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Update time! Been putting time in on the arms and the helmet lately - both are just about ready for final gloss, along with the rest of the kit. I may try to hang plastic and actually rig up some kind of makeshift paint booth on my patio for final gloss and clear... I'm tired of sanding tiny flies and dust out of my coats. Took several shots of the helmet in matte white: Forgot to take photos but I did a little more filling and sanding between matte and gloss coats. This thing is gonna be smooooooth, guys. I want to do a teeeeeny bit more cleanup after this first gloss cost, mostly around the teeth, traps, and ear bars. Switching from matte to clear can also illuminate flaws in the paint and while wet sanding, so I usually do that extra step when I want a really nice finish. Here it is in gloss: Here's the interior too. Debating a helmet liner from WhiteShadow (pics 2&3 as an example) but I'm unsure I'll have enough room for electronics... We'll see. The forearms are just about done as well. I'll probably actually start fitting the suit this week, while I let the paint offgass fully, then mask everything off for clear. While spraying an extra coat helped fill some of them, I did notice a pretty large number of pretty small pinholes in the barrel (I believe Jeff had the same issue)... After asking myself just how many tiny pinholes were acceptable and deciding LITTLE TO NONE - wouldn't you know it, my barrel broke out on some type of red chicken-pox-like rash... Seemed like the only cure for the itch was a little 1000grit scratch. I hate pinholes. You can see em better with the leftover filler... But not for long. The kids I high five in this thing one day will never know the depths of my madness... Anywho, I'm all done with radiation treatment now, so that's awesome! Apparently the next two weeks will be the worst of the side effects but it hasn't been tootoo bad. Then nothing exciting until I get a PET scan in 2-3 months to make sure this all did the trick. I really wanna get this suit done soon, and I know I'm in the home stretch, but that last 5-10% always feel like it's as hard as the first 90% of the project haha I'll get there.

If you've followed any of my prior build threads, you know how I can get hung up on things looking just right. Even if it's something that no one else will notice. Itty bitty details. This build is no different. <sigh> After priming the chest plate, I noticed that while it looked smooth overall, it still looked veeery slightly lumpy at the seams- especially when the light would hit it just right. The chest plate is such an important piece of this armor that any lumps will really make it look bad (at least to me). So I sanded things down as much as I could without destroying the integrity of the part, but there were still lumps at the seams. Time to bust out the Bondo (and make sure you're wearing a decent respirator when working with it- even outside. The stuff is noxious.)! I'm using Bondo High Bond filler to fill in the low spots and make things smooth all over. The stuff cures and is ready for sanding in a crazy fast 15 minutes! Here is the chest plate after one layer of Bondo and some sanding: There are two colors of blue on there because I had to mix up two batches, and I ended up adding a little more hardener to the second batch. Let's just say that I don't recommend working with this on a warm day. It was 85 degrees outside in the shade where I was working on it, and I ended up having less than 5 minutes work time with the Bondo. I was leisurely smoothing it all on when BAM!- it all hardened up on me in an instant. I thought I would have more work time, but nooooo... gah! As a result, I my application didn't go on as smooth as I'd hoped. Thankfully, it was ready to sand just as quickly, and sanded incredibly easily as well. Once done, I realized that I needed to even things out just a bit more with some more filler. This morning was a much cooler 65 degrees, so I knew I'd have a little more time to smooth the Bondo on just as I wanted it. I was right! With just one small batch, I was able to apply another thin layer of Bondo with plenty of time to spare. I had to wait a little longer for it to be ready for sanding, but that wasn't a big deal. I used 150 grit to knock down the high spots, and 400 to feather the edges in and smooth things all over. It is soooooo smooth now! And yeah, I know I have to do some extra cleanup in the holes and ridges. This is an easy task with a small Dremel bit, and it'll get taken care of next. There are also small pin holes that will get filled with spot putty before the next application of filler primer. And I think it's kind of cool to see the "behind the scenes" of 3D printed parts. You can't tell from the front that this chest plate is comprised of 5 separate prints!

Amazing job Justin...Best wishes to you from Spain. A big hug and a lot of strength !!!

Welcome back, here are a couple of great threads which should help you on your way

Thanks

You need 7 single cap/tubular rivets so they will have sent 1 spare. 3 for the plastic ammo belt to canvas, 2 for the thigh ammo strap and 2 for the drop boxes (1 each). No washers were used on the original armour.

So whilst attempting to refine and work on the armour with a 6 month old is proving challenging, I've managed to work on my E11 Blaster abit more, with weathering and making it look abit more realistic than just a black blaster. This is a Doopey Doos, with a T-Jay finishing kit. A few bits left to finish, but nearly there. Matt and Satin sprays arriving soon, screws to go in the front of the sight and the clip on the back underside to be added soon.

