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buttplate spring plates finally arriving Can start putting some stock assemblies together next or so.

Decided to paint ab buttons How the ab buttons looking ? Ok and leave as they are ? A little more ? A little less ? Used a cotton bud to straghten edges and remove any excess Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Sorry to clog up your build Dave, quicksilverDan posted while mine was saving

That looks great on you and yes the big bump to the front

Helmet Interior I knew that I wanted to Plasti-Dip the helmet interior, and before assembling the helmet I went back and forth a few times about whether I should plasti-dip before or after assembly. I eventually decided on doing it after because I didn't want to have to drill holes through the plasti-dip for assembly, but I didn't really know how I'd disassemble the helmet after drilling all the holes in order to plasti-dip it. Retrospectively, I could have temporarily held the helmet together with screws instead of rivets for easier disassembly, but I just didn't think of it at the time. In order to plasti-dip the assembled helmet, I added blue tape to the interior of the teeth as well as the eyes, then taped a plastic bag around the entire exterior of the helmet. I sprayed about 3-4 coats of plasti-dip, leaving around 30 minutes between coats. It worked very well, and there was very little bleeding of the plasti-dip. What little there was was easily scraped off with a fingernail. The WTF kits come with a long sheet of green plastic for the lenses. Originally I was planning on just holding it in place with the ear screws (maybe with a bit cut out for the bridge of my nose), but the piece I had was just a bit too short, so I had to scrap that plan. I recalled seeing other people's builds that held the lenses in with screws, so I modeled my solution after those. I first drew a template out of cardboard, and transferred that to the green plastic. Each lens would be roughly the size of the eye, but with 3 tabs for the screws. I decided to use Chicago screws embedded in milliput. I drilled the holes into the green plastic, installed the Chicago screws, then put blobs of milliput around each of the 3 Chicago screw bases. I'd let it harden a bit, then press it into place. Very carefully, I'd unscrew the Chicago screws and remove them and the lens, leaving just the milliput and base in place to dry. For the frown mesh, I simply used a roll of cheap screen material I found at the hardware store, and held it in place with electrical tape. The whole roll only cost $5. I decided to make my own fan set using simple components found on Amazon. (Fans, wires, crimp connectors, switch, USB charger) I'm terrible at soldering, so I used crimps with heat shrinking to connect the wires. I used this diagram that I found on FISD for reference. Unfortunately, I can't recall which thread I found it in; if I find it again I will edit this post and properly give credit. I installed a length of 1/2" split electrical conduit tubing and held it in with velcro in order to hide the wires. The USB power stick sits near the right hovi tip, also held in with velcro. The power switch is just sort of floating in space, but it seems to work out fine. The fans themselves are also held in with Velcro. I took the advice of many other builds I'd seen and pointed them up towards the lenses. I got a set of tactical helmet pads from Amazon and found that my helmet would bobble around like crazy when them installed. After consulting with some folks on Facebook, I followed their advice and removed the top pad, and everything fits more snugly. My helmet still bobbles a bit if I tilt my head quickly from side to side, so I might eventually investigate other solutions, but this seems good enough for now. Here is the completed interior:

I started painting the helmet and it’s almost done, using screen reference photos, other EIB and Centurion applications I think I am on track. http:// by -matthewwormleaton- http:// by -matthewwormleaton- http:// by -matthewwormleaton- http:// by -matthewwormleaton- http:// by -matthewwormleaton- i have painted all all of the sections except the tube stripes that I will leave to the very last minute.

Hey, I've enjoyed my build so much I can hardly wait to do it again. (please don't tell my wife...Sandtrooper next time) That feeling of excitement and dread when seeing all that stuff and feeling overwhelmed... Sweet. It's so good to have things in ones' life that cause our hearts to beat faster. Enjoy this. I'll be following your progress.

I was able to glue the 25mm cover strips on the calves. The bra hook elastic was dry enough that I wasn't going to harm it by adding the strips. The only thing I have left to do for basic 501st approval is attach the sniper knee. Everything else I want to do is only for me. The S shaped neck trim was ordered from Trooperbay and has been shipped. That's for Centurion approval. I have my under suit. I received the neck seal from Darman a few weeks ago. Thanks. It's perfect. Great price for a custom made costume accessory. The boots came from TK Boots. Really great. I'm sorry to hear they won't be doing this any more. Thanks for your commitment to making great quality, screen accurate boots. I have wide feet and they fit really well. I've been wearing them around the house to wear them in. I've got an Aker amp and the Trooper Talk Ap. It sounds great. I got my E-11 blaster from QuestDesignCanada off of Etsy. I made a few mods and I know there are a few more I want to make but I'm pretty sure it is good for Centurion. The brackets for putting the armour together I first saw on YouTube. TK1636 has so many great vids for armour construction and mods. I made them myself and sewed the elastic straps to join everything. Silicone hand guard glue info came from Darthanael. Oh my gosh. This was my biggest concern, but thanks to this forum I was able to find the answer. A big thanks to Ukswrath for all his vids and build threads. I think I've learned more from him than anyone. I feel confident that my TK ANH Stunt will meet Centurion approval. Up until a few weeks ago I didn't even know what that meant. Stunt? Um...huh? Centurion...What? I really made a huge effort to complete my TK as quickly as possible but I really don't think I cut any corners. I'm self employed and have had the privilege of being able to drop everything to do this. I have a supportive wife who sees my nerdy hobbies as endearing. My kids think this is both cool and kinda weird. What more could anyone ask for? Tomorrow is a big day for me. Tomorrow I complete a lifelong dream, since 1977 at least, to be a Stormtrooper. The best character in my opinion, in the Star Wars universe. What an amazing group of people here on FISD... worldwide. Wow. Just wow.

