FISD. TK-10963 "justjoseph63" FISD Attache Ambassador Tim - Thank you for everything that you have done for so many of us on this great forum over the years. It has been a honor to serve on staff with you this year. I remember the excitement you shared with us in your build thread when you got your BBB from the UPS man. Hopefully life settles down soon and you can find the time to bring that excitement back to us. TK-10466 "starsaber25" FISD Provost Marshall In the wake of Tim's needing to step in to a sinecure, there has been a vacuum in the XO role. The masses have raised their voices, and I have heard them. "Tolo! Tolo! Tolo!" they cry, and the clamor is such that it must be demanded. Either that or I pulled a Tarkin and just appointed the first person who raised his hand. Anyway, I'm really excited to appoint Eric as the newest FISD XO. He comes pre-equipped with all the necessary qualifications: FISD Provost & LCOG = sound judgement in a crisis, FISD tenure = he already knows you folk, and as an added bonus he already has the necessary admin privileges and hasn't broken anything. Yet. The pay as you know will be increased over his current salary, and he gets to have some new shiny on his beret. And, access to the executive latrine, which is quite snazzy. Please join me in a round of drinks to our newest XO, Eric (Tolo, aka the other Eric) With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” FISD Detachment Leader Back in the old dark early days when dinosaurs roamed the earth, well maybe not that long ago, FISD command had a whole photoshop team in place to crank out all those images for new CRL's - it was a huge deal, but never had 3 CRL's gone live at the same time. FISD is so very fortunate to have members around the world chip in and contribute their time, talents, and patience to helping get these through. Members of the Philippines Garrison in particular photographed a lot of parts and got them CRL ready which was a huge boost. These days we see a lot of facebook build groups but this is one of the reasons detachments are here, to work with members to get CRL's ready to submit to the Legion Membership Office, without you the members involved here on FISD the process would take so much longer, well done to not only everyone directly involved in these 3 CRL's but to all of you the membership, without you all there would not be a FISD. Without further adieu we welcome to the detachment roster: Rogue One Stormtrooper - R1 As sometimes happens this particular CRL was painful to get all the way though. We had lots of fits and starts, and it's unusual that it would take most of a year after a movie to come out for us to get it live. This is a pretty cool costume and not only will it be a distinct TK unto itself, it is also the basis of the Jeddha trooper. So like Stormtroopers and Sandtroopers, you can have fun going dirty or staying clean. So, if you have done this costume, go bug your GML to get approved. If you have not started one, kits are on sale and make great additions to your costume hobby. Many members helped with this CRL but two that definitely stood out: Jim TK82480 1st approved, who was the power behind bringing this costume to life with his talent, hard work and creativity and also Henry TK80421 for his work with the blaster reference. The Last Jedii Stormtrooper - TLJ Once again, Jim TK82480 1st approved & members of the Philippine Garrison worked quickly to bring this costume to life and get all the photos set up. We are grateful to their contributions to FISD. Kudo's as well to the Legion LMO team for making this possible. The Last Jedi Executioner Stormtrooper - TLJE Numerous people helped bring this costume to life and contributed to the CRL, but the 3 troopers who really helped make it possible are: Glen TK85421 1st approved , Kit TK44840 CRL model & Jim TK82480 armor maker. Without their diligence, persistence, and true grit, this costume would still be sitting in draft form. Congratulations to Glen, Kit, and Jim on a job well done, and thank you for your service to FISD and the Legion. It is still amazing that people can do their Rogue One builds in confidence knowing there is no longer a moving target. People who have already done an FOTK can see quickly what few parts/mods are needed to having a The Last Jedi TK ready to go with plenty of time to finish before the movie. Or, go full on TLJ Executioner. What a fantastic time to be a Legion Stormtrooper. With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” FISD Detachment Leader & Founder http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/synaptyx/FISD_medal_grey-white-blue_silver.png The FISD Achievement Award program was created to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service to FISD, these are not presented very often and they are only awarded by the Detachment Leader. It is my pleasure to award Jim Tripon TK-82480 (aka jimmiroquai) who has made substantial contributions to the Legion and FISD in particular by bringing to life the Rogue One Stormtrooper and The Last Jedi costumes as well. His creativity, energy, and dedication to Stormtrooper costuming has earned him special recognition in service to the Legion community. In recognition, I