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I'm already half way there!

Updates… So the sand continues… I primed all the sanded parts and hung them to dry. Next they will get filled and sanded again. Then they will be masked (if needed) for final primer and painting. Next, I sanded the final parts that needed sanding and washed them off. They will need primer, filler and more sanding. And that is it for the update. I told you guys this was the boring part. Thanks for the interest.

For the record the cut does not need to be perfect. We will not make you pull out a protractor to prove straight lines lol. Regarding the 22mm kidney notch, though it is screen accurate it is NOT a requirement to create if the armor did not come with it. As stated in the CRL: Level three certification (if applicable): Cut-out notches at the bottom of right and left sides of the Kidney Armor are optional. If present, each notch is approximately 22 mm tall and the back of the notch ideally is aligned with the front edges of the Posterior Armor plate..

Echoing the above then adding to it, it never hurts to polish your armor using some type of plastic UV protectant, this will help prevent yellowing. I personally like to use the 3M headlight restoration kit, $11 on Amazon. Besides coming with sanding pads for deep scratch removal it comes with a buffing wheel making polishing the armor a breeze. Most importantly the UV polish supplied is simply one of the best on the market.

Please dont give him any ideas lol

As long as there is over time involved. I need the credits for my next build

Hey Pam, good thing you stopped by, I noticed you have the ears on the wrong sides so you need to swap them, they should look like this - Keep it up - you’ll get there

Hey everyone, Did some more work on my kit recently. I'm just about done with the forearm/bicep connections. http:// I thought this would be hard, since I'm not that good with measurements, but it turned out to be pretty darn easy! All I have to do now is to glue the bicep/forearm connection to the insides of both forearms and attach the snap that will connect the whole arm to the shoulder strap. In addition, I measured and cut the plastic section of the belt, as well as the belt rivet covers. http:// http:// http:// Next, I glued the last cover strip on my right arm. While that was drying, I decided to do another test fit of everything. Man, RS does it good! I can't believe that the suit has turned out this nicely considering my novice level of costume building. http:// http:// http:// http:// http:// http:// Next, I'll be painting the finer details of the helmet tears and traps, as well as assembling the belt and drop boxes, thighs, and shins. I won't be making any progress for a while until the 4th. I'll be on vacation in Europe starting tomorrow!

Ears - Centurion level as still a go If you`re not happy with how they turned out I´m sure you can order an extra set of ears from Walt and have another go

Your fine with how they sit. Walt's ears run a little short so they wont go higher. You're doing good after the easy switch of ears. Could your brow trim be a little longer? It would be great to get it to end of trap but if you already trimmed it a bit short just make sure its spaced evenly. Walt's kit will be perfect for you. Just take your time study Crickets thread and ask any questions. Only dumb question is one not asked. Oh, and relax and enjoy the experience, it's only plastic! Keep up the good work!

Here's a screen cap.

That's a good looking mold! Don't forget the mold release spray. Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

I wouldn’t worry too much about it just yet. When you start strapping on the chest and back, you’ll get more feel for the whole thing. It’s early days - you’ll get there. :-)

Man that is awesome and he looks great! I'm glad to see another slim comrade who looks sick. @SgtGarand thanks for your advice sir. I'm following couple vids on YT, one of them is https://youtu.be/WMrAQ5P5dqU?t=9m47s who does what you described I think. Yea, I will use E6000 because the seller recommended it to me and other guys too. I also ordered neodymium magnets, they should help a lot. Thank you for the bucket topic, I'll definitely study that.

Not sure if I should say anything, because I totally missed the ears being backwards (still face palming), but looking at the picture I think you need to move the ear up slightly to better hide the curve where the cap and face plate meet. Also, I'm not sure if you have cut your brow trim yet but I think it should slide right some almost to the end of the trap. To do this, you'll probably have to make a little slit in the bottom, and it slides over the cap piece a little. Adding pic of mine to illustrate. It's all about hiding the seam between cap and faceplate. Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

I guess you know, but just to make sure, you don't have to pad the whole interior of your armor with foam. You just have to add a few squares of foam padding at key places to help your armor stay in place. Like this, most of you body will still be able to breath properly. And it's always a bit hot in there anyways... you'll get used to it!