Who are these people and what did I get myself into? There are so many incredible builds going on here... The comment about "working model" is true, this thing is SO detailed. Big ups!

For reasons I'm not 100 sure of, maybe some futile hope this will end up in a TFA kit, I've started a SE-44C build based on the files Germain so kindly provides. Printing the outer shell I'm printing it on my standard Prusa Mk2, no mods or updates outside firmware. I'm using the new linear advance feature that allows me to print faster with better quality than before. Filament is Filamentive rPLA for the black and Rigid Ink for the white. The RI is good but expensive, the filamentive is not quite as good but close and a fair bit cheaper. I didn't make notes of the print time but it was around 24 hours as I had to do the sight twice. Outer Shell I've had some issues with sag on some parts where they needed support but nothing outrageous that a bit of filler can't fix. I'm hoping I'll be able to glue the white parts before assembly as the originals look to be 1 part and there's some minor warping I'd prefer to address with glue and not just rely on the screws. Starting to test parts I've made a cursory start at post processing using some files to smooth and round some edges and fix some minor flaws from support or lack of in a few places. I still have to print the mounting bracket but there's no urgency as that shouldn't take long I just need to do it. SE-44C Parts Screws will be ordered once I've finished my Christmas shopping. I'll probably just order 1 set of M4 and 1 set of M3 and cut them down as needed. As they are only available with the driver bit they are significantly more expensive than normal hex heads. In all very happy with my starting point and I am looking forward to making, slow, progress on the build.

