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Please welcome to the ranks Centurion # 491- Josh (Silverback73) TK 20112 of the Star Garrison. Nice job, sir! Down to the single digits, folks. Only 9 spots left to be a part of FISD history!

Hello there Thought it was about time to start another 'with some modifications' - thread. As most people here, I simply love our Classic Stormtroopers: Since starting my research back in 2012, I also came across some very interesting variants from video games, comics and so on: (photos taken from the 501st CRLs) While each alteration and/or addition helped giving the armor a special appearance, the idea of being unbound and free of any CRL always appealed to me. With this MOC - helmet I will try to combine multiple modifications into a single helmet. Recently I got a suitable kit for this project and collected a few add-ons, so let's see what this turns into... Like with every other kit, my first step was a rough cut, before washing and drying it. Was not sure at all, if I could ever add such a big and symmetrical 3D-printed item (made from sturdy PETG) onto a wonky classic helmet. However, the top ends of the ears perfectly meet the Blast Shield with little gaps that I will later take care of. List of modifications so far: 1 - Blast Shield 2 - Black Interior Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next updates.

WARNING: The following content may be controversial! DISCLAIMER: These are my opinions from years of experience, pure and simple. Over the years I have noticed many future Troopers doing an OT (Original Trilogy) TK ask about return edges before, during (and after) their build... If this is a subject that you are curious about, grab a cup of coffee or a tall glass of frosty blue milk (this is a long post, lol) and read on.... QUESTION: "What are they, what do they do, and should I leave them, trim them down some or remove them"? ANSWER: Return edges are part of the molding process and provide strength in certain areas on the edges of your armor. They also provide a heftier look to some pieces. To help you decide whether or not to keep them is why I started this thread. Here I will attempt to go into a few details about them. Know in advance that as mentioned I personally am NOT a fan of them in many areas for several reasons (listed below). Some people love them and some may disagree with my opinions... many of you may trooped for years with no problems which is AWESOME, but many folks have had issues and questions. 1. In most areas they are not screen accurate- In looking at the screen caps and film used armor photos below you will notice their scarcity. 2. They can (and in many cases will) get very uncomfortable- Many folks like the "thicker" look it gives their armor, but they can cut into you, especially in the area where your arm bends ("armor bite") and the groin area (chafing). As Troopers we do a lot of walking and arm bending carrying a weapon, so keep this in mind. 3. If aiming for higher levels they can cause fitting issues- Examples: A. If you leave them on your forearm openings and glue on the cover strips, they will need to be completely removed at the wrists for Centurion level, making the opening too wide. This can lead to you having to remove the cover strips, reduce the sides of the forearms and re-attach the strips. Quite a pain in the posterior plate to say the least. *** See EXAMPLE 1 below. B. If they are overly thick on the bottoms of your shoulder bells, they can prevent them from lying snug against the biceps. 4. They can cause splits/cracks- Especially on some armor areas. ABS is designed to flex, and in some cases a small amount of return edge is fine, but too much can cause stress on those areas. *** See EXAMPLE 2 below Over time that stress will take it's toll somewhere, and that is usually the return edge. Anovos armor is especially prone to this on the sides of the chest/back plates and neck openings. I suggest shimming these on the rear with ABS strips and E-6000 to prevent it. Let's start with the chest plate: Note how the ones below (including the back plate) have either no or minimal edges with no cracks or splits. Now here is a screen used one with a pretty prominent edge, Notice the stress crack. Now, onto the ab/kidney/back plate: To keep them in line and prevent them from overlapping, it is suggested that you LEAVE a fair amount of the edges on the top/bottoms of the kidney and bottom of the back plate, especially if using the "classic" strapping method. Yes, these can split/crack as well but not normally. Shoulder Bells Trimming off the entire edge on the bottoms is not only screen accurate (first two photos), it allows them to rest close to the bicep (bottom photo). Third photo shows "suggested" trim lines (red) of an untrimmed bicep. My recommendation is the blue line. Biceps/forearms For sheer comfort and a sleeker look, I recommend removing ALL of the top and bottom edges before fitting/gluing them. First, no one sees the tops (covered by the shoulder bell) and the bottoms can cut into your arms (armor bite). Suggested cut lines in red. Again, if you do get armor bite you will have to take them both completely apart, remove the edge and re-fit. Better to think ahead. Some (myself included) like to leave a bit of the return edge on the outside of the top of the forearm for a thicker look. However, I highly suggest removing all from the inside part (the "scoop") where