Great tip!! Added to Amazon basket/cart.

Welcome, Martin. Don't be too concerned about your slim size. Here’s a link to a friend of mine in the UKG - he reached Expert Infantry with his armour and he’s around 5kg lighter than you. https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/43754-tk-89135-requesting-anh-stunt-eib-status-rwa-792/ And remember, rather than going for screen accurate sizes across the kit, TKUK appear to oversize certain parts to fit a wider range of body shapes/sizes, leaving the wearer to adjust to suit. This means that some of the parts you have received will be bigger than other builds you might be looking at here on FISD. This means you’ll have to cut down certain pieces to fit your frame. You might be wise to check out some other builds from this supplier for hints and tips (such as correcting the shape of the ammo belt). Best of luck with your build.

Thanks! Went into panic mode over the ears! Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Yeah, definitely - it would be way better to cut it straight than with some angles. Also, I'd recommend to be able to fit around two fingers inside. Like Lou said, it will help you move around, but will also allow some air to flow through your armor and help your body breath during long troops (and that you want!). I pretty much used that rule on most pieces : let around two fingers width free inside your armor, and it works pretty well - not too tight and not too loose.

Looks like you are doing well! Great work! Reference this photo for details. It looks like you can shave a bit more off the teeth.

To get nice clean sides, I think you’ll want to cut nice and straight, rather than at an angle like you’ve marked. You can see that where the rivets go is parallel to the ab detailing and the line of the kidney. (Hope that makes sense) :-)

Yes it is. It would be my 2nd one and I am thinking of doing ESB too since I already have another blaster. I will never be able to catch Glenn with his 6 and counting but I can try.

Yeah, I agree that at the new (made in US?) pricing it keeps them out of the running for a lot of people. I heard that they've recently stopped offering international shipping, though, so you may be out of luck either way.

Nice Start Pam! As already stated, swap your ears, and keep going!

Sad thing is when they do make stuff it's usually pretty decent. From what I've seen they did some of the best First Order stuff and most of their other gear has been very nice (if pricey). I don't know what I want to happen as I was keeping an eye on the new FO kits with the idea of maybe getting in on wave 2. But with the price increases and "shipping to be decided" in the range of a few $100 I'm starting to think I just won't bother and put that money into something like the Shoretrooper I semi started and have a handful of parts inc a casting from a screen used handguard.

I’ll just eco my fellow Troopers - nope, no need

Ok I have mentioned we have done quite a few test fits along the way with this build but have tried to keep the emphasis of the individual parts. but we are now near enough complete so here we go with full test fit photos. thanks for any feedback given

Grats on your WTF kit and welcome! Ask all you want and we will help you. And most importantly, have fun!

Yea, you should be okay without it. Like Dan said, the paint holds up pretty well to the helmet if you don't hit it everywhere. I had someone hit the side of my helmet by mistake recently, just where are the tube stripes. I thought it would have messed them up a little bit, but it didn't. It shows no sign of wear and they are all just fine. So it's mostly going to remain in great condition without a layer of coating if you are just a bit careful with your helmet. Plus, if anything ever happens to the paint, you can always do one more coat to correct - in the worst case! ^^

Not to worry, You have plenty of material on the ears to make them fit the other way around and maby they fit as they are Inluding a screen used helmet for clarity

Hi Freddy, I’ve got two lids and neither have hah any paint issues. My trooping helmet has done many hours now and no issues to speak of. I think you’ll only really get a problem from a specific hit or drop - day to day use you should be A-Okay without a top coat. :-)

Pics have been added and shoulder bridges have been fixed.

Well said

Thanks Germain. That is high praise indeed as I’m sure you’ve seen more of your builds than anyone. Thanks again for making your models available; they are such an amazing resource. It’s people like you that make the Legion what it is! Now back to the sanding on the F-11....

Update… And the sanding continues. So as you can guess, sanding, sanding, and even more sanding. Ok lets start with the lower leg armor. I have found a few cracks in the lip of the top of each armor. These cracks appear to be due to the opening and closing of the armor to put it on. If you recall, the lower leg armor was a two part set for each leg and I made a permanent weld on the forward side of the armor. The back seam of the armor was open and would be closed with Velcro as per the CRLs; however, the flexing of the sealed side has experienced stress and is not cracking. These cracks are not deep but I do not want them to get any worse. So I backed them and filled them with PC-7. And once I fixed the lower legs, I inspected and found similar seams on almost all the two part sections. Biceps and lower legs curing. Before someone asks, the mesh you can see inside the armor is metal mesh that I rolled and placed inside the armor to hold the armor open for painting and to provide a place to hang the armor from. Next I sprayed a coat of automotive primer on everything that was sanded to uncover issues that need correcting. So once all this is cured, more sanding and filling. And these are the parts that still need to be sanded. And that is it for now. Thanks for the interest.

Ukswrath, thank you for the compliment. Updates, Ok so I took a few shots of the undershirt to show what I did. In this picture you can see the inside of the back along the zipper. The material I used is a breathable black stretch fabric. I also reinforced the mesh then applied the zipper to aid in smoothing the zipper section. In this picture you can see the outside of the back along the zipper. You can see how far down the material goes. Ok so we tested the back cover plate and notice how it does not wrap around the curve of the back. There is a gap between the plate and the back of the abdomen armor. Big Deal, you were correct. I needed to modify the glued in styrene to allow for the curve. Once I did this and used some Velcro to hold the cover plate in place, it looked much better. Thank you for the suggestion. So I got more sanding done over the weekend but not a lot of sanding (Father’s Day). Anywho, I also snapped a closer picture of my friends Clone Trooper shoulder strap. Here you can see the silicone and/or rubber shoulder strap. I think this would be a great option for the ROTK but until I build the Jedah crystal pack and see how heavy it is and if it interferes with the shoulder straps, there is no way for me to know if I need to make a version of these for the ROTK. Well, that is it for the update. Thanks for the interest.

The email I received was from Casey, and the address was [email protected] Hope this helps!

Update… I fixed the back zipper as best as I can by removing the additional black material and the zippers. Sewing in a binding along the seam of the mesh seems to help stabilize the seam. Then I added the additional black breathable fabric and finally the zipper. I should have some pictures of this in the next few days. Sanding, ho hum… Ok I sanded the glazing on the gauntlets and they are done I think. I also 220 grit sanded the chest plate, thermal detonator, back belt, posterior plate and groin plate. These parts will need to be inspected and glazing putty applied if needed then re-sanded. I forget if I mentioned this in a previous post so I will add it here. My sanding process: So once a part is cut and fitted, I prepare it for painting by sanding and filling imperfections. All the sanding I do is wet sanding. I use a square (2.5” wide 4” long and ½” thick) of EVA foam as my sanding block. The foam is stiff enough to hold its shape but will bend and conform around uneven surfaces. I use two types of sand paper. The first type is 3M pro grade ultra flexible sand paper. This stuff comes in rolls and sheets but I get the roll from home depot. I have only seen it in 3 grits; 100, 150, and 220. The other type is 3M silicon carbide wet/dry sandpaper. You can get this in almost any grit so I use 300-2000 grits. You can get this stuff at any auto parts store, home depot, and Lowes but I get mine at Ace Hardware, they seem to have a larger selection of grits. SO my process is as follows: I start with a 4” square piece of 100 grit and soak it in cold water. I keep a bowl of water next to me that I will repeatedly dip the sandpaper in as I sand. I warp the sandpaper around the EVA foam and start working on a part using light pressure and working in a circular motion. This will become more important when I sand the primer before the pain but is a good practice to get into. The goal here is to smooth and feather any imperfections form the surface being sanded “without” leaving any sanding lines in the finish. I constantly re-wet the sand paper and keep the surface wet. I change directions randomly and keep working in a circular motion. It is tempting to go in one direction along seams and squared off features but I try to avoid doing this as it will leave sanding lines. Next, I repeat this exact process with 150, and then 220 grit. For good adhesion of the primer the finest grit I will use will be 320 grit, anything finer and the primer may not stick to the surface and may delaminate later ruining the entire paint job. Once everything has been sanded to at least 220, I wash off the part with mild soap and water and let it dry. Next, I inspect the part. I am looking for any uneven surfaces, pin holes, sanding lines, gaps, etc… Anything I find, I circle with a Sharpie. Next, If I can fix the problem with sanding, I do so. After that, I apply a filler. If the imperfections are small pine holes or very minor issues, I use an automotive grade glazing putty like Evercoat. Most fillers are two part, the filler and a hardener cream. If the issue is larger I may use Bondo. If the issue is on a heavy ware area like an edge that sits on top of the boot and may be exposed to stress, then I would use fiberglass resin, PC-7, or some sort of reinforced filler that will not simply break off with use. If one of these is used, the area will need to be sanded after the reinforcement and filled with bondo or glaze to smooth the surface. Regardless, once all the areas are marked and filled, I let them cure and then wet sand with the last grit I sued on the part, such as 220 grit. I blend/ feather the filler with the surface. Re-wash everything and let it dry. Next, I use a rattle can of automotive primer and apply it to the part. One this is cured, I look for imperfections. Some people use several different layers of primer and alternate primer colors to know how deep to sand. Regardless, the purpose of priming at this stage is to use the primer to bring out the imperfections and now is your last opportunity to fix them. If needed, sand and/or fill the issues then re-sand as needed. Do not be concerned about removing the primer when you do this final cleanup. You will be applying additional coats of primer once you are done with this stage. Re-wash and dry the part and it should now be ready for priming and painting. So that is my sanding process, I hope this helps some people who do not have a lot of experience doing this kind of stuff. I know I have read several posts from people who are intimidated with spending this kind of money on a costume and still have to do all this work. I can only say that building it is half the fun and do not let a lack of experience deter you from building a set of armor. This forum is here to assist you as is your local garrison. Dive in and if you make a mistake, most can be fixed and you will learn more about your armor in the process. Thanks for the interest and I will continue to update this as I progress.

Update, just a quick one… So I test fit the back belt with the front belt and it looks like everything is good to go. The snaps for the back belt are about 3” back from the forward edge of the sides of the back belt (confusing?) I added a small section of Velcro at the forward edge of the back belt. I used some black Velcro for this but will use white Velcro after the paint. The back belt protrudes from the sides about 1/8” (yellow circles) and this is because of the Velcro. I will need to see how over time is my arms swinging when I walk will be hitting the back belt but I think it will be fine. I have ordered the air brush paints needed to do the greys and blues on the abdomen and helmet. This pretty much completes the fitting and cutting. I will be reworking the back zipper of the undershirt tonight and see if I can fix the bulging issue. That means starting tonight; its time to sand, fill, sand, and sand some more. Then its masking and building the paint booth. Thanks for the interest.

And here come the promised pictures - I also spray painted the inside of the helmet black because I thought it just looks a lot cooler and also darkens the inside of the helmet. Here you can see the rather big gap, and if you guys think it's too big for a Centurion helmet please let me know, or even better, hit me up with a way to solve this issue. If I find some time later today I might start with the armor trimming, so if anyone has a decent guide (ideally with lines to cut along) for trimming, you're more than welcome to share them

REALLY nice job on that report, Sarah!

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Paint is pretty cheap. It shouldn't be any more than 10 bucks total for all 3. I got the black and gray testors for 1.39 each and the model master blue for 3.29 at hobby lobby. It will be good to have the paint too in case it gets knocked around and paint chips off.