First and foremost... There is no one 'best' armor. There is a 'best' armor for *you* depending on a few factors: 1) Your budget 2) What your body size is (yes, different armors lend themselves for different body types) * 3) How experienced are you at building armor 4) It's not the kit, it's how it's fitted to the wearer that counts * While FISD does not endorse any particular armor maker, below are sellers who have proven themselves time and again in terms of customer service, honesty, and quality. All makes below can be made to be both 501st and FISD acceptable. MATERIALS Armor is made from either HIPS or ABS. HIPS --- Pros: generally less expensive, easier to trim. --- Cons: needs painting or serious polishing to look shiny. Most HIPS will not be as durable as ABS or take the stress of ABS --- Suitability: will hold up fine for regular trooping ABS --- Pros: no need to paint, high durability --- Cons: may lack the detail of HIPS, usually harder to trim --- Suitability: will hold up fine for regular trooping plus take a lot of abuse OTHER TERMS Untrimmed: means the kit comes untrimmed and you'll have to trim the parts before starting assembly. Trimmed: parts are pre-trimmed and you can start assembling right away ANH Derived: traces back to a screen used helmet. Armor came from an incomplete ROTJ suit that was supplemented with parts from a tour suit, with this base being modified to be more ANH accurate in detailing. Parts will need to be butt joined with a finishing strip glued on top. * ON SIZING ANH Derived armor (TE2, AP) was sculpted for a typical UK actor circa 1976, e.g. 5'10" and 165lbs. While good for smaller body types, it has been successfully made to fit people as large as 6'4" 235lbs though requires a bit of shimming to pull this off. 1. If you are taller or larger in frame/girth, you may want to consider AM, RT, or TM armor makes for easier fitting. 2. If you are shorter, while ANH derived armor may lend itself to your size, even FX armor has been made to fit and look good on people as small as 5'6" and 115lbs (and smaller!). 3. RT has upsized his helmet by 4-5% which makes it equivalent to the size of the old FX but is more accurate in appearance. So, while it's true that every kit has a certain ideal body type, every make has been made to fit every body type and still look good. WHO TO AVOID 1. Be aware that this site - http://www.stormtroo...s.com/home.html - is not considered commercially available. It is run by a person selling recast parts, and at a healthy premium over what you can buy direct from vetted sources. You've been warned... 2. Do not buy from e-bay - kits are over-priced, the quality is often dubious, and always recast. 3. Also see this thread: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/19329-where-what-and-whom-to-avoid-when-buying/ COMMISSION BUILDS Please be aware before purchasing a "commission build" (assembled by any of our vetted sellers listed below) or a completed costume sold by reputable members, does not mean an automatic pass at our higher levels of approval. As with all costumes, the armor will be under the same level of scrutiny as one you assemble yourself. It must fit well and follow correctly the requirements as set out in the current CRL. Please also bare in mind, you could be requested to make modifications and corrections when applying for Expert Infantry and Centurion levels where additional reference materials are used over and above what is written in said CRL's. Some example are sniper plate positioning, rivet placement and the finer details scrutinized at Centurion. VETTED MAKERS While there are many other sources for armor, the list below only contains those who have proven track records of honest business dealings, quality craftsmanship, and that are free from recast debates. You are certainly free to buy where you will, but if you vary this list we strongly encourage that you at least do your due diligence inquiring about the seller's quality and reputation before parting with your money. === ANH DERIVED ARMOR === Type: ATA (Affordable Trooper Armor) Sadly Unavailable until further notice Country: USA Contact: Kit: ABS (HIPS by request), untrimmed, ANH derived Availability Assembly: Armor needs to be trimmed, parts butt joined with finishing strips, HIPS needs to be painted. Comments: The quality of HIPS material is such that it is the most durable of all HIPS armor makes. ABS is a custom made ABS for color, gloss, and durability, so you can order it either way and feel confident. Type: Authenticprops (AP) Country: Canada Contact: [email protected] Kit: .080 gloss white ABS, ANH derived can be ordered Untrimmed, Fully trimmed (ready for assembly) or Fully built Ready to Wear out of the box. All kits include ANH Leather holster, rubber gloves, rubber hand guards, canvas belt, TD metal clips and all correct hardware to build your armor to centurion specs. Helmet is screen derived but cleaned up with a smooth cap and back, The AP helmet includes hovi mic tip replicas, Centurion approved painted look vinyl decals, green acetate lens, rubber brow/neck trim, frown mesh, all correct hardware to assemble helmet. Availability: No known problems obtaining this, usual wait time 4 to 8 weeks Options: UNTRIMMED KIT all parts require trimming/sanding FULLY TRIMMED KIT all parts come perfectly trimmed ready for assembly FULLY BUILT READY TO WEAR out of the box (Custom built to your size) HELMET ONLY (untrimmed, trimmed, fully built) ARMOR ONLY (untrimmed, trimmed, fully built) Assembly: requires cover-strip and butt-joining for assembly like the movie original Comment: AB and Kidney plates have 3" inch extensions to the sides to fit larger waist sizes without the need of shimming, can be easily trimmed down to perfectly fit your waist size or left to original movie size. All kits include ANH style Leather holster, rubber gloves, rubber flexible hand guards, canvas belt, TD metal clips and all correct hardware to build your armor to centurion specs! Type: RS Prop Masters Country: UK Contact: [email protected] or http://www.rspropmasters.com/ Kit: 1.5mm ABS or 1.5mm PVC, untrimmed or ready-to-wear, only 1st Generation cast of an original ANH armor. Comes with all accessories needed for Expert Infantry level build and Centurion ready with very little extra parts needed. Note again, commission builds from RS are not always up to our EI and Centurion level and may require additional work to be approved. Availability: 3-5 days Assembly: Parts are untrimmed and requires cover-strip and butt-joining for assembly. Can be ordered pre-assembled for an additional fee. Options: 1. Helmet + Armour - Kit 2. Armor only - Kit 3. Helmet - Kit 4. Helmet - Fully finished and hand painted 5. Armor + Helmet - Armor trimmed to your specification but not assembled + Fully finished helmet. 