your arm bends. Again, an armor bite issue. This should also be done BEFORE final fitting. Here are some screen used examples: For level 3 (Centurion) all of the return edge on the wrist opening must be removed, including the area inside the "hump" as seen below: Posterior (butt) plate: Again, it is suggested that you leave some of the return edge on the top (and bottom in most cases) to keep it from riding under/over the kidney. Now, the BOTTOM of the posterior plate is where we often find splitting issues. Should you leave some return edge? Sure! BUT(T), when trimming the corners, (see below) be SURE not to give it a sharp angle... this is where the trouble usually starts. Instead, give it a slightly rounded angle (as shown in green). Thigh tops The tops of the thighs are where we see a lot of questions. I recommend removing all the return edges from the entire upper parts, and here is why: As mentioned above, you will be doing a lot of walking. If you have the edges (or at least a large portion of them) intact, the friction and inside facing angles can really chafe the heck out of you, especially on the inside of the groin area. (Ouch). If there are sharp edges/points on the tops (below) these will poke into you. When trimming these, just follow the existing line. Also, if you do your final fitting, glue everything together and find this out afterward, you will have to take the entire thing apart, remove the return edges, trim down the sides and then re-build/glue them back together. The reason is that afterward the opening will be entirely too large and you will have a giant gap all the way around. Not a good look. Easier to do it beforehand, trust me. As seen below, there were no return edges (or at least minimal ones) used in the films. Sniper knee plate The bottom of this piece is an area often not trimmed enough. To allow it to sit flat (or very close to flat) against the top of the calf enough for the glue to adhere properly I suggest removing most if not all of the bottom edge. Note how in the first and third photos how the sniper knee is parallel to the front of the calf. Last up, a photo that best illustrates my point about return edges and how they were not really present in many places on ANH armor. *** Example 1. of what happens when you have to reduce the return edge(s) after attaching cover strips. NOTE: For the example below I am using an ATA bicep (first 3 photos). Be aware that ATA makes the "suggested" cut line on their return edges pretty slim (a GREAT thing in my opinion). As seen on the armor in the 4th photo, if followed, the "suggested" cut line makes the return edges much wider (red line). Top view Bottom view For the purposes of this tutorial, we will assume that the ATA has those wider suggested return edges. Okay, let's say you really like the thicker look the return edges give your armor, so you left them pretty wide during fitting and then glued on the cover strips. Enough to get your arm through with a little extra room. Should be good to go, correct? BUT, you find that after having your arm bent for a while they cut into you (armor bite), so you find you have to reduce or remove most or all of it. No biggie, right? Just break out the Lexan scissors or Dremel and cut away, leaving the cover strips attached. Easy! So you remove it and then you run into the fact that the opening is now enormous. This is not a good look, and can result in the piece(s) jangling around and not being approvable at higher levels (or even Basic depending on your GML). What I am getting at with the above info. is that if you decide to remove them, it's better to do it before final fitting/gluing. Side note: Many biceps have an unusual shape at the tops (in red, below) normally located on the inside. This can be completely removed. Doing this will not affect approval at any level, and is screen accurate. It sits under the shoulder bell so no one sees it anyway! Screen used bicep USELESS TRIVIA: Many have asked about the "thumbprint" that many armorers have on the left bicep (screen used example below). Some think it is so you can tell them apart, but I was speaking with Brian Muir a few years ago (he sculpted the original armor used in ANH) and asked him about it: "To be honest, I have no idea... it was not in my original sculpt, and must have been a mistake in casting". There you have it. *** EXAMPLE 2: What causes cracks/splits: ABS bends pretty well, just as it's designed to. BUT, when there are return edges involved that changes the game. For the below example I used a 2 inch wide strip of ABS with a 1/2 inch "return edge". Looks pretty solid, right? That's because the edge provides stability. Now I am bending it up/in to simulate use over time. (More than it normally gets bent in many cases, but only to prove a point). That stress has got to go somewhere, and it's the return edge that takes it all and gives way, again causing cracks/splits. The red arrow shows a weak area where the stress in concentrated and cracks can form. Even if trimmed off afterward that area will be prone to splitting, so a small shim behind it is suggested. To sum it up, return edges are not meant to bend a lot. I suggest inspecting your armor occasionally to spot any existing/potential cracks/splits so that you can catch them before they get worse. I hope this helps answer any basic questions you may have, and always feel free to ask more detailed ones here or offer differing opinions.

