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I know I am not the first one to do this type of thing, but several people in other boards have asked for some kind of tutorial for the new transport cases I just made. While I don't exactly have a full tutorial, I did write something up that at least will let you get an idea of some parts to try out, and hopefully inspire some others to theme their bins. I do this for all of my costumes, and I feel like it adds something to roll up to a troop with a bin that hints at the costume you are about to suit up in. I usually add lights, because many Star Wars crates have lights, and I try and make it a bit in-universe (like no standard lettering). Because my bin was a little smaller to fit it all (and because many times we also bring just the bucket), I made a separate helmet case. Because my ANH Stunt build was my first really clean costume with no weathering (and I LOVE weathering), I was able to get some weathering in these cases to get that out of my system. Below I will show some shots of the cases, and follow it with some build notes. Note: I do not build these on commission. They are a labor of love, and part of the costume build that I love to build over a month in the early morning hours in my cold garage, but do not want to do these for money. If Instagram is your thing, I post things like this under the username "Oddviking" The helmet case: I wanted to make something protective, and just large enough to fit around the helmet with some foam inside: These decals were used after the first set of photos, because I had just gotten a vinyl cutter and could finally add some more lettering: The Armor Bin: This is a little smaller than the usual 50 gallon one, a 45 gallon bin that had a good look as a base. Some turnarounds: The helmet case screen:

Good idea, mine is a little slippy. So I contacted trooperbay, and thank the maker, they sent me some slightly bigger washers! Great service. These fit through a lot better, but were slightly thicker too. I was able to get them to work for me. While I waited, I applied the sniper knee to the left shin. Special thanks to big bertha clamp.

On to the armor bin. I wrote up a bit more about this one: Building the Armor Bin: High-level tips on this bin: - There is such a thing as TOO MANY GREEBLIES. Greeblies -those little found objects and things that make a thing look like it has some utilitarian function of some kind. If you cover every spot, it loses something. Star Wars objects look best with areas of flat, and then areas of detail, with asymmetry being key. - I used a lot of fasteners, and getting them one at a time at the hardware store can get expensive. There are almost no Phillips style fasteners in Star Wars, so I needed a non-standard bolt. I found a good kit of small nuts and hex hole bolts that were all M3 size but in many different lengths. This allowed me to not only know every hole was my 1/8" bit but also I could find the perfect length of bolt, to minimize the protruding end INSIDE the bin. I also capped every bolt with a small cap, glued on with E6000, or hot glue on my vents. I really want to avoid any chance of scratching the glossy white armor. - For the wiring, test it all first before mounting, and use quick-connect wire connectors so you can assemble it all and test it, and then take it apart, run them through holes, and hook it all back up. Run any switches to the outside of the bin, so you can roll up to a troop, and then turn them on when people will see them, without having to open it up and do some switches every time (save battery power, and the buttons add to the look). - Roughen with sandpaper all parts before gluing. But also, all greeblies and knobs are also bolted on. I have seen glue fail so many times, and on a bin that gets knocked about, everything should be secured with a bolt if possible. - Because things get stacked on a bin, any greeblies on the lid should be secure, and tough, and not go above the top edge so that things could rest on top of it. The build: It started as a Husky 45 gallon tote. On my very first bin years ago, so much of the spray paint chipped off in that first year. It was like the plastic was resisting the paint. Later as I was washing off some cast parts to prep them for painting, it hit me. Like ALL CAST PLASTIC, bins have a mold-releaser spray residue on them when they come out of the factory. So a super important part of my bin painting process is the wash all parts with warm soapy water before starting. I did this one in the shower (with dish soap), but my bigger husky bin I washed in the driveway, like a car wash. Painting the bin was straight-forward, a few coats of primer, letting it cure for more than a day. So many painting issues, especially in winter, come from not letting the primer fully cure. Then some coats of white glossy paint. I usually do the weathering before the clear coat, but after applying some vinyl decals, in a few spots they started peeling off the paint. Not everywhere, but enough that I didn't want to risk more. I painted them back to white, and then did a satin clear coat to help the paint all stay. I used satin because gloss is really hard to paint weathering on, it has no "tooth", so I did a gloss coat after the weathering. Next I wanted to try and do the light panel thing, so I did that first. I go over it more in my previous posts, but the basic idea is I created a matte black decal using my new vinyl cutter, and applied it to a rectangle of translucent plastic. To get the red, I used a square of 3M self-adhesive brake light repair film behind it. You have to have some black area to cover the overlap, as the red light will "bleed" out a little, and you want to cover that transition. The light is a battery dimmable night-light thing with batteries and two LED strips. I opened it up, took a red wire from the batteries, and soldered in a quick release cord, and soldered the other end to a toggle switch. That way I could cover the dimmer switch (it's in the center) and leave it "on" but the switch is now on the outside of the bin controlling it. I mounted it to an aluminum bar to keep it about 5 mm away from the plastic, so that the light diffused enough to make a more even panel. For the frame, I had been saving a few of these diaper wipe lids that had a cool shape. I trimmed off the lid piece, and the part you see is the bottom, where it has a flat area they glued to the package. For the two small lights, I found these great 8mm indicator lights, basically a 5mm LED light with a metal mount around it, and pre-wired with resistors. I wired them in parallel to the 9v battery and with a toggle switch. After looking at the specs, I figured out the hole size, and had these custom laser-cut aluminum hex plates (with my 1/8" holes) to give them a cooler mount. Their 9v battery case is velcroed into the corner for easy removal to change the batteries. I used a lot of the quick-connect wire connectors to do my circuits, because there were a lot of parts that had to go through the walls of the case, and those allow you to do all of your soldering on a table, and assemble it, rather than try and solder in the case. All of these wires could get smashed and caught, so I found a white two-piece pencil case at a dollar store that was the right size, and made a cover for all of the wiring, held on with acorn nuts and wing nuts so I could remove it without tools to change the batteries. For the vents, I had been looking for years for good small vents for Star Wars projects, and this time, I realized I could just use an on-demand metal cutter site (I used SendCutSend) that I used on another project to cut some custom vents. I made the shapes in Adobe Illustrator like I used for the viny decals, and they came out really good. They have the same 1/8" hole that my bolts all use, and I backed them by the denser Phifertex Plus mesh, glued on the inside with a hot glue gun (and I hot glued over the bolt ends at the same time, so that is another bolt protection solution). I added some greeblies from @Jettsonable which were painted with a sort of hammered finish spray (his last one came as a clean print), so I used filler primer to even it out, and then painted them white. I ended up glueing, but also adding two bolts to them to ensure they stayed put. Other greeblies were some old stereo knobs from a random lot I got from Ebay. Finally, for the trooper look, I had an extra belt piece that I glued to the top with white E6000 (and also bolted, the top flexes a lot). Vinyl decals finished it off. One area where the vinyl peeled off the paint on the lid, I had to cut a new rectangle of ABS, and glue/bolt it on, and apply new lettering (the area with "FISD" and "Imperial property" in Aurebesh). The reason I use the white paintable E6000 is because the seep out spots can be painted with the weathering. For weathering, I did my usual technique of painting with mostly black acrylic, wiping off with a rag, painting in, wiping off with a wet rag, back and forth a few times, until it looks right. Lots of gunk under the edge of the rim where all of those chambers are hard to clean, and less in the open areas. Grime near buttons where fingers touch. Mud spray from the wheels up into their cutouts. Just do it with intention and though for HOW it got dirty. Finally, a glossy clear coat, being sure to tape over all screens, lights, knobs, vents, and buttons to keep the spray from affecting those areas. All in all, I love how it came out, and I had few setbacks. I can't wait to roll up to a troop with this! Parts: Husky 45 Gallon (170.3 L) Latch and Stack Tote with Wheels Battery powered dimmable night light panel. 3M High-Strength Red Lens Repair Film Diaper wipes lid piece (Aiden & Anais, no longer made, but others are similar) M3 hex bolt set white dollar store two-piece pencil case custom Laser Cut aluminum vents Phifertex Plus black mesh Hot Glue white paintable E6000 8mm indicator lights 9v battery case velcro 1/2" wide aluminum bar (1/8") Round Toggle Switches Rustoleum white primer Rustoleum Glossy white spray paint Rustoleum satin clear coat Rustoleum Gloss clear coat Liquitex Basics Acrylic black and raw umber paint Antique stereo knobs from Ebay custom vinyl lettering decals stormtrooper belt plate I made this diagram for someone following my build. My LEDs came pre-resistored, but if yours aren't, you will need to use an Ohm's Law Calculator to determine the different resistors (white and red use different volts). I hope I didn't forget anything, but I am open to answer questions! I look forward to more people making in-universe transport cases!

Looking the part tooper. Padding behind the sniper plate should help to keep it forward. If you have padding in the thigh try moving it to the rear, it will push the thigh backwards away from the sniper plate

I somehow missed this thread. I was approved October 28th, 2020. I was approved EIB #1007 November 9th, and Centurion #485 on December 2nd. I look forward to trooping!

How do you always manage to beat me by a matter of seconds, Glen?

For Basic 501st approval, ANH Hero, Stunt and ESB can use the overlap method (the type you currently have). If you choose to advance to Expert Infantry level or above, the joins must be separate cover strips. Overlap (construction)- As used on ROTJ armor, this is where one side of the bicep, forearm, thigh and calf connecting seams overlap the opposite seam, eliminating the need for a cover strip Cover strip- Plastic strip used to cover the bicep, forearm, thigh and calf seams on ANH and ESB armor " I think all I have left to do for basic approval is... fill in the side gaps..." Technically, there is no requirement for this at Basic approval, but it certainly looks better! Since you are getting a new bucket, at this point you can either go Hero or Stunt. I would check out the CRLs for each, as the holster placement is different (among other things). Hope this gives you some insight, and feel free to ask any more questions you have... we are here to help!

FX can be built butt join coverstrip construction. You cut the pieces so they join in the middle, you then glue a coverstip on the top. This is for ANH and ESB, for ROTJ you use the overlap method. FX is overlap (ROTJ style) Reference overlap ROTJ ANH/ESB butt join coverstip Coverstrip widths Arms front and back 15mm Thighs front and back 20mm Shins front 20mm, rear 25mm

Fantastic job David

did I do it right? 501st Legion - Vader's Fist

We can see the pics! Forearm can be tricky, I did a wedge shape cut on the sides. Page 3 of AJ's build deals with the forearms

Also Logan I am happy to work with you and your GML on this. He has already spoken with me briefly and I mentioned we are taking care of you. Our main goal is to get you approved and out trooping again.

I'd say they look pretty darn good. Make sure you are aligning the tops not the bottoms, those will get a minor trim when the time comes. Make sure the top inner edge of the ridge doesn't dig into you to much else while walking it could rub and either become annoying or slowly wear through your under suit. Good to see you have wrapped them outside half over inside because once you get to trimming and adding the rear cover strips that how they will need to close. You are doing fine Rod, just fine.

Okay, I think I got it.

https://i.imgur.com/v4paV9b.jpg Thank you for the tutorials. Let’s see if this works edit: I’m not sure if I did this correctly. All I can see is the link I posted. I’m decent with many things but my smart phone is not one of them haha

You need to post the link to your 501st membership profile, have a look at other posts in this thread . You won't be able to start a post thete until you have access granted.

Looks awesome, David!

All right I have finally finished the helmet. Picked up from where I left off from pg. 2. Finished the assembly. Installed the decals. Painted the ear bumps. Painted the Hovi tips. I may paint where the equals are later? I installed some mounts like @A.J. Hamler did. I really like that way. Cut and installed the green lenses. Installed the screen with some double sided gorilla tape. Painted the tube stripes. There was some slight bleed through. But that cleaned up easy with some tooth picks. They are a pencil width from the top of the tube. Finally put in the padding which I will be replace with a Motorcycle helmet liner. I want a tighter fit. Installed Dave's bucket breeze fans. http://i.imgur.com/M1V5UVn.jpg http://i.imgur.com/P6mopYg.jpg

Glens advice is spot on, give that a try before anything else. looking sharp David.

Will definitely cut those down! Thank you

I've said it before on your FB post, but again, outstanding work on these precision engineered carry cases Colin. Cant tell you how much I love them and to also have a build thread for them here is something the detachment is well and truly grateful for.

Butt plate looks ok to me. There is no set rule for ends of cover strips, most try to follow the angle of the armor pieces Personally I would trim like this (green)

Great job, Trooper! Always happy to provide assistance!

Build notes for the helmet case: Here are some overarching things I use on these: - In all of George Lucas’s props, there were (almost) never any Phillips-headed screws, so start collecting those other types. Save any lathed/machined metal bits and parts for greeblies, you sometimes will find the perfect spot for one. - Try and use uncommon hinges and latches to avoid the common-looking hardware store bits. - I use primer on all plastic to ensure adhesion, but I skip it on the metal, so you can chip the paint on the edges during weathering. - Reinforce things that were not intended to bear weight or stress (like a plastic flower pot needs help for the latches, hinge, so I added some white plastic pieces which also helped get things to line up over the lip, and I added aluminum strips down the sides for strengthening the handle holes). - There is such a thing as too many greeblies. Give them some space, and asymmetry to let the occasional one enhance the aesthetic. - On most plastic parts, especially bins, there feels like there is some mold-releaser on there from when they were cast. Just like other cast parts, I wash it first in warm soapy water before the primer layer. - Cover all logos. That means on plastic bins (or flower pots), I often grind or carve down the lettering, and then glue / bolt a plastic cover plate to ensure it looks smooth. For this one I did two curved shapes to cover all of the lettering that was on the bottom of the "coaster". Parts: - Hinge is a “Stainless Steel 6'' Cast Strap Hinge for Boat Marine” - latches are “2pcs Flexible Rubber Draw Latch Over-Center Boat Latch for for Door Handle Cooler, Boat Compartment, Cargo Box, Front Storage Rack” - custom Aurebesh OLED screen is from “Jettisonable” on Etsy @jettisonable_3d on IG - plastic flower pots and saucer are from Home Depot, 14" "Southern Patio" brand. - many of the tiny bolts are from a set of many lengths from Amazon: “VIGRUE 570PCS Stainless Steel M3 Button Head Hex Socket Cap Screw Bolts, M3 x 4/5/6/8/10/12/14/16/18/20/25mm Screw and Nuts Flat Washer Assortment Kit, Fully Machine Thread” - black strip is some adhesive automotive edging.

Does my butt plate need to be tucked in a bit more? This is what it will look like, but I'm not sure if the snaps are okay to be seen. I could give it a bath to hide it better changing it to this. It doesn't look like it needs adjusting, but I wanted to ask before moving on.

Thank you brother appreciate it. All changes were made right after I just didn’t have time to take the pics hahaha

Thanks everybody for the tips and help. I am approved by the 501 legion and i am ready to serve the empire with ID: TK59000 [emoji16][emoji1303] Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

Just a little electronics eye candy and a new shin.

Hi Ardeshir. Great to see your Centurion App so soon. I'll be with you shortly. Added to the Processing line

Wow, looking great!!

This sniper knee is a pain in the butt. Might have to take the padding out of my thigh to see if it keeps it from going behind. Also would like to do a little more trimming on 1 shoulder bell to bring it in a tad closer.

shout you guys out too for the help and insight and hooking me up with the right stuff as well @Sly11 @ukswrath @justjoseph63 @MaskedVengeance thank you guys.

Thank you brother appreciate it beyond words. FOTK being built now. Two of them hahahaha

Nice work, you may want to just trim down those inner screws so they don't dig in when rushing to put your helmet on or off

Appears your AB plate is on an angle which may be causing the height difference

Unfortunately that is not the full link, only search result, click on your link from the search results and post that link, or provide your TK ID and it can be looked up for you

Now to finish my shins. The left shin is already assembled, I've just finished the right with the coverstrips. The shins line up much better at the back after several hot water bathes. This makes the velcro connection better in appearance and performance. I've also placed the velco on the inside for the boot attachment.

I added this adjustment to my Centurion thread, but it should go here too: Just an update, I made the couple of finishing touches that were recommended in my Centurion approval as "nice to have" additions after it was approved. First up was trimming the thigh and cod area to give it a bit more black, and probably a bit less chafing on a parade troop: Updated. I can always trim more, but trying this for now: And then the classic "trooper butt" issue: @gmrhodes13 had a simple solution, and I decided to make it. He suggested they go out on the sides, but for how my armor was popping straight back, I found the ideal location was more toward the 1/3 points. I took some card stock to figure out the size I might need, and then took some of the cover strip plastic [EDIT: black plastic would be more ideal, because these clips will just be visible in the crack - I plan to paint mine black in that gap], and cut two rectangles, 3cm by 7.5cm. I used @ukswrath's focused heating technique, where you use a couple of pieces of wood on either side of a bend spot, and heat just that gap, for a more controlled bend. On mine, I needed about 1 cm of arch on the inside for it to work: Glued on one side with white E6000 (for this to work, it just gets mounted on one side. That way you can still detach the armor, and it can slide side to side a bit for some movement. These clips just keep the bottom from being able to pop out further than the other plate). I placed them 4 cm from the edges of the back rectangular detail. I tried it on, and it worked perfectly! No more trooper-butt! Thanks for the suggestions, team!

Most of the parts are here!

Here are a couple of pics of a kit I build last year. As it shows, I'm quite fond of wear and tear. The E-11 will however be much more subtle.

Your build approach with so many differing elements really speaks of your design background. I too have opted for the slow and steady build approach, although at times, it does feel like I'm stuck in third year with no sight of graduation, if you catch my drift. May you focus all the more on your build targets and get things done in stages. Cheers! Sent from my SM-G390W using Tapatalk

Thanks for the offer. Can you alter the headlien to read: "What the heehaw am I doing wrong?! A DD pipe dream"