Leaderboard

Hello all. I was just approved for basic and I'm really excited to be here. My costume is ANH. I'm in Central Florida and looking forward to getting past this pandemic so I can join in on trooping. I've wanted to be a trooper for a while but didn't really know how or any of the background. The original trilogy came out in theaters when I was kid and I was hooked. The troopers were the coolest. Lately, I would see the TKs at various events or Disney and that was it. But I was kinda pushed over the edge to join by a photo I saw of 3 members ( Vader and 2 troopers) at a local courthouse during a big adoption event. The photo and story did it. I was on a mission. Making the costume was daunting but fun at the same time. It's better because of the effort put into it. Thanks yo everyone in on this site who helped me along the way! I'm 54 and feel like a kid again. Long live the Empire. TK11764 out.

Understood. The FISD always states "The accuracy of your armor is entirely up to you the owner" That said, cover strip widths were derived from movie armor measurements made by RS many years ago. These measurement photos can be seen in the gallery section here on the FISD. LFL, Disney and 501st have adopted a uniform look for all characters which the FISD follows by. This uniform look does not call out measurements on every section of armor however, since there are some areas that are mentioned the FISD has applied the same guidelines to the entire armor including cover strips. There's been some debate recently in other social media groups that it doesn't matter what the cover strip widths are because the movie armor strips varied in size. It's possible some of the movie suits may have been assembled with different specifications but if that were the norm I think we would have seen more of them by now. Anyway, the measurements we call out are guidelines, the FISD staff will never make you pull out a ruler to prove otherwise. Hope this helps

Greetings All, Just got approved and I am checking my transmitter to report for Duty. My name in Dan and live in central Florida. I began my Star Wars journey in "77. I have yearned to be a member of the 501st since 2010 but life just seemed to get in the way. On December 3, 2019, I committed to my journey of a TK ANH/Hero. I am proud to say I have just been approved and I am so looking forward to trooping. I had a brief unofficial introduction to it recently (before Corona) with a Tampa Bay Squad Troop as a newbie pseudo handler, lol. The camaraderie and friendship was great. I was as hooked as I'd hoped to be. Until we can all get out there I will be training for EIB and Centurian. Hope to see you guys soon. Stay safe and remember "Buckets only filter smoke", lol TK 62910 Out (squelch) Dan

My fault, Wayne.... Sorry about that, and thanks, Sha Sha!

Oops. We don't track Centurion numbers as closely as EIB but you're right - this should be 462. I'll update

looking to do my first stormtrooper kit so I can join the 501st

Thanks

Don’t be angry at yourself, Jonathan. Ears can be a real pain! :-( Anyway, I’m sure you’ll learn from that and get the second pair sorted okay. On that note, you could consider reducing the size of the new ones when they arrive, unless the WTF ears are designed on the large side? Personally, I’d be tempted to try something like this;

Congratulations Trooper, Welcome to the rank of CNT.

There are two #461, jejeje... Regards...

You are making great progress, Emily, and especially nice job on that ear placement!! If I could make a few suggestions, they would be: 1. It looks as if the wire mesh in your Hovi-tips is of the fine type. For Level 2 and above it needs to be the wider (more open) type. Reference image 2. The paint at the ends of the frown is more Stunt style as opposed to Hero. Instead of the longer taper you may want to shorten it a bit with some (non-acetone) mineral spirits and a toothpick. Not the biggest of deals, but note how the paint on the teeth doesn't extent quite so far toward the tops as seen in Stunt frowns. Hero frown reference images Last up, as you mentioned the forearms/biceps will need to be reduced in size (the length is spot-on, though). It should not be snug against you, but should not look over-sized. The rule of thumb I use is 4 (maybe 5) fingers of space between your arm and the armor, with the wrist opening just wide enough to get your hand through with a little extra room. Keep up the fantastic work, and keep the questions and pics coming!

You are # 461, sir!