Now... the fun begins! Harder, (AKA TK-91918).. reporting for duty! Nearly 6 years ago, I learned about the 501st, simply via googling to buy a stormtrooper "costume". I admit, I used the excuse of a Madri Gras party to be the reason to pull the trigger and do it. But upon searching, and discovering the 501st, peaking my curiosity, later to see all the good they do... albeit was already a passion, became purpose. I have been a fan as many here clearly are, since childhood. LOVED Vader. What a bad A** mother right there! The Stormtroopers to me were the elite group and front line, the true power and force to be reckoned with. When my children were little, a friend of theirs was diagnosed with Childhood leukemia. He was one of 14 children in the cancer wing at the local cancer focused hospital. Through a 7 year battle, he was the only child within his ward to survive. I visited him often with the kids and this young man became a son to me as well. I cried when I left, but left him laughing and with hope. "See you tomorrow... stop faking it, its getting old... Love you." One day, I was there, when I witnessed the 501st, trooping through the hallways. At that time, I only thought how cool it was, and those are nice people. Come back to 6 years ago, discovering the 501st existence, and then tying it back to such strong emotional ties, plus fandom... Hence my passion grew. A few years back went through a hurtful divorce. I found myself needing to rediscover myself and re-establish purpose. I had access to money that I could use just for me. After the support of the new love in my life, and family, I purchased a fully commissioned set from RSP. As a plastics degreed mechanical engineer, I knew I could build it, but I wanted to get to trooping and help brighten anyone's day with this persona. After two months, it came!! But the legs were 3" sized too big every dimension. Initially I was heartbroken, but RSP followed true with their reputation. They immediately rushed to correct the mistake at no cost. While I was waiting for the 501st approval, I decided to dawn the armor and report in as an off duty storm trooper. I had so much fun with this, and sending some pictures to friends, I was overwhelmed with people asking for more. I love making the photos. So, I got my approval! "TK-91918.. I AM.. at my post!" I want to thank so many of you for helping me with questions and adjustments, snap strap fittings, where to procure, who to trust, all the plethora of information available... And while I can't possibly thank everyone, @MaskedVengeance @justjoseph63 @CableGuy @ukswrath @Sly11 @gmrhodes13 @Firedog @TKSpartan y'all, have been an incredible help and of the highest value to help me make this purpose and passion a reality. Thank you! Now... I'm gonna return that kindness and assist anyone else with a purpose and passion. Oh, and start my trooplog lol. Regards to all Troopers and aspiring.. Harder, AkA Craig Best

