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In that case, I would not recommend that you removed any bumps. I believe David's recommendation is based on those who have two large tabs. The screen used suits had the large tab in the front and a medium tab in the back.

In Memoriam Detachment Officer Executive Officer Pre Approval Forum Trooping & Hydration Hall of Fame Just For Laughs In the Media FISD Facebook Group Mega Troop Trooping Imperial Attaché Program EIB & Centurion: What do these terms mean? Advanced Tactics Awards EIB - The March To 1000 Merch Reform Merchandise Public Relations Follow FISD On the 29th April of 2018 Christian John Collins passed away. “CJ” was aspiring to become a 501st member and had supported several troops in his own Shadow Scout armor. Sponsored by his father—who is also a 501st member—and the 70th Explorers Garrison, and in recognition of his son’s intent, ...Legion ID Number TX-51695 has been awarded to CJ Collins. CJ is survived by his younger brother Jeremy and his loving parents Rhodie and Chad (SL-6876.) Our condolences go out to his family and friends. "Buckets Off" Last month I touched upon the subject of the value of vetting the source of information before believing what you read, especially on social media like Facebook, and that FISD will always be the source of truth for anything detachment related. This month we close out on a FAQ regarding the events of the silver coin run and the fallout that ensued. As this is Legion business, it is accessible to 501st only and is located here: Hopefully it will provide the needed closure and we can move forward, as there is much still to do this year. For instance we're going to pick up the pace of CRL clarifications, with updates coming soon to the FOTK, ANH, ICN, and TKC costumes, as well are remedying an "oops" to the ROTJ. Phasma TLJ CRL is still waiting on photos, so alas no progress there. The FN-2187 CRL was done as a first draft and has been paused by the LMOs - and rightly so - while we get better photos as otherwise they are just not where we need them to be. So, cross fingers both will be done next month! There is much more going on, but I don't want to steal the staff's thunder so keep reading and enjoy! With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” Detachment Leader Greetings all One month in as XO and I have been thinking, what can I can do for our Detachment, then an idea came to me. Why not create a new section for our forums, based on subject matter that has become a very strong part of the Cosplay universe, and that subject matter is something I and I know many others are interested in and passionate about …..3D printing. My plan is to create a home for all things 3D printer related, be it the machines themselves, 3D design, a permanent depository for free to use files and tips n tricks the sky is the limit. I know we have many very talented members out there that will have plenty to share on this subject and you will now have a home in FISD to do so. I’m in the process of building the new tabs behind the scenes, so keep an eye out in the near future for these new sections. Main forum title: 3D Parts and Technical Sub topics: 3D Printer owners Your place to discuss what printer/s you own, recommendations, tech talk and the like, It’s a place to learn something new 3D CAD Designers Home of talented 3D cad designers, show off your 3D renders, of FISD related costume parts and accessories. Offer help and advice on programs, or offer to commission a piece for a fellow member 3D File Depository A home for 3D file sharing, Troopers helping Troopers is what this section is all about; yes a single location to keep any 3D files offered up by our extremely generous membership. This will be a 501st member’s only section and rules will apply to any usage of the content. I will be looking for content to get these new sections started so If you are interested in helping drive these new forums, then please send me a PM and let’s get the threads and the filament flowing. 3D printer heads will understand that last comment With Unquestioned Loyalty Andrew Franke TK-11469 "Sly11" Executive Officer The FISD is pleased to announce the addition of a new area in the Advanced Tactics forum dedicated to those ready to submit for basic 501st TK approval. This section will allow future Troopers the opportunity to submit photos of their completed build to be reviewed by the Staff, Imperial Attaches and others in preparation for forwarding it to their GML for approval. Any and all advice/suggestions given will be specific, constructive, helpful and respectful. Please note that this program will NOT take the place of your local GML, as Detachments are not chartered for costume approval and can not override a GMLs decision, but is instead a peer review program designed to help you look your best and offer guidance and positive feedback. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about your completed armor, weapons (if applicable), accessories, etc. and get accurate information from the experts here at the FISD.. the definitive home of TKs worldwide. For more information on this program, please visit the link here While trooping it is important to keep hydrated, you would think this is just for the hotter months but you can also find you can overheat on the coldest day if you are in a confined place indoors. Make sure you have enough food and drink during the whole trooping time (as trooping is quite exhausting, especially for beginners). The nature of our costumes and trooping events can put a lot of stress on a trooper. Always make sure to take frequent breaks and stay well hydrated. You may not always feel thirsty when taking a break but you may still be getting dehydrated, so grab a quick drink whenever possible. The lack of breaks and proper hydration can lead to heat related illnesses even under mild conditions. Heat Exhaustion is a condition whose symptoms may include heavy sweating and a rapid pulse, a result of your body overheating. It's one of three heat-related syndromes, with heat cramps being the mildest and heatstroke being the most severe. Causes of heat exhaustion include exposure to high temperatures, particularly when combined with high humidity, and strenuous physical activity. Without prompt treatment, heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke, a life-threatening condition. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion may come on suddenly or may develop after days of heat exposure. Possible heat exhaustion signs and symptoms include: •Cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat •Heavy sweating •Faintness •Dizziness •Fatigue •Weak, rapid pulse •Low blood pressure upon standing •Muscle cramps •Nausea •Headache Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that occurs when your body temperature reaches 104 F (40 C) or higher. Heatstroke can be brought on by high environmental temperatures, by strenuous physical activity or by other conditions that raise your body temperature. Heatstroke is the escalation of two other heat-related health problems: heat cramps and heat exhaustion. In these conditions, you develop signs and symptoms that are milder than those of heatstroke. You can prevent heatstroke if you receive medical attention or take self-care steps as soon as you notice problems. Heatstroke symptoms include: •High body temperature. A body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher is the main sign of heatstroke. •Lack of sweating. In heatstroke brought on by hot weather, your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch. However, in heatstroke brought on by strenuous exercise (trooping), your skin usually feels moist. •Flushed skin. Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases. •Rapid breathing. Your breathing may become rapid and shallow. •Racing heart rate and strong pulse (tachycardia). •Headache. You may experience a throbbing headache. •Neurological symptoms. You may have seizures, lose consciousness, hallucinate, •Difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying. •Muscle cramps or weakness. Your muscles may feel tender or cramped in the early stages of heatstroke, but may later go rigid or limp. Avoiding Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion •Take Frequent Breaks •Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids before during and after a troop. Water and "sports drinks" are the most beneficial to help avoid dehydration. Alcohol and sodas should be avoided as they can actually aggravate your dehydration. •Listen: One of the symptoms of heatstroke mentioned above is a decrease in mental understanding. You may not be aware that you are developing symptoms of a heat illness. So, listen to your handlers, if a handler or fellow trooper tells you it's time to take a break do it. •Don't be a Hero: Even if your in a parade or other venue where there isn't an easy exit or place to get out of view of the public if you start experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke get to the side, find shade, sit down if possible, get your bucket off, get a handler to help, find water, rest. It is much better to have you break character in public than to have you pass out in public. For more information on trooping head to the 501st Trooper Survival Guide. I want to take a moment this month to sincerely thank everyone for their amazing contributions to the Field Exercises. Each month since becoming the curator, I’m seeing more and more reports come in sharing some truly phenomenal moments for us to share. You are all deserved of a salute and a big ol’ hugging handshake. Now for the final decision... This Trooper is definitely no stranger to us all. With that being said, I normally try to recognize pictures from Troopers new to the Field Training Exercises or have not been inducted yet - making it very difficult for those who have already earned their place in the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame to be honored again. However this time, I feel this recipient should be recognized for his ongoing efforts not only in the Field Training Exercises but also for his contributions throughout this Detachment and within his own Garrison. Whether it be greeting new recruits at the door, helping all of us at one point with our builds, giving words of encouragement /advice / praise, diligently working as a Trooper /Attaché / Staff member, selflessly contributing many hours of his own time to organize and co-ordinate us in the IPM... ... Yes I’m looking at you through my bubble lenses Glen. Please join me in Honoring TK - 85421 Glen “Q” - now a 3rd Time recipient of the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame Award. “We stopped for a scenic photo backdrop of the city we had just liberated.” With Unquestioned Loyalty Aaron Gibson TK99725 "Pyrates" Imperial Propaganda Fan Made Movie Stormtroopers is a fan film about a platoon of Stormtroopers who raid a remote Rebel Mining outpost, starring troopers of the 501st Ireland Garrison. Filmed in Ireland on location in Cork, Waterford & Tipperary. Stars Carolyn Bracken, Peter Cosgrove, Klancy Casey Williams, Micheal Fitzgerald, Michael Stack & Melissa Ciepierski. Written and directed by Micheal Fitzgerald and was produced by Cork Racing. You can find the film HERE or on Vimeo Jamie Oliver Massive Star Wars Fan http://digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/15/51/768x761/gallery-1450547621-jamieoliver-stormtrooper.jpg It's no secret that long before Jamie Oliver was the Naked Chef, he was a Star Wars super-fan. And let's not pretend his obsession has lessened over time. For instance, if you ever spot an Imperial Stormtrooper walking children to school it's probably Jamie Oliver. FISD now has a dedicated Facebook Group Yes, you read that correctly! The Command Staff does indeed hear your requests, and for the most part we want to make them happen! There was one trooper who asked for all of us to be a part of their underwater basket weaving graduation ceremony, taking place on/beneath a boat near the Cape of Good Hope... Nobody was actually prepared to make that happen. Aside from that instance however, we do what we can to make you happy as members, with your experiences at/associated with the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment! One of the primary requests from the membership at large was for a more interactive presence on Facebook. We have a great Facebook Page, but that is not an interactive space. That desire was what led to Paul asking me to consider returning to the Detachment Staff. I was excited to come back but knew that Facebook is a large machine and that I would need help and so I asked Marcus Dohring @JODOKAST to be a part of this new phase of FISD's growth, and here we are, discussing the new Facebook Group. I phrase it that way, because it is live. Right now. You can go there and join, and begin asking questions etc there instead of finishing your reading here - but I encourage you to finish this first, I mean, this NL will be one of the very first official posts there after all. So, what will you find when you go there (aside from a link to this newsletter)? Sharp-eyed members may notice some hidden gems when they get there, but generally you'll find a few different spots for questions and answers. Over time, more content will be worked in to the group, dependent upon the requests we receive from you, and from observations made by us. It is there, and ready, but it will indeed grow and evolve with time. Okay then... Where is it? It is right here: 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment (FISD) Official That's what you need to get started. What do you do next? Spread the word, share the link. It is Social Media after all, let's make it more social! With Unquestioned Loyalty Tim Waychoff TK-51878 “Dark CMF” Social Media Relations 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. May - June Star Wars Night at Tampa Bay Rays More here By: Mike, WhiteWalker, TK82666 Northern Fan Con 2018 More here By: Teresa, Soulart, TK41307 SOLO Premier Disney Private Screening More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 RSPCA Million Paws Walk More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 HBF Run For A Reason More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 SOLO Midnight Screening More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 SOLO Charity Screening More here By: Glen, gmrhodes13, TK85421 Serve proudly, ladies and gentlemen, and as Tim (Dark CMF) says: "Keep doing what it is that got you here"! 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 Attaché 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 , welcoming new members and helping out where you can is, though. Some of the benefits: 1. Access to exclusive Attaché merch., including patches, etc. 2. Having the Imperial Attaché 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 Attaché 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. (Pretzel) For a complete list of Imperial Attaches, go here NEW ATTACHES! Please join me in welcoming 2 new Imperial Attaches to the FISD: 1. Frank, (Frank75139) - Truly dedicated member here on FISD and always on the front lines giving solid advice and welcoming new FISD members. Frank has displayed extraordinary dedication in his short time here. 2. Sha Sha, (shashachu)- Very pleased to see ShaSha apply when she did! Truly talented Attache that gives excellent advice and always happy to lend a helping hand! Serve proudly, Ladies & Gentlemen, and as Tim (Dark CMF) says: "Keep doing what it is that got you here"! IMPERIAL ATTACHE AWARD Imperial Attaché Award for those attaché's who have gone above and beyond [minimum 1 year of service] This month, I would like to highlight the newest recipient of the I.A. Award. Please congratulate Sarah (Alay) of the Connecticut Garrison. She has been serving with the FISD as an Attache for well over a year. The most notable service is for her tiring and relentless efforts in the most recent FISD racing shirt run. This is a true labor of love, and we feel that is well deserving of this prestigious award. Sarah. Thank You. I Salute You With Unquestioned Loyalty Preston Christman TK-91488 "Pretzel" Attaché Ambassador ATTACHE