6. "Fully loaded" - Accessory package, when bought together with armor. Contains strapping kit, latex handguards, rubber gloves, canvas belt, etc.. All prices are excluding shipping. Comments: The only 1st Generation cast of an original ANH armor. Comes unaltered with all the good and bad that brings. May require more skill to assemble than other kits. Extremely accurate when assembled with care. Armour is more generous than SDS or AP, but not as large as RT-Mod or AM. Type: RWA (RWA Creations) Country: Isle of Wight, UK Contact: Email to [email protected] .. Facebook: RWA Creations Availability: 6 weeks Kit: ANH, ESB untrimmed kit in 1.5mm ABS, 2mm ABS, 2mm Acrylic capped. Black or White. Options: Helmet assembly service or fully finished (excluding padding). Neck seals, Canvas Belts, Aluminium Thermal detonator clips. 2" longer shins available on request. XL parts for taller troopers: See: XL Thighs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLyH1nb4fPQ, XL Shoulder bells - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qySuQk4DI-Q, XL Torso parts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4W5GQZ-opQ, XL Kidney Section - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOo-aTzPJhY Type: T/MC Country: USA Contact: [email protected] or PM Tray on the FISD boards @Tray Kit: .090 ABS, untrimmed, ANH Derived. Helmet is screen derived. Armor similar to TE2 and AP but with some parts being different and others being modified. The left inner shin is a duplicate of the right outer shin. The arms (Bicep, forearm and shoulders) are the same, there is no unique left and right arm. The helmet comes with resin cast hovi mic tips, which are acceptable for EIB use, and all assembly material excluding paint. Comes with your choice of Smoked gray bubble lenses or flat dark green lenses. This is most comparable to AP with some slight changes. Availability: 3-4 months for delivery and sometimes sooner than that. Assembly: Seams are overlapping joints making it a reasonably easy build, though one can use finishing strips instead. Comments: The armor is ABS, not bright white and glossy like FX. Due to material thickness lines are a little softer than some other makers. Should shine well with Mr Sheen. NOTE: available in black too! Type: WTF (Walt) Country: USA Contact: Walt on FISD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/612005498911674/user/1145629985/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/612005498911674 Kit: ABS, untrimmed, ANH derived Availability Current wait times are 6-8 weeks. Assembly: Armor needs to be trimmed, parts butt joined with finishing strips. Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. === ANH FAN SCULPT === Type: RT-Mod (RT) / RT-Panda Country: Canada Contact: [email protected] Kit: ABS, close trimmed, fan sculpt. Updated bucks for the majority of the armor and helmet in 2018 to meet Centurion level standards (separate ab button plate, kidney notches, etc). Availability: Currently about 8 month wait. Assembly: Parts are "close trimmed" (a thicker return edge is left on all parts for those seeking more accuracy for strapping brackets etc. Final trimming is far less work than "untrimmed off the buck" armor. Designed to be easy to put together (regarded as one of the easiest kits to assemble as all "halves of lumbs etc. line up to one another without problems). Designed for butt joined limbs with a formed ridge with cover strips. Some parts can be formed without ridges present. Helmet comes as a kit as of 2019. Options: ANH stunt, ESB hand armor Comments: Designed especially for taller/larger body types and has more capacity to fit these troopers (without shims) than most makes of armor. There are 2 sizes of back armor, 3 sizes of thighs, 2 sizes of shins / calves, and the ab / kidney will accommodate approx 40" waist without shims. The thighs are wider and can accomodate a wide range of sizes. Female troopers often order thighs / shins to accommodate wider hips etc. The armor and helmet are sculpted at 4% larger than an original kit. The difference is subtle but makes fitting/sizing much easier for taller/larger troopers (has been worn very easily by troopers from 6' to 6'5"). Type: AM (Armor Master) - Dave’s Darkside Depot Country: USA Contact: [email protected] or https://www.facebook.com/Daves-Darkside-Depot-1188080927989611 Kit: ABS. All body armor components including face piece and ear pieces are .090 ABS. The one piece dome/back is formed using .125 ABS, as this piece is formed over a rather deep mold and anything thinner can cause thin regions which can eventually crack or fracture. White .060 ABS blanks included to cut as cover-strips. TD clips, rubber gloves and black Nomex flight gloves, flexible hand guards and all Centurion level hardware included. Availability: Normally 4-6 weeks or less. Assembly: Comes trimmed out of the box, but you will still be required to adjust for proper fit to your body size. Good choice for large troopers, but can be cut down. Can be ordered completely pre-assembled for an additional fee. Comments: Chest and back molds have been updated to address past concerns, and are now acceptable to Centurion level. They are now including a custom, die-cut Imperial cog themed helmet liner for the helmets, mounting Velcro included. Hovi tips are professionally cast aluminum. Hero helmets are now available. Type: MTK (NOW SOLD by Imperial Surplus) Country: USA Contact: https://imperialsurplus.com/contact-us/ Website: https://imperialsurplus.com/product-category/armor/original-trilogy-armor/ Armor is made of .70 gauge (1.778 mm) satin gloss white ABS and will withstand the rigors of trooping. Kit comes trimmed for shipping and requires final trimming/fitting. Kit comes with: All ABS plastic required for assembly to include helmet, body parts and joining/cover strips. Helmet accessories include lens material, rubber S trim, Hovi tips, helmet decals (choose between ANH, ANH Sandy & ESB versions) screws, rivets, washers and screen mesh for the frown. Gloves This kit does not include: Blaster, under-suit, holster, boots, Velcro or any instructions but many of these items are available at trooperbay.com Kits can