Leaderboard

So after nearly three years of lurking, researching, reading and watching the time has come to start my build. For today is the famed BBB day and it's my Friday. Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

We try. Troopers Helping Troopers

Bracket done! I actually went for a combination of the 1/3 cut (probably less actually) and a clamp with a flat edge and some pliers to bend it, bending it veeery slowly haha. Got a couple of coats of paint on the bracket yesterday, now it's time to go for the clear coats! Woop! The end is nigh! Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Hahaha! It's the nerves and terror. Never really been so excited for something and yet terrified of it. Parenthood doesn't count. Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

Scope rail: Added support elbow for hengstler counter. Trigger: Added micro switch and wiring. I glue the switch using E6000. Route the wiring to barrel hole adjacent to hengstler.

Something else I did last week that was on my list was reshape the right shoulder strap and heat/bend the back to better fit me. In my Expert Infantry submission I can see the strap and back issue. I'm much happier with it now. Before. After. Much better.

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! .

Good morning, Please find enclosed my request for EIB. Many thanks for your time PERSONAL DETAILS Name: Lionel Noronha Gallardo FISD Nick: Pipertrooper TK ID: TK-27056 Armor: SDS ANH stunt Garrison: Spanish Garrison ARMOR DETAILS: Armor maker: SDS Helmet maker: SDS Blaster type :SDS Height: 170 cm Weight: 80kg Boots maker: CK Canvas belt: traumtrooper Hand plates: SDS Electronics:1506+ICOMM Neck seal: traumtrooper Holster maker: traumtrooper PICTURES: Aker

Basic Information Name: Paul Vezgoff FISD forum name: Mr V 501st Member Page: http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=22255 501st ID: TK-42145 Garrison: Southern Cross Garrison Approval album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskyaRUiT Build album: https://www.flickr.com/gp/152422872@N02/79SN7q Mandatory Information Armor Maker: RS Propmasters (Self build) Helmet Maker: Canvas Belt (Self build) Blaster Type: E11 Hand guards: Latex (Self cast)

All in good fun! Trooper to Trooper fun is the best!

Thank you sir for that! I have been staring at so many pictures I could not see the tree through the forest.

that being said, I’ve learned so much from all of this! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m impressed, Bro, having lived it first hand and seen the amount of work that has gone into this....and for a friend at that!!!!!!! Bless you Fabulus!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

almost done ! Here a comparative picture of the shin with sniper knee plate. The smaller one need to be completly rebuilded ! I made it some years ago without butt joint method and the sniper plate was attached with visible rivets... but that will be difficult because i glued it with cement glue...

Hey there Lou, the FISD E-11 Blaster Reference can be useful here. I took the liberty of putting together a collage for you, check it out. Hope it is helpful to you: Your blaster is coming along beautifully by the way, and in speedy fashion! Happy building to you!

Good luck Lio, you did a good job. Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

Good job trooper Enviado desde mi SM-G955F mediante Tapatalk

Overall it looks pretty sharp, but I did notice a few things. Hovi mic tips need to be a bit weathered and white around the edges. Looks like your ear bumps are missing a black stripe, I can't really see one. Good work on the vocoder, it looks real sharp. Great work on the ears, there is almost no gap. The ammo pack on your knee looks crooked, is it how your leg is positioned? I would try to bring your shoulder bells in a little closer to your should strap. it looks like you have about a cm of gap, and that will bring your bells in closer to your body. Has the back of your helmet been trimmed evenly? In the rear helmet picture and the rear body shot it looks like the left rear side is significantly larger than the right side. Not a real comment, but your TD clips have pretty squared edges. You might want to sand those down and round them a bit to avoid scratching your armour or yourself. Love the belt, your side gaps look great. Your clips could be tighter as well, it looks like they aren't flush all the way around.

Here is the thread about the WTF shin pairing: I also did what Paul suggested and paired them up long/long short/short but it probably doesn't matter in the end, as people have been approved with both combinations. Walt actually said he'd redo the shins after a big thread about it on his Facebook page but I imagine he forgot with everything else going on.

Thanks mate... Enviado desde mi Aquaris E5 mediante Tapatalk

Rat, I’m in Washougal. I’m sure we could get together if you need help!

Cut off the old tube support and drilled out the rivets. Now to attach back to the body.

We new comers to the hobby appreciate it Tony.

It's always the popcorn around isn't it? I think that's one of my favorite things in here with you lot, the interest and helping attitude.

Happy BBB-Day

Staring, mine was staring. Have fun!

for a better move, i cut off a little part of the back thigh behind the knee. I tried to keep the same angle of opening in the thigh than the shin : a little sanding and it's done !

Have a great weekend! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Impressive! Your painting is amazing!

Registering for Master Armorer program 1. Andrew Haag

Jamie is a senior advisor in our garrison academy, a member of the command staff this year, and just generally good people. He was an excellent guide thru out my build. Huge props to Jamie for being an outstanding leader. Thank you, Jamie!

You make this look so easy! Especially the blade work.

First, i cut off the cover strips and the excess ABS of the thigh to fit correctly : I had a snap inside the thighs and heat a little the back : And finally glue with E6000 the back cover strip :

For those with FISD affiliation pending have a read through the Detachment Affiliation section in October's Newsletter This will also be included in this months newsletter

One of our 2 kits is ready now ! The bigger one was for Beamishgunn and is validated !!!!!!! So happy for him. It was a real challenge to be ready for the last jedi premiere. I just don't had the time to post all the progress on his armor until now ! So, i will try to do this in the next days. AND, of course, finish my armor now ! because i was concentrate on his kit, i didn't finish mine.