MERCHANDISE Attaché Patch Attaché patches should be back up and running soon, please stand by So what exactly are EIB (Expert Infantry Badge) and Centurion levels? These programs were designed for those who choose to take their armor above and beyond the minimum requirements for basic 501st Legion approval. It gives you the chance to show a level of dedication and pride that takes your armor closer to being as "screen accurate" as possible, without as much extra work as you may realize! It also works on giving a better look to the Legion as an entity, and you can bet others will take notice of your hard work. The 501st has a list of detailed requirements for Basic approval, (level 1), EIB, (level 2) and Centurion, (level 3) which can be found here in the Costume Reference Library, (CRL) http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:FISD_CRL Here are a few of the questions people may be wondering about: 1. "I am a (tall/short/heavy/thin) Trooper. Can I still apply? Of course! These programs are open and encouraged for all sizes of TKs, as long as the costume is correct and meets the guidelines. There are many specific build tutorials to every option, as well as a vast network of fellow TKs on the FISD to help you out and offer suggestions. 2. "How much extra will I have to pay for extra items"? The cost is actually quite reasonable, considering the few extra supplies you will need, which are listed in the requirements area. While it may run you a little more to implement these additions to your costume, they will go a long way to improving accuracy. All needed items can be found for sale on this thread: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/16-ongoing-sales-project-orders/ While blasters are not required for basic approval, for EIB and Centurion levels they are, and may need upgrades (also listed in the CRL). 3. "I haven't even got my kit yet, is it too early to start planning"? Actually, aiming for Centurion is easiest to do right out of the box. 4. "I have my basic TK approval, can I still get in these programs"? In a word... absolutely! 5. "Are there any "perks" to this extra work and cost"? Besides knowing that you have a great looking set of armor, the 501st and FISD believes you should be deservedly recognized for your achievement(s), and allows you to wear the appropriate embroidered "rocker" badge of rank (available for a very minimum cost) on your shirt, helmet bag, etc., as well as rank decals to put on your armor bin. You will also have access to select "challenge coin" runs, receive (free) a cool certificate for your new rank, and have your title posted below your name in your FISD signature. Plus, once you reach these levels, you will have the extra knowledge to help out those who are looking to apply as well. 6. "Is it hard to apply, and what happens then"? After basic approval, all you do is make sure your armor is up to the standards set forth in the CRL, post a thread with the required photos in the appropriate area (see below), and wait a bit for the D.O.s (Deployment Officers) to address it. (Hint: Studying other people's threads before you submit can be a GREAT help). These are also listed on the main page of the FISD site. While waiting for approval, you will get some comments from others who will offer suggestions and constructive advice to help you out. If you should need any changes, the DOs will let you know, so you can adjust accordingly. Don't be dismayed if you do need changes... it's all for your benefit! After you are approved for EIB, then you can submit for Centurion. EIB https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/19-request-expert-infantryman-status/ Centurion https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/72-request-centurion-status/ Note: You will see some suggestions in the existing submissions/approval requests that, while not actually part of the CRL, are highly suggested items, (for your benefit), such as "flat-head screw heads on the TD (thermal detonator) should be painted black" for Centurion, etc. Those small details all add up to closer screen accuracy. Just remember that the FISD is here to help you every step of the way with whatever other questions you may have, but if you can't seem to find what you are looking for in your research, just post the question, (or PM justjoseph63) and best of luck on your build! This area lists all those who have gone above and beyond basic approval toward screen accuracy. FOR APRIL-MAY the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate: Expert Infantry Badge Award: Daniel Melin "The Swede" TK 99665 EIB (Approved for THIRD EIB)! Ignacio Garcia "501 pendragon" TK 13912 EIB 828 Carl H. "cjdesign" TK 10171 EIB 829 José Castro " José" TK 52410 EIB 830 Ilan Boogaerts "Ilbo1996" TK 40996 EIB 831 Peter "Sith Thundercracker" TK 29916 EIB 832 David Ruel "hollowbodies" TK 41123 EIB 833 Jon Hall "IBKyde" TK 12124 EIB 834 Alan Ibarra "Thumpy~" TK 6306 EIB 835 (Our first Sky Trooper to reach EI)! Colin Moreh "menschie" TK 11626 EIB 836 Zac Bates "DEVOLVER" TK 82214 EIB 837 Gary Sellers "Asystole" TK 52417 EIB 838 David Williams ""vmax1974" TK 41774 EIB 839 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 Daniel Melin "The Swede" TK 99665 (Approved for THIRD Centurion)!! David Ruel "hollowbodies" TK 41123 Centurion 400 ! Ilan Boogaerts "Ilbo1996" TK 40996 Centurion 401 Peter "SithThundercracker" TK 29916 Centurion 402 Carl H. "cjdesign" TK 10171 Centurion 403 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! 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 and have just passed the 800 mark! The amount of approved submissions is increasing (over 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, coins 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 "Pretzel" or any Imperial Attaché, and we will be more than happy to assist you! For those interested a graph of EIB approvals by year FISD Merch Reform Proposal (to come into effect June 18th) The FISD for sale and merchandise rules have been in a place for a long time - they were liberally taken directly from CTN (the 501st clonetroopers detachment) and haven’t had to be tweaked much in 10+ years. For the most part things have been going well, however we’ve seen an increasing amount of reports of buyers making demands that fall outside reasonable expectations. We have had more than one occasion during merch runs, where a member files a PayPal dispute immediately upon seeing someone else post that they have received their items, and the filing member has not received theirs yet. This is a major pain. It locks up the PayPal account of the person managing the run, and could potentially cause other members to panic and file claims. Nobody wins in this situation. It clogs up the management of the run, creates a mob mentality, and cannot lead to anything productive regarding possible resolution to what wasn't a problem until that PayPal dispute was filed. The run manager (whether the DMBO or not) is acting on behalf of the Detachment to include the membership, and going straight to PayPal disputes is disrespectful of everyone involved, to include other members who ordered the item(s). Filing PayPal disputes without seeking resolution or an answer from the run manager/Detachment Command Staff should carry a suspension of no more than 30 days - really it is the same as someone messing up the forum experience for others, except that this is actually messing with people's lives and money. To protect against this, the following changes are being made to merch runs for FISD effective immediately: 1. Buyers have 30 days from shipment to report a missing or lost item for domestic runs. Sellers are only required to retain proof of shipment for 30 days. Why? Domestic shipments should normally arrive in about 7 days. Some people are claiming items never shipped 5 months after a run was closed, which is way too long to ask people to retain shipping material. If your domestically shipped item hasn’t arrived after 30 days IOW, you lose the right to claim it was never shipped. 2. Buyers have 60 days from shipment to report a missing/lost item for international runs. Most items are received in under 30 days, however we know some countries are pretty bad. Sellers must keep shipping documentation for 60 days on international items. If the shipper can provide tracking information (e.g. a tracking number for domestic or a customs form for international), they are not held liable for items lost or missing in the mail. Any concerns post them on the thread here: With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK8020 “Daetrin” Detachment Leader FISD Coffee Mugs - 2 Designs! $14 each + $5 shipping in the US + $10 shipped international Sales thread here Design One Design Two FISD Brothers in Arms Sticker 3.5 inch round stickers $4.00, shipping included Reference: Brothers in Arms Thread here paypal [email protected] Phasma Coin $10 shipped US International buyers email for quote: [email protected] Thread here Riot Control Coin $10 shipped US International buyers email for quote: [email protected] Thread here FISD Classic Style Patch $5 shipped US International buyers email for quote: [email protected] Thread here UPDATE FISD Racing Shirts Great news FISD racing shirts are on their way, for international orders please stand by shipping does take time. Any issues please contact Sarah in this thread here On behalf of the membership I would like to say a massive thank you to Sarah for undertaking this run, you have definitely gone above and beyond "troopers helping troopers" Thank You Sarah "Alay" TK20466 How To Fix A Shirt That Has Incorrect Info? Occasionally there can be an issue with printing and a mistake may be made, if you find either your name or id is incorrect you can at least save the shirt, here's how. Purchase some T-shirt transfer sheets, (use for black shirts as this is thicker and can be printed any color) Next in your photo software find a font similar and enter your info then print, wait to dry then cut out and iron on to the shirt. 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, Tim, Marcus, Preston or myself. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO - Newsletter Facebook & Twitter With Unquestioned Loyalty Daniel Lauber TK55550 - "Ripper_L" PRO - Facebook Page Instagram With Unquestioned Loyalty Preston Christman TK-91488 "Pretzel" PRO - Instagram FISD Facebook Group With Unquestioned Loyalty Tim Waychoff TK-51878 “Dark CMF” PRO - Facebook Group With Unquestioned Loyalty Marcus Dohring TK-14057 “JODOKAST” PRO - Facebook Group 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! NEW Facebook Group: 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment (FISD) Official 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/fisd501st On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department

Hi! I've been a very dirty Sandtrooper for a year now. I can finally wear a clean armour! As seen in the pic, I am a TLJ FOTK.

Sounds good - you can always correct with a toothpick anyways. However, I would not use acetone right on the armor/ABS, as it could damage the plastic. Some mineral spirits works really well for removing the paint safely.

Yes, but they come on a backing that applies them all at once. You peel off the paper leaving the decal on the backer, apply the decal and then carefully peel back the backing.

Got the belt complete as much as possible until I break out the ab armor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Last update today, I swear, but I got up at 0530... I updated the holster strips to natural leather. (Holster is from AP) And, with the blaster-- (HyperFirm B-Grade)

I like this. I wanted to add rivets on ab but didn't per CRL. As for your last recommendation I don't agree with lining up belt rivets and kidney coping picture that closely. Different thickness Troopers would have them way out of proportion. This is reminding me of troopers following that billgram to the mm for left side rivets only to find out armor is different brand and height and they placed in wrong spots. I tried to space mine by how far it looked coming off plastic belt in picture and did same distance off TD. No real measurements can be given with different size TK's. Just my thoughts Loving the updates to the EU!

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.

Hi all, just getting my post started for my upcoming build, im still a little under a week away from BBB, but in the meantime have been collecting many, many, many, parts and supplies. In the time that I have been waiting i'm 99% positive I have everything I would need, ordered more than what was required for a single build but this being my first build I thought it prudent to leave room for a few bumps in the road. Going for centurion right from the get go, so i'm just going to pace myself on the build. The funniest thing is the biggest problem so far is not worrying about the build but worrying about if I made the right decision for a TK over a TD, im still wavering between both.....Wish me luck!

I wouldn't try it if I had an alternate solution at hand... Mineral spirits is pretty easy to find anywhere and it does a good job. ^^ Sent from my LG-M470 using Tapatalk

No one will really see that, will be more a question of comfort.

As for return edges on the rest of the armor, I always suggest removing all of it from the bottom of the biceps, (keeps them closer to the chest/back, photos 1 and 2) and the tops of the thighs (keeps them from chafing, photo 3). Also, removing them (thigh tops) before any fitting/gluing is important. Otherwise, if you do afterward those areas will be too loose. You can also remove a lot of the return edge on your chest/back plate, but that is not a necessity, (Photo 4), just personal preference. 1. 2. 3 4.

Thanks guys!. Based on all the input I think I'm going to try an amalgamation of everyone's suggestions. I'm going to go 70's style. Run tape strips for top and bottom 13/16" apart, get a 1/8th inch flat brush. From all the links you sent the top of the stripes are about 1/4" from the cheek/tube valley. The bottom of the lead stripe intersects an imaginary line following the flow from the end of the frown. Thanks to the CableGuy. the first few stripes kind of lean forward towards the frown as well. They should number between 11-16 (I'm thinking 13 for luck, Stormtrooper assigned to a Death Star luck). The curve kind of follows the contour of the tube, accentuating it. And I printed out Panda's to physically hold in my hand to get a feel for the scale. Am I on the right track? Our buckets are for us right? So why would I want my stripes exactly like everyone else's? I'm not going for the Set to Stun trooper, or any particular one for that matter. (Ok. Really I'm cheap and impatient, and don't want to wait for an order to arrive). So I think I'm going to give it a whirl in the next day or two, and it will either be glorious, or I'll be busting out the toothpicks and acetone, whilst waiting for a set of templates. Thanks for all the tips guys!

You are flying! Keep it up!

Went ahead and made bicep hooks and some filler for more surface area when I attach the shoulder bridges. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome! You made the right choice, stay clean! Do a TK and then a TD that way when your TK gets dirty you can make it a TD. Or like most of us here when you do your first build you’ll want to do more so then you can make a TD and have both. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good job on the ears! I had a hell of a time on those suckers... There's a few minor differences between ESB and ANH, mostly in the helmet, like the teeth, which you've already got down. Decals on the helmet instead of hand painted, and no hand-painted look decals. Snowie hand guards. The holster is on the right with black loops. E-11 is more "stripped down". My original mike tips were speakers, and they attached via a screw through the back of the tip and into the helmet. It's held since 15' and counting, so I'd recommend it. As far as sizing, it's much the same between sizes, just trimming more or less depending on how large/small you need to make it. There's a bunch of build threads with shim tutorials, if you're in need of shims, too. For much of the build, you can reference ANH build threads, because so much is the same, just be careful of the little details.

I decided to test out theories today, by using one of the cheese grater handguards. Just poured the raw latex in the back after spraying with the Zep. Now to wait. When I do the TK guards, not only will I brush the latex in multiple coats, I'm also going to make white latex, by squirting in a good dose of white acrylic paint and stirring. Coloring the raw latex either prevents painting later, or cuts down on the number of coats you need. In eagle eye hindsight, I probably should have overlooked to get something to grab so I can pull it out. Of course the day I choose to do it is cold, and humid so it may be tomorrow before seeing results. The good news is, it doesn't seem like the mold release is eating my test piece of ABS. Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

Trust me E6000 for your first build you’ll be thankful later. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How the hell did I forget your post!? Hehe I'm sorry mister tube stripe sheriff @CableGuy !

Figure I’ll find the placement for snaps to the ab armor first since at this point I can unscrew the “speed rivets”. [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking good - need to glue those square buttons now!

It won`t so all is good the only Centurion spec is that there can not be any return edge on the wrist end of the forearms (see pic) other than that it`s up to personal preference.

I was wrong about the scope rail hole. Just had a look at my blaster. I think I was able to insert a screw downward from the cocking handle track spacing. Also I did not have electronics like you have installed there so I also placed a screw at an angle upwards directly behind the spring for my trigger. Sorry not much help actually.

Yes and I'm looking forward to finally being done and getting out there.

Getting closer looking forward to it

You can get some more info regarding the shoulder bridges by reading this

Good luck Brandon! We're here to help you on your way. Hope that BBB day comes on schedule!

I agree with Luc... Cut along the red line, especially for comfort! Besides, it'll be covered by the belt. That snap press looks sweet! Of course, I had to dash over to Google for pricing.. Eek. I don't have any budget for that. At any rate, I kind of like bashing the snaps together now with a hammer. Quite satisfying!

Yep. I hadn't seen the build event (saw last weeks one) yet, so that makes sense. Will check out Sean's build as well. Planning on helping handle the event in Oxford tomorrow night. And taking the kiddos to the Galactic Academy meet and greet on Sat. Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

No worries Paul, and shall do After considering if having to add shims the rivet placement could be a factor here however, at the time of approval the applicant would need to have all his ducks in a row., including rivet alignment. That said, let's first establish a reason for the four rivets. Are they securing the waist belt to the kidney and possibly the posterior, are they giving the waist belt some strength, both, or are they merely cosmetic? Since we really don't know, to simplify to situation why don't we just state "There are to be four rivets or rivet like buttons with roughly 4mm heads, painted the same color as the belt, and positioned in a rectangular pattern on each side of the Thermal Detonator."

Yes definitely go through EIB and Centurion applications. Fortunately the armour vendor is listed in the titles, making it easier to find good ones you can use! Also definitely use the Gallery we have here full of great reference material!

Thank you! I just followed the templates that I found here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/16758-shoulder-pauldron-templates/?tab=comments#comment-202330 I used vinyl for the main red and black parts, black cotton for the underside, then I sandwiched a 1/4 inch (6mm) piece of foam between the top and bottom and sewed everything together. The neck straps are actual leather.

Yes, the rear screw idea looks like a good option. For the rear fastener, I had fully remove my ejector port /bolt window so I had access to insert the screw from the top down, inner tube into the grip at an angle.or maybe i used the scope rail hole for that. Have to check how and exactly where I was able to do that.

GREAT job so far, Freddy! I would recommend taking a bit of black paint to the vocoder to sharpen up the lines at the top. The best thing to use for this is called a "filbert" style brush, which has a rounded end. I would also give more of a point to your frown on the left side. The hovi tips turned out awesome! Reference image

Cheers for the advice again! Hopefully the tiny return edge won't keep me from reaching Centurion... Concerning the bucket, the stupid metal inside the mic tips almost drove me into madness, but I did manage to get there in the end. When painting the tube stripes i did make sure there was a pencil width of space, and it might really be the angle of the picture. Now I am just waiting for the higher quality lens to arrive and then I can finish the helmet. Now this should boost my motivation again (if it dies down until then at all)

Ouch! Can only imagine what work you went through, when stripping off all this paint. Really sad to hear. Unbelievable cleaning work as your last picture shows. Almost nothing left from that mess. Guessing you have done enough fine-sanding to skip the primer and just begin with the first paint layer...

If you plan to use screws in the positions with the green arrows, that should work great without anything else. In that 2014-build, I simply had not thought of running a screw through the rear end of the grip for additional support.

Such a shame about the paint reaction. It was really coming on nicely. However, I’m sure you’ll be back on track soon. Stick with it.

Sorry these are taking so long to process. I'm working through the changes as soon as I can. When you guys are happy with updated language, please do post to the June CRL Updates thread so I can keep it all in one place.

I had no idea! I haven’t removed it. I’ll take a look when I do some fitting then. Thanks for the tip! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking good! Just like this, I don't know and maybe you already did (not seeing it on the picture), but you can remove the rear big tab from the shoulder bridges, as the ones used in the movies mostly had only a bigger tab on the front. Just saying just in case ... good job though! Note that the removal of the rear big tab is optional - if you want to keep it, it's fine and should not block you from higher levels of approval! ^^

Feel for you about your struggles with paint - yet so close to the finish line ... your son is very wise and a huge source of encouragement, what a blessing. I suspect a lacquer based paint was applied over an enamel base paint. A very studious recovery Kevin, good on you - now for round two, you can do it!!!

Nevermind. I just bit the bullet and went ahead and sewed it. Turns out, the sewing machine did most of the work keeping the wrinkles out.

I think that'll be my policy, too, though I see your point about uniformity, Frank! Ugh. So many decisions. Gotcha. Hm. Duly noted. Glam gloves! That's what they were called! I thought you said it in your thread but hadn't dug back through it yet to check. Silk liners seem like the way to go, too. Hey do you wear silk socks in your boots? I saw that recommended. Hooray! You don't know how good that is to hear. When I first started looking into this, I wasn't sure I could be a TK at all due to my height (or lack thereof), let alone a Centurion! Thanks for the other recommendations, as well. I'm all set up on my garrison's boards. I now feel *super* bad for not having any real progress for y'all to follow... I've ordered a couple more things and will doubtless appreciate a second (third, fourth, twelfth) set of eyes on them so stand by! Thanks again!

Whilst recasting is "A Bad Thing"™ there's also a lot of grey area. If you are literally going to pour some latex into a plastic guard you already have? I see no issue personally. It's for you and you're not selling it or making them for others. Even if you do that for you and and gave a pair to 1 friend, probably not the end of the world but at that point your well on your way to recasting in a way that would be a problem. I know some people see recasting as a black/white issue but I see it as a much more complex issue in general, and generally look at it pragmatically.

So I've made some more advancements: After several hot water baths and the offset mentioned above, I finished the shins by finally gluing on the sniper knee plate. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Next I set my sights on the thighs. I decided to leave the slight height mismatch on the front (top) of the thighs (it will be mostly hidden by the cover strip) but the back was a different story. On the right thigh I wound up with about 2.5 cm height difference. The knees lined up well but the tops were way off. I cut this down to about 1.5 cm but any more would have required losing a huge portion of the top return edge to maintain the "swoop" of the leg hole. I settled for cutting off 1 cm because that didn't require that much reconstruction and in the end, I rebuilt the return edge for about 1 inch. I didn't have a heat sealing iron and I didn't want to order one and wait weeks, so I experimented with a clothes iron. And you know what? It worked ok. I played with the heat and finally settled on the "silk" setting. I was able to melt the ABS and roll over a new return edge without making a mess of everything. I had a couple of minor "flat" spots where the iron melted a little much, but after sanding, wet sanding and Novus plastic polish, it looks great. Unfortunately I forgot to take a "before" picture but here is after melting but before sanding. I continued gluing on cover strips... And then again I ran into an issue with the right thigh. This time the bottom (at the back of the knee) didn't line up that well. It had a height difference. It's a little hard to see in this photo but the halves meet well horizontally, but vertically there is a difference. I gave this piece a hot water bath to ease it down to a similar height and then glued a strip of ABS behind to hold it in place. Next I worked on the knee ammo pack. I cut it out (it was untrimmed) and sanded it to square edges. Then used a pipe piece similar to the TD to draw a pencil line to round off the lower edge. (View from back) Then a hot water bath to get it to curve to the knee... I centered the piece around the knee portion of the thigh. That means I have equal space on the left and right halves of the knee but the center ammo rectangle does not line up perfectly with the center of the front cover strip. From what I understand, this is expected with the AP kit and similar to the film. I used two of the included split rivets to hold the knee belt in place. I put a few dabs of E6000 on the inside to hold the belt in place. I still have clamps holding the knee ammo belt in place while the glue dries. Mark

HOLY COW THIS LOOKS FANTASTIC!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING!!!!! My daughter and I are about to start on her Phasma build and need all the help we can get!!! This is very inspiring!!! We will probably have questions for ya soon!!! The Dishman

So after a couple of troops this suit has held up pretty well. The foam chest plate tends to get a bit beat up, so I've started to replace this part with a pepakura cardboard/fibreglass resin piece using the same method as the helmet. Some trooping pics: And I've started on the first major upgrade...replacement of the chest plate. I modified the template for this so that it has a better sweep at the back, and a good taper from the neck to the shoulders when looking front on. For this part, I used 200gsm card, and some thicker cardboard in order to build up the ridges better. Just used some Bostic paper glue to glue it all together. I'll put up more pics of the process as I go. These pics are just after I've finished putting the card pieces together, and before layering on fibre resin on the outside, with fibre resin/matting on the inside. This part should have the same finished result as the helmet/mask: ...A much better taper to the shoulders in this version...