NEW In Memoriam Detachment Leader Provost Marshall Centurion500 What You Wearing Merchandise Just For Laughs Hall of Fame INFORMATION & AWARD PROGRAMS Common FISD Acronyms and TK Glossary Pre Approval Forum 3D Section Field Exercise Award Master Armorer Program Imperial Attaché Program Fire Teams EIB & Centurion: What do these terms mean? Advanced Tactics Awards Public Relations Staff List 2020 Follow FISD On the 17th December 2020 we learned of the passing of Jeremy Bullock aged 75. Jeremy was a fan of the fans, and was one of the first actors to be inducted as an Honorary 501st Legion Member, a title he proudly wore. In 2009 Jeremy became a full member of the club as BH-5211 as Boba Fett, the character he portrayed on screen. Jeremy was a friend to all who met him and will be deeply missed. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and the whole Star Wars community. "Buckets Off" On the 16th of December, 2020 Master Sailor Duane Earle was declared lost at sea. Duane TK-26222 was a member of the Outer Rim Garrison and the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment. Duane’s love of all things to do with water, from sailing to scuba diving, earned him the nickname of “Squid” among his peers. After seeing his son’s reaction to members of the 501st in an event in Vancouver, Duane set out to become a Stormtrooper. Duane is survived by his two sons, a step daughter and his wife Tracy. Our condolences go out to his family and family. "Buckets Off" On the 29th of December, 2020 Rudy Cabrera (DZ-41474) passed away. Rudy was a dedicated member of Star Garrison and Texas Gulf Coast Squad, as well as a proud Tusken Raider in the Krayt Clan Detachment. Rudy, was a loving family man and this showed in his volunteer work with the 501st Legion. Rudy is survived by his beloved wife Diana and their two children. Our condolences go out to his family and family. "Buckets Off" Greetings fellow troopers Welcome to 2021 Man that holiday period went awfully fast and I'm back at work already!! Hope everyone had a break of some kind and a chance to try and recharge for the new year ahead. In saying this, we are quickly heading into the legion election cycle come February, so if you haven't checked in to the forums, perhaps it's a good time to log in and take a look around. We've made a few changes across last year and are making sure there is always something new to see or talk about on the FISD forums. All considering the global situation of 2020, I feel our detachment has had a very strong year with several solid changes to the forums and some great reasons to celebrate with milestones and initiatives. We managed to achieve many of the goals we set out in the last election, some are still underway due to the size and or nature of what they are (Forum clean up, Photobucket image replacement, and Centurion 500 almost there). We only had a couple of plans the team decided to postpone so the focus remained on the membership and how we could best keep you engaged. With the inability for most to do the things we love like troop and help others and our communities, we worked to offer a break out from the ISO so many had been placed in. FISD was the most active forum with and for members, something everyone can very be proud of. On behalf of the staff and myself, I hope we made a difference to your year in some small way and that FISD can continue to deliver on this with innovation, celebration and an inviting environment into the future. Thank you to everyone who contributed in some way shape or form to this wonderful family. 2021 are you ready for more!! With Unquestioned Loyalty Andrew Franke TK11469 "Sly11" Detachment Leader Happy New Year my FISD family! There is not too much information to pass on from the Provost Marshall office at this point. The forums are running smoothly and the detachment is as fun as ever. The only thing that I would like to bring up to our membership is that Legion Elections will be coming to a galaxy near you very shortly. We will be getting the FISD set up for them soon. I would just like to remind everyone that we have been fortunate to have very smooth running elections in recent memory. The DCOG team expects that to continue this year. Please be an active participate. This forum belongs to every active 501st member with an approved FISD costume! Engage any possible candidates. Ask them informed well thought out questions. Their answers will make it apparent as to who the most qualified candidate will be for the future of our detachment. But most importantly be respectful! This is the best way to make the Provost Marshalls job easy and we will be very appreciative. 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 Hot off the heals of our Victory1000 celebrations, FISD are proud to bring you our next target event. We are fast approaching another milestone and another chance to celebrate victory as we hit 500 Centurions approved. This miles stone will also come with another special Centurion only piece of merch for the first 500, in the form of a pin to match the Expert Infantry exclusive. Our very own gmrhodes13 (Glen) has outdone himself yet again and put together the perfect introduction for this milestone event so without further adieu, FISD brings you. THERE ARE ONLY 10 POSITIONS ON THE GRID, SO IT'S TIME TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR, SHIFT INTO HYPER-DRIVE AND HELP US BLAST ACROSS THE LINE! Now that we have reached 1000 Expert Infantry, It's time to once again become part of FISD history and enter the "Centurion500" We are aiming to have 500 approved Centurions by the end of the year. We only have 10 to go, so in order to reach that goal we are asking that you read over the CRLs for your particular armor, (this thread will help) make any necessary adjustments and post up your submission! Photo Checklists - Link here Apply here Questions: 1. Not sure if I have what it takes to reach Centurion- You don't know until you try, and you have not only the D.O. staff but an entire Detachment to help! 2. I need some repairs/fixes first- This is why we are here! We honestly want you to succeed and are here to help in any way we can. 3. I am happy with the way my armor looks, so why bother?- It not only makes you look more screen accurate, it instills a sense of pride and "esprit de corps"! 4. What if I don't make it? No worries, we will provide detailed suggestions on how to reach your goal! Benefits: 1 Bragging rights for being one of the "Original 500" 2. You get a cool badge under your name here on the FISD (full forum version) 3. Access to Exclusive Centurion500 pin for those in the original 500. 4. Certificate for your accomplishment. 