If you are having issues with your bicep armour slipping down, look up a tutorial for Han Hooks. They can help with that. ukswrath makes them in one of his build threads, and they are approvable up through Centurion if you decide to take it that far.

Over Christmas and New Years I've been busy with family stuff and friends. I did manage to squeeze in some printing and post processing time though. On the left is the first test print that I've made of the helmet. On the right is the updated version in ABS. You can see the registration shape for the "Nose" pretty well here. Don't judge me for not sanding the welding marks the nose will cover them up anyways.

Here some comparative pictures between the two AP kits : 1 standard sized and 1 enlarged !

same thing in the left side :

The second kidney armor need to be extended. My old AP kit was not made with larger size, so i was to be imaginative. This is my technique : I used a rectangle piece of ABS a bit longer that the kidney where i glued a little stripe (with the red mark). This stripe will serve to have a round edge (90°) after heating to fit perfectly to the kidney. Now, i just need to cut the excess and glued to the kidney (where i already glued an other ABS piece in the inside). after that, i will cut the edge like this :

little paint job ! Just need to glue them on the AB plate.

Hi all, What a day- my blaster AND armour all got cleared for service today. I’m officially a 501st Imperial Stormtrooper. :-) Although I might do some little bits down the line, I think my blaster is pretty much done for now. It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable project, and my huge thanks to out to the wonderful contributors to my thread, specifically Tino, Jesse, Chris and Brian. Of course, I appreciate everyone’s input along the way. Cheers guys. :-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello everyone! Today, I proceeded with the End Cap Clip. As Doopydoos comes with a static resin piece, I opted to mash together two separate sources. I used Suitecase Props T-piece along with Tino's aluminum u-channel from his completion set. Here is the original piece Here is the combo of the two separately sourced pieces. Here are some comparison pictures: I decided I wanted the u-channel a bit shorter so I took out my trusty Cobalt hacksaw blade and took off around 2mm. In my estimation, it now looked more proportional against the T-piece. I also rounded off the edges of the u-channel following SMG references (FISD E-11 Blaster Reference: PDF Document Photo Compendium) Here, I would then, following SMG references as well, imprint knurling patterns using green stuff to the bottom of the T-piece. Following, I would use a curved aluminum piece to lever the T-piece for press functionality. 1 /16 " drill bit used to create hole in aluminum piece and on T-piece. A nail was scavenged to get at its head for insert and keep the aluminum piece in place. Initial attempt using JB Weld was unsuccessful. Used Tino's powerful CA glue did the trick. This aluminum strip styled after SMG references as well. I then proceeded to create the two support holes for the pin. Piloted using 1 / 16 " then to 5 / 64 " for the actual hole size. Since I didn't not have a 5 / 64 " pin, I had to shave it down from the 1 / 8 " solid brass rod I had. I inserted the rod to my drill and held it up against my square file. For anyone attempting this, please use ear protection. I found it necessary to examine the filing process closely therefore, putting myself close to the drill motor. Done! I will proceed to add a bit of E-6000 to keep the pin in place. I had thinned out the pin a tad too much. Also, if I ever have to disassemble, I can heat it and get the pin out. Thanks for checking in once again! Have a terrific day!

Okay, time to slice up some cod, shall we? If you're short like me, you will most likely need to do this to your armor if you want it to be comfortable (and look good, too!). It's not as scary as it looks. It helps to: 1. bring the cod closer in to your respective bits and pieces 2. reduce the height of the ab Do not, I repeat do NOT cut your ab before cutting your cod! You may end up cutting off too much of the top of the ab, which will result in your ab constantly popping out from beneath your chest (not a good look at all). Cut your cod first, then check how your ab and chest are doing. You may not even need to remove anything from the top of the ab once your cod has been cut down. First, line up your ruler to the width you want and clamp it. For me, the width of the ruler is perfect. Next, trace your line. Line traced should look something like this. Using your cutting implement of choice, slice that cod! I then cover the inside lower part of the ab and top part of the cod with ABS paste, and stick them back together. I made sure to cover the seam with extra ABS paste for strength. It all gets taped up, clamped, and given some quiet recovery time while it heals from surgery. So you can see how much of a difference the cod cut can make, here's a set of before and after shots. I still may end up taking a little off the top of my ab, but it won't be much. The center box on the ab was too high before, and it's now in the correct position relative to my frame. I still have some cutting to do along the hip area, but that'll happen later on while fitting. As you can see, a quick and easy cut can really make a big difference in how the armor will fit you. So to all of you vertically challenged wannabe troopers out there, don't fear the cod cut!

Thanks ! very appreciate ! Biceps are not totally clean, i just need to remove some glue excess now but i try to do something good for EIB or Centurion level !

I just wanted to comment about how beautiful that bicep job looks. That is really fun to look at. So clean and pretty. You are going to have some NICE armor.

I'm back ! I'm working on the arms, with biceps first. cover strips are 1.5cm Mine are easy, they fit perfectly with the 1.5cm cover strips on front and back. For the the second kit, it's different, because my friend is a little bigger than me. So, can i use a 2cm strip on front of the bicep and a 2.5 or 3cm in the back to have more place ? Is it still valuable for EIB or Centurion level ?

This is my old assembling ! I think it's not the good way for an ANH armor, right ? So, is this the correct assembling ?