be built to Centurion level when following the correct CRL Availability: Kits generally available on request, spare parts also available and on hand. === ROTJ ARMOR === Type: CFO - note this is for ROTJ armor only (ideal for ROTJ, TK Commander, or Incinerator Troopers). Country: UK Contact: PM Sskunky on FISD Kit: ABS or HIPS untrimmed. Kits can come in lite, full, assembled and weathered please inquire for prices and custom orders. ABS is standard and screen accurate. We can make the armour in any colour HIPS with a 25% deposit. Kits come complete with all plastic parts. Helmets come with resin mic tips cast from an original, black rubber trims, decals and lenses all subject to availability and stock. Availability: Kits available at all times with approx 4 week turnaround time. We have a US distributor who will be able to ship kits within the USA. Assembly: Parts are trimmed and designed to be easy to put together - along with RT is the easiest kit to build. Comments: These suits are cast from original therefore there will be warps, lumps, bumps etc. present on the plastic. The original suits were made to fit actors in the region of 5'10" and 180lb.... there is some flexibility as with all armour which is down to assembly. This armour is no way sanitised or idealised, it is a true representation of what is seen on screen in STAR WARS "The Return Of The Jedi". Other Notes: Hand guards O2 canister/detonator detail and end caps, belt, knee belt and shoulder straps are own sculpt. Necessary/minimal sharpening was done to the moulds to attain the correct level of sharpness lost from the original fibreglass moulds obtained from Cameron Oakley. The original shape and contours are intact and the details and edges have been sharpened as documented in various threads on the FISD and other prop forums. === ROGUE ONE (Mandalorian / Obi Wan / Ahsoka / Enoch / Night Trooper) ARMOR === Type: Jimmiroquai Country: PI Contact: email [email protected] Kit: Kits are lightweight flexible fiberglass. Availability: PM to ask, varies Assembly: Fully trimmed and partially assembled, e.g. if it fits out of the box one can go straight to rigging and painting. Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: 850 Armor Works Country: USA Contact: FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/205514516516535/ website: https://850armorworks.com/ email: [email protected] Kit: ABS plastic Availability: PM to ask, varies Assembly: No Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Potentials new options coming once available, tried and tested and feedback garnered from members. Imperial Surplus will have a kit available, combination ABS and Resin Cast CTPG Combo ABS and Resin cast Plus a possible option of 3D files for PYO Keep checking in for further updates === FIRST ORDER TFA / TLJ / TROS === Type: Jimmiroquai Country: PI Contact: email [email protected] Kit: Kits are lightweight flexible fiberglass. Can come with both TFA or TLJ details. Availability: PM to ask, varies Assembly: Untrimmed. Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: Imperial Surplus Country: USA Contact: https://imperialsurplus.com/contact-us/ Website: https://imperialsurplus.com/product/first-order-stormtrooper/ Availability: Kits generally available on request, spare parts also available and on hand. Assembly: Untrimmed. Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: WTF (Walt) Country: USA Contact: Walt on FISD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/612005498911674/user/1145629985/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/612005498911674 Kit: ABS Availability Current wait times are 6-8 weeks. Assembly: Armor needs to be trimmed Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: 850 Armor Works Country: USA Contact: FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/205514516516535/ website: https://850armorworks.com/ email: [email protected] Kit: ABS plastic Availability: PM to ask, varies Assembly: No Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: Denuo Novo Country: USA Contact: FB: https://www.facebook.com/Denuo_Novo website: https://www.denuonovo.com/collections/new-star-wars email: [email protected] Kit: ABS plastic Availability: PM to ask, varies Pre orders, pre built, spare parts and kit form available. Assembly: YES Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. First Order TK armor full vendors list available. HERE === PHASMA === Type: Jimmiroquai Country: PI Contact: email [email protected] Kit: Kits are lightweight flexible fiberglass. Can come with both TFA or TLJ details. Availability: PM to ask, varies Assembly: Untrimmed. Comments: No issues with quality or service reported to date. Type: Thorsson & Associates Workshop Country: PI Contact: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile/100061258101660/ Website https://tandaworkshop.com/ Build https://protagonist4hire.blogspot.com/2019/03/building-captain-phasma-part-3-rigging.html Kit: Kits are fiberglass Availability: DM to ask, varies Assembly: Untrimmed. Comments: None to date === NO LONGER MADE === Type: TE2 Country: USA Contact: HDPblues on FISD Kit: HIPS, untrimmed, ANH derived Availability: None, since a long time. Best to look elsewhere. Assembly: Armor needs to be trimmed, parts butt joined with finishing strips, then painted. Comments: Helmet is considered very screen accurate. While he rarely makes armor anymore, he's a solid buy if you find any. Type: FX Availability: No longer made. Do not buy this armor - we list it only for posterity in case you pick up a suit second hand from a current Legion member. Kit: ABS, trimmed, fan sculpt. Comments: The armor can be made to be FISD EI acceptable for about $50 and an afternoon of work. The helmet is not acceptable by any Detachment's program, and many GML's are no longer allowing it to be accepted at the Legion level. Type: Older/Original AM (1.0) NE Country: USA Contact: [email protected] Kit: .090 gauge ABS - trimmed - Fan sculpt Availability: N/A Assembly: Butt joining required for the legs. Arms can be overlapped but trimming those overlaps off and butt joining is recommended. Comes trimmed out of the box, but you will still be required to trim for proper fit to your body size. Comments: An updated version of the older AM kits with a more accurate helmet and some other accessories. Best suited for the larger troopers who can have problems fitting into screen-sized kits. Comes in full or "lite" kits. Lite kits come without helmet, ABS cement or polish.