5. You will have a more screen accurate looking set of armor. Now that the entire Staff and those who have reached Levels 2 and 3 are here to help in any way we can, you are more than welcome (and encouraged) to ask any and all questions you may have on this thread, or contact one of our Deployment Officers Joseph, Sha Sha or Mario. Let's get up to speed, push that throttle and prepare for lightspeed, you can do it troopers Your Deployment Officers, Staff and the whole detachment crew are standing by ready to assist If you'd like to show your support on FB here is the link to the Centurion500 profile frame www.facebook.com/profilepicframes/?selected_overlay_id=331320651285964 What You Wearing? - Armor Poll 2020/21 Re-opened The what are you wearing poll has been reopened and closes 21st of January, you can find it here: VICTORY 1000 11" Patch *NOW CLOSED* UPDATE 7/01/21 Patches are in the mail, many already receiving them. Updates here TRADING CARDS - SERIES 8 Looking for trading cards? series 8 has just begun, information and ordering here Happy New Year Troopers!!!!Congratulations to TK - 98911 Rick as he kicks off 2021 with his addition to the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame - welcome Trooper!https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/50485-tk-98911-troop-log/?do=findComment&comment=709796 With Unquestioned Loyalty Aaron Gibson TK-99725 "Pyrates" Curator Hall of Fame INFORMATION & AWARD PROGRAMS 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 Pre Approval Forum allows 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 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. 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. 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? Milestone post example: Milestone and Troop Log Title: [100] TK12345 My troop log Date and Event: 8/23/2019 -- Death Star Cooking Class Photo: Pictures are not required, but are highly encouraged! Your picture may end up in the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame Award Recipients December - January TK99901 "IRoS" Mario - 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 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. 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 Attaché Merchandise For those of you on the Imperial Attaché staff, the official I.A. patches are available You can find the thread here (Imperial Attaché's ONLY) ATTACHE ROCKER For those of you on the Imperial Attaché staff, the official I.A. rockers are now available. You can find the thread here (Imperial Attaché's ONLY) Attaché Ambassador Not much to say from the Attaché department. Other then Happy New Year. I hope this year is filled with plenty of troops!On a forum side note we are still always looking for Attaches. And for all the returning attaches please be on the look out the 2021 Attaché check in. I will be posted in the coming days (if I haven’t already).Here’s to hoping things get better! With Unquestioned Loyalty Frank Peranteau TK75139 "Frank75139" Attaché Ambassador Update Your Fire Team Info: Hi all, I've been doing some housekeeping in the approved Fire Team area, mainly to make all the posts in a uniform, easy to see format. The original post were in a different forum theme and those font colors were hard to see in the current theme. Anyway, please check any teams you may be a part of and see if they are still active, members up to date and the logo still works. Please contact me directly if any of your information is incorrect or you need your logo updated. For the full list of Fire Teams here Thanks! With Unquestioned Loyalty Mark Ryner TK4584 "captsafe66 " FISD/Fire Team Director 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/ Photo Checklists To make it easier (and faster) to get you approved, we have updated the Photo Requirement checklists for both OT and FO and included visual examples of what we as D.O.s are looking for in order to move you along at an expedited rate. These can be found here: Expert Infantry: (For all non-FOTK costumes) Centurion: (For all non-FOTK costumes) FOTK: (EI and Centurion) 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 December - January the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate: Expert Infantry Badge Award: Thomas "choinierx" TK11730 EIB 1015 GREAT job on your approval, now on to Level 3! Request your free EIB certificate here --------------------------------------------------------------- Centurion Badge Award: Daniel "Lord Q" TK26306 Centurion 489 Alex "azoroes" TK22504 Centurion 490 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! Newsletter Welcome back everyone, hope you all enjoyed the festive season break and hope we all are in for a much better New Year. With all that is going on in the US at the moment we wish you all are safe. If you have any interesting stories or photos or something you think newsworthy please send them to me via pm. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK-85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO Newsletter Editor At Large Huge thanks to our workhorse @gmrhodes13 and to our glorious DL @Sly11 for initiating the forum cleanup with full energy this year. Thanks to these two gentlemen we got all dead links eliminated and all photobucket watermarks removed in 67 of our 128 subforums. We are ready to go full throttle for the next two months and work through the other 50% of the forums. But we need your help!! Whenever you stumble across any issues in a forum thread, let us know and we will fix it! Old links, leading to a dead end? Nasty watermarks blocking details on the most important pictures? No problem! Your friendly staff team is here to save the day! Just do us a favor an post the URL to the existing issue in the thread above. Many have done so before and we will not stop until all issues are solved. The more we find, the more we solve. We are at your service! With Unquestioned Loyalty Danny Lauber TK-55550 "Ripper_L" PRO Editor at Large Staff List 2020 Detachment Leader (DL): Andrew Franke (Sly11) TK11469 Executive Officer (DXO): Tim Waychoff (Dark CMF) Deployment Officer (DCA): Joseph Pedigo (justjoseph63) TK-10963 Deployment Officer: (DCA): ShaSHa (ShaSHaChu) TK-19233 Deployment Officer: (DCA): Mario (TKSpartan) TK-48117 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 Newsletter Publisher (PRO): Glen Rhodes (gmrhodes13) TK-85421 Attaché Ambassador (PRO) Frank Peranteau (Frank75139) TK-75139 Social Media Relations (PRO): Teresa Nuthall (Soulart) TK-41307 Social Media Relations (PRO): Jim Ferrell (Rat) TK-95970 Imperial Propaganda Machine: Brien Edick (Harbinger) TK 92802 Imperial Propaganda Machine: Eric Ho (Hoda) TK 77520 Systems Administrator (DWM): Eric Brager (Darth Aloha) TK-9674 Systems Administrator (DWM): Mathias (Locitus) TK-2959 Detachment Founder (DF): Paul (Daetrin) TK-8020 Replica Section Curators (PRO): Dan Branton (CableGuy) TK-42911 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

Correct

I know it looks reverse, but with RS, I guess they only have one set of shins, just copied. The only difference will be the trimming of the lower portion. I think I'm correct in this.

The Left Shin. I emailed Rob at RS Propmasters last night and he responded: 'Let me check. I’ll also ship another set Fedex tomorrow, which will be fully tracked. Sorry for the delay. The pandemic+Holidays+Brexit is causing havoc with the mail systems here! Fedex will cure this. Regards, Rob ' So, needing those front cover strips before I can hope to cut/fit the back. Working on the Right Shin later on tonight. So, hopefully my cover strip material is on it's way somewhere between Stockport, England, the Atlantic Ocean and Ohio.

Oh man, I'll pretty much only use Rustoleum for primer now hahaha. Color matching will require me talking to people face to face which is discouraged here in the USA right now (I really miss living in New Zealand)... but I'll see what I can sort out

Here I go with my official RS Props TK build for the Vertically Challenged (also known as This TK Comes in a Fun Size). For those of you interested, I am 5'4" and 108 lbs. This is my very first armor build, so please feel free to jump in if you see me veering off course. I’m setting this kit to Stunt, with my eyes on the prize of Centurion. Since this build has many, many pages to it, I created an index so you don't have to wade through all of it if you don't want to. If you want to see the unboxing of my RS Props kit, just keep reading (it's further down the page). Here are the overview of topics so far: Some Things to Know Before You Go Diagram of Where to Cut/Trim for Shorties Making ABS Paste ABS Paste for Small Repairs, Heat Ironing New Thigh Returns ABS Paste for BIG Repairs (not for the Faint of Heart, Short of Time, or Chronically Impatient) Cover Strip Sizes Belt Corners and Ammo Pack Measurements Sizing Down the Chest Rebuilding a Return on the Bottom of the Chest (MUCH easier than using ABS paste, believe me) Recap of Where I Trimmed the Kit on the Torso Reinforcing Shoulder Bridges and Jig for Making New Returns Shoulders Shoulder Bell Trimming Shoulder Bell Fitting Shoulder Trim Points for Short Troopers Reinforcing Shoulder Bridges and Jig for Making New Returns Discussion of Shoulder Bell Shape Garter Belt, Shoulder Snaps Biceps Biceps Making Bicep Hooks Arm Strapping Abdominal Mods Painting Ab Buttons Reducing the Height of the Ab Cutting the Cod! Installing Inner Strapping Brackets Recap of Where I Trimmed the Kit on the Torso Shrinking the Kidney to Fun Size Shorten the Kidney (always remove from the BOTTOM ONLY!) and Rebuilding Returns Kidney/Ab Rivet Placement Kidney/Ab Rivet Placement Continued... More Kidney/Ab Rivet Stuff, Building the Belt, and Countersinking Screws Troubleshooting Kidney/Ab Not Lining Up on the Right Side- GAH! Fixing the Kidney/Ab Misalignment Issue Even More Fixing the Kidney/Ab Misalignment Issue…(The Sequel) Getting the Kidney/Ab Misalignment Thing in Order (The Final Battle) PlastiDipping the Helmet and Kidney/Ab Bracket Creation Kidney/Ab Bracket with Styrene Tab Installed, Discussion of Shoulder Bell Shape ABS Paste for Small Repairs, Heat Ironing New Thigh Returns Kidney and Butt Plates Get Into A Fight (Alignment Issues and Cracking) Detective Work on the Kidney/Butt Plate Connection (what's causing the cracks?!) Kidney and Butt Issues Worked Out Filling Out the Armor Shin Stuff Shin Fitting Shin Trimming for Shorties (Magic) Magnetic Shin Closures Part 1 (initial installation) (Magic) Magnetic Shin Closures Part 2 (magnetic closure improved) (Magic) Magnetic Shin Closures in Action (video!) Sniper Knee Giddy Up! Home Grown Stirrups (not a tutorial) Thighs for the Vertically Challenged Leg Adjustments Leg Adjustments Continued... Assembling the (New) Thighs and Heat-Bending the Belt Sizing the New Thighs and Padding the Lid Installing the Ammo Pack ABS Paste for Small Repairs, Heat Ironing New Thigh Returns Fine Tuning the New Thighs Initial Left Thigh Trimming (not yet there, but dang close) Reworking the Back of the Right Thigh Final Right Thigh Trimming and Spiffy New Returns Using a Heat Iron New Garter Belt Rebuilding a New ANH Notch on the Left Thigh Handy Gloves Getting a Curve on Latex Handguards Love to the Lid Ditch the Brush! Sponge On the Tube Stripes! DIY Fan Bracket (not a tutorial) Sizing the Thighs and Padding the Lid All Together Now Test Fitting It All! And Feedback Is A Good Thing (time to fine tune it all…) Initial Submission Pics! Thank Yous! (My Version of the Academy Awards Acceptance Speech) Advanced Tactics Time for Apply For the EIB Fixes Before Applying for Centurion Time to Apply For Centurion Armor Has Been Built... But There's Always More to Do Displaying the E-11 Mystery Purple Stains Showing Up On the Armor- SOLVED! Test Driving the Kit (All Systems Go!) SOLVED!- E-11 Holster Stretch Issues Field Exercises Reports of Rebel Scum in a Nearby Quadrant (First Outing Away from Base) Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017 (First Really Big Outing Away From the Death Star) Whew! ****Let the build begin!**** But first, I'd like to share some Star Wars cookies I made with my son awhile back. Because everyone loves cookies. Wookiee cookies are awesome because they're chewie. And yes, I know my TK cookies are not screen accurate. Everyone got a cookie? Okay, good. To the unboxing! I want to mention how awesome of an experience it was to purchase a kit from RS Props. They were professional, courteous, and always highly responsive to my (many) questions. I received my kit in just a little over two weeks after I’d placed my initial order. And that included shipping from the UK to the US! I’ve heard that in the past, RS wasn’t always as responsive or easy to obtain armor from. That was not my experience at all with them. I’d buy another kit from them in a heartbeat. I ordered the 1.5mm ABS kit, and it’s lovely. A nice milky creamy white, complete with all the bumps and lumps you’d expect from it. Someone wrote that they appreciated it when armor has that 'craptastic' look, and I think now I understand what they were talking about. A sanitized, perfectly smooth and symmetrical TK is not attractive to me at all. Now, to open the big big box... I felt a little dizzy with excitement at this point... First, the scent of the contents. An invisible wave of the smell of fresh ABS hit me as I peeled away the bubble wrap. I have found that I enjoy the smell of ABS now after building my first helmet. It smells like... victory! Ah, this is going to take a while to unwrap it all... Twenty minutes later.... Yay! It's all in great shape. You don't need to see all the close up pics of every single piece, right? Very surprised to see that every single piece is LABELED. I've stared at so many armor builds that I think I know what's what, but it's still nice to see labels so I don't have to think quite as much. Also surprised to see that the ears have been pre-marked for shaping. I wish that an additional set of ears was included with this kit though. That's okay, though. I've already built one lid and have overcome my issues with the ears, so I think I'll be okay (knocking furiously on wood). Sweet swag pack inside, too. Love the stickers! I noticed that the color is different than my ATA lid, so here are a few side by side comparisons... The RS is more creamy white, the ATA is brighter. The RS is way more bumpy/lumpy than the ATA, but also has more sharp features. The RS lid is thinner, especially around the area of the mic tips. I will most likely reinforce the inside of this thin area with some ABS paste. I’ll also be plasti-dipping the innards, so that should increase the heft of the bucket overall. And I could be wrong here (because the RS lid isn't finished yet), but the RS lid seems a bit larger than the ATA. Verdict: I really like them, despite their differences! Very glad to own them both. If I have one grumble- and it's a very minor one- it's with the Hovi-Mic tips. They are kind of sloppy. You can see the casting of these is a bit of a mess. You can also see someone's thumb print from the CA glue and extra CA glue drips on the side. I'll probably repaint these. And you can see the CA glue inside the mesh screen in the middle of the tips. I'll poke these out with a toothpick. Again, this is a super minor grumble. You can't really see most of the mic tips once they're installed anyhow. These mic tips wouldn't have stopped me from buying this kit! I'm a very happy soon-to-be trooper! I'm going to need to do a LOT of modifications to this kit to get it to fit my 5'4", 108 lb frame. I’m terrified of this whole process now, actually. I’ve been re-reading Diana’s thread http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/25919-dianas-rs-props-build-anh-stunt which has loads of info for modding an RS kit to a more petite body type. So. Let's do this!

