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Okay, mini update because I’m equal parts anxious and excited. I ultimately pulled the trigger on Mr. Paul’s files, and for anyone who’s been on the fence… they’re absolutely worth it. Even just loading them into the slicer, the difference in detail alone made them look promising. But it wasn’t until I printed the new abdomen and compared it side-by-side with Akira’s version that I realized just how inaccurate the original was. Don't mind the painters tape that's stuck to the super glue... [The glue dried on this piece as I was setting it, but shouldn't be too hard to smooth out] Because of my printer’s build volume, I had to split the abdomen into six pieces, which is definitely not ideal—but it ended up working out better than expected (thanks Gorilla glue!). For sizing reference, I’m roughly a 34–36” waist, with 36” being the upper limit for Mr. Paul’s files. Everything actually fits as intended. The back has quite a bit of give, and for the sake of test photos I let it sit fully open. In that position, the gap measures about 7”, but when I draw the sides together it closes to roughly 5”, which is also noticeably more comfortable. So structurally, the scaling seems to be right where it should be (and I could afford to lose 10 pounds). I also switched filament for this print. Up until now I’ve been using SUNLU High Speed PETG, but after some digging (YouTube rabbit holes, of course), I found it’s more prone to stringing and layer separation—the exact issues I’d been fighting. For this run I switched to standard SUNLU PETG in white, and honestly it’s been printing beautifully. At this point it’s performing just as well as—possibly even better than—the SUNLU PLA+ I’ve used on other projects. Naturally, this has made me briefly consider reprinting the entire suit (which is… unlikely), purely for the improvement in post-processing. At the very least, though, all the upcoming MPSB replacement parts should be much easier to finish. Anyway, this is meant to be a quick update, so I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking. Tomorrow we primer the helmet. Either it looks incredible, or I discover new sanding techniques. Like Anakin, I hate sand[ing]. Left — Nico’s original files (cheeks cut out with a Dremel), scaled to 90% Right — Greg’s updated files, scaled to 100% — night and day difference.

I purchased a DN First Order kit, a while ago. It was in stock and I got it here in the UK from the US in around a week. I also ordered a neck seal and there was some manufacturing issues but they sorted it for me reasonably quickly, would have been faster but it went out of stock so had to wait for a restock. They usually offer discounts around may 4th, that’s what I used when I ordered.

From most reports, the business is now in a much better position than it was under the Anovos name. If they have an item in stock, it ships pretty quickly, they also don't seem to push the pre-order anywhere near as much as the old company did. I believe they are much better on the communication side as well, but I'm sure there are others with more experience in dealings with them that can tell you more.

Congratulations Chris !!

Congratulations!!

Congratulations and, more importantly, thank you, Chris. Greatly looking forward to another year of mentoring the next generation of the Legion's shiny white armor!

The most tedious part of 3D printing, sanding

The Tub Lid Mirror This is probably the most popular idea I've had at troops. So many times, we have to use car reflections or random things to try and see if our costumes look ok during events. There isn't always a mirror. Amazon carries plastic mirrors that I velcroed a couple to the bottom of my tub lid. When you lean your tub lid up against a wall, you can angle it to see how you look! I use this so much. And I'll find many of my fellow trooper's hover over my way to do a review of their kit as well. I also don't have to worry about heavier real mirrors that might crack, shatter, or add weight to your lid. Especially if you use your lid as a shelf like I do too! Amazon.com: JUNEBRUSHS 4 Pack Self Adhesive Acrylic Mirrors, 12x 16 Inch Mirrors Tiles,Flexible Plastic Sheets Wall Stickers,2MM Thick Mirror,Frameless Small Mirror : Home & Kitchen