am please to award Jim the FISD Achievement Medal. Well earned, and we as a costuming club are thankful to you and all you continue to do, congratulations Jim. With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” FISD Detachment Leader & Founder 501st Legion Census began on 1st October and it is well underway, it is the responsibility of all 501st approved members to fill out the census each year which you can find here You must be registered on the main forums to participate in the census:here Here's what the charter says about activity definitions: Operations Protocol/Membership An Active Member is defined as a member in good standing who meets the following requirements: Meets all 501st Membership Requirements (i.e. ownership of an approved costume, is over 18 years of age, etc). Has an approved membership record in the 501st Legion Membership Database Maintains active contact with their Garrison CO or GML. Active contact and participation will be confirmed during the annual Legion Census held each year during the month of October. Maintains contact information/membership record in the 501st Legion database either through their Garrison CO or GML. Participates in at least one Garrison or Legion activity per year while wearing an approved 501st costume owned by said member as recorded in the Legion Census. (One year is defined as the period from Legion Census to Legion Census). Examples of an activity include, but are not limited to conventions, charity events, or any activity designated as an official event by a coordinating administrative unit of the Legion. Members who serve in military branches are exempt from activity level requirements if their service renders them unable to meet these requirements. These Minimum Activity Level Requirements should be administered as justly and with as much common sense as possible. A member may retain active status, even if they do not meet all of the requirements listed above at the discretion of their unit Commanding Officer or Legion Command. Filling out the census only takes a few minutes and you also have the opportunity to update your contact information ie: address, email, phone and so on. The LAST EVENT TROOPED is the most important piece of data. If it is not within the last 12 months of the census, you may be marked RESERVE, which will mean you will not be able to vote in the next election. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications If you are a full FISD member it is important if you wish to vote in the elections (February 2018), specifically for your detachment that you are affiliated to FISD (or any other detachments depending on your approved costumes). Normally affiliation is set by your GML once a costume is approved (it would then read PENDING) next there is an automatic synchronization on the 501st boards usually once a year (before elections start in February) which approves the affiliation and it would change to (APPROVED), in a few cases though this can be missed. To check if you are affiliated to a specific detachment go to the 501st forum, look on the left side menu, click on the Member DB link, then Your Profile Data, go to the bottom of the page to Your Unit Affiliation and make sure First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment (Approved) is there, if it is there and marked as (Pending) you can contact the detachment leader of FISD and ask for it to be approved. If you find it is not there at all or any other detachment you should be affiliated too, then contact your GML (garrison membership liaison) and ask to be affiliated them. PLEASE NOTE to stay affiliated with a detachment and to qualify to participate in detachment elections you need to have logged into our forums at least once during the previous year. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications What are you wearing? An interesting thread was started last year by Paul our DL asking members to post what armor they wore, amazing to see how many more makers there are of armor compared to a few years ago as well as the totals of troopers wearing them. If you haven't already added your info to the thread you can find it here. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications First and foremost, thank you to all the troopers who continue to contribute to the Field Training Exercises. I have loved reading through these reports, as much as I enjoy our Detachment Newsletter. This past month of reports has made my job very tough, as so many exemplify why we volunteer for the Legion. Keep these photos and stories coming Troopers as well as a big salute to you all!!! Without further ado... Honoring Mike - TK 82666 “We got a lot of smiles but this is my favorite.” With Unquestioned Loyalty Aaron Gibson TK99725 "Pyrates" Imperial Propaganda Department A new monthly item that lists a few unusual facts about the SW franchise. This month: "Our leader"... 1. According to the 1977 U.S. Census, 29 newborns were named Darth. In 2014, the name Anakin was given to 218. 2. Anakin Skywalker meets 6 out of 9 criteria to be diagnosed for BDP, (Borderline Personality Disorder). One more than required. 3. The overhead shot of a badly burned Anakin in E.III (ROTS) shows him lying on a large Imperial Cog shaped platform. 4. When Darth Vader has Captain Antilles by the neck, the sound was created by crushing walnut shells. 5. Jake Lloyd (young Anakin) became addicted to cough syrup during filming of Episode I (TPM). 6. Darth Vader was the first character created by George Lucas for the original story, but only has 12 minutes of actual screen time in ANH. 7. Dave Prowse and James Earl Jones never met each other. As our XO Tim pointed out in last month's newsletter we had just tipped over the 5000 mark of approved Stormtroopers in the Legion. Being the most iconic character in the Star Wars universe it is not surprising, but what versions of Stormtrooper are they? According to the recent database there are 5125 Stormtroopers, which is 22.92% of all approved 501st costumes, here is the breakdown of those: Some of you may have noticed in the table some interesting facts, out of the 18 approved Phasma's 4 are male, that's right the 501st doesn't discriminate when it comes to a characters gender in costumes, so don't think you can't build a costume just because of your gender, although we are yet to see a male Legacy Era Stormtrooper. Paul our DL noted that there are more First Order stormtroopers than ESB which is a surprise as there is not a lot needed to swap out an ANH to ESB version, I have done it myself, could be worth a look for some of you. No prizes for guessing which version is Paul's favourite . With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications Okay, Troopers, it's time for another contest! We are asking those of you with mad artistic/design talents to come up with the official FISD "EIB March to 1000" patch design. The competition will begin Oct. 16th and will run until Nov.13th, at which time a poll will be opened so that everyone can vote on the design they like best. The winner will be announced in the Dec. newsletter. To enter, simply click on the link below. There is no limit to the number of designs you can enter, and the shape can be round, chevron, etc. The winner will receive a free patch of their winning design and 501st car decal along with some other cool swag, but most importantly, bragging rights! We are also working on an exclusive coin for EIs only to coincide with the patch, so if you are considering taking your armor to the next level now is the time to get those EI submissions in! LINK TO CONTEST: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/43122-ei-march-to-1000-patch-design-contest/ For those wishing to incorporate the EIB banner into their design here is the image: Want Your Troop to be Included? Post your troop report in the Field Training Exercises section here Those with troop logs please post a separate troop report as it is easier to link too. September Force Friday II at Toys R Us Cannington http://imageshack.com/a/img924/8046/RgFcTK.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img924/1769/LvZotX.jpg More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 Force Friday II at Zing Mandurah More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 Ottawa Pride Parade More here By: Mark, sylverband, TK69323 With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications http://i.imgur.com/REASe78.jpg Are you an approved TK that spends more time on the boards than the average Trooper? Do you enjoy using your knowledge to help out future and existing Troopers? If so, we would like to invite you to join the Imperial Attache program! Members of the I.A. team are chosen to help out not only those here on the boards, but on a local level as well. Our aim is to have at least one in each and every Garrison, Squad and Outpost in the entire legion to be the eyes and ears of the FISD on a local level. A suggested level of EIB or above is preferred, as part of the duties include assisting those aiming for levels 2 and 3, but is not a requirement. Being active on the boards on a regular basis and helping out where you can is, though. Some of the benefits: 1. Access to exclusive Attache merch., including patches, etc. 2. Having the Imperial Attache title under your name. 3. Being a part of the team that welcomes new and prospective members of the FISD. 4. Being the "go-to" person in your Garrison, Squad or Outpost. 5. Exclusive access to the Attache HQ area, Imperial Propaganda Machine (newsletter) and merchandise discussions. We are currently in need of Attaches in many units, especially International Garrisons/Squads and Outposts. For more information on this program, please head here and if you should have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at any time. For a complete list of Imperial Attaches, go here With Unquestioned Loyalty Joseph Pedigo TK10963 "justjoseph63" FISD Ambassador On behalf of the FISD, It is my pleasure to announce the following Trooper/Imperial Attache as recipient of the Imperial Attache Outstanding Achievement award/ribbon. This honor is given only to those in the I.A. program who go above and beyond the "call of duty" as members of this team, and exemplify the true nature of the FISD by helping others with their knowledge and welcoming spirit. These badges will be proudly displayed below their names. If this members is in your unit, please take a moment to congratulate him on this achievement. 