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NEW In Memoriam Detachment Leader Merchandise Officer FISD Meme's Around the Detachment Costume Totals Trooping Opportunities Hall of Fame INFORMATION & AWARD PROGRAMS FISD Tri-Fold Brochure Common FISD Acronyms and TK Glossary Pre Approval Forum 3D Section Field Exercise Award Imperial Attaché Program Master Armorer Award Fire Teams EIB & Centurion: What do these terms mean? Need Help Ask the Deployment Officers Advance to 1500 Advanced Tactics Awards Social Media Newsletter Editor Staff List 2026 Follow FISD In loving memory of 25087 Kerrin ‘Pecklez’ Peck, a cherished member of the Redback Garrison since 2016 and Venom Squad XO. Kerrin’s passion for trooping, especially alongside her husband Daniel and son Jordy, brought joy to all. Her impressive roster, including Maul, Jango Fett, Jawa and Shadow Trooper costumes, reflected her dedication and skill. Kerrin's willingness to share her guidance and support with new members exemplified her generous spirit. Whether at conventions, local events or one of her favourites, Star Wars Dreamworld Weekends, her presence brightened every gathering. Kerrin’s legacy lives on in the hearts of the Redback Garrison, and she will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and love are with her family and friends during this difficult time Kerrin's vibrant spirit touched the lives of so many. A heart of gold who brought buckets of joy to everyone around them, with their infectious happiness and kindness. The memories of Pecklez warmth and generosity will live on forever in our hearts. Condolences to her garrison, family and friends "Buckets Off" The 501st French Garrison has once again been struck a heavy blow to its heart. Tristan Grécos, also known as TK 1871, passed away last week after being diagnosed with aggressive cancer He joined us in 2006 with his Stormtrooper armor and distinguished himself notably at the 2007 Rose Parade Over the years, he was always available, dedicated, ready to help, and very pleasant company. We will always remember him as a dear friend, full of qualities, positive, committed, and an exceptional companion to all those who had the privilege of participating in events alongside him. Condolences to his garrison, family and friends "Buckets Off" Greetings Troopers, This month I am pleased to announce two changes to the staff team: @Tall_Trooper has been promoted from IPM to Detachment Public Relations Officer (DPRO). This recognises the hard work they have been putting in on our social media channels. New to the team is @astrosally coming in as an IPM. Sally is joining the team to help with the Valkyries, our group for female troopers in white, or chrome, armour. This year is the 20th anniversary of the First Imperial Stormtrooper detachment. We will be celebrating this with a steady stream of merch, not just the coin run already in progress. If you don't want to miss out there's a few things you can do. Subscribe to the Detachment Merch Forum https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/47-detachment-merchandise/ Keep an eye on the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/www.whitearmor.net And also make sure you visit the forum regularly to keep up with any changes and updates as they happen! With Unquestioned Loyalty Chris Pearson TK-10991 "themaninthesuitcase" Detachment Leader Greeting Troopers! Before we cover the merch business I would like to announce that we have added to the DMBO staff! Congratulations to Adam ( @revlimiter ) for joining the team. Adam has been the artist behind many of our wonderful pieces of merch over the course of the last several years. Adam has been a member of the FISD staff for a while as part of the DPRO team, but I am very happy to have him join me officially as part of the MBO team, so please join me congratulating him. Now down to usual business Old Business "FISD EIB Coins" I still have a few of the Stepping out Trooper EI coins for new EI members or members the have never bough ten an EI coin. The next EI coin will be a gold version of our 20th Anniversary coin, so if you are eligible to order an EI coin, and you'd prefer not to have an Anniversary edition, grab one of these before they aren't available any longer! In order to buy one, you must have an approved EI costume and you can not have ever bought an EIB coin from any pervious runs. EIB coins are a once and done coin. If you have this one and would prefer one of the older versions, I may have an option for you so please dm me. EIB v11 coin run is still open Pin Run The pin run for Expert Infantry, Centurion and Attaché will begin soon, we are still researching vendors, but we hope to have one selected and get the run open. You can find more information here. 20th