I decided to work out a complete, comprehensive list for those about to start an OT TK armor build (ANH Stunt, Hero, etc,) to help get everything in place for when "Big Brown Box" day arrives! This list does not include soft parts, (neck seal, boots, etc.) but focuses on the hardware and supplies for building the armor itself. However, a list of soft parts can be found HERE I believe I have covered most items, but would appreciate additional suggestions/corrections to add, and will keep it updated as such. Yes, it looks a bit daunting, but some of the items you will already have, and the rest can be purchased at major home improvement stores, online, or borrowed from a TK friend! Plus, it gives you something to do while you "hurry up and wait" for your kit! This list is includes items used for the EIB and Centurion programs, (marked with double red asterisks)**. These items are not required for initial TK approval, but I encourage everyone to consider them as an option. Hope this helps, and best of luck on your build! PLEASE NOTE: Some kits come with all the hardware you will need to build to Centurion level, i.e. split rivets, ear screws, TD screws, etc., however, not all armorers supply the correct ones. If you are (hopefully) planning on aiming for level 3, please check with your armorer to see if they provide these. You can also reference the photos below to see if they are accurate. These supplies are based on using the snap method for connecting the armor. Example photos are shown at the bottom for many of the items, but not all. (Everyone knows what a hammer looks like). Items with photos have a notation. 1. E-6000 glue- Great for almost everything, and removable if necessary. Highly recommended. (Pick up some wooden tongue depressors as well, makes spreading it easier)! (Photo 1) (Please see updated information on E-6000 below, after #50 before purchasing). 2. Binder or notebook- To keep notes on your research. 3. Dremel or rotary tool- A "must have". (Photo 2). Be sure to get the sanding drum attachment and extra sanding drums (Photo 3). I suggest the 180 grit type. 4. Small plastic containers- Keeps everything organized. 5. Lexan scissors- Curved and straight, for cutting ABS. (Photo 4) 6. Small spring clamps- For holding things in place while gluing. You can't have too many! (Photo 5) 7. Line 24 snaps- For strapping. You will need at least 30, and do NOT "cheap-out" on these, but purchase quality ones. (Steer clear of Wal-Mart snaps). Tandy is recommended. Tutorial located here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44617-snap-setting-101/ (Photo 6) 8. Snap setting tools- There are 2 types to choose from- One is a two piece set (requires a hammer) (Photo 7) and the other is the pliers style (Photo 8) 9. Hammer- For setting snaps if you use the 2 piece style of snap setter. 10. Pliers/vise grips- 11. Screwdriver- Slotted head. 12. Rivets-** 5/16 (8mm). (Photo 9) Round head bifurcated/split rivets with washers. You will need 9. (3 for the kidney, 3 for the ab, one for the cod piece, 2 for the thigh ammo pack). You will also need 3 speed (Chicago") rivets to attach your ABS belt to your canvas one. These are attached by hand and not to be confused with the aluminum ones listed below (#19). Some like to use the screen accurate single cap rivets (Photo 10) to attach the ammo thigh pack but these are not a requirement. 13. Elastic- 1 inch wide black for shoulder bells, etc. (4 ft.) 2 inch wide white for ab/back plate shoulder connection (1 ft.), 1 inch wide white for drop boxes, (1 ft.) 1/4 inch wide white** (1 ft.) for shoulder straps. 14. Nylon strapping- 1 inch wide black, at least 6 to 8 ft. long. 2 inch wide black (48 inches) for high tension areas if you are using the double snap method. (NP) 15. Exacto knife/extra blades- For cutting, trimming, cutting nylon strapping. (Photo 11) 16. Heavy duty razor knife/extra blades- For cutting cover strips and scoring around pieces that will be removed. (Photo 12) 17. Heavy duty scissors/tin snips- For (carefully) cutting large sections of ABS. (Photo 13) 18. Metal ruler or straight edge- (At least 18 inches long). For use as a cutting guide, especially cover strips. 19. Hand Rivet gun/aluminum open end blind rivets- For putting your helmet together. Available for about $10-$12.00, EASY to use! (Photo 14) 20. Metric Ruler- 21. 2 x 2 or larger piece of carpet- Protects work surface, keeps dust down, and stops small parts from rolling away. 22. Rags/paper towels- And plenty of them. 23. Blue painter's tape- 1 inch and 2 inch widths. For keeping glued parts in place and dry-fitting your armor. 24. China marker/pencil- For marking cut lines. 25. Sandpaper- I highly recommend Sandblaster Pro Flexible silicone sanding sheets from 3M, 220 grit. You will never use anything else, I promise. They last forever! 26. Sanding block- The sponge type, 120 grit. 27. Band Aids- You will need these. Might as well keep them handy. 28. Rare earth magnets- (10 minimum) SUPER strong! I use the 20 mm x 3 mm round ones. Cover them in blue tape to prevent scratching your armor. You cannot have too many!!! Tutorial located here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44619-magnets-101/ (Photo 15) 29. Butane Lighter- For sealing the ends of nylon strapping. (see # 44 below for a better option) 30. Large "half-round" file- For smoothing out edges before sanding. I used this a LOT, especially in the curved areas. (Photo 16) 31. Small "Needle file" set- Very inexpensive, comes in 6 different shapes, and is perfect for the teeth and eye openings on your helmet. (Photo 17) 32. Foam padding- 1 inch thick. Great for helmet and armor padding. Available at craft or fabric stores. 33. Velcro- 2 inch wide black (various uses) and 1 inch wide white, for calf closures (about 36 inches). Go for the "Industrial Strength" kind. 34. PAINT: Satin Black: Humbrol # 85 or Testors # 1747 for vocoder, trap/ tear drop/ear bar outlines/stripe(s), ROTJ and ESB frown, TD screw heads. Gray: Humbrol # 5 or Testors # 1138 for trap/tear drop/ear bar background, ANH frown and ab-buttons. French Blue: Humbrol # 14 or Testors # 2715 ForTube stripes/ab buttons. Mediterranean Blue Humbrol (Tube stripes alternative color) Testors: No exact match Gloss white for all rivet heads (excluding cod rivet). Mineral spirits for brush cleaning 35. Goo Gone- Citrus based solvent that will remove latex and enamel paint and NOT harm your armor. (Photo 18). 36. Small paint brushes- Assorted sizes. Try to buy quality ones.. Cheap brushes =cheap looking results. I suggest picking up a "filbert" (Photo 19) style brush (photo 5) as well, as it's rounded tip works great for painting the ab plate buttons and vocoder. Another GREAT way to get clean, crisp lines on the ab buttons is to use Testors Micro-Sponge brushes (Photo 20). 37. Wire or fiberglass mesh- (Window screen). For inside the "frown" of your helmet. A piece 3 x 8 inches will work fine, and you can trim it as needed. 38. Safety Glasses- It never hurts to be too careful, especially when using a Dremel type tool. For your Thermal Detonator, (TD) clips: (Note: There are some GREAT pre-made TD clips you can buy on this site, and some kits include them, but you can use the following 5 items to make your own. 39. Aluminum strip- 1 inch wide 40. Screws- Size #6 pan-head slotted screws **, 1/2 inch long, You will need 4. (Photo 21). NOTE: The CRLs have been updated and round head screws are permitted, but they must be the slotted (not philips) style. 41. Hacksaw- For cutting the aluminum strip. 42. Drill- Electric or battery operated, with various size bits. 43. Vise grip OPTIONAL ITEMS: 44. Heat sealing iron- For making return edges. Not normally needed, but there are some great tutorials on this here on FISD. Try it on a scrap first, though! 45. Soldering Iron- For making holes in nylon strapping and sealing the ends. Pretty inexpensive, and worth the cost! (Photo 22) 46. Plasti-Dip- A black rubberized coating you can spray inside your helmet, (also available in a brush-on). Or, you can use spray paint. Just remember to sand and prime first! 47. Heat gun- Not normally needed. For shaping ABS. Use this CAREFULLY, and practice on scraps first until you get the hang of it. These things can reach 1500 degrees and melt your armor. 48. CA (super) glue- Not recommended for first time builders, as it is PERMANENT, and you can't fix mistakes. Also, if it drips on your armor it is nearly impossible to remove. It can also become brittle over time, causing connections to fail. 49. Acetone- For use ONLY in making ABS paste for filling small gaps, (see tutorials). Do NOT put this directly on your armor, as it will melt it. 50. SUGRU- This is an easy way to attach the lenses in your helmet. Tutorial located here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44593-how-to-attach-lenses-using-sugru/ 51. Respirator- An informative post was made by Clint, (cm325i) concerning the effects of E-6000 glue on some individuals. Definitely worth a read: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/33347-e6000-warnings-read-them-and-wear-a-respirator/ 52. Cut resistant gloves- Especially helpful if you are prone to cutting yourself. Available online for about $12.00 (Photo 23) E-6000 update: Please note that there are certain online retailers (including those in Europe) that are selling FAKE E-6000 or "knock-offs" like these: The genuine product is clearly marked Made in the USA, and has a batch number on each tube. They do not sell to distributors in Asia, so if you try to save a few bucks by ordering from a seller there it is not the real stuff. If you have any doubts, you can contact the manufacturer at www.eclecticproducts.com, and they will let you know where to get it. The fake stuff is garbage and will not hold up. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. IMPORTANT UPDATE! To make life easier, Ray (Dieltski) made this into an awesome Google spreadsheet, which you can download to keep track and add notes! Just click here. Thanks, Ray! .