1. Preston (Pretzel)- Garison Carirda- I cannot sum up this Trooper's work for the FISD work without mentioning the word"Dedication"! He is literally on the frontlines, handing out sage advice at every turn and welcoming new folks at a blistering pace! My bucket is off to you, and keep up the fantastic job! With Unquestioned Loyalty Joseph Pedigo TK10963 "justjoseph63" FISD Ambassador This area lists all those who have gone above and beyond basic approval toward screen accuracy. FOR SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate: Expert Infantry Badge Award: Taylor Goodson "Ruthar" TK 12110 EIB 760 Kenton "darthkenny" TK 61399 EIB 761 GREAT job on your approval, now on to Level 3! Request your free EIB certificate here Centurion Badge Award: http://www.whitearmor.net/eib/centurion_badge.png Joshua Hitt "hittman" TK 11051 Centurion 351 Alberto Oscarelli "Albaz" TK 20055 Centurion 352 Outstanding job on reaching Centurion, troopers! Request your free Centurion certificate here If you see any of these Troopers around your Garrison or Squad, be sure to congratulate them! With Unquestioned Loyalty Joseph Pedigo TK10963 "justjoseph63" FISD Ambassador As many of you are aware, the FISD is currently in our March to 1000 program. Our goal is to reach the one thousand mark of Troopers who have earned their Expert Infantry Badge, and although we are well on our way to this goal, we still have a long way to go! The amount of approved submissions is increasing (almost 80 this year alone) thanks to the dedication of those willing to go the "extra mile" toward screen accuracy. Here is a brief description of EIB as written by Paul (Daetrin), our founder: "Expert Infantryman status is not required for members of this detachment. It should be viewed as an optional set of requirements for those who wish to take the accuracy of their costumes to the next level, and be recognized accordingly. We're a costuming club - think of it as an award for costuming excellence and you get the picture. The requirements will not replace or supersede 501st standards, but only serve as an inspiration for the level of accuracy that can be achieved. The standards are meant to be high but achievable..." Besides the added pride you will have in your armor, those reaching this level can purchase exclusive EIB gear (patches, decals, etc.) and get a free certificate for your accomplishment. If you are interested or would like more information about the program head here that will help. You can also contact myself or any Imperial Attaché, and we will be more than happy to assist you! With Unquestioned Loyalty Joseph Pedigo TK10963 "justjoseph63" FISD Ambassador Some FISD merchandise now available thanks to Mike (TK4510) for organising these. New Troopers Helping Troopers 3 inch decal, design by Glen (TK85421) Decals are $4.00 each, shipped anywhere worldwide Sale thread here Also http://powaysigncompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Cent_EIB_Stickers.jpg FISD Blue EIB or Centurion Red 4 inch sticker with rocker and badge. Pricing $5.00 each, shipped anywhere worldwide Sales thread here With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications Newsletter For those of you who are not yet aware there has been some changes in the PRO department, I have been given the opportunity to take over the newsletter, for some time now I have been filling in gaps of the newsletter while Tim our XO has been kept busy with real life issues. I have a few ideas that I would like to implement as well as adding some sections that used to be included in the newsletter. We are always on the look out for content, ideas, funny photos or even your TK adventure story so feel free to contact either Danny or myself. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications Facebook Many of you may also have noticed our FISD facebook page popping up on your news feed once again, this is down to our new FB PRO editor Danny TK-55550 - Ripper_L who has volunteered to take over the running of the page. Danny has already incorporated some great ideas so keep an eye out for some new content, if you aren't already following the page you can find it here. The Facebook page is completely reactivated now. Within two weeks our post range increased from 62 to over 25.000. We have a weekly plan, that provides new content everyday, including old content from our forums that still might be useful or interesting and also up-to-date stuff about latest events. So please like and share our posts, spread the word of our PROs. There is much to explore and discover within these forums and a lot more to come. With Unquestioned Loyalty Daniel Lauber TK55550 - "Ripper_L" PRO - Content Editor At Large Don't Forget We're on Facebook and Twitter! Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitearmor If you're on FB, stop by and say hi, ask questions, and share stories! Twitter: www.twitter.com/FISD501st or @FISD501st follow FISD on Twitter! Instagram: www.instagram.com/501stfisd With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Communications On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department <End Transmission>

Hi there, I hope this is the right location to post this- if not let me know. I've been trooping in my armor for a few years now and I'm beginning to see a bit of yellowing at the edges and insides of the armorr (It's AM2 ABS armor). I believe this might be caused by a mixture of friction (as pieces such as thighs are not 100% perfect fit yet and move around a bit too much for my taste) and moisture from sweating. I know that many many troopers sweat in their armour (comes with the territory) but I wanted to see if anybody else experiences this and what they use to clean it off/ restore it? Thanks!

Maybe they only put UV protectant on one side of abs. And you're seeing how abs would look from sunlight maybe.

I too have been having that issue with my AM armor, and also found it strange that it is mainly on the inside. I know there have been several products recommended by Troopers with yellowing problems, but I am going to try Armorwhite by Trooperbay as I have heard good things about it. https://trooperbay.com/trooperbay-armorwhite-plastic-whitening-gel

Look what they did to Kylo

TK-12110 reporting in (finally)! https://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=20039

Alright, after recovering from a very exhausting weekend ( ) I now found time for the promised extra posting. During the last weeks I was distracted with another project in the background. Why am I telling you? Because it has something to do with Star Wars, more specifically with Star Wars blasters. And now that the project is finished, I thought to share just a few photos of it here... And while taking these pictures I thought "hey, why not doing a few family photos?"

Update #20 - Like the prop-builders did in 1976 About 40 years ago, the British Sterling SMG was chosen to be the base for our beloved “BlasTech E-11”. To not immediately be recognized as a weapon from the British Army, a few changes were made by the prop-builders. They removed the shoulder straps and shortened the magazines. To further disguise the true origins, they also installed some add-ons. Those who read my first blaster build will know the E-11 in the last pictures. Not perfect, but this was the easiest way for me to make such a comparison. After using pictures of Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in update #08 already, we now also have Mark Hamill to complete the trio In the next updates I am going to cover each of these additions in detail, because it would be too much info for just one single posting. Will close today's entry with another extra photo, inspired by the emblem of the FISD. Wishing everybody a nice weekend - and stay tuned to not miss an upcomming extra posting within the next days...

Update #19 - The one with the open bolt For a while I thought about ending the build at that stage, because I really like the look of that “Sterling”. But the build goes on and the next update will cover the changes to the original Sterlings for converting them into the “BlasTech E-11” from the first Star Wars movie. And who knows, maybe someday in the future I grab another kit just to make a Sterling model… However, here is another picture for your viewing pleasure. Looks like a find on an old battle field... Thanks again for reading. Happy weekend Troopers and Cadets

Update #17 - Making new things look old 48 agonizing hours after painting, I examined the parts and was excited as a child… For some unknown reason, the sides of the trigger group did not get the desired effect. Would not consider this “a mistake”, more likely it’s just a “happy little accident” However, there is at least a visible structure and most of this area will later be covered by the arms of the folding stock. All in all I was not super happy, because a lot of the Humbrol had to get repaired. And although the paint chips could be worked to look good, there simply were too many. During the below following weathering process, I later reduced their intensity by dry-brushing most spots with semi-black paint. Before we jump to that, there was still some work to do on the grip. While this dried, I continued with the wear and tear. Humbrol 27004 and 27003 for metallic effects (27003 is a bit brighter and got used for the trigger group, inside the grip). Revell Silver 91 to slightly dip onto the Humbrol to give the illusion of highly stressed edges. Small defects from the original parts in the resin can be used to support the effect. Humbrol 113 to dry brush some surface rust. Looked okay, but something was still missing. Whenever gazing at Andy’s (PlayfulWolfCub) metal power cylinders, I am fascinated by his professional work to make these look old. Aaron (Squimspickle) had recently done something similar and referred me to a Tamiya weathering kit. That seemed perfect, but was a bit pricey for just 3 colors. Found something else online for less than half the price and tested it on the front sight… Never expected to use any makeup in this build, but hey - it did the job Still had some of my self-made rust powder from the first build, so this got added as well. Below are a few photos, how the other parts looked after the repairs and with fully finished weathering… To summarize the last steps: Layer 1 – polished Humbrol, Layer 2 – silver accents, Layer 3 – rust color and powder, Layer 4 – makeup dust. Weathering rule #1: Less is more. Weathering rule #2: Only with daylight (electric light changes the look and leads to overdo it). In the next update we are going to complete that „Sterling puzzle“ below. Who finds the missing puzzle piece(s)? Happy weekend

Update #14 - Details on the folding stock As recently mentioned, there was some more work on this part… Enjoy your weekend, Stormtroopers and Cadets

Update #13 - Carving nightmare with the folding stock Sorry again for the long wait. My plans to add some details took much longer than expected... This reference picture is one of the best to study the details of the folding stock. It really helps to get a better understanding of all the internal parts. For a while I thought about making mine functional like a real one. That is not impossible and might (theoretically) work with a hybrid of resin and aluminum parts, or with some pieces from a second resin folding stock (making 1 out of 2). In the end I decided to skip this extra effort and leave it folded, because we never saw it extended in the movies. However, I still wanted to make it as accurate as possible, what caused A LOT of time consuming carving work, what delayed the update during the last weeks. But it was important for me to have it looking like being made of several parts... Update #14 still covers the folding stock and comes next weekend...

Update #12 - Work on front end Some readers might have noticed the new receiver tube during the last updates. Derrek (Dday) had corrected the position of the front sight block in his latest tubes. He wanted it to be accurate in this thread and therefore generously replaced the tube with a new one. Next two pictures (from other finished builds) show the difference. With that new pipe, the muzzle from Derrek can be installed in 3 different ways: After Aaron (usaeatt2) had highlighted the issue with the rolled edge on the Sterling muzzle, he started making resin casts of his modified masterpiece. I am now very happy to introduce one more of his highly detailed resin copies in this build: Thank you for reading. Feel free to leave any comments and critics. Next update might take a bit longer...

Update #11 - Lucky number eleven For a while I thought about the new serial number for this build. Well, that blaster is an E-11. And it is the 11th one I build. This is update #11 and the build started last November (month 11). Therefore I decided to replace the KR126277 with TJ201511. When the power cylinders are added, we will only see the „11“ - Lucky Number Eleven Those neodym magnets are really strong and it makes a big difference if you add or remove just one. Started with 1 in the magazine and 1 in the mag well. Absolutely insufficient. Then tried 2 & 2 what felt a bit weak, while 2 & 3 worked good. It now takes a believable strength to unplug the magazine. Have not tried 3 & 3 but I would expect this to be too much. In the beginning I planned to cover the magnets with a thin layer of green stuff to hide them. Due to adding more magnets later, the drill holes filled up and now do not leave enough space for this. Maybe I just go with black paint… Because of all the movable parts, here is a little video: Have a nice weekend everybody

Update #10 - Slowly crawling forward In the meantime I had contacted Chris (maninthesuitcase) who recently offered his 3D-creations and ordered some parts via shapeways. He made them available in 3 colors, so I took one in each color (a closer inspection on the power cylinders will follow in a later update). The „sandpaper surface“ is the same on every part, but can be seen best on the silver T-clip. Of course that tells nothing about the accuracy of Chris‘ work, as the problem could have also been caused by incorrectly transferring the drill hole to the aluminum channel. If doing this mod again, I would however drill the channel to exactly match the new T-clip Back in my first build, Aaron (usaeatt2) had posted a video to show, how the locking mechanism for the end cap works. Below is a short video of mine: What do you think? Not sure if I will have a new update ready for next weekend, but I try my best. And thanks again Chris, for offering your files