Thank you guys so much for the help and the hand guard diagram as well! Great to know that I don't have to do many alterations to my kit. I'll definitely look into trooperbay's decals and most likely post a WTB ad for the hand guards. As for the gloves, I'll try to find some kind of cloth glove. Doing a quick search shows that perhaps silk gloves aren't to good as they seem to get caught in velcro and I fear they would get caught in the belt. For the belt I'm thinking of using my current ANH style belt and flipping everything, getting a new holster with loops, and adding some velcro to the back of the belt and the inner back of the loops so it doesn't move around and expose the rivet holes. It seems the holster sits in the same place as it would on the ANH belt just opposite.

Víctor, una sugerencia, podrías intentar dar forma más cuadrada al pouch insertando unas piezas de madera para que le den forma. El peor intento es el que no se hace. Saludos. Ahí nos cuentas. Hi Victor, one suggestion would be to insert some wood pieces into de pouches to give them a better shape. Let us know how things are going. Cheers

Brilliant... haha Ill do that

Exactly , and, why don't you try using blue painters tape instead of elastic to connect the bell to the biceps just to se how the shape goes on?

Also, I still haven't done anything with the shoulder bells. I keep going back and forth between the hot water bath first, or trimming them first. If I can replicate this shape I should do alright, then I can try on the bells again and see how they fit. My biggest worry is getting the right shape. I have stuffed animals I can toss in there, but I'm worried it will be too curved with that. If I trim first I can get rid of the abnormal short bottom edge of the left rear bell, then bathe them, but I'm thinking I want the right shape, then it will be easier to set it right. and I'd rather not cut more off of the bells if I can help it. I was writing this post and I asked my wife what she thought I could use, and as we were looking around the office/workspace I found some roof flashing rolled up that I had used for R2. I rolled it to an approximate size and it should work well to get that same shape for the shoulder bells. I think Ill start by warming the bottom inch or two for 30 seconds and see if that's enough to get the correct curve on the bells. If one dip doesn't work ill try two or three for 30-35 seconds, but not much more than that. It worked on my buttons and TD end caps so it should work alright. And thanks Chemi, I appreciate it!

Everything is going Pura vida !!

Yes, your wife is a much better painter than you are ... You are working hard with the armor, very good Job Caleb.

I glued my shoulder straps on, let them sit for a day, then pulled them apart and realized that the right one had a bit more seepage than I expected, so pulled one the right one a little and it just popped off. I cleaned off the dry E6000 at the edges and added more. I think Ill let those sit for 2-3 days, maybe more, just to make sure they are fully cured before I pop another off. Do I have enough clamps? As I said my wife is a much better painter than I am. Here's proof! She had just finished painting the grey on the larger button panel, I had painted all the others

Doing some new minor changes making my shoulder bell biceps straps to 25mm instead of 40mm and have changed my shoulder strapping to have the bells closer. Should be getting some rubber gloves next week to attach my latex hand guards. After I receive my new helmet I should be at EIB standards with my armour and will be doing my next approval photos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Coming along nicely

Ok...I made some corrections based on good advice and wisdom from here...thanks guys. Here they are......input please

Thank you, good call. You're right. I have two sets of of shoulder bells and they both have the swoop and a bottom mild arch you were talking about. I didn't notice it at first, but once you pointed it out....it is definitely noticeable. I did re-mark my left/right bells and swap them around on the set I was wearing in the pictures....my other set, I had the correct. Thank you for pointing them out Good catch

It's a valuable tip you've got to hung parts that are ready to be primed. Whenever I see someone painting something that isn't hung-up, it drives me absolutely crazy! How are you supposed to evenly paint the whole piece in one go, and make sure to reach all the areas, and don't get dust lifted from the ground, and...... Huuuh.... I could go on for hours. Personally when I don't have a suspending point, such as a hole, or something similar, the way I do it now is to bondo directly the wire to the inside of the part. You basically need to grind it with a dremel when comes the time to remove it, but the good thing is that it allows to suspend heavy parts as well. I remember one time, having finished to lay the final coat of gloss white to something that was quite heavy, leave the area, only to hear a loud thud minutes later. I went to see and found out the part on ground with a huge crack running its surface. It had been suspended for a couple of days (priming and white paint) and its weight had finally managed to break the tape that was holding the wire to the part. Needless to say that was quite the bummer!

ANKLE SPATS PART 2 First, I drilled 2 holes slightly larger than the intended magnets. Then I backed up the 2 holes with a thin piece of acrylic. Glued 2 magnets from the inside where the holes are. Then glued the 2 corresponding magnets to the other clasp, and this is how it looks like completed.