Hey guys, I just wanna try and help everyone out. I've been trying to find a person that is located in the US with a great price for earth magnets. So i figured I would post the link just to help anyone out who is looking for them. They are N52 and are 20mm x 3mm If you use ROCKY in the coupon box you will receive 5% off Here is the link http://jc-magnetics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=84&tracking=56eb5a0ecc4b0 I hope this can help anyone who's been looking

N52 20MM X 3MM 25/32IN X 1/8IN DISCS RARE EARTH NEODYMIUM MAGNET https://jc-magnetics.com/Magnet-Discs/20mmx3mm-magnet-disc-N52 20x3mm Discs Pull Force 11LB

Ill post some photos once I get my last items in the mail and edit my armor a bit!

UPDATE: Sadly I never used this as I intended too. So I’ll make this post my closing chapter on my build and as something for me to look back on for future reference. WHAT HAPPENED: With all the free time on my hands due to the pandemic, nothing was stopping me from putting down the build. I finished relatively quickly. I did little parts in January and February. However, I would say 90% of this build took place during March and April. I didn't really stop to document it all. I would say the most documentation I have is in my EIB and Centurion threads. ------------ FOR NEWCOMERS AND FUTURE ME Proper Protection! I got some small cuts during this build and a really bad one. Make sure you are careful when handling sharp tools and use proper protection! Cracks Be ready for cracks. It's not a matter of if, its a matter of when. I got a few while building, two of which were my fault. It’s going to feel bad at first, but don't let a crack stop you from this project. Worst comes to worst you can always replace the part. Snaps Don't overset them. Also, I highly recommend the double snap method from @justjoseph63. Price Be prepared to drop quite a bit on a TK, it is an investment. Keep track of purchases. Shoot for the Stars! I went into this build with the goal of hitting Centurion. I built my armor with level 3 in mind so I wouldn't have to go back and make any major changes after basic approval. Kit, not Commission! Build your kit! It's cheaper and teaches you a lot. Of course, there is nothing wrong with commissions, but I would only recommend it if you’re tight on time, not money. Heat Guns It's true, all of it. Heat guns can really mess up armor, even AM which is VERY thick ABS. You can’t notice it in photos but the corner of my backplate is slightly warped due to being exposed to a heat gun for too long. Use caution when using a heat gun. Ask for Help! Don't be ashamed to ask for help! This isn't a simple task that you are expected to know going into it. Go to armor parties, make posts on the forums, ask squadmates! SPECIAL THANKS I want to thanks everyone that helped me through this journey. I made a few separate threads with armor questions and received many responses, they were all very helpful, so thank you! @justjoseph63 and Sha Sha, thanks for your pointers and fixes you gave me throughout the EIB and Centurion process. Finally, my good friend and now squad leader @Erice3339, Eric Elg. You were the one who pushed me to make my TK when I was on the fence about. You gave me really great advice! So thank you, I can't wait to get out of this quarantine and troop with you and Fireteam Alpha in my TK! I think that wraps it up, I'll update this if anything else comes up ill update the post Thomas Hagin

Congratulations Thomas, welcome to the rank

My absolute pleasure. I've been busy with some work, but also lazy at home, so my armor has been put on hold. Hmmm, maybe a race to Centurion?

OK, Jonathan, I am WELL impressed (seriously) with the way the forearm fits, and SO glad to see that you removed the return edges from the tops of them! But.. those of you who know me know my feelings on return edges in general, lol. I know many troopers like the way they give our armor a "thicker" look. but in reality when it comes down to it we have to spend hours actually wearing these costumes, and return edges in certain places can make life mighty uncomfortable, especially in the area where your arms bend since we spend most of our time with our arms at a 45 degree angle holding an E-11. Having red welts from armor-bite is preventable (and totally screen accurate) by simply removing them, and I assure you that the general public will not notice. Trust me on this one.

I used these exact magnets, and found this to be the perfect size (for me, at least). If you are using rare earth magnets for the first time, know that these things are strong, as in don't get your fingers pinched between them, (they can break the skin), and they will jump up to 6 inches to connect to each other. TIP: When separating them, you will need to slide them apart, and I suggest wrapping them in blue painter's tape, so as not to scratch your armor.