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Hi Caleb, and thank you for your EIB submission for ANH Stunt! CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required photos have been submitted, and on behalf of the entire D.O. staff we are pleased to welcome you to the rank of Expert Infantry. Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly; In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor, and please keep in mind that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. First THANK YOU for not only taking care of that teeth paint, but beating us to the punch on the shoulder bridge elastic and trimming the bottom of the kidney. Nice work! (I expected no less, though, lol). Looks like all of your hard work and and attention to detail have paid off, brother.. truly a spectacular build, so nothing to see in this area. Move along.. Centurion Requirements: In this section we prepare you for our highest tier of approval. Because Centurion photos must show more detail than EIB, items pertaining to Level 3 might be seen there and not here and additional photos may be required. We try to point out all that we can from what we are able to clearly see, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Only one item here, and it's nothing that you can't accomplish in about 8 to 10 minutes at most. SO, while the notches on the kidneys are not a requirement, it looks like you started one on the right side. As per the CRL, "If present, each notch is approximately 22 mm tall and the back of the notch ideally is aligned with the front edges of the posterior plate". So, that means that you will need one on both sides. The rear of the one you started on the right side (first pic) is already aligned perfectly with the posterior plate, but don't worry, not a big deal if the left notch is slightly out of alignment with the posterior plate. Ideally? Yes. Required? Nope. I'm sure you already know this, but it is important to drill out the corners (yellow circles) and keep them slightly rounded (just as you have now) so that you don't have a sharp angle there, which can lead to splitting. Reference images And that's it! Again, a beautiful job on this armor, sir. Congrats on being the newest EI in the GA. Garrison, and time to get that Centurion submission in once you get those notches done!

Thanks so much, Mario! I'm looking forward to being the bestest bad guy there is. Right on, Adam! Most of my family are amazed, and at the same time confused, by my TK build. And you attending DC basically means I gotta go now. You gonna bring your kit and participate in the parade? If so, we also need to kit up and make the Chaos Div @Morgi and @Swoby proud! Thanks Jorge! I'm gonna be tagging you in my Attache app when I submit. And I now have no excuse to get down to Rome, Kennesaw, Marietta, or ATL to troop and finally snag that hardware from you! Thanks for following along, Randy! And don't worry, finishing my HWT is on the docket for this year! Thanks Jonatan! Now I just gotta catch up on my build thread and the PDF, which is already nearly 200 pages long! Stay safe with those blades!

I haven't been slacking. well... I've kinda been slacking. Instead of working on my armor I decided to build my E-11b. Because you need a blaster for EIB, right?! Back around Christmas, Santa brought me THIS! It's the Sterling airsoft gun that was the E-11b base. Same blaster used in the movie for the hero shots and from which molds were taken. I'd planned to use Bryan's @trooper96 excellent 3D files, but since this metal one dropped in my lap, who was I to say no? And I used a lot of Bryan's 3D files anyway. They're all accurate to the E-11b and are based on this same airsoft gun, so they all fit. I was surprised to see this Siraya resin mix come out translucent. Once cured it's far less clear, but it sure looks cool on the build plate. The funky power cylinder straight from the printer. Everything required extremely minor sanding to get perfectly smooth. Since it's the airsoft gun, I went for the all metal hero blaster rail variant. I printed up the little blocks for rail mounting, but this way just seemed nicer. I also drilled and tapped the resin printed scope for mounting. Pretty sweet that the resin is that resilient. (Siraya 80% Fast ABS-like / 20% Tenacious FTW!) I splurged on the short magazine from evike. It's fully functional and apparently holds about 50 pellets. Instead of destroying my long magazine to cut it down, spending $28 on this seemed like a good choice. And the length matches the R1 screen-used ones. The weather has been terrible here lately. I've been waiting for a day warm enough to paint for ages. I finally just did some small spraying in the garage. Here's everything after about 5 coats of Krylon Fuzion. A last step with the scope getting lenses fitted to it. I love the red lens in my resin Quest Design blaster and thought it would be fun to have in this one as well. annnnd... here's the result of about two week's work. I tried to weather it the same as the promo blaster in the reference thread including the slight bend in the scope rail. . I've got the large eagle scope on this one since that's what I had laying around. This counter came from Blaster Factory and was meant to hold the BlastFX electronics in my Leia Leveller... but I've given up ever receiving that kit. I think it looks lovely on this blaster and am planning to keep it. Hopefully the small eagle counter isn't a CRL requirement. .... literally after typing that I looked at the CRL and discovered the small eagle IS required for Centurion. Guess I'll be printing another counter soon. ugh. Anyways, continuing on... Replica M300 flashlight and a VERY hard to find picatinny rail with the mounting holes outside of the three rails. It's not perfectly accurate since the far edges of the rail don't slope inwards, but it IS metal and works very nicely. The flashlight also works. Correct 1943 scope and R1 power cylinder. The folding stock is back in this shot, but I seem to have not taken one with the stock out and the blaster laying flat... You can even see an image though the scope. It's not very sharp, but you can see through it! I also printed my TK number on the counter. And lastly... a glimpse into my disorder. How does this happen you might ask? Gradually. It happens gradually. Next up I hope to start tearing into some helmets.

Well I do cheat a little, it has been ready since you first posted your application

Whoa! A surprise afternoon gift! Thank you so much, Joseph and the rest of the DO team! You better believe that there's gonna be an L3 submission on your desk tomorrow with proper kidney notches!

Oh no Picture taken three seconds after my last re-fresh

Mine is what you get when you look up "Morgi" on a phone's number pad: 66744 Since Morgi is my nickname on all 501st sites and a nickname from the time I discovered the 501st it seemed more than fitting. Shout-out to @T-Jay who convinced me to go with that instead of my birthday

I just chose my birthdate to more easily remember my birthday! ...Or was it the other way around?

I think this will be a big help! I actually have an old folarno helmet on hand but Im pretty sure that was fan sculpted so not keen to draw comparison from that. If you can help me pinpoint the differences that would be awesome as Im having a hard time getting all of them. I missed a couple of these so big thanks!! I think Ive got the frown right but Ill test the waters with the proto, that eye one is really good!

Not sure if they still are or not as I've not seen recent images but they used to be the same, from memory I think I read when they went to cast the molds one shin was missing. "Both calves are the same, i.e. once finished they will be identical. both left sides match as do both right sides." "The problem with the RS shins is the original it was cast from had two identical shins made up from 2 outer left halves and 2 outer right halves. These two parts were never meant to match up because they were supposed to match up to inner halves (not present on their original). People go out of their way trying to make them into something they are not meant to be. That said, they can be reshaped using the hot water bath method."

I wasn't very imaginative. It was the date I submitted my final approval photos to my GML. Never been good at picking things like this, but it did seem to roll off the tongue nicely. Bart

I waited (it took) 42 years to get my own TK armor and in that time i had thought of many different options of what number id like to have. Went into a small panic when the application stated " pick your 5 favourite IDs". Owning an armor was my dream so wanted the ID to be about me - selfish i know but is what it is. So i opted for my date of birth (as I was also to be "born" into the 501st) as being the most fitting. But not in its standard format. So a quick re-arrange and i found all 5 in the master list. And there we are...TK-10962. Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

I wasn't sure if I should post in this thread, or Glen's post, so I opted with the more recent of the two. And here is a link to my post on the story behind my nickname (MV). Three years after creating my account and starting my 501st journey, and I finally have my very own shiny new TK number. 73692. When I first started my build (actually before I had even purchased my armor) I started brainstorming what TK number I might want, and began by compiling all the spoken numbers from the Star Wars films. The most known were 1138 and 421, but I desired something a bit more nuanced. My birthdate and zip code were also available on the 501st ID list, and for a time I got hung up on variations of 3263827 (Death Star trash compactor). I also considered 501+ my age, which was available, but elapsed time has now rendered my current age unavailable. A number corresponding to a scripture verse referencing helping others, due to the abounding assistance I've received from other troopers, was also on the table, as was the Lego set number (75276) of the mini Stormtrooper helmet. (Seriously, somebody needs to jump on that Lego TK number, and you heard it here first lol). However, I eventually decided on a string of individual numbers spoken in sequence in A New Hope. 10 - 7 - 3 - 6 - 9 - 2 - 11 - 5 Anybody recognize the sequence and corresponding film scene? I'll give you a hint below, as part of a more in-universe explanation, though this is not a full character backstory as others have written in this thread. Back to real life now. In fact, back in 2019 or 2020 I wrote that aforementioned numerical sequence on a small sticky note and stuck it in my wallet for safekeeping, and for the past three years it has remained in the exact same spot, prominently placed atop my driver's license. Much like my TK character's mini story, this was to serve as a reminder to press on with the continuation of my armor build. And now I can finally remove the note and regain easier access to my real life ID. Haha. For those of you who still haven't sorted out my TK ID: TK-73692 standing by.

HELLO THERE!!!! Hoping you all had a lovely holiday. It’s a New Year. And the right time to post this! This is something that’s been discussed for a long time, past couple years actually. Interest was gathered. Names were thrown about with great research. Support was discussed. It’s been something I truly wished to see come to fruition here for our Detachment. I feel it’s important on many levels. We have many Detachments with women Sub Unit Teams. It’s about time FISD had one don’t you think?? Here’s what we have so far… JRS - Black Widows IOC -Firebirds Path Finders- Recon Fatale Krayt Clan- Scarabs MEPD - Desert Foxes Blizzard Force - Snow Angels Spec Ops- Sirens Clone Trooper- Bad Banshees IGC- Ravens ACD- Iron Maidens FISD- ? Bounty Hunters Guild-? Underworld- ? The Flagship Eclipse-? Sithlords -? Sovereign Protectors- ? I did a whack of research on numbers. Women Sub Teams in our Legion Detachments. Their names. Actual Percentages of women in the legion. What benefit such things offer our lady members on a whole. As FISD being the largest Detachment with a fairly low number of members identifying as female, I felt it was about time we had something that would in hopes, allow for more inclusion or be more welcoming. To support more women in builds and address issues that may stop them from coming to our forum or costumes in general. Please do not mistake my posting in any way against our men here. Our men are beautiful. Helpful. Insightful and knowledgeable. This is about EVERYONE having a safe place to discuss and build. Yes. There IS a place here for this exact thing. Some questions our lady members wish to ask , are personal. Very. And very much related to body parts our male counterparts do not have to consider nor deal with. Sometimes it’s daunting to cross that bridge and ask how do you squeeze a hormonal rear into armor not designed for a female curve. Discussions happened with this Detachments Command team, and we unanimously agreed this needed to happen. And was very much supported. The men here all supported me in this endeavor. An open/very accessible sub forum section will be created where any identifying woman can seek advice from other women. Women FISD staff. Other ladies in armor. Women addressing all things women because let’s face it- as lovely as our men are, I can see some cringing discussing binding breasts to fit a chest plate. Hormonal weight gain problems. And how that might look or be addressed. Or, how do you other ladies combat a menstrual cycle while in full armor. Let’s say you’ve encountered being sexualized. Or victimized. Had to remind another “cosplay does NOT equal consent” And you’d prefer a woman to seek advice from. Or… maybe you had a poor experience with a fellow woman member, and you wish to discuss it with another… Or. Let’s say you are 50. Had 3 children. Maybe don’t feel as pretty as another. You struggle with body image. You’ve seen a 30 year old hot blonde get 100 likes on posting herself in armor, yet you are 50/60. And overweight. And have been ostracized for wanting to be a trooper. Or ridiculed in your costume if you posted one. You struggled to build. Shim. Re fit. And were made fun of. Or. You gave up because all you could access for help here were male builders. So you left our forums. Downhearted. This sub unit forum/ team is not intended to be negative regarding our men. Nor a place for feminist platforms/agendas. This is always only about equality. Inclusion. Support. Help. Safety. Costume building for women. As is our entire Legion itself. This Detachment is extremely low in female to male ratio, and there is no real reason for that…. I questioned SO MANY WOMEN as to why. As the only Female member of Command Staff here, It’s always been my intent to change that percentage…Somehow. To encourage and welcome. Safely. Openly. Kindly. Equally. So. Let’s get back to the Unit itself. The most popular name choice was “Vaders Valkyries.” Now. That being said, names can be submitted. We can vote. We can look at many things. I’ll put this up here for an interest thread, and then proceed accordingly. See the comments. Listen for feedback. Please respond kindly and respectfully. I/we look forward to hearing from you all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi friends, A while back I started building a backpack for my Heavy Weapons Trooper upgrade for my ANH Stunt TK. I've saved tons of photos of the build, but haven't posted any here. So I'd like to post the lasted shot that I have. The pack itself is largely complete except for the white panel on the down tube, and then weathering. Feedback would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance.

My journey to join the 501st Legion has followed a seemingly never ending path, and many of you have been alongside supporting me over the past several years, but for the purpose of this note I'm going to go back even further. This is my Star Wars story. I've been a lifelong Star Wars fan, and my earliest memories of the universe were from my elementary school years. While I don't remember my first film viewing, I do recall a time when my parents deemed me too young to watch the films, but I was a full-fledged fan by the time I reached middle school (school years/grades 6-8). Interestingly, I don't think I saw The Phantom Menace in theatres when I was in 5th grade in 1999 (but I did see it in 3D back in 2012 before the Disney acquisition), but I have vivid memories of seeing Attack of the Clones on the big screen in 2002. Fast forward to my College/University years, and I sported my first ever star wars costume component on September 1, 2008, shown below. Really it was simply a friend's plastic Vader mask, and I only wore it long enough to snap this photo and upload it to facebook. Around that same time, between 2008-2010, my college buddies and I stumbled upon some "whitearmor" website, where we learned that real stormtrooper armor could be attained for a mere/whopping $600 (if I recall correctly). Of course this was out of the question on a student budget, so we moved on. At some point I should go back and review old screenshots and saved images on an old hard drive to see if I saved anything from FISD at that time. Skip ahead another decade and we come to October 22, 2019 when I first donned a stormtrooper helmet. We had a themed tailgate-type event at work and the IT department had a Star Wars table. (Would you expect anything different?) At the conclusion of the event I just had to try on my friend's Black Series bucket, which perfectly complimented my silly Christmas sweater, dontcha think?! I was hooked. Within a week I (re)found FISD and began consuming as much information as I could find; my saved resources would later be compiled into what is now the All-In-One Resource Thread. On November 11, 2019 I emailed Terrell at ATA Works and on the 14th facebook messaged my Imperial Attache, Jorge @zv288bot. Several days later I joined the GA Legion facebook groups, created accounts on FISD and the GA and Midsouth Garrisons' forums, and reached out to Justin @TheRascalKing. I ended my New Member Introduction post on FISD with "I look forward to joining the Legion in the not too distant future! Thanks in advance, Troopers, for all your help!", certainly not foreseeing how long the journey would actually be. On November 27, 2019 I took my first real steps towards the 501st with a Trooperbay purchase consisting of my Hellhounds E-11 rubber blaster, flexible hand guards (later exchanged for Joseph's), and a helmet guide and decals. And yes, I recorded all of this on a timeline document. But of course I also NEEDED immediate gratification, so I asked my wife for a Black Series TK Helmet for Christmas, and that's what I received. On January 3, 2020 I was officially added to the ATA armor wait list with an ETA of 9 weeks, and I sold a drone and some other personal items to fund the purchase. I couldn't be more excited. But for those of you keeping track of dates, do the math; January 2020 + 9 weeks. My Big Brown Box Day came on March 5, 2020, one week before the novel coronavirus shut down the US. While some people were able to take advantage of the lockdowns and make significant progress on their builds, much of my time continued to be occupied by then one-year-old daughter. If I made any progress on my build it occurred between midnight and 3:00am, or 5:00am-7:00am. Progress was slow and funds were tight on a single income. At one point I resigned to sell my armor, and if it were not for a very special trooper, I would not be posting this today. I will never be able to thank you enough. Yes, I took a photo of my clock every time worked on my build past 1:00am. The times before 4:00am meant to stayed up late, and for times after that, I woke up early. Oh, and there was one all-nighter as well. If I'm being honest with myself, a couple other contributing factors to my slow build were 1) the mental barrier of trimming and fitting the helmet ears, and 2) my desire for a thorough and well-formatted build thread and corresponding PDF compilation. Coupled with my OCD-like tendencies and perfectionism, these were crippling to my progress. At times I went months without any build work. Two years later, in the summer of 2022, I was asked by my wife's best friend if I could make an appearance as a TK at her son's birthday party at the end of September. Since my wife and I were expecting our second daughter at the end of August I figured I would need to wrap up my build before delivery. But as luck would have it, our new princess arrived nearly three weeks early, and my armor remained incomplete. It's a miracle that I'm alive to say this, but somehow I managed to find the time to get my armor into civilian-passable shape (through 3:00am armor build nights and one all-nighter), and on September 24th, the day of the party, I fully kitted up for the very first time, literally. To say I was pushing it is an understatement, especially considering I should have done to the ER for stitches that morning after a bad hobby blade accident that night. But I was determined to make the little boy's birthday special. @paradoxb3, a brilliant armor alignment and photo stager and the first and only 501st member I've ever met to this day, even joined me to multiply the fun! Here is what I looked like, with a substitute WTF helmet featuring droopy brow trim, incomplete shoulder bridges hidden by the pauldron, neckseal dressing issues, rotated forearms, non-secured sagging belt, missing drop boxes, and many other issues that eagle-eyed TKs would notice. But I was a stormtrooper. And the smiles on all the children's (and their parents) made it worth it. Thanks to some extra motivation from Devin, Joseph, Cricket, Justin, and my now Squad Leader, Scout (TI-35006), in the four months since then I was able to complete everything needed for basic Legion approval. I do still intend to tweak some aspects of my helmet ears, adjust some strapping, and add in rear cover strips, some of which may be necessary for L2 and L3 approval. But for now, I'M A STORMTROOPER! I'd like to acknowledge and thank troopers that went above and beyond in their support of me over these several years of building. Some of you helped in specific areas, and others in a variety of ways, all of which I'm beyond grateful for. Without you, there's no way I get this project off the ground, much less complete it. And to any others reading this who also provided feedback, encouragement, and assistance, a big heartfelt THANK YOU! Jorge @zv288bot Justin @TheRascalKing Mario @TKSpartan Joseph @justjoseph63 Cricket @Cricket Along my first ever costume construction journey I learned more about stormtroopers than I could have ever foreseen. Who knew about all the variations and nuances?! I also learned a great deal about actually assembling an armor kit, and here are some specific tips in no particular order, some of which I also made note of in my build thread. E-6000 is as slippery as they say. Combat this by having adequate guidelines/marks so proper alignment can be maintained. Also use tape to keep pieces stationary in their intended locations before applying clamps and magnets. E-6000 will react to at least some paints. Seeping glue absorbed the color of the spray paint I used on my thermal detonator, and I was left with a wet paint mess. NEVER BE IN A HURRY. I repeat, NEVER. Consider your build a marathon, not sprint. And actually—just completely forego the competition metaphor altogether. Being rushed will result in shortcuts or lapses in attentiveness. Your armor is a costly work of art, and art takes time. If you have to ask yourself and deliberate whether or not you have enough time for preparation, execution, and cleanup, then you probably don't. Take your time. Do things methodically. No shortcuts. Leave extra time to spare should something unforeseen arise. Case in point: my build too three years with on-and-off progress. When preparing paint, always stir the bottle instead of shaking. This minimizes or eliminates the introduction of air bubbles into the paint. Toothpicks work great to stirring tiny bottles of enamel paint. Enamel paints can take far longer to dry/cure than regular latex home paint or hobby acrylics. Give yourself ample curing time prior to recoating or handling. Apply multiple thin coats of paint rather than one thick coat. Thick coats of enamel will dry unevenly (surface vs underneath), resulting in wrinkling. As me how I know. When cutting/trimming anything, work in stages removing only a little material at a time. This can apply to rubber trim or ABS plastic. It's easy to trim off more if needed, but nearly impossible to add material back once you've removed it. LISTEN to those with more experience and wisdom. Their tips and feedback will be indispensable. Apply this to life in general as well. Buy a deburring tool. This will help you quickly and efficiently smooth out sharp edges of plastic armor after initial trimming or rough-grit sanding. Heck, it could be arguing that such a tool could even be used instead of sanding. Here is the LINK to the one I purchased. Buy sanding/polishing sticks (aka emory boards). The semi-firm structure that these provide, coupled with their small size, are great for sanding curves or tight hard-to-reach areas. Here is the LINK to what I purchased. Buy anything and everything that Joseph sells. Flexible hand guards, hardware kits, and other greeblies and props. Top quality and well priced. Just DEW IT. Always wear the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment). When using blades, this means wearing cutting gloves. When sanding ABS, wear is mask or respirator. When using power tools, protect your eyes with glasses. It's not a question of IF an accident will happen; it's WHEN. In fact, blood will trimming armor is a rite of passage, of sorts. I nearly sliced off my entire knuckle due to thinking one or two quick cuts didn't warrant gloves. Don't be like me. Research is key, and ask lots of questions. This forum contains all the information you'll need, whether it be in written form or through conversation with fellow builders. I'm a bit partial, but this All-In-One Resource thread is a great place to start. Start your own build thread and post lots of photos and ask as many questions. Veteran builders will come to your aid! Build your armor to Level Three (Centurion) from the beginning, rather than "upgrade" later on. Some of finer details are easier to implement from the beginning than to update after-the-fact. There's no extra cost other than for a blaster if you didn't have one for basic approval, and it'll save time and possible headaches later. Even if you don't intend to apply for higher levels of immediately, knock out some of the details in advance, if at all possible. Don't sweat it if you make mistakes or your armor or paint job doesn't look as good as somebody else's. It's your work of art to be proud of. Remember that the screen-used suits in the films were a wreck, with inconsistences, cracks, and sometimes held together by white gaff tape. There may also be differing opinions on techniques or final outcome goals, but do what you feel comfortable and happy with. Set goals and celebrate milestones, especially if your easily susceptible to becoming overwhelmed. Seeing all the raw plastic on BBB Day can be daunting, so break up the work and take baby steps. If you get burnt out on a specific component, step away from that part or your build entirely. Come back refreshed and ready to tackle the challenge. Celebrate when you meet individual goals or finish certain armor pieces and post up your handiwork so others can join in your excitement! Plan on approval photo shoots taking longer than expected. I naively thought our shoot would take half an hour. Try 2-3x that, just for my fully-kitting photos. I then spent several more hours taking the detail shots for L2 and L3. Speaking of which, L2 approval requires some images that aren't on the L3 list. Ask me how I know. @revlimiter And last but not least, trim off those armor return edges (unless you have a very slender body-type)! Joseph's sometimes controversial Return Edges 101 thread goes more in-depth on this topic. So now that I'm 501st approved, what next? Well, as our Imperial CO once said, "This is where the fun begins." My ANH Stunt build is just a stepping stone for my plan to join the four EI (and Centurion) approvals club. Next up will be likely be an ESB TK conversion (hey, does anybody have any clamshell handguards I could take off your hands, figuratively and literally?), followed by an ANH Hero. I also have all the components for a HWT (my build thread HERE), but the backpack assembly will take me a while, especially since I'd like to find a 3D printed vent box and a downward-angled tombstone box. Additionally, I snagged a Rothco Ranger black vest that I want to theme up with Legion identification, so I'll soon be seeking a large FISD patch to place on the back, as well as one of those nice metallic 501st nametags, a rank bar from @Alay, and perhaps even some pins from Jeff (ID-17004). And let's not get started on the coins I need want... I also need to continue and finish up my actual ANH Stunt build thread, which is embarrassingly incomplete. My intention for it, along with my PDF compilation of it, has been to serve as a thorough build resource for future builders, so obviously I need to complete it. I have literally hundreds of backlogged photos waiting to be inserted with process descriptions. Expect to see updates on that front in the coming weeks and months, and even though the kit has been assembled, continued feedback on processes and results in that thread will always be appreciated! On my journey I constantly saw or experienced FISD's motto of Troopers Helping Troopers, and I want to join in giving back and passing it forward. Needless to say, as a finally-credentialed TK, I'm going to continue to follow the boards and spend even more time in the New Members and Builds sections assisting new builders. Perhaps I can even join Jorge as a second Imperial Attaché in Georgia's Venator Squad, especially since the metropolitan area I actually reside near (Chattanooga, TN) has no Attaché in the Mos Nooga Squad of the Midsouth Garrison. All that to say, I'm not going anywhere. This community is my home, and I look forward to many more years with you, my Imperial brothers and sisters! And trooping! What am I going to do about trooping, you might ask. Well, the local TN unit isn't very active as far I can tell, but the Georgia Garrison folks stay busy. Unfortunately, most of that activity occurs several hours south of me in Atlanta, so I'll probably be a minimally-trooping trooper. Haha. Hopefully there will be some May 4th options in my local area, but it's likely that my first ever con will be Dragoncon later this year. I'm not sure if I'd actually go to the convention floor or panels, but the parade sounds fun. If there was to be an FISD gathering at DG, I'd certainly make an effort to be there too! The next Braves Star Wars Night Game will definitely be on my schedule, and someday I'd love to participate in one of the Star Wars film screenings with a live orchestra performing the symphonic score. And there we have it. Perhaps the longest "Sounding-Off" post of all time. Oh, and here's the story behind my TK ID selection. Thanks again for following along, friends. And until next time... TK-73692 reporting for duty.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Does this mean I have access now?

Welcome EIB #1055!!! "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."

Congratulations #1055!

Wow Glen, you don't play games knocking this stuff out fast, do you?! I'm on my own card now!

Congratulations trooper and welcome to the Expert Infantry ranks and EI Honor Gallery

Congratulations, Caleb! Go get that Centurion Badge as well

On it sir!!!

I did the same on my kit and so far no cracks, I have much less of a return edge though.

"What do they mean by 'screen references'?"

We know you're gonna make us proud -- spread some chaos for us, will you? Oh, and @revlimiter? If Caleb hasn't learned how to sit down in armor until then, do me a favor and show him how

Wonderful work on those blasters!!!!

Oh I see thanks for the clarification, now that you mention I can actually see both left and right shin are identical, basically the RS suit is made of two Right shins?

Just had to post this from the FISD Meme Thread:

SUPER nice job on that weapon, Adam! "And lastly... a glimpse into my disorder. How does this happen you might ask? Gradually. It happens gradually". Amen, brother. It becomes an obsession.

No I’ll probably use Velcro. I chatted with equuspolo (Ardeshir) and he recommended overlapping for extra support. Time to bite the bullet and glue the inner chest and back: Started cuttings for a batch of ABS paste:

Jeez, this is beautiful. Dank ferrick. And your post made me instantly start to reflect on the mindset that makes a person want to be a stormtrooper. The psychological strangeness in our brains that creates a burning desire to wear the white armor. It... makes no sense really. They're such humble characters in the SW universe - not heroes and arguably rather ineffective as villains. We TKs are somewhere between battle droids and clones in the narrative. We're often jokes. And it's brilliant getting to be one. The times in my life when my TK's universe overlaps my own and I get to walk around in his armor - they're the best times. Some of my favorite times in my 45 years. My TK isn't the brightest bulb in the fixture. He's kinda goofy, doesn't listen enough, and talks waaaay too much. But he makes people smile and I dearly love sharing his armor a few hours a month. It's not something I can easily explain to most people in my life. It's something only a few of us understand - the joy of being a stormtrooper. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Also, I currently have Dragoncon tickets. I salute you, TK-73692. Can't wait to troop with you someday in the future. I'm overjoyed that you are also finally a stormtrooper.

That's just fantastic. Seriously nice. And everyone here should ignore that lego set number for the next 7 years till my daughter turns 18 and can get into 501st

Drop that extra N I work for a living it's "Glen" I would perhaps roll the TD up a little so not as much clip is showing, you don't need to see as much of the top as long as the O can be seen. There are a few makers who use smaller pipe sizes than screen so it is hard to get a perfect look, ATA, AP and MTK all have smaller tubes.

Count me in! Trooping unofficially since 2005, officially a 501st member since 2007!

Adam I still have a TD with your name on it for once I finish my TD master thread. After approval. Also I have a meme already created and ready to go for my TD obsession.

This initiative will 100% happen. Like anything on FISD there is a plan, discussions have been had, and will continue to, so we get the right fit and feel and a home for all our beautiful TK women. Lots more to reveal in the near future, but suffice to say this has the backing of the entire staff and we hope to build something great and further expand on our community.