I’ve been digging through a number of various electronics builds of varying sophistication and quality. I’ve seen neoprene used as padding, and the insulation from a motorcycle helmet, or the internal support headband from a hard hat. As it turns out, I was in a motorcycle accident a year ago this month. My helmet sure saved my face, but is now retired since you’re not supposed to reuse a helmet so-damaged. I can repurpose some of that padding if it fits the bill. I know there’s a lot of room in the helmet, but space will get limited with the addition of the electronics. I also wonder about the level of insulation, if it will increase the amount of heat retained in the helmet, or help to block it out? The motorcycle helmet padding may be excessive considering that the high speeds experienced on a motorcycle do a lot to make the insulation worth-while due to the cooling effect of the wind… I get the feeling that the top speed I can reach running around in stormtrooper armour won’t quite match that of the motorcycle, but I can try! Haha. I may not be familiar with trooping in stormtrooper armour, but I am highly familiar with wearing various types of masks for an extended duration. It’s hot, even in cold weather. The moisture from my breath ends up condensing on the inside of the mask and dripping down the sides, onto my face or down my neck, joining the ample amount of sweat produced from the mini-sauna. That and the inevitable glasses fog. Not pleasant and certainly not very conducive to extended wear. So I’d like to head that one off at the pass. Along with a fan system, I’d like to include the other fun electronics upgrades. So here’s what I’m looking at so far. I’ll aim to keep this post updated with all additional finds and final purchase choices so that all the electrical parts are available in the same location. Bucket electronics build “wishlist”: Fans (Intake and exhaust?) I’m a corrective lens wearer and already struggle with dry eyes, so I don’t think I’ll be aiming a fan down from the top. Hearing aid Voice amp (Considering small speakers in the hovi tips as well as an amp in the chest plate for varying environments / external sound level use). Options: Aker Static burst pops Options: iComm / ROM/FX / Tramp Trooper background chatter – interrupted by PTT / voice activation? Echo Bracket? Or “project box”? I would like the option of being able to turn on / off any aspect of the system on the fly with switches without needing to take anything off. Power supply, last but not least. I would like to go with a rechargeable unit with enough bank to last an entire day of trooping with all elements of the system on. I’m not sure if the system will require any soldering, but I’m comfortable with those kinds of modifications (and have the materials and equipment to do so). Considering everything, I think the electronics system can easily be done after the helmet is assembled. Certainly the cabling and positioning of the system will be highly dependent upon the completed structure of the helmet since once the rivets are in place, it’s not meant to come apart. It looks like any other modifications can be completed after the fact as well. So my next step with the helmet is the frown mesh (doesn’t look like this was included with the RS kit unless I lost mine), the eye lenses, and painting. I’ll dig around on lens mounting options and perhaps start in on the painting while I wait for additional supplies to be ordered and arrive. I also did research into the boots. I got mine through RS as well and they were painted white, but the quality of the paint job is very lack-lustre. I’ve worn the boots once on a Halloween dress up day at work along with a stormtrooper hoodie. Just that much use and the paint is already peeling off in places. I am considering stripping off all the paint, baring the top layer of the leather to make it more accepting of leather dye and going from there (5 – 9 coats from what I have seen so far). I liked the look of the use of an air brush and I like tools, so I may look into getting one of those.

More filling and sanding happened this week, and the weather is good today, so that means... Priming!!!! Priming!!! Priming!!! So glad to be at this stage of the build. I like this part very much; all the hard work starts to look like a thing now! I thought I'd share a little shortcut for painting parts. I'm sure some of you already know this tip, but for those who don't, this can help you with spray painting your parts! We all know that some parts are kind of difficult to spray paint. They don't have flat surfaces, or are just oddly shaped. This is a way to get even coverage and eliminate any drips. You'll need some craft foam, hot glue, and coat hanger wires. If you don't have craft foam, styrofoam works nicely, as well as cardboard. You'll want your pieces large/thick enough to put your hanger into. Make sure your coat hanger wire is kind of straightened out. Stress on "kind of" for me because I don't have the patience to straighten out coat hanger wires. Keep the large hook in one end, and put a smaller hook in the other end. Length doesn't matter. Hot glue your foam block right onto the armor. Make sure it's fully cooled before proceeding. Once the hot glue has cooled and your block is secure, put your small hook end firmly into the block. Fishin' for armor! It should look like this when you're ready to move outside to paint. Now hang the larger hook end from a branch, pole, or whatever location where you can spray from all sides. Lucky me, we have a nice tree right outside of our garage with some relatively low branches. The length of the coat hanger puts the part exactly at eye level for me to paint. Before and just a few minutes after, I've got the first coat of primer done. And I love seeing the chest plate finally look like one part instead of a bunch of smaller assembled bits. I have a bunch of these coat wires, but not enough to paint all the armor at once. While these dry, I can easily hang them in my garage. I will leave the foam glued to the armor until I've completely finished the filling/sanding/painting process, so I can quickly hook up my parts again when necessary for paint. Using the foam and coat hanger method to paint parts allows for quick, even, drip-free coats. It also makes for keeping the parts off the ground and clean while they dry. The foam easily can be removed from the armor once everything is all painted. At this stage, I'm also out of filler primer. Boo!!! More will be arriving next Saturday, so the rest of the armor bits will just have to wait for their primer coats. In the meantime, once the primer has cured, I'll be applying spot putty, wet sanding, then applying gloss white. Can't wait!

I have an extra black resin one (full scale) that I can send to you, Mason. No charge, just pay postage. PM me if interested.

In Memoriam Detachment Leader Executive Officer Provost Marshall Deployment Office Pre Approval Forum 3D Section Field Exercise Award Master Armorer Program Replica Section Program Elections Hall of Fame Just For Laughs Costume Totals Trooping Common FISD Acronyms and TK Glossary Competition Imperial Attaché Program EIB & Centurion: What do these terms mean? Advanced Tactics Awards EIB - The March To 1000 Fire Teams Merchandise Public Relations Staff List 2020 Follow FISD On April 11th actor Malcolm Dixon passed away at the age of 66. He born in September 1953, the youngest of seven brothers and the only child with dwarfism. Dixon worked on his parents’ poultry farm and as a floral artist. He was discovered by a talent agent who was keen on Dixon’s talents with ice skates at the Durham Ice Rink. He then worked in an ice show at Empire Pool, Wembley. His stature and physical abilities landed him work with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, where he worked in multiple movies and television shows until becoming an independent actor, most notably starring in Time Bandits and in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as an Ooompa Looma, (an uncredited role). He was also featured in many music videos for artists such as David Bowie, Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. "Buckets Off" Actor and dialect coach Andrew Jack has passed away, 31st March, after contracting COVID-19. He was 76. A representative for the actor, Jill McCullough, confirmed that he passed in a hospital close to London. Jack’s wife Gabrielle, who he was “madly in love with”, was unable to be there with him “stuck in quarantine in Australia, having just flown in from New Zealand last week,” McCullough confirmed. “It breaks my heart to let you know we lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with Coronavirus when admitted to hospital less than 48 hours ago in suburban London,” Gabrielle shared in an Instagram tribute. “He died today. He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, brother, friends, and I were all ‘with’ him. Take care out there, lovers x” Our condolences go out to his family and friends. "Buckets Off" On the 9th of March, 2020, Melissa Magerfleisch (DS-7497) passed away. Melissa sought out and trooped goodwill events with the Mountain Garrison. She demonstrated her love for children as a teacher. She showed her love of animals by championing dog adoptions. Melissa was known for her 1000-watt smile, her courage, being inspirational in the face of hardship, and for making everyone she met feel special. Melissa is survived by her devoted husband Scott (TS-4149), and their children, Cody and Hunter. Our condolences go out to her family and friends. "Buckets Off" On the 18th of March 2020, Brian Held Jr (ID-9855 of the Bast Alpha Garrison) passed away. Brian was a pillar upholding and uniting many communities, spanning fandoms from the Society for Creative Anachronisms, to miniature modeling, to Sci-fi costuming. He possessed a silky smooth voice and co-hosted the Week in Geek radio show. He was affectionately referred to as a Regional Celebrity by those who knew him best. Brian went out of his way to encourage others and to make all feel included. He loved to present “challenge well-met coins” to folk upon completion of their armor. He is known as the man that never met a stranger. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. "Buckets Off" On the 29th of March, 2020, Pascal Bondi (TB-269) passed away. For more than two decades Pascal was a proud member of the 501st Legion. He founded the Swiss Garrison, serving as both Commanding Officer and Executive Officer at different intervals. Pascal’s dedication to the charity aspect of trooping is a source of lasting inspiration. He marched with the 501st at the 2007 Rose Parade and loved visiting his Legion Family around the World. Through his professional and friendly demeanor, Pascal was an ambassador for his Garrison and the Legion at large, firmly embracing and connecting our communities. Pascal is survived by his loving wife Vania. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. "Buckets Off" Greetings fellow troopers Globally, we are in unprecedented times. I hope everyone is safe, in self isolation, or practicing applicable social distancing. I will take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank all of our "Front line" members for the immensely important role you are playing in this pandemic. The detachment salutes you and prays you all come through this with your health intact. As mentioned in the DL's blog a few weeks ago, the forums remain a safe place to communicate and create the conduit to help your fellow troopers. Weather you are working on a build, 3D printing stuff, or just want to offer support, we are here for you. Recently I put up a post asking members who are comfortable to do so, check in and let us know the situation in your area. Lets hear your stories of hope, in door fun or crisis. We are all in this together and share common concerns, so please let us know how you are doing. Merch Interest thread: Don't forget we have an interest thread running for our standard blue FISD shield patch. We have had some solid response already so keep that coming. The thread will close in approximately 2 weeks, then move to Legion and LFL approval before a pre-order thread can open. Other news: As we are still unsure of the Celebration Anaheim situation, the design competition for a patch will continue on. We have seen yet again some outstanding ides, so please keep those creative juices flowing and submit your idea. I'll wrap it up here folks until next time, stay safe, look after yourself and your loved ones, and please let us know how you are. With Unquestioned Loyalty Andrew Franke TK11469 "Sly11" Detachment Leader Hey fellow troopers, wow a lot has changed in the last month. As our DL mention we are in unprecedented times. Hope everyone is safe, healthy and doing their part. I'd like to give a huge shout out to those on the front lines who are fighting to end this horrible disease, and fighting for every life that's been effected by it. We can't thank you enough and our prayers are with you. One day soon we'll look back on this time and hopefully reflect on the good that came from it, like the act of giving. Here at the FISD we strive to help others fulfill their dreams through support and encouragement. We may not be on the front lines fighting some disease but we bring joy to others which is just as important in my book. The FISD membership is a family, we're here for each other, thick or thin. Plastic spacemen will always be our passion. Finally in times like these the best of humanity in encouraged, there's no room anger or resentment, only love. If you need to forgive someone or if you need forgiveness then ask for it, don't let this opportunity pass. Let's make this world and community better then when we arrived. Be safe and stay health in mind, body and spirit. With Unquestioned Loyalty Tony Jobe TK10116 "ukswrath" Executive Officer With Unquestioned Loyalty Tim Waychoff TK51878 “Dark CMF” Executive Officer With Unquestioned Loyalty Steve Sheades TK10466 "starsaber25" Leading Provost Marshall With Unquestioned Loyalty Chris Pearson TK10991"themaninthesuitcase" Provost Marshal With Unquestioned Loyalty Aaron Gibson TK99725 “Pyrates” Provost Marshall Deployment Officers With Unquestioned Loyalty Sha Sha Chu TK-19233 "shashachu" Deployment Officer With Unquestioned Loyalty Joseph Pedigo TK-10963 "justjoseph63" Deployment 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 Contributor Awards Greeting fellow Troopers, Don't forget to visit our 3D section when next surfing the FISD forums, there is plenty of useful information to potentially help you on your next TK adventure. You may be a designer wishing to showcase your latest designs or prints, or maybe looking for a file to print your very own Blaster or Laser Axe. You might be feeling may generous and share with our community a new TK related 3D file and maybe win yourself a 3D contributors award so check out the details below and be part of the in house 3D community. Keep your eyes on this guy: Bsati from the German Garrison is working on updating his TFA helmet files, he's making great progress and we truly appreciate his transparency and skills shown with his work. Keep up the great work Trooper Take a look at his progress. 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 continue the growth of these new sections so If you are interested in helping drive the 3D 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 Here is a link to the FISD 3D Contributor program. Don't forget to create a troop log here on FISD and get awarded for your adventures The list of accomplished troopers keeps growing, so get on board and register your troops today. We understand not everyone can help build multiple sets of armour for their fellow troopers, nor own a 3D printer or have the time and skill set to design and offer free 3D files to the detachment. There is however one thing we all can do, and that is troop. Here is your opportunity to stand and be recognised for simply trooping in your TK. We're rolling out a new award system to encourage and reward our members who take the time to post up their field training exercises and keep a troop log. As you attend events and post logs, you'll earn these shiny profile badges, here are a few: Keep the troop logs coming folks, not only can you earn the badge but you can show others your favorite troops. You know we love photos here on the forums. Simply start (or update!) your troop log, keep the running total in the title, and post (at least!) a date and name for the official 501st event where you wore your TK! Once you've hit a milestone count, go over to the "Field Exercise Awards -- Post your milestones here" thread to request your profile be updated! Simple, right? Troop log title examples: Milestone post example: Milestone and Troop Log Title: [100] TK12345 My troop log Date and Event: 8/23/2019 -- Death Star Cooking Class FAQ: Do my past troops count? Yes! You can update your troop log thread with all your past events for credit Is there any costume requirement?You have to have attended the event in a costume that falls under the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment for credit. We love pictures from any events with white armor though, so even if you attended an event in another costume with stormtroopers present don't hesitate to show off!Do I have to include pictures?Pictures are not required, but are highly encouraged! Your picture may end up in the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame Award Recipients March - April Unfortunately due to the moratorium on trooping there are no updates this month The FISD Master Armorer program is an optional, detachment only incentive award to recognize individuals who have directly helped another 501st stormtrooper to achieve Expert Infantry status. Some people spend countless hours helping others, and want to reward their results as well as incentivizing new people to help as well. To register a “win” in the program, the assistance must have provided hands-on help trimming, building, and/or fitting of said armor for the person who was awarded Expert Infantry status. Other program notes: • Helping remotely, giving advice, or taking payment in exchange for help does not account, all work must be voluntary and without expectation of compensation. • The assistance must be for a period of 30 minutes or more. Spending 15 minutes tweaking someone’s fitting or taking photos does not count. • "wins" can be retroactive, e.g. if you helped 5 people in 2017 already, those can count as long as they are fully documented. Award Levels • 5+ “wins”: FISD Armorer Badge • 15+ “wins” FISD Senior Armorer Badge • 25+ “wins” FISD Master Armorer Badge The process • Person applying for the award will create an application thread to track the help they give. • For each “win”, they will list the person they helped achieve Expert Infantry status by copying their EI approval thread. • For each “win”, the person who was helped will validate that this person helped them. You can find the master award area here https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/182-fisd-master-armorer-program/ With Unquestioned Loyalty Dan Branton TK429110 "CableGuy" PRO Replica Section Curator With Unquestioned Loyalty Daniel Melin TK99665 "TheSwede" PRO Replica Section Curator Currently (as of 17th March ) there are 29,442 approved costumes in the legion, out of these under FISD there are 5,547 which is 18.84% of all approved 501st costumes. Interestingly this is the third time this number has fallen under 20%, the larger the legion costume totals grows the smaller amount of TK's there are. First and foremost - I hope everyone is staying safe out there.These times when Darth Real Life gets up in your grill it can be challenge - don’t forget that this Detachment is more than just a wealth of stormtrooper knowledge it’s also a community of Troopers helping Troopers which goes beyond the armour.Case in point when I was stranded at the DFW airport a certain Texas trooper bailed this Canuck out after the Orlando Celebration. What I’m getting at is that dealing with the current situation with the added challenge of staying indoors can start to weigh heavy so don’t hesitate to reach out here in the community if you need somewhere to lean.With that being said time to move onto this months Stormtrooper Hall of Fame inductee!Troopers please welcome TK - 76271 Andrew!https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/47789-15-tk-76271-missiontrooper-troop-log/?do=findComment&comment=682076 With Unquestioned Loyalty Aaron Gibson TK-99725 "Pyrates" Curator Hall of Fame As many of you may have seen, there has been a surge in videos of people and celebrities reading storybooks aloud and sharing the videos on social media during this time of isolation. For the #BadGuysStayingHome we're going to be launching the #501stStorytime playlist on our official YouTube channel and we need submissions! Basic guidelines: Stories read need to be copyrighted Disney/LFL material (i.e. Star Wars kids books or short stories) Reader should introduce themselves with their club ID, and not their character name only. I.e. "This is TK-123 from The 501st Legion's ABC Garrison". Not "I'm a Stormtrooper from Star Wars". Background in video should be neutral or Star Wars-centric. Doesn't need to be totally blank/neutral, but just be mindful of what shows up on the screen. Videos should be shot horizontally and saved in mp4 format Audio/video does not need to be in English. Subtitles would be a plus for the hearing impaired and English-only speakers. Length should be short-ish (keep child attention span limits in mind). Maybe less than 10 minutes? Room for adjustment as this program evolves. How to submit your video: Send an email to [email protected] (being set-up by webteam momentarily) with: A link to your google drive, dropbox or similar large file online storage place (i.e. do not email the video file itself) Name, TKID Garrison/Outpost Book title and author Thank you and stay safe Nicky Blum Legion Events Coordinator Are you new to the FISD and wondering what the heck all those abbreviations and strange sounding terms mean? To help you @justjoseph63 has started a list of the most commonly used ones that will give you some insight. If you have ANY questions about a particular term that is not listed or suggestions for new ones please contact Joseph. You can find the list here: NEW BUILDER COMPETITION WINNER A big thanks to all who entered, but the winner of the "New Builder" contest is Art (Artshot) from Tyne & Wear, a future member of the UK Garrison. The number was 916 and his guess was the closest at 723, so congratulations! His prizes include a set of flexible hand guards, an official FISD patch/EI Rocker, a complete set of Centurion level hardware and a cool hardcover TK notebook. Way to go Art! (Now maybe you can finish that build)! 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 IMPERIAL ATTACHE AWARD Imperial Attaché Award for those attaché's who have gone above and beyond [minimum 1 year of service] You can find a list of prior recipients here ATTACHE MERCHANDISE Attaché Patch For those of you on the Imperial Attaché staff, the official I.A. patches are available Here are the details.. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! Patches will be limited to TWO per person, and will only be sold to those who are currently serving FISD Imperial Attaches. These patches have been graciously DONATED to the FISD, so all you will need to do is cover the cost of shipping and PP fees, which will be $1.00 each for those in the U.S. and P.R. and $1.50 each for those outside the U.S. What a deal! Thank you Joseph @justjoseph63for looking after these. You can find the thread here ATTACHE ROCKER For those of you on the Imperial Attaché staff, the official I.A. rockers are now available. Link below Attaché Ambassador With Unquestioned Loyalty Frank Peranteau TK75139 "Frank75139" Attaché Ambassador 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/ 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 ask away here on the forum. This area lists all those who have gone above and beyond basic approval toward screen accuracy. FOR March - April the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate: Expert Infantry Badge Award: Robert B. "husky68" TK 77712 EIB 953 Thomas Hagin "The Eagle" TK 61601 EIB 954 José Mª Sánchez "Chemi" TK 30173 EIB 955 Tyrone Johns "Tythetrooper" TK 15148 EIB 956 Jon Hannaby "hanoldbuddy" TK 14097 EIB 957 Cody "snipedoc2001" TK 51550 EIB 958 Jonas Andersson "LEGOeatPokemon" TK 22423 EIB 959 William "iEmpire916" TK 90913 EIB 960 Roy Maunder "Royster1138" TK 25869 EIB 961 GREAT job on your approval, now on to Level 3! Request your free EIB certificate here Centurion Badge Award: Philip Aitkin "Ruffalo" TK 41808 Centurion 457 Tyrone Johns "tythetrooper" TK 15148 Centurion 458 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 reached the 961 mark! The amount of approved submissions is increasing 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 "Frank75139" or any Imperial Attaché, and we will be more than happy to assist you! Greetings Troopers. The Fire Team program is completely optional, and is intended to help form a common identity and spirit of camaraderie among 501st Legion stormtroopers in the same geographic area/garrison that troop together. Fire Teams are not officially recognized by the 501st Legion nor the FISD, although they will be able to access a Fire Team sub-forum on the detachment website. Because Fire Teams are unofficial groups, they cannot have any 501st or FISD markings, including 501st Legion, 501st, Legion logos, Vader's Fist etc. on their branding or logos. However, Teams will be allowed to use any unique markings at informal events provided they follow these guidelines. Guidelines No 501st or FISD markings. Period. Any active Legion member with a valid stormtrooper costume in the specified geographic area can join. The Team can create a name, logo, backstory, etc. for itself (names usually contain Fire Team, though this isn't required). A list of each Team (with their specific "Teams Name") with a current list their members will be kept in the Fire Team sub-forum on the Detachment website. A Team member must troop at least twice per year to maintain status as a member. Two or more Team members must troop together once per year to keep the group active. Merchandising Again, no 501st or FISD markings. Merchandising will only be limited by the imagination of the Fire Team. Any merchandising should be submitted to the detachment, or through proper Legion channels. A master list of all Fire Team merchandise (with photos) will be posted in the Fire Team sub-forum. If any of these guidelines are violated, the group will be disbanded. Here is a link to the Fire Team area: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/130-fire-team-area/ 501st membership is needed to view this area. This is a great program that is strictly just for fun and it also allows fellow TK's get to know each other better. I would love to help any Garrison/area get a Fire Team started, just let me know what I can do to help. If you would like to register a Fire Team here is the link In other business, just a reminder, if you have an addition, removal or any other change in you Fire Team's status, send me a PM and I'll get you all squared away. For the full list of Fire Teams head here With Unquestioned Loyalty Mark Ryner TK4584 "captsafe66 " FISD/Fire Team Director Interest thread Considering what is happening globally atm, we would like to gauge some numbers for the possibility of a standard 4" FISD shield patch run. No variants at this stage sorry. How Legion merch rules currently work: Total under 150 items, LMBO approval only (relativity quick approval) Total over 150 items, requires Disney LFL approval on top of LMBO approval (could be a lengthy wait) These will be a traditional patch style with merrowed edge. Pricing will depend on total quantity, but we are hoping for somewhere near the $2 range per patch. This will be confirmed once we have a good indication of a grand total. Updates will come if we hit the 300 quantity mark. Please simply place your interest and a quantity in the following thread: Newsletter If you have any interesting stories or photos or something you think newsworthy please send them to me via pm @gmrhodes13 With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK-85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO Newsletter Social Media With Unquestioned Loyalty Jim Ferrel (Rat) TK95970 "Rat" PRO Social Media With Unquestioned Loyalty Teresa Nuthall TK41307 "Soulart" PRO Social Media Editor At Large With Unquestioned Loyalty Daniel Lauber TK55550 "Ripper_L" PRO Editor at Large Staff List 2020 Detachment Leader (DL): Andrew Franke (Sly11) TK11469 Executive Officer (DXO): Tony Jobe (ukswrath) TK-10116 Executive Officer (DXO): Tim Waychoff (Dark CMF) Deployment Officer (DCA): Joseph Pedigo (justjoseph63) TK-10963 Deployment Officer: (DCA):ShaSHa (ShaSHaChu) TK-19233 Lead Provost Marshal (DCOG): Steven Sheades (starsaber25) TK-10466 Provost Marshal (DCOG): Chris Pearson (themaninthesuitcase) TK-10911 Provost Marshal (DCOG): Aaron (Bronx) Gibson (Pyrates) TK-99725 Fire Team Relations (PRO): Mark Ryner (Captsafe66) TK-4584 Personnel Officer (PER): AC (Novatie) TK-5597 Content Editor At Large (PRO): Christoph (Danny) Lauber (Ripper_L) TK-55550 Content Editor Awards (PRO): This will be handled by the XO’s Newsletter Publisher (PRO): Glen Rhodes (gmrhodes13) TK-85421 Attaché Ambassador (PRO) Frank Peranteau (Frank75139) TK-75139 New team member Social Media Relations (PRO): Teresa Nuthall (Soulart) TK-41307 Social Media Relations (PRO): Jim Ferrell (Rat) TK-95970 New team member Imperial propaganda machine: Brien Edick (Harbinger) TK 92802 Systems Administrator (DWM): Eric Brager (Darth Aloha) TK-9674 Systems Administrator (DWM): Mathias (Locitus) TK-2959 Detachment Founder (DF): Paul (Daetrin) TK-8020 NEW ROLES Replica Section Curators (PRO): Dan Branton (CableGuy) TK-42911 Replica Section Curators (PRO): Daniel Melin (The Swede) TK-99665 Don't Forget We're on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitearmor Facebook Group: 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment (FISD) Official Twitter: www.twitter.com/FISD501st or @FISD501st Instagram: www.instagram.com/fisd501st On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department

!!EDIT!! Hi, I decided I should make this build thread a bit easier to navigate for those of you who need to trim down your kit to fit your smaller size. So below you'll find links to sections within this thread dealing with specific parts of the kit and how I modified them to fit me. Here are a few links that you should also reference when modifying armor for smaller frames. Christine's Build (Cricket) Diana's Build (AsBlondeAsLuke) 1. BBB day. Parts layout. 2. Left forearm trimming. 3. Left forearm assembly and scoop. 4. Right forearm trimming. 5. Right forearm assembly. 6. Left bicep trimming and assembly. 7. Right bicep trimming and assembly. 8. Shoulder bell trimming. 9. Ab trimming. 10. Butt trimming, kidney trimming, and chest trimming/reshaping. 11. Chest bottom trimming and new return edge. 12. Shoulder bridge trimming and bracket troubles. 13. Ab-to-chest bracket installation. 14. Ab top trimming, sewing elastic loops, back-to-chest connection, and kidney trimming. 15. Thermal detonator trimming and assembly. 16. Kidney notch re-forming, cod rivet install, ab-to-chest left-side connection, and thermal detonator adjustment. 17. Belt ammo pack trimming and assembly, drop box assembly, and holster attachment. 18. Fixing ab-to-kidney alignment, right ab snap and stabilizer, shoulder strapping, bicep hooks, shin trimming. 19. Ab control panel button painting. 20. Sniper plate trimming. 21. Sniper plate assembly. 22. Shin assembly and magnetic closures. 23. Ab control panel button assembly and cod trimming. 24. Thigh trimming and assembly. 25. Rubber vs. Nomex gloves. 26. Making the ANH thigh notch and thigh ammo pack trimming and assembly. 27. Garter belt and thigh support straps. 28. Additional thigh and butt trimming. 29. Helmet trimming, brow trim install, front-to-back riveting, and ear trimming. 30. Helmet painting. 31. Helmet lens installation and electronics. 32. Fully completed TK. 33. EIB Submission. 34. Helmet, shoulder, and ab control button modifications for Centurion. 35. Centurion additional modifications. 36. Centurion Application. Well this is the beginning of my RS stunt build thread for 5'-5" tall boys and girls. No, that's not right, it's more like the warm up. I'm collecting tools, parts, and pouring over a few really good builds such as Diana's and Cricket's hoping to get myself ready once armor arrives. For the past two weeks boxes have been arriving on my front porch while my wife wonders exactly how big a nerd she's married. Wait until she sees the BBB. So, while getting various parts delivered has me excited to really dive into this project, let's face it, you can't get too psyched over cut resistant gloves and new dremel bits....although the dremel bits are pretty sweet. So, what did I do? I ordered my elite E-11 from HFX. After a bunch of email glitches, all the gears in the universe finally aligned and I was able to talk with Lewis over there and he got to work crafting this beauty. I compulsively checked the tracking of the package as it made its way across the country to my front door. The day it arrived I was so excited to see what was in the box...."what's in the box?" The joy I had unwrapping that blaster and holding it was really surprising. Took me back to being a kid. My 5-year old son loved it too. First thing we did was have a light saber vs. blaster fight in the play room. Even my wife thought it was pretty cool which I hope will continue once the real build process starts. I'm wondering if anyone has experience modifying these? I'd like to drill out the scope and insert real lenses or replace that part entirely. That's the one modification that would really improve what is already a very nice product. Here are a couple shots of it for reference (assuming I attached them properly). Side topic....what it the best way to upload pics? Is there a preferred size? Well that's it for now. I look forward to tapping into the incredible amount of knowledge and talent from you all.