Anniversary Coin Run The coin run closed on 9 Feb 2026. I don't have any new updates currently, but I still expect to see these in the hands of troopers by early April. I will post more updates as I get them on the run thread, that can be found here. NEW BUSINESS I have submitted the first few new merch items for this term to LMBO. While most of this years merch will be Anniversary related, know that there are a few items that we discussed in the past that we are working on currently that will not be anniversary related. There will be at least one Anniversary patch, possibly two, The FISD war banner from last term has been submitted for approval. And we are working on designs for the 20th Anniversary Racing shirt. While I won't spoil them now, Please keep an eye on the forum and the various FISD Social Media platforms for announcements. And as always, questions, comments, thoughts, suggestions, are welcome, and please feel free to reach out to either Adam or myself! With Unquestioned Loyalty James Silvius TK-12953 "jsilvius" Merchandise & Branding Officer With Unquestioned Loyalty Adam Wolf TK-89400 "Revlimiter" Merchandise & Branding Officer You can find the full meme thread here Blast-A-Trooper Finally after many years of asking the Blast A Trooper files have been shared on the legion forum, sharing here for anyone who may have been looking for them https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_W3-wBM3Gsp5EN_juDwPSCVYhLcpv_MD Updated image added 05/09/25 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gUQPWZGdcPmlHIGTgGu0dsV5KyJw28bn/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mJdqi4fBeAp5LHPXutWkQrC9vfBmx3MM/view *NOTE* unfortunately for those of you Down Under due to our PLI (public liability insurance) restrictions we are not able to run Blast A Trooper events as the insurer do not allow the firing of projectiles at our members (I know right, foam darts, ouch ) Thread here Droid Hunt From LPRO: "We’re pleased to announce that the Droid Hunt Badge is now officially available in the PR Toolkit for Legion-wide use. Our thanks go to Kimberly Anderson, GCO of Bast Alpha Garrison, and artist Erik Sanders for creating this new format and sharing it with the Legion." Download PDF here Download logo images here Request Edited Signature Banners/Profile pics/Fire Team Logos Troopers! I want to help out the community and the people that doesn't have the time or have the necessary tools or skills to create a cool Signature banner or have the background of your Action Photo removed, or even if you have a request for a certain Profile picture! I don't know how popular this will be, or what requirements I will need, but we will learn as we go and if it turns out to be popular and it gets too much for me - I'm sure that we can find a few more that are willing to help out! Thread here With Unquestioned Loyalty Jonatan Östling TK-23592 "Nairy" Attaché Ambassador Trading Card Archives For those with FISD detachment trading cards please consider sending two to Paul @Daetrin keeper of our detachment archives. Address and more info here With Unquestioned Loyalty Paul Hoeffer TK-8020 "Daetrin" Detachment Founder Keeper of Archives Stormtrooper Trooping Hacks and Ideas A great thread full of items/ideas which may make your trooping experience a little easier. By Justin - TK9921 @evnltr Thread can be found here Currently (as of 8th March 2026 ) there are 33,813 approved costumes in the legion, out of these there are 4722 under the TK ID which is 13.97% of all approved 501st costumes. Interestingly if you look back through previous totals Stormtroopers equated to over 20% which shows a decline in our ranks. Lucasfilm Retail Moratorium Lift May 2026 For most of the year we are under an embargo from Lucasfilm and can not attend retail locations unless prior approval has been given by them. At certain times of the year this embargo is lifted, generally around Movie releases, May 4th, Force Friday etc, the recent correspondence from LFL outlines the lift of the embargo: Lucasfilm has informed LEC that the retail moratorium is being lifted May 2-10. During this time, fan groups can appear in costume at retailers that sell Star Wars merchandise. All fans, costumed or otherwise, can participate with venues of their choice during this window of time with the restriction that costumed appearances must not be used in the advertising of the event or retail location. Although these appearances will be treated like open invitations, we leave it to the fan groups to independently organize around these events as they see fit. Lucasfilm will not need to approve or coordinate these. Please note that retail locations should not include restaurants, bars, or venues with no apparent reason to feature Star Wars characters. Costumed