Wow Jesse, that’s the best mod for the magazine I have seen to date. Time well spent on that and the results are fantastic. Metal parts look,great and they function like the real deal. Bravo!

Looks good to me!

Yes,, ill post and let you know when ther up

Lol. It really doesn’t look bulky, mate. :-) Yours look good. Looks like about maybe 3 or 4mm ish on screen used ones: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Dan. ;-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking super, mate. You’re flying through and making a great job of it. :-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok . One thigh on Didnt put the neck seal on and some temp foam at the top of helmet . Well a part of a car wash sponge . Awaiting one from clive How things lookin now Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Elastics shortend and makes it kick out in the middle now [emoji23][emoji23] told ya its my far a very impolite person lol . Though thinks looks alot better now . Heated up the outer edges a little and much happier Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Woop! How's this looking Tino? Think I've pretty much got Shape A... need to fill a few bits, was tricky already having the resistors attached Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

You're cruising right along and looking good! Can I ask are you wearing compression top and bottom? The black top you're wearing looks bunched and wrinkled in photos. The armor will fit better if undersuit is a second skin. Keep up the great work and you'll be a Trooper before ypu know it!

When will this be available in your shop? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Placement of tabs looks good and smal gap at the ends are fine, you could try to shorten the elastic but from the looks of it no need to bring out the heat gun just yet Keep up the great work

Will have a go at that today! Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Tabs all in place and added a extra to the butt plate to bring it in a bit more at the edge ( maybe didnt put the originals in close enough to the edge ? ) still getting a bit of a flare ( fat a very impolite person [emoji4] ) and pulls out at the back a little may be try in a bit of boiling water to shape round a little more ? Do have a bit more of a return i can remove also . Shown in pics Going to remove a tiny bit more from top of kidney plate . Wife not around to take more pics at moment so used yesterdays pic to show where extra tabs are . But the back pieceback is all even now and all snaps in place [emoji4] Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the praise, Jesse. But please stop calling me master. There are so many talented members on this board - just look at your latest update. THIS is a masterpiece! Hats off to your work. Regarding the update for the blaster reference, I am still waiting for Danny (Ripper_L) to add the misssing content. He seems to be very busy. Maybe I will look for a workaround to bring those things online for the builders...

Daniel Branton TK42911 EIB A4 Andrew http://www.whitearmor.net/eib/certificates/42911-eib.png

Good luck Dan. Awesome armour and blaster. Sent from my M631Y using Tapatalk

I ordered my Anovos TK kit in April 2015 as part of the "first wave" offering...and I just opened the box a couple of weeks ago to finally start building (life kept getting in the way). Looking at the biceps, I noticed I had two #15 parts and no #14. I figured I was toast. But, I went on Anovos' site and figured I'd try the live chat, not expecting much. I ended up very impressed: I had the #14 part in my hands exactly 1 week later. I know Anovos takes a lot of bashing, and I can't argue with that. But, in my case, they went out of their way to make it right...even though I ordered over 2 years ago. If you can get Charlie on the live chat he was very helpful.

Hi Daniel. I look forward to getting those certificates and the shirt, well, my local Canadian version. Hopefully soon. Thanks for all your help and advise throughout my build. Long Live the Empire! Long Live the 501st!

Hey Greg. I'm almost done. Thanks for your words of encouragement along the way. It's been fun building along side a fellow Canadian with the same Canadian made kit. I hope I've been able to help you out in some way the way you have helped me. I will be following your progress. Maybe, some day, when I'm passing through Saskatchewan, or even planning a visit, we can meet in person. What a great community we are a part of. Star Wars nerds. Oh yeah! Long Live the Empire!

After a hectic week I was able to take stock of a few things and start checking off some lists. Orders are out for lexan scissors, E6000, and magnets. Store runs for painters tape, clamps, and who know what else are happening. The only actual progress was rough-cutting the big bits with the metal shears (I decided using a box cutter in my lap in the living room would be counter-productive)...

Additional Details Abdomen/kidney magnetic closure Now it's time to start getting into the details of the ensemble (of which there are a lot!). First is the closure at the rear of the abdomen/kidney armour. After the test fit, I discovered where I needed to cut the back of the abdomen/kidney plate so they meet flush on the side in a form-fitting manner. I removed the extra plastic and rounded off the corners just to be safe from the armour snagging/tearing my undersuit. While I was initially researching the TFA TK build, I came across this thread here on the FISD about using magnets to close the abdomen/kidney plate. Big shout out to Josh ( @Jayben Kenobi) for an awesome idea. I'll briefly outline what I did below, but do refer to that thread for more information! 1) Create four 1" x 2" ABS plates. In the center of one half of the plates, drill out a circle wide enough to snuggly fit a large rare earth magnet. The x's are the positive polarities of the magnets - I always like making sure I know which side is positive/negative, especially when gluing is involved. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr 2) On one side of the kidney armour, glue a strip of magnets against the inside of the armour. I used super glue around the edges of the magnets with a dab of E6000 in the center to just be extra safe as there is a lot of force working against the magnets. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr 3) The plates will act as a socket to receive the magnets glued in step 2. I doubled each ABS plate with another piece of ABS to act as a barrier between the magnet in the socket and another magnet that is glued behind the socket to pull the magnet into the socket. (The magnets shown here are not functional for system - they are simply holding down the brackets for gluing) Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr I set the piece off to dry for a few days to ensure maximum glue adhesion - I didn't want to be toying with pulling against the magnets before the glue was completely set. Seam Filling The clean look of the new First Order TK's is enhanced by the lack of seams present in a few key areas - the forearms, biceps, yoke, thermal detonator, and abdomen sides. Typically, I would use Bondo for this part, but I made the switch to Epoxy Putty as I found it far more easier to manage in spots such as the thermal detonator. I found the putty to be easier to apply with fingers into very tight spaces, so I made the switch. I found that it took a little more effort to sand than Bondo, but I thought that was an acceptable trade for the convenience of manageability. I started with the biceps (also pictured is the tube of the specific product I used). First, I sanded the region to be filled to get rid of as many surface imperfections as possible as well as to enhance the adhesion of the filler. Then, I spread a healthy amount of putty into the gap between the two pieces and the surrounding area. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr The thermal detonator proved to the be the most difficult to manage, but the malleable nature of the putty made getting into the grooves of the pieces that much easier. Lots of places to fill on the TD - end caps, bottom and side seams between the front and back tube pieces, and all the sides where the tube section connects to the back plate. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr The side seams of the forearms need filling as well (much simpler than the TD thankfully!). Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr The back/yoke section. In this shot, you can see some of the sanding, too. Once the putty is dry, its a long process to get it nice and smooth and flush with the armour itself. I used 80 grit to get the putty down for the most part and then finished it off with passes of 220. It took a few hours per piece to get everything sanded down and flush, so patience is certainly key. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Before we can use filler on the sides, there is a section beneath the outermost abdomen boxes that needs to be closed off with extra plastic. I made a small 90-degree tab to fill in this area. It took a bit of trial and error to get the size of the piece right to fit against the open area beneath the box, but eventually it was closed off enough to allow for the putty to have something to adhere to. Glue/magnet the tab into place and let it dry before adding the putty (not pictured). by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Here is a final shot of all the filled pieces sanded and ready for further work. Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr

Preliminary Test Fit Completed Assembly So Far Here are just a few shots of all the pieces that are so far completed. I use the term 'completed' loosely as there is still quite a bit to do! Leg Components Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Arm Components Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Torso Components Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Collected Components Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr First Test Fit Using a healthy amount of tape, I got everything in place just to see how things were coming along. The thighs have no suspension system yet, so I had to just hold them up. Also, the posterior plate wouldn't permit itself to be held on via tape simply due to the combating forces back there between the shifting plates and their temporary positions, so I had to forego that for the time being. Everything else seemed to work pretty nicely. Big shoutout to @Soulart for her fabulous (truly Phantastic!) gaskets - they are quite comfy and permit a surprising amount of movement! Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr Untitled by Taylor Goodson, on Flickr

Alright, hooks and holes. Calf closures that is. First I needed to do a little heat gun bending so the two halves lined up a little better. I marked the three hole positions. Bottom is 25mm from the bottom. Top is 25mm down from the return edge. Middle is half way between the two. All holes are centred 5mm from the edge. I used a 1/8" drill bit for the holes and used my round needle file to bevel the edge so the hook could attach and detach. Without the bevel I couldn't get the hook in. I marked the other half of the calf on the inside where the holes were in order to line up the hooks for gluing. A little E6000... Magnets are your friend. The hook is around 1/4" from the edge. This will give it a little stretch for a nice snug fit. Glue is only on the back two inches of the elastic. Tomorrow I will be able to attach the rear 25mm cover strips and hopefully the sniper knee. Other than that I'm almost done.

A little troppery [emoji106] Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

That`s up to you but 8mm sounds a bit much, I think most go with 4-6mm and some even smaller on lower bicep, I like to leave some for a "thicker armor"-look...but as I said, it`s up to ones liking On my next kit (in my hands soooon) I will make the bicep edges smaller to try and keep the bicep itself as small as possible, not too fond of the some what bulky look I have on this kit...well...whatya gonna do if you got bulging biceps right?!

The Inner bolt : At the local hardware store I bought a piece of drain pipe which has approx. the same diameter as the doopydoos pipe. I made a piece that fits the hole. This piece will be the cover of the hole of the inner bolt. The able to positioning the Charging handle I used the same material as the end of the inner bolt. On the drain pipe I added a strip of metal to give it the authentic look. As I read in the reference guide, the charging handle can easily be broken off. So I used a large nail inside the handle to give it some strength. The complete set looks like the picture below. (Of course it needs a paintjob)

Hahah, thats ok Mark. Where all here to help no matter what you are building ;0 But yes in this case the BlizzardForce would know all that there is to be known.

Hello Blaster Build Community, I'd like to include a very interesting picture towards the FIS E-11 Blaster Reference. It is a photo of an original Sterling magazine housing from the bottom. It is an intriguing view angle as it shows the catch come up into the magazine housing channel. Builders can have a clearer understanding of function in reviewing the picture. I have certainly benefited. I have contacted the author, Robert A. (swpropman) and obtained permission. Happy building everyone!

Also I think everyone has a gap where the yoke and back connect, you want to get the connector piece holes cut out and put the triangles from the yoke in there. Line it up as flush as possible than fill with ABS paste or bondo. Not an issue for me since my whole kit is being painted but can understand the worry and concern

I'm working on my back and yoke from KB too, there is a good guide in the JRS Black Squadron group https://www.facebook.com/groups/921332044616608/files/ I've haven't quite figured out those parts either so hoping to watch progress on your armor. I moved to things that made sense like shoulder bells for the time being

rear sight knurl

Sweet dreams coming my way

And...another big WOOP WOOP

Woop Woop

My casted zinc hengstler samples got here today.... amazing detail

MAg well progress

yeah boyyyyy!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk