Leaderboard

I would do one on the top. one near the bottom and one in the center. In my personal opinion, the way Mark @MightyAtom has done his is ideal, and is the way I do mine. Let me explain: 1. Note how there is no gap in the connection. A slight overlap is ok, though. 2. Note that he has used the "double snap" method (I swear by it) for the right side connection. It's a little extra work, but you know that connection will never come undone during a troop. Trust me. I use black 2" elastic for the right side (doubled over when setting the snaps). The reason being is that when suiting up, it's MUCH easier to connect (snap) them. There is very little room, and having elastic instead of Nylon will help. Make sure when installing the rivets on the left side that you follow the diagram below for measurements. Note that the CENTER of the rivet is right at 10 mm from the side, the rivets are directly across from each other and that the tops of the connection are even *second diagram). Last up: Some like to use ABS plates to attach the bottom part of the snaps to armor as seen below. I am not a fan of this unless the surface is perfectly flat. I use Nylon and glue it to the armor using E-6000 and clamps. The reason is that I find Nylon conforms to the curved surface better. I also suggest NOT using CA (super) glue. Some folks have had success with it, but it can (and does) get brittle over time and the connection can fail.

Hi all, I'm new from Columbus, GA. "New" is relative however, because I've snooped on the forums for quite awhile. Recently I bit the bullet on a WTF ANH kit with some prior work done to it (will be starting a build thread soon.) I'd like to build it as an ESB TK and achieve Level 2 or 3 certification since I couldn't live with armor that doesn't have all the little details. Anyways, Looking forward to getting to know some Georgia Garrison members and hopefully do some trooping someday! -Sammy

Mandatory Information Armor = RS Kit Helmet= RS Kit Blaster= Troopacoola Kit, assembled by T-Jay Optional Height = 177cm Weight = 55kg Boots = Imperial Boots Canvas belt = RS Hand Plates = RS Neck Seal = RS Holster = Darman Full Body Armor Details Helmet Details Accessories Blaster Details If any pictures are missing, please let me know. Thanks for your consideration!

Hi Luca, and THANKS for your awesome submission for E.I.! I can tell that you really put your heart into this build, sir... so many aspects are absolute textbook. But (as you were probably expecting) there are a few items. Nothing that you can't take care of in a few minutes, but we have faith in you! First up is the drop box on the right side. It's a small thing, but the edges need to line up just as they do on your left side. A dab of E-6000 behind the rear of the strap and you are good to go! I know it may be a pain, but we will need an updated photo (right side only, suited up) once you get this done. Not a deal breaker for Level 2, but the vocoder should be symmetrical on both sides. 10 seconds with a paintbrush will do the trick. KUDOS: Fantastic to see that you painted your hand guards! Also wanted to say that you really did an outstanding job on lining up the sniper knee plate with the ridges on the shin. Not the easiest of feats (especially with RS) but you made it work! Does it stick out a bit on the bottom (yellow arrow)? Yep, but I LOVE it! Well done!

Good luck Luca. It's good to see photos of the trooper behind all the great memes!

Hi Luca. Great to see your EIB app sir. It's added the processing line now

Very cool transformation at a low cost with minimal tool! GREAT work! I have a couple Rubies E-11s that I'd like to do similar conversions to in the future.

Some more photos. Muzzle and front sight was replaced with DIY'd one. Here's the original and modified side by side. Yes, I couldn't help myself from buying another clean original Disney Blaster. I'm going to keep this as it is because why not ? Comparison of the right side. Side by side comparison. This build was completed with only the basic tools and material I had. No resin parts, no printed parts. Just styrene plates, epoxy putty, sandpaper and patience. Hoping this may become some reference to anyone looking for a inexpensive reasonable and fun build.

Welcome Aboard !

Hi Sammy! Welcome Welcome!!

I miss seeing your build progress, Shane. Though I’m afraid I’ve likely progressed as minimally as you (or perhaps less, haha). Hope you’re doing well man. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to FISD Sammy!

Foam would be fun for Cosplay but not 501st approval unfortunately. So if your aim is simply Cos or Halloween then $33 cant hurt

TLJ/TroS This is currently what we are up to, we do need to go back through the many pages here and make sure we are including everything possible. Images required for shoulder tabs, correct blaster version for TroS with additional pic rail and anyu supportive images of changes we are looking to make. I feel this is all pretty straight forward and don't think there ewill be any push back from the LMO team. The plan from here will be to have this all settles for membership polling by end of April. Once polls open, we can move onto the next CRL update. White is existing text in the CRL Green is additions and corrections Red is what exists but requires change/removal or to suit TroS where needed. Helmet Lenses are smoky brown or gray in color. They may be bubble in shape or flat and must be sufficiently dark enough to obscure the costumer's eyes. A single silver aerator/mic tip cylinder is on lower left side of the wearer's chin. The frown is solid black and covered in black hexagonal mesh that extends to the tears. Each tear (area beneath the corners of eye lenses) is solid black. Seven cut out tube stripe slots are on each side of the helmet. Two clip greeblies are present over the traps on the side. Two clip greebles are present on the top of the helmet, parallel to the trap greeblies. The clip greeblies must be the correct TLJ version. Along the base of the helmet a black stripe runs from the side of the helmet and across the back to the other side. There is a slight groove that circumvents circles the helmet above the brow. There is a slight grove that circumvents circles the helmet along the bottom and over the chin. A brow of solid black material spans from the traps over the lenses. Directly below the traps toward the base of the helmet is a small trapezoidal stripe. Mouth area is angled and has 7 teeth with mesh/grill behind. Neckseal Black with horizontal ribs, fitted to the wearer, and extending from the base of the neck to conceal the entire neck. No hair or skin should be visible around the neck area. The neck seal may close at the front or the rear. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The neck seal must close at the front using a zipper enclosure. Not sure about this one as it was seen both ways.Do we just go for a uniform look all one way???? Ideally, the neckseal shall have 11 ribs. · The neckseal has a glossy finish. Chest Plate The chest plate overlaps the abdominal plate. The center-top of the chest plate is recessed and black on the side and upward facing edges. A smaller clasp greeblie shall be present on each side of the chest, just inside a small indented area the size of the greeblie. There is a slight groove running vertical on each lateral side of the chest that angles toward the center. Six recessed black ovals are on the wearer's right side, left of the greeblie. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Grooves on sides of chest should show clear separation. Six recessed black ovals are cut out and backed with black material. Back/Yoke The back plate contains a "O II" design, and the O is black in color. ·There are no visible seams on the back/yoke. The yoke portion extends over the wearer's shoulders and curves under the armpits. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): A support tab extending from the outside top arch of the yoke shall be present. The support tab should be of a sturdy material, white in color. Need to include an image of the support tabs Thermal Detonator The thermal detonator mounting plate sits under the back plate and rests above the belt. The control panel is black. The right hand recessed end cape is black. The lefthand end cap extends from the detonator assembly and is black all around the cylinder as well as the end surface. The left-hand end cap extends from the detonator assembly and is all black. · There should be no visible seams A visible seam is permissible between the detonator assembly piece and the detonator mounting plate. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Small section of black around the base of the left extended end cap shall be present. The slot that runs across the top of the detonator shall have a black decal or be painted black at the bottom of the groove. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The end cap is part of an inner cylinder that slides into the detonator assembly. The cylinder is completely painted black. It is visible through the top grove and back window(control Panel) The slot that runs across the top of the detonator should be cut through so the inserted black cylinder is visible Shoulder Gaskets Gaskets shall be rubber or a shiny black material with ridges. The shoulder gaskets must cover all exposed areas under the shoulder bell, between the bicep and chest, and between bicep and back. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): · Gaskets shall be made of rubber. Fabric gaskets are not acceptable. Shoulder Bells One on each shoulder. The shoulders are considered effectively symmetrical. They may be worn interchangeably on the left and right shoulders. Shoulders have small round extension at the top under the bell itself that butts up against the yoke. } Biceps Biceps have one seam that faces forward, and a seam on the inside of the arm. The rest of the bicep must be seamless. A clip greeblie is present low and across the seam. Two black ovals are present on the outside-facing side of the · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Trapezoid detail and ridges in bicep must be present (small detailed section). The inner seam should be overlapped construction Seams can be fixed or functional. Elbow Gaskets Gaskets shall be rubber or a shiny black material with ridges. The elbow gaskets must cover all exposed areas between the bicep and forearm. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Gaskets shall be made of rubber. Fabric gaskets are not acceptable Forearms Forearms shall have have ridged rail, similar to a picatinny, embedded on the inside of the forearm, roughly covered 1/3rd by a box shape. Forearms shall have a box on the bottom of the wrist end. Each box shall have a single black square in the lower inside corner. Each forearm shall have two 'clasp greeblies' on the outside facing surface, near the wrist. ·Detail box includes black rectangle on small edge perpendicular and closest to wrist. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): On the ridged rail the third retaining button head closest to elbow is to be painted grey or is a grey decal. · The boxes should sit against the forearm with minimal to no gap. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The seam between the forearm boxes and the forearm should not be filled. The top (elbow end) of the forearms should be trimmed in the correct TLJ shape TFA cut is not permissible. (Replace images with more accurate shape) Gloves/Handplates Are black with white palm, thumb and forefinger. Extend underneath the forearm. White area is made from leather or leather-like material. Handplates are rigid square boxes and the hand plates are mounted securely over the back of the glove. The recessed oval detail is aligned with the index finger of each hand. A black decal or paint may be used to emulate the recessed oval detail. ¨ OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Glove palm must have black stitching. Abdomen Section The abdomen section must wrap around the wearer's body without a visible seam. ·The abdomen has 7 boxes attached that match the order and placement shown against the armor. The large box has a small black recessed square on the lower left to the wearer. The second box to the right of the wearer has a small black recessed rectangle near the top. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The boxes should sit against the abdominal plate with minimal to no gaps. · OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The seams between the abdominal armor and the 7 boxes should not be filled. Codpiece The codpiece sits below the abdomen and under the belt. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): ·TLJ correct cod is required. Must replace image with correct cod OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Posterior armor The posterior armor sits below the abdomen and under the belt. Belt The belt is ribbed and made from a rubber or a rubber like material. The width of the belt is approximately 2" (50mm). Five white rectangular boxes and one pouch sit on the belt. There are 2 horizontal boxes on the front, on each side of the center. They are painted white on the outside half and black on the inside half. There are 2 vertical boxes on the right of the wearer. There is a large vertical black pouch with a white cover behind the left side of the wearer. A small black cloth pouch is worn on the left side and hides the buckle or remaining belt material. Undersuit An undergarment must be worn such that the space between the thighs and the belt shows a black material. The black material may be shiny or matte. The reference photo shows the type used on screen but is not required for basic approval. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The shorts area of the undersuit should be shiny. Thighs There are seams on the inside and outside of the thighs. A clip greeblie is present high and across the outside seams of each thigh. The right outside thigh to the wearer includes a base for a holster (holster must be present). · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Holster must be shown to be Functional. Knee Gaskets Gaskets shall be rubber or a shiny black material with ridges. The knee gaskets must cover all exposed areas between the thigh and shin. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Gaskets shall be made of rubber. Fabric gaskets are not acceptable. Knee Plates The knee plates mirror each other and are placed evenly between the thigh and the shin. Convex edge of knee plate faces upward. Shins There are seams on the inside and outside of the shins, with the opening on the inside. A clip greeblie is present high and across the outside seams of each shin. The wearer's left outside shin includes two vertical thin boxes that are seamless. There is a rounded rectangle at the bottom outer front of each shin, which is visible above the spat. The recessed area is black. Spats The spats wrap around the lower ankle, just below the black ankle rectangles. The spats are enclosed on the outside of the ankle with a greeblie that overlaps the open side. There is a visible seam on the inside of the ankle. Boots The boots are above-ankle height, and made of white leather or leather-like material. There is a seam down both sides of the front that swoops out to the side of the foot. There is a vertical zipper on the inside that spans the height of the boot. There is a black flat sole with no heel. No buckles or laces. Optional Accessories Items below are optional costume accessories. These items are not required for approval, but if present appear as described below. If adding in an accessory after initial approval, the item still needs to be submitted to local GML for approval before use. Shoulder Pauldron A red, white, or black ornament made of rigid plastic or plastic-like material, worn over the right shoulder. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Must not be worn with riot baton or riot shield. Ammo Pouch One three slot German MP-40 style ammo pouch on the left shoulder. Pouch is black in color and made of canvas, leather or leather-like material. Pouch stitching must be black. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Ammo Vest Black cordura or cordura-type material covering the chest armor. There are two straps attached to the outer top edges of the vest, going around the shoulders to connect to clips on each side of the vest. An additional strap starts along the bottom of the vest and goes around the wearer. There are 5 ammo pouches present. There are 3 white plates mounted along the top of the 3 central ammo pouches. Straps are connected with quick disconnects (clips). There are additional fabric bands across each ammo pouch. The outer two ammo pouches have front flaps present and closed. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Strapping should match reference photo. When worn, riot baton and riot shield must not be present. Riot baton The baton has a white base with two black triangles on both sides, a silver pommel, black side grips, and a silver handle perpendicular to the base. The end of the base has an extension roughly 1 foot long with 5 silver bands equally spaced apart. ·There is a black strip running down the center of both sides of the extension. At the end of the extension, there are two white half cylinder arms each with 5 silver bands equally spaced apart. The end of the half-cylinders are angled at roughly 45 degrees. · OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Riot shield and riot baton must both be present. Pauldron, backpack, ammo pouches and ammo vest shall not be worn with riot baton/riot shield combination. F-11D Blaster Blaster may be scratch-built, or a modified commercial toy Stormtrooper blaster. · Details to be painted black, white and silver per reference photos. Blaster may have a picatinny rail on right side of barrel Blaster may have sling attached. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Rear sight is painted black D-Ring shall be present on the rear end cap, rectangular in shape and painted white 3-D printed blasters can not contain visible print lines, and must be sanded smooth for a more realistic appearance. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Working lights and working front torch are required. Front handle must be movable. Blaster must have a picatinny rail on front side of barrel F-11D Blaster Rifle (Heavy) Blaster may be scratch-built, or a modified commercial toy Stormtrooper blaster. Similar to standard F-11D Blaster with extended stock attached. Details to be painted black, white and silver per reference photos. Blaster may have a picatinny rail on right side of barrel OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Rear sight is painted white 3-D printed blasters can not contain visible print lines, and must be sanded smooth for a more realistic appearance. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): 3-D printed riot baton can not contain visible print lines, and must be sanded smooth for a more realistic appearance. Working lights and working front torch are required. Front handle must be movable. Blaster must have a picatinny rail on front side of barrel NEW Additions: Riot baton The baton has a white base with two black triangles on both sides,a silver pommel, black side grips, and a silver handle perpendicular to the base. The end of the base has an extension roughly 1 foot long with 5 silver bands equally spaced apart. There is a black strip running down the center of both sides of the extension. At the end of the extension, there are two white half cylinder arms each with 5 silver bands equally spaced apart. The end of the half-cylinders are angled at roughly 45 degrees. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): 3-D printed riot baton can not contain visible print lines, and must be sanded smooth for a more realistic appearance. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Riot shield and riot baton must both be present. Pauldron, backpack, ammo pouches and ammo vest shall not be worn with riot baton/shield combination. Baton should have working lights down length of both sides of the barrel, and top of rear housing, center of back triangle area. Electroprod Blaster Prod may be scratch-built or 3D printed. Details to be painted black, white and silver per reference photos. OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): There is a small tube that runs from half way up the shaft to the head. 3-D Electrprods can not contain visible print lines, and must be sanded smooth for a more realistic appearance. OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): Electroprod must have working lights, rows of red in top silver housing and blue in end prongs. First Order Hand binders.

Hello and welcome aboard. Looking foward to seeing a build from you soon

Hi Sammy and welcome! Post up lots of pics in your build log, that will help with questions. Hope to see you at a troop in the future, lots of opportunities for making people smile.

So here's the completed Disney E-11 Blaster modification. So here's the original. and then the modified blaster. Original again, and the modified one. More photos. I know it's missing the power cylinder, rear end cap design among others but I'm satisfied as it is and I'm calling it complete for this build. It weighs only 340 grams so it's super troopable. It won't bother you even when it's in the holster.

I sorta figured there would be clear and accurate reportage on here. But to boil it down to the essentials. NECA bought Rubies when they went bankrupt, and all the new Rubies stuff since then has been under that umbrella. They got the Star Wars portion of Anovos' licensing when Disney/LFL didn't let them renew, due to all the legal crap and unfulfilled orders. Rather than stick it under the Rubies brand (which has had some pretty good offerings, like their Supreme Edition Royal Guard helmet), NECA created "Rubies II" specifically to create Denuo Novo under. Yes, it sounds like Anovos, because they got the assets LFL had given to Anovos and the production materials Anovos had developed, and are being made States-side at the Macallan, Texas, facility Anovos set up, probably by the same employees. They also got all the outstanding-order info. They said in their initial e-mail that they'd be trying to start fulfilling backorders in September, but people started getting the helmets they'd ordered before the end of August. The stuff that was in interrupted production or already had stock on-hand was the first to go out. Things that required actual manufacture or post-processing were projected to take longer. I reached out to them early to enquire about my FOTK ensemble and, at that time, they said they were hoping for early 2022. I asked for an update somewhere during the holiday season, and they'd refined that to Q1 or Q2. About two days before the pre-order listing went up on their site, I had asked for any new info, as we were well into Q1, and was told as early in Q2 as they could manage. From the way things were phrased, I feel they're hoping to have armor kits shipping by May the Fourth. There are some compromises for speed. While the pieces will be cut apart, there will be flashing still, so it'll be up to the customer to do final cleanup. The arm and leg gaskets are included, but the rep who was answering my pestering wasn't sure of the type and method, but thought it was the same as the earlier Anovos ones, so figure solid rubber ribbing, with all the stiffness that entails. I suggested doing the "hollowcast" rubber style some fan makers have done, and they forwarded that to the property coordinator, but that likely won't be for this initial wave. No neckseal or gloves or boots included in the armor kit. But for those of us who ordered the complete ensemble back in the day, we are still going to be sent the TLJ helmet that will be coming out (they project) this fall. I asked about the TFA version, but they said LFL/Disney had only authorized the TLJ. So far, Royal Guard, Din Djarin, Shore Trooper, Flametrooper, and Luke Skywalker helmets have shipped. The Blue Leader and Rey's scavenged X-Wing helmets are due to follow shortly. We have rough to fine projections for several other items, but no, it's not all clear sailing. They have no projection yet for the apparently-cursed Kylo ensemble. And yes, after our outstanding orders are filled, any new purchases will be at the new, not-made-in-China-and-with-supplies-procured-during-the-pandemic prices. I certainly have noticed the drastic increase in the cost of raw materials over the last couple years. I do not expect them to be somehow magically immune. And before pointing to unlicensed vendors' prices, remember that key word -- license. Anyone who's been paying attention knows just how usurous Disney and Star Wars licenses are. I don't even want to think how steep the combined beast is. Remember what happened to Icons and Master Replicas and the PropShop, all the trouble eFX and Anovos had/are having, and how quickly Museum Replicas shed the license when they had it. I'm going to, hopefully, keep supporting Denuo Novo -- but not until I have my FOTK ensemble in-hand.

Thank you. Yes I’m happy to share and happy to hear everyone’s feedback and opinions. Looking forward to the mistakes and accomplishments that come with.

Here is Eric's link, he posted in the wrong place. Please grant him access. https://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=27032

OP (MV) Post #48: Helmet Repainting In my previous build update I covered my initial painting of the helmet traps and tears, and while I was happy with the results of my tears, I was too heavy-handed with the paintbrush on the traps, and some paint wrinkling occurred. This update will include the following: Trap Repainting Frown Teeth Repainting Ear painting and Countersink Reinforcement Tips Helmet Interior Hardware Paint and Lens Polishing Faceplate and Cap Alignment (pre-attachment) Neck Opening Dimensions and S-trim Questions Upcoming Response to Comment Trap Repainting First up, repainting one of each of the rear and side traps. In both instances, I previously went too heavy with the enamel paint, resulting in some wrinkling. I was happy with the external profile and placement of the black "outlines" that I had painted before, so I decided to try to sand down the wrinkles on the grey, then repaint a second layer on top of the first one (as opposed to removing ALL the grey and black paint and starting fresh). Below is a photo progression of the process. First I put down two layers of tape around the perimeter of the sanding area in order to prevent scratches on the white ABS. Then I began with 220 grit sandpaper then worked my way to 600. I did not want to use any courser grit so as not to accidentally scratch too deep into the paint. After sanding I wiped the area clean with rubbing alcohol, removed the blue tape, then proceeded to hand-paint the gray portions again with Humbrol #5 gloss. Before painting the gray on the left-rear trap (which had been left black for the past year so that I could paint it at the same time as the right now) I also wanted to straighten out the bowed bottom edge that I had accidentally painted when using excess Trooperbay decal material as a template as documented in this post. Some blue tape, 91% isopropyl alcohol, and craft (popsicle) sticks later and I now have a sufficient bottom edge. On the right-side trap and the right-rear trap I also wanted to narrow the black outline, which essentially meant painting the grey out a little more. In order to minimize the first layer paint edge from creating a visible seam line on the new top coat, I sanded down the edges of the first coat to create a smooth gradient to the bottom black layer. I was also hopeful that the base layer of black underneath the new extended grey area wouldn't result in the grey appearing darker than the main center mass of the grey, and I think it looks just fine. The narrowed thickness of the black outline now better matches my left trap and the tears. With the base grey and black outline now complete on the rear traps, it was finally time to have a go at black vent lines. I decided to use the exact same strategy that I employed for my tears, using a TB masking template and sponge technique as documented by Cricket. Joseph also has a Template Painting 101 thread for those of you new to the craft. First I sealed the template with a thin layer of grey, and then I sponged on several coats of black. The top photos below show the state before cleanup with mineral spirts and toothpicks, while the bottom pair shows the initial final result. As can be seen when looking closely, this is where I ran into my first problem. Somewhere along the way I erred with paint thickness or drying time (I pulled the templates up within five minutes, which was surely too soon for drying), because when I pulled up the templates some of the painted extreme tips of the vents came up with them. After cleaning it up as best I could with mineral spirits, craft (popsicle) sticks, and toothpicks, I was still not satisfied, but I decided against free-hand painting the problem areas due to the finesse that would have been required. Unfortunately, in that moment I had to head off to work so I had to table the paint work and lose valuable cleanup TIME before the paint fully cured. After a day or two of deliberation busy life obligations I decided to try something crazy, which was to reuse the same already-used masking templates. Note that, at least back in 2020, Trooperbay included two sheets of each template, so technically I had some to spare, but I wanted to save my second set. Surprisingly, it worked ok, and though I did have to spend some time cleaning up paint that seeped under the template, I’m mostly happy with the end result, shown below. The first three photos show my process up close, first with what the reused template looked like before repainting, and then my cleanup tools (mineral spirts in a small bottle and DVI cable cap). This quad-photo below shows the traps before (left) and after (right) cleanup. It's not perfect, but I can live with it. In hindsight, I slightly wish I had used a standard template instead of "hand-painted" one, in order to achieve more uniformity. Frown Teeth Repainting I spent months debating whether or not to add more paint to the teeth, not due to the first coat being too light, but instead due to the teeth color stopping well before the gums. Essentially I was trying to decide whether the teeth needed more coverage, particularly at the bottom. In my heart I knew that answer was yes, but I was hesitant to potentially compromise the very smooth paint job I laid down with the first coat. I had certainly used borderline too much paint in order get a buttery smooth surface, but luckily didn't experience any wrinkling, likely due to there not being a concave surface for paint pooling (and instead a convex plane). This first triple-photo below shows the "before" state from my first found of painting a year ago. For a time I considered simply adding some paint at the bottoms of the teeth, but I knew I'd never be happy with a visible paint seam. I was also worried about a ridge at the edge of the undercoat being visible through the extended top coat. To test whether or not this would be an issue, I pulled out my trusty paint test strip of ABS that I'd used for various paint tests (paint thickness, opacity, finish, color, sanding, straight-line clean-up) in the past. I sanded down an edge of an old painted rectangle then painted a new later on top of both it and an un-sanded edge. Once it cured I noticed that a faint line of the bottom layer edge was visible in the top layer, which cemented my decision. To combat such a ridge I decided to very carefully sand down the edges of the original coat of teeth paint in order to create a more gentle taper to the unpainted portion of the teeth/gums (this was the same technique I used for my aforementioned fixed traps above). With edge sanding complete, it was time to dive into the new coat of Humbrol #5 gloss enamel. Rather than rely solely on and painting to masking tape like I did the first time, I elected to use a combination of freehand painting and masking this time, particularly since I know knew how easy it would be to clean up over-paint while it’s still wet. I decided to mask the tops of all except the center tooth since I wanted to maintain the top edge, and also added guide tape at the bottom of the teeth (shown in the before and after photos below) to mark the front edge of the frown curve. However, rather than paint to that bottom guide, I free-handed the bottom painted portion, ending well before the line. It was really more a point of reference. The goal of this repainting was to have a “full” frown when viewed from the front when previously some of the teeth looked like they were missing their bottoms. This before and after photo below shows the difference between post-sanding, after which a little bit of the edges of the teeth paint had been removed, and after they had been repainted. Notice how the paint extends lower, even compared to the very first photo in the triple-pane at the beginning of this teeth section. I think I succeeded in eliminating the appearance of white humps at the bottom of each tooth, as hoped for. The triple-photo below shows pre-cleanup teeth immediately after removing the masking tape, followed by larger images of my finished product post mineral spirit cleanup. I am now quite happy with the result. Ear Painting and Countersink Reinforcement While I had my paints out I thought I would also try my hand at painting the rank bar areas on my ears. I suspect that most builders usually do this after their helmet is assembled, but I wanted to take advantage of having the untrimmed ears sit flat on a table to maximize stability during the hand-painting process. I understood that I might make errors in my ear trimming so I painted all four of the ears that came with my ATA kit. Once I move on to trimming and sanding the ears I will cover up the painted area so as not to damage the finish during the constant handling and sanding process. Throughout my TK-building journey I’ve grown to appreciate the imperfections and abnormalities of this white armor, and one area I was intent on maintaining was the rectangular vs rounded edges of the painted ear areas. This was done very easily on my ATA armor and I essentially simply followed the form of the ABS. I laid down some masking tape on the four sides of each rank area then followed up my Testors 1139 semi-gloss black enamel paint application with some mineral spirit cleanup. I let the black layer cure for several days before returning with the Humbrol Gloss 5 gray enamel in order to allow me to clean up any mis-painting without impacting the black layer below. Similarly, I waited several days before returning to do the single black rank marking on each ear. Thoughts on my ear painting? For those of you interested in an alternative to painting these ear details, Trooperbay sells pinstripe tape and rank bar decals. Personally I almost caved on the rank bar lines since it took me three tries (wiping off the paint twice to start over) to get it to my liking. My method of paint application may have been a bit unconventional, using the large end of a toothpick and then cleaning up with the pointed end. Also related to the ears, a year ago when I used milliput for my hovi reinforcement and lens mounting I had some extra left over so I decided reinforce the inside of the ears where the mounting screws would need to be countersunk (for higher levels of approval). Here is what that looks like. Notice that in one ear I also painted over the milliput with Testors 1145 gloss white enamel, which apparently dried to a bit more of a cream color. I had planned to use that same paint for the various bits of armor hardware that needs to be painted, but not anymore. Instead I think I'll spray paint the screw heads similar to how Justin did it. Any tips on an appropriate white spray for the very cool white of ATA armor (I believe similar to WTF and AP)? I cannot stress this enough—NEVER EVER RUSH through paint application, or build steps in general. I've previously stated this advice in the past, but it's worth mentioning again. Your build is not a sprint; it's a marathon. In regards to paint work, if you have to ask yourself and deliberate whether or not you have enough time for preparation, application, and cleanup, then you probably don't. Take your time. Do things methodically. No shortcuts. Leave extra time to spar should something unforeseen arise. The context of this advice this time is that I rushed through my trap painting and didn't initially give myself enough paint clean-up time, and also cut it very close with my ear painting. Paint multiple thin layers. Every time I paint I keep attempting to walk a fine line between laying down barely enough paint for a smooth enamel finish, and too much which will result in wrinkling. In the past I experienced wrinkling twice while painting two of my traps, and this time I can extremely close with my ear painting. I applied just a little too much gray on my ears, which resulted in a few tiny pinholes (perhaps from air bubbles, which could have also been the result of poor paint stirring or brush technique). Interior Hardware Paint and Lens Polishing On my known to-do list was also painting the raw metal screw heads and washers inside my helmet so they would disappear into the rest of the black interior. I removed my lenses and hovi tips and sprayed the screw heads and exposed washer sides matte black, being careful not to paint the threading. I accomplished this by pressing them into a piece of cardboard to hold them steady and cover the threading. A long time ago I acquired some screw post covers, so after cutting them to length, they essentially black out the hovi posts. With the lenses off I also tried to polish them up since I scratched them up a bit while sanding the edges. At that earlier point in my build I didn't have any sanding experience and didn't realize how easily the lens material would scratch up. Using Novus 1 and 2 I was able to buff out some of the scratches, which I'm sufficiently happy with, but some do still remain. I used the Novus paper towels by hand, but would a polish drum for my dremmel provide a better solution? I have the three levels of Novus, but would another agent work better? Or perhaps I'd be better off sourcing some replacement lens material? The photo below shows pre-buffed lenses with tape covering the screw post holes to keep the Novus 2 paste from entering. Faceplate and Cap Alignment A long time back I had previously posted a mock-up for faceplate and cap alignment to inquire for feedback about brow height, but I wasn't yet ready to attach the pieces at that time, so we'll try it again now. Using Dan's excellent reference posts on helmet alignment and brow height, I set out to achieve proper alignment, with perhaps a slightly lower brow than the average Stunt trooper. I'll admit that I've always loved the menacing presentation of a lower Hero brow. So friends, what do you think of this? I'm sure @CableGuy has some thoughts, and I feel like I've seen @ABS80 comment on alignment in the past, though I admittedly am not working on an AP kit. I do know that some additional trimming around the edges of the pieces in the ear and neck area are still in order. The first quad-photo below, admittedly, utilized lights at a bad angle, so the brow looks deceivingly low due to shadows. The last photo provides a more accurate depiction. For attachment of the face and cap I'm intending to use two screws on each side, with washers and a regular nut. Would a locking nut or washer be better? I hope to place one screw somewhat between the top two ear-piece screws, and the other towards the bottom of the ear. I imagine this lower one should go above where the bottom ear screws in, correct, so as not to congest that area near the S-trim? Neck Opening Dimensions and S-trim Finally, in preparation for my helmet face/cap assembly, and ear trimming, I'm hoping to crowd-source some information on neck-opening sizes. I know that getting a helmet on often requires putting it on sideways then rotating, and that things can get tight quick, so I want to ensure I give myself enough room before making a final cut in my S-trim. Can any of you share measurements of how deep and wide your neck openings are, and what your recommendations would be for sizing? I'd hate to cut it too small then have to widen it up down the road and then have an insufficient length of S-trim. The first dual-photo below is an example photo of what I'm looking for, using a WTF bucket that I won from Stormtrooper Ranch last year (which has been helpful for hands-on observation). The second show my ATA faceplate next to the WTF. Are there minimum and maximum recommended opening sizes? As a reminder, this section contains all the questions I asked throughout the post, and sometimes also new ones which are generally listed first. I've always been hopefully that such a consolidation might increase the likelihood of them being remembered and answered. =) Are any improvements needed on my rear and side traps? Thoughts on my ear painting? Any deficiencies? Any tips on an appropriate white spray to match the very cool white of ATA armor (I believe similar to WTF and AP)? It seems both Testors 1145 and the Humbrol gloss white are both somewhat off-white. Would a polish drum for my Dremmel be the best solution to buff out scratches on my helmet lenses? Is Novus 1 and 2 the best buffing products to use on lenses? Would it be better to simply source some replacement lens material and cut new ones? What do you think about my faceplate and cap alignment? Is it ready for attachment? For attachment of the face and cap I'm intending to use two screws on each side, with washers and a regular nut. Would a locking nut or washer be better? I hope to place one screw somewhat between the top two ear-piece screws, and the other towards the bottom of the ear. I imagine this lower one should go above where the bottom ear screws in, correct, so as not to congest that area near the S-trim? Can any of you share measurements of how deep and wide your neck openings are, and what your recommendations would be for sizing? I'd hate to cut it too small then have to widen it up down the road and then have an insufficient length of S-trim. Are there minimum and maximum recommended opening sizes? Did you miss me? ;-) Not armor build related, but still relating to the hobby, do any of you have suggestions for a chrome spray paint? Faceplate and cap attachment (screws) Ear trimming and fitment Neck opening sizing and S-trim installation Tube stripe painting My completed ATA helmet build vs the WTF TK/TD I won from Stormtrooper Ranch And there we have it. My first real update in nearly a year. Here's to progress, and rebuilding momentum to continue my build and journey to the 501st! As a reminder, a specially-formatted (not just a webpage printout) downloadable PDF of my entire build thread to this point is contained in [THIS SHARED FOLDER]. The PDF will be updated within a day or two of my own new posts and will note sequential version numbers and revision dates. Additionally, I've now revisited all my previous posts on this build thread and updated (reduced) the image widths where single rows of two to four images bled onto a second row due to a narrowing of the whitearmor webpage to accommodate the activity column last year. In a web browser this thread should now display as originally intended. Bill @CT 1977 - Thanks for your kind words; I'm glad to hear my content has been helpful to you! Trooperbay is definitely still up and running, though ironically I faced a similar access challenge when attempting to navigate to the site from work. I think some filters block the site, and certain browsers might display security certificate issues. But Trooperbay is definitely the place to go, and this masking template link is working for me right now, as is the other one that Chemi linked to. You may also try utilizing a different device, such as a tablet or phone, if you've been on a computer.