fans should not pose with merchandise or use the appearance to promote a specific product. In the coming weeks, we may send out a list of ‘preferred’ retailers from certain regions who would welcome fans to participate at their venues within these event windows, but you are all still welcome to make plans with appropriate retailers or venue hosts of your choice regardless of whether or not they appear on the list. In addition to the retail appearance lift, Lucasfilm is happy to allow fan groups to make appearances at their local theaters during the theatrical run of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Appearances should be limited to the theatre lobby and should not be advertised prior to appearance. Fan groups are allowed to word directly with their local theaters to schedule these appearances. Lucasfilm may send out invitations on behalf of theater chains that are interested in costumed fan appearances. Appearances are subject to whatever rules are in place at the local theater and it will need to be made clear that you are fans in costumes and not official Star Wars character appearances. *REMEMBER* Always follow your garrison/squad/outpost guidelines when it comes to organizing Disney/LFL promotional troops, only command staff should deal directly with LFL. Excellence never goes out of style! Please welcome TK-30874 to the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame, February 2026! @0megaRed Troop log can be found here. With Unquestioned Loyalty Jonatan Östling TK-23592 "Nairy" Attaché Ambassador INFORMATION & AWARD PROGRAMS For a full list of FISD awards programs head here. *Now Available in Swedish* Want to spread the word about FISD?, you can with our FISD Tri-Fold Brochure. Originally these were done in a limited run by the member who created them, but nowadays, we have moved this to a print your own service making them accessible to all countries around the globe. Files are available to all full 501st members on request by contacting our DL Chris @themaninthesuitcase you can find more info here Currently Available languages: English - Spanish - German - Swedish Are you new to the FISD and wondering what the heck all those abbreviations and strange sounding terms mean? To help you @justjoseph63 has started a list of the most commonly used ones that will give you some insight. If you have ANY questions about a particular term that is not listed or suggestions for new ones please contact Joseph. You can find the list here. Pre Approval Forum allows future Troopers the opportunity to submit photos of their completed build to be reviewed by the Staff, Imperial Attaches and others in preparation for forwarding it to their GML for approval. Any and all advice/suggestions given will be specific, constructive, helpful and respectful. Please note that this program will NOT take the place of your local GML, as Detachments are not chartered for costume approval and can not override a GMLs decision, but is instead a peer review program designed to help you look your best and offer guidance and positive feedback. For more information on this program, please visit the link here. Don't forget to visit our 3D section when next surfing the FISD forums, there is plenty of useful information to potentially help you on your next TK adventure. You might be feeling may generous and share with our community a new TK related 3D file and maybe win yourself a 3D contributors award so check out the details below and be part of the in house 3D community. Here is a link to the FISD 3D Contributor program. Don't forget to create a troop log here on FISD and get awarded for your missions and deployment. The list of accomplished troopers keeps growing, so for the official 501st event where you wore your TK! Once you've hit a milestone count, go over to the "Trooper Missons and Deployment -- Post yourget on board and register your troops today Simply start (or update!) your troop log, keep the running total in the title, and post (at least!) a date and name milestones here" thread to request your profile be updated! Simple, right? Also if you would like your troop photos shared on our social media channels please add the following to the first post of your FISD troop log: I give permission for FISD to repost my photos on social media in an appropriate fashion. Award Recipients February - March TK-12775 "Sithping" Paul - - - - - - You can now also request a letter of commendation, more information available here Are you an approved TK that spends more time on the boards than the average Trooper? Do you enjoy using your knowledge to help out future and existing Troopers? If so, we would like to invite you to join the Imperial Attaché program! Members of the I.A. team are chosen to help out not only those here on the boards, but on a local level as well. Our aim is to have at least one in each and every Garrison, Squad and Outpost in the entire legion to be the eyes and ears of the FISD on a local level. If you are a 501st approved Trooper who wishes to join the ranks of the Attachés, please get in touch with me and/or visit: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/15252-fisd-attaché-program/ For a complete list of Imperial Attaches, go here. Some of the benefits include: Access to exclusive Attaché merch, including patches. You may also be in the running for an Imperial Attaché Award. An award for those attaché's who have gone above and beyond [minimum 1 year of service]. You can find a list of prior recipients here. Imperial Attaché Outstanding Achievement Award Is the Attaché position vacant for your Squad/Garrison/Outpost? Interested in becoming an Attaché? Contact me by PM or apply in the thread below: With Unquestioned Loyalty Jonatan Östling TK-23592 "Nairy" Attaché Ambassador Master Armorer Program FISD has many wonderful programs to help members build and submit costumes for our detachment, whether it be a classic Stormtrooper, a First Order Stormtrooper, or even one of the new Imperial Armored Commandos. While our Expect Infantry and Centurion programs get most of the attention, FISD staff wants to relaunch the Armorer Program (Currently called the Master Armorer Program). What is the Armorer Program you ask? Well, it is a program designed to recognize those troopers that go above and beyond to assist themselves and others in getting costumes built, submitted, and approved. One of the goals of all the detachments in the 501st Legion is to help members build and submit costumes that meet and hopefully exceed the minimum requirements of the Legion’s CRLs. Currently the Master Armorer program has the requirement of helping a minimum of 5 members achieve Expert Infantry status. The member must have spent at least 30min physically helping another member with cutting, gluing, sizing, etc, just because they want to help (no money exchanged). There are 3 levels of the award, FISD Armorer, FISD Senior Armorer and FISD Master Armorer. The new program will add a 4th level at the beginning called the Apprentice Armorer. The point scale will be as follows. 5 points - Apprentice Armorer 10 points - Armorer 20 points - Senior Armorer 30 points - Master Armorer If you love building armorer and love helping fellow members get their costumes built, then this is the program you’ve been searching for. We look forward to awarding more members with this award as we know how much we all love Troopers helping Troopers. More information can be found here Armorer Rocker Patches Rocker patches are now available for the Armorer Program, there is currently just the one patch, and members are eligible to receive two of them once they reach Level 2, "Armorer". More information can be found here Want to setup a "Fire Team? the Fire Team program is completely optional, and is intended to help form a common identity and spirit of camaraderie among 501st Legion Stormtroopers in the same geographic area/garrison that troop together. Fire Teams are not officially recognized by the 501st Legion nor the FISD, although they will be able to access a Fire Team sub-forum on the detachment website. You can find more information here. For those interested here is the original discussion on the creation of Fire teams here With Unquestioned Loyalty Mark Ryner TK-4584 "captsafe66" Fire Team Relations So what exactly are and levels? These programs were designed for those who choose to take their armor above and beyond the minimum requirements for basic 501st Legion approval. It gives you the chance to show a level of dedication and pride that takes your armor closer to being as "screen accurate" as possible, without as much extra work as you may realize! You can find more information on the programs here. For those unaware it is possible to achieve extra awards at Expert Infantry for each additional version costume you have approved, additional awards are not issued with another Expert Infantry number (you are only issued 1 Expert Infantry number) but you will see a star above the award on your profile and the thread title will show [APPROVED] 2nd, [APPROVED] 3rd, [APPROVED] 4th and so on. Multiple EIB award recipients and info here NOTE If you are approved with a "2nd Version" of a particular costume that you are already approved with you do not receive an additional award, there is only 1 award issued for each costume version ie: only 1 x Hero, 1 x Stunt, 1 x HWT, 1 x ESB, 1 x TFA and so on. If you have a second/additional version costume approved you will see "2nd Version" and [APPROVED] added to the thread title, no additional profile stars (more info on profile awards here) For those of you who have a particular issue (or issues) before or after submitting for Expert Infantry / Centurion level approval, in order to get you an answer faster you can now privately contact the entire Deployment Officer team at one time! Questions about fitting, repairs, CRL standards/requirements or anything pertaining to reaching Levels 2 and 3 are not only welcomed, but encouraged. Keep in mind that no question is too small, and that your queries will only be seen by the D.O. Staff. We are here to help in any way we can, so please feel free to send us a message by clicking on this link: @Deployment Officer Team and we will get back to you A.S.A.P.! More info here This area lists all those who have gone above and beyond basic approval toward screen accuracy and obtained EIB or Centurion or both. FOR February - March the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate the following. Expert Infantry Badge Award: None this month Request your free EIB certificate here. You can find a list of multiple award recipients here. Multiple EIB award info here Expert Infantry Honor Gallery here --------------------------------------------------------------- Centurion Badge Award: None this month Request your free Centurion certificate here. You can find a list of multiple award recipients here. If you see any of these Troopers around your Garrison or Squad, be sure to congratulate them! We would like to invite you all to join our Discord Server – if you haven't already. If you’re looking for a casual and relaxed space to chat with your fellow TK’s, this is for you. Yes, even if you’re new to the Forums. We would be honored if you would join us. With the new term starting we're also starting back up with the Discord Video Chats! Make sure to keep an eye on the announcements, so we can see you at the next one to talk about Star Wars, Stormtroopers and whatever else is on your mind! With Unquestioned Loyalty Luca Hahn TK-66744 "Morgi" Social Media Relations With Unquestioned Loyalty Torben Sobierey TK-19525 "Tall_Trooper" Social Media Relations As always if you have interesting story or troop please share via DM and it may get added to the next months newsletter. With Unquestioned Loyalty Glen "Q" Rhodes TK-85421 "gmrhodes13" PRO, Newsletter Detachment Leader (DL) Chris Pearson (themaninthesuitcase) TK-10911 Detachment Executive Officer (DXO) Andrew Franke (Sly11) TK-11469 Chief Deployment Officer (DCA) Mario Reyes (TKSpartan) TK-48117 Deployment Officer (DCA) José Mª Sánchez (Chemi) TK-30173 Deployment Officer (DCA) Gerald J Gyorffy (Doggydoc) TK-96004 Provost Marshall (DCoG) Steven Sheades (starsaber25) TK-10466 Provost Marshall (DCoG) Caleb Mask (MaskedVengeance) TK-73692 Provost Marshall (DCoG) Arthur Wong (giskard8) TK-39093 FISD Diplomat (DPRO) Tony Jobe (ukswrath) TK-10116 FISD Diplomat (DPRO) Tim Waychoff (Dark PMF) TK-51878 FISD Diplomat (DPRO) Christoph (Danny) Lauber (Ripper_L) TK-55550 Fire Team Relations (DCoG ) Mark Ryner (captsafe66) TK-4584 Merchandise and Brand Officer (DMBO) James Silvius (jsilvius) TK-12953 Merchandise and Brand Officer (DMBO) Adam Wolf (Revlimiter) TK-89400 Trading Card Specialist (DPRO) Eric Ho (Hoda) TK-77520 Newsletter Publisher (DPRO) Glen Rhodes (gmrhodes13) TK-85421 Social Media Relations (DPRO) Luca Hahn (Morgi) TK-66744 Social Media Relations (DPRO) Torben Sobierey (Tall_Trooper) TK-19525 Content Editor Support (DPRO) Jeff Salt (Wingnut65) TK-50297 Attaché Ambassador (DPRO) Jonatan Östling (Nairy) TK-23592 Personnel Officer (DPER) AC (NoVATie) TK-5597 Systems Administrator (DWM) Mathias Rodstedt (Locitus) TK-2959 Systems Administrator (DWM) Eric Brager (Darth Aloha) TK-9674 Systems Administrator/Detachment Founder (DF) Paul Hoeffer (Daetrin) TK-8020 Imperial Propaganda Machine (IPM) Brian Long (Tilheyra) TK-47933 Imperial Propaganda Machine (IPM) Sally Smith (astrosally) TK-76924 Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitearmor - - - Facebook Group: 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment (FISD) Official Twitter: www.twitter.com/FISD501st or @FISD501st - - - Instagram: www.instagram.com/fisd501st Discord: https://discord.gg/FmQZ2qW8gx - - - Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fisd501st.bsky.social On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department

You can go up in size for your coverstrips, we normally try to add any extra to the rears as the public mostly see the fronts. Note some screen photos show quite a lot of area before the ridges If you go wider on the front of your shins I would also do the same to the thighs so they match, won't look out of place then As always it is entirely up to your GML as they will be looking after your approval.

Very interested in this…. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

File Name: Luke Skywalker's X-Wing Targeting Computer Designer: ASTDrones Last Update: 09/03/2026 File-https://makerworld.com/en/models/2496847-luke-skywalker-s-x-wing-targeting-computer?from=search#profileId-2744325 Description: Thanks for checking out my model! Interested in supporting my work or selling prints? Support Crew – Show some love and help keep the projects flowing Galactic Maker Foundry – Sell physical prints of my original designs Foundry License+ – Sell prints and use my photos for listings 🎉 Supporter-only Discord coming soon – get early access, tips, and sneak peeks! This project recreates Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing targeting computer from the iconic Death Star trench run scene in Star Wars: A New Hope. The prop features a looping trench run targeting display, illuminated control panel LEDs, and optional sound, recreating the look of the targeting computer seen inside Luke’s X-Wing cockpit during the final attack on the Death Star. This isn’t meant to be a 100% screen-accurate replica of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Targeting Computer from Star Wars: A New Hope. There are actually two pretty distinct versions seen in the scene — the physical prop itself, and the version shown with the screen, buttons, and lights. Trying to combine both into one small desktop unit didn’t really work the way I wanted, so I ended up taking a more inspired-by approach instead. I wanted this to still feel recognisable and fit the Star Wars look, while also working as a compact display piece. I also took a bit of inspiration from the X-Wing Targeting Computer card art from the Star Wars TCG, which helped shape some of the design choices. So while it’s not a perfect one-to-one replica, it’s my own take on the targeting computer that blends elements from the different versions into something I think looks right at home on a desk or display shelf. The system is powered by a Raspberry Pi 3B, which automatically boots and launches the fullscreen video display when powered on. Once assembled, the targeting computer acts as a standalone sci-fi display piece perfect for desks, shelves, or Star Wars collections. Features • Looping Death Star trench run targeting display • Screen inspired control panel layout • Multiple LED indicator lights across the front panel • Optional audio with adjustable volume • Powered by Raspberry Pi 3B • Automatically boots straight into the video display • Designed for a 3.5" HDMI screen Clear/Transparent Filament Unfortuneatly Bambu Lab doesn't make a clear filament, I used Clear Transparent PLA filament from Sunlu using the Bambu Lab Translucent PLA preset. But any clear filament should do fine as long as you change the preset to the correct filament you are using Images:

Strap in, this is a loooong update! For starters, thank you Chuck! Excited for the possibility to join the Tampa Bay Squad here soon, fingers crossed this next bit goes well. Also, Glen, this is super helpful! I did find that with brake cleaner (and some elbow grease) I can scrape off *most* of the enamel paint but funny enough (maybe not funny?) it doesn't seem to have any visible adverse affects on the primer coat... I suppose I'll find out later down the line if that holds true, but I do believe I'll try my hand at a weather bucket with my spare helmet for some garage decor. Now, while waiting for spot putty and primer to dry, I’ve been doing what many others here have done—spending some time studying the gallery to make sure I haven’t missed anything. That exercise quickly reminded me just how much I still haven’t completed… and the list is longer than I’d like to admit. I’ve also taken a bit of creative liberty with parts of my armor and made a few retroactive changes that I think will benefit me when it comes to troopings and conventions. From reading through other build threads, it seems the Empire strongly discourages pockets, so I found a Rogue One/Non-Saga thermal detonator file on Thingiverse that was modified to allow for some concealed, “in-universe” storage. Granted, this does mean there’s now a non-zero chance my keys & credit card might detonate… but I’m willing to take that risk. Unfortunately, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the original belt mount I printed for it, so I went ahead and reprinted that as well—this time changing the orientation and printing at 0.16mm layer height instead of 0.20mm. For a piece that will never actually be seen, I think it turned out pretty good (old=white; new=black). Of course, that’s a pretty small task compared to the rest of the parts I had completely forgotten about, which brings us right back to everyone’s favorite stage: Bondo spot putty. Again. At the moment, my back porch has become what I’d describe as organized chaos. I currently know where everything is… but it definitely looks like I’ve created a disaster zone. Normally I’d be doing this stage in the comfort of my garage, but I’ve gotten into the bad habit of forgetting that sanding in there means coating my car in plastic dust. So for now, the hot, humid porch it is. That said, a couple of good things have happened and we’re finally taking a big step in the right direction, because the new helmet is well underway. Actually, it’s probably easier to just show you. If I could stop right here at the primer stage, I’d probably be much happier in life—but apparently I’m a glutton for punishment. So it’s back to sanding, spot putty, and, you guessed it: more primer. And I almost forgot the eye bump. I briefly considered skipping it entirely (which would pretty much rule out Centurion down the road), but ultimately decided to go for it. Here it is in all its glory. Compared to my last attempt, I centered it a bit better and went with a wider, more even hump, which feels slightly less aggressive than the previous version. I Now, comparing this to the reference photos from SWC 2022… I personally don’t see much of an eye bump at all. I know some people say it’s blatantly obvious, while others question whether it even exists in the first place. Either way, the debate seems to go both directions. At this point, though, I’ve committed to it—and I’m not turning back now. Which brings us to my favorite part of this update: the white paint. Okay, maybe not my favorite part, but it’s definitely the stage I’ve been looking forward to since the last fiasco (first photo in today's post) with the original enamel paint I was using. This time around, I’ve officially switched over to an acrylic-based paint. Don’t mind the mic tips and vocoder hiding in the background… we’re getting close. Coincidentally, both the old paint and the new paint are from Rustoleum, but the results so far have been very different… in a good way. The initial “dust” coat went down flawlessly! Well… almost flawlessly. I’ve been having an issue with one particular ear (see below) where both the primer and now the paint seem to be reacting the same way, creating a small “bubble” effect. At this point I’m tempted to just reprint it, but I’m going to try sanding it back first and see if that solves the problem. My guess is that something contaminated the surface—either oils from my hands while handling it or possibly some leftover Bondo dust I didn’t clean off well enough. Either way, the plan is to sand it down and see how it behaves before making any drastic decisions—back to the big pieces. I got a *little* ahead of myself with the excitement and may have gone slightly heavy on my last coat, which resulted in two small runs—one on the chin piece (the more obvious one) and a minor run on the left side of the face above the teeth insert. Thankfully both look like they’ll sand out pretty easily tomorrow. The plan is to smooth those out, apply a light touch-up coat, and then move on to clear coat this Friday. Honestly, things are finally starting to come together. In hindsight, I probably should have tested this new paint on something easier to fix or replace—like a hand guard—but apparently I enjoy making things difficult for myself. After all, if I didn’t like a challenge, I wouldn’t be 3D printing this entire suit from scratch. If all goes well with the touch-up coat tomorrow, I’ll post another quick update. In the meantime, I’ve ordered the HIPS material for the belt, which should wrap up most of the remaining armor work. I still need to pick up boots, gloves, and a neck seal, which I plan to order from KeepTrooping during their next drop. Unfortunately I’ll be out of town around that time, so there’s a chance I might miss it and have to wait for the April drop instead. Between now and then I’ll keep working through the remaining spot putty stages on the various armor pieces (I've made little progress on the arms), but at this point the finish line is finally starting to come into view—and I’m ready for it.

Definitely a shame, but life happens and priorities change. I’m just glad my wife supports this hobby… so long as she hasn’t discovered the full cost of it yet. Some of these memes are freakin’ hysterical! Thanks Shane! It’s been an awesome experience so far. I will say the most exciting part is the frequent camera checks to see if the supports are still standing, whether there’s been a layer shift, and so on. It’s like riding a low-budget roller coaster at the county fair—you never quite know what’s going to happen next, but that’s part of the fun. Unrelated, but the new helmet is nearly done printing. I should have a small update later tonight, along with a funny story (at least I think it’s funny) to go with it.