Hey Christine, I can’t thank you enough for posting this. I received a full commission ANH TK from RS about 2 1/2 months ago. It will require quite a bit of tweaking and trimming to get it just right. I’m a little short for a stormtrooper as well, about your height at 5’4” so this post and all the other input from the great folks here is much appreciated as I begin the alterations. Wish me luck...I am one with the Force, The Force is with me...

Color matching the paint will be the problem, I prefer using automotive acrylic paint, dries quickly and can be sanded and buffed/polished. I would suggest getting it professionally color matched as least then it won't look out of place Many have used Krylon paints and seem to have no issues (as long as you aren't too heavy) but we don't have that down under so can't comment further. We do have Rustoleum and I'll never use that again, some cans can be great but others spurt and come out in blobs no matter how long you shake them for

Hey guys, happy new year! Little progress over here Thighs are done with Dans holster. I 3d scanned the leg bars and 3d printed them in 0.1mm ABS with my Raise3D Printer. Although I noticed something: On the galaxys edge figure it appears, that the 2 bars on the right leg are on the inside? While the new Target version has only the left bars, right is regular TFA style. Resistance has the bars on each outer side so I will go that route. It's a little confusing and leaves a lot room for interpretation but since the bars are "outstanding" for Pyre, I decided to go the route with bars on the outside on each leg. Currently Im glueing them on. After that, I only need to do the spats, detonator and back armor Photos will follow shortly. I figured, the next video will be the entire armor build but that will probably take some weeks , but pictures before will make this thread a little more interesting to follow as well

Make sure you wear undersuit and most importantly your boots, can make a huge difference with boots on

That image wasn't really there for reference of width of the cover strip, more showing the extra material on the sides of the cover strips, 20mm is standard front and 25mm on the back

Such a clean build Greg, you are doing great work here.

Hey Greg, no idea why the link showed that particular pic. The one I was referencing was: