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Truly, this is LinkedIn these days. Sad!

Greetings troopers, Now the term is in full swing we are looking to update some of the CRLs and need you to help us with this. On all of our First Order CRLs you will see an image like this: The "rams horns" are not accurate as we now know and there are now more accurate armors out there. We would like to update all, or at least as many as we can with the correct full fronted one. Not only is this more accurate but it can stop any confusion with members building who think that they may need to remove the front plate. We will not be changing the CRL wording for those kits where this is not possible, only the image to better guide troopers. We would need images to cover : TK - Stormtrooper: The Force Awakens TK - Stormtrooper: The Last Jedi The above two be the same image. TK - Stormtrooper: The Last Jedi Executioner TK - Captain Phasma: The Force Awakens TK - Captain Phasma: The Last Jedi Phasma can also be the same image. Thank you for your assistance.

I've been using a bambu p2s and have been experimenting with ABS printing the past couple weeks. I'm not sure if the software you're using incorporates these features but see if it has something called "fuzzy skin". It will probably give you the option to paint any surfaces you choose "fuzzy". What this feature does is introduce random jiggles into the extruders path on the surfaces you choose and let you decide how big of a jiggle. If you crank it way down to 0.05mm and combine this with 0.1mm layers, you will end up making the surface an almost eggshell matte consistency. Id also recommend lowering the speed on the outside walls considerably to prevent errors. The thinner the layers, the more likely it will fail at higher speeds. It will take a long time to print but it will be worth the wait.

I know they are stinky and gross. But ever thought of a Resin printer? I’m in the process of a ROTK after I complete my Droid Division IG-11. I’ll tel you what, they are a lifesaver with the finer detail parts. I’m building the TK with ABS filament. Gotten the files from galactic armory. this is a great post on your build!

As time allows I've been working on a 3D moddled version of the rails for the forearms that allow for the correct hex head screw. I used the DN part as a guide for size and replicated them bar the 1 bump where the screw will go. I don't plan to go whole hog and do a full length part that goes under the wrist box but who knows what the future holds. I know this isn't the right screw but it's the only one I had to hand that was the right size. I'll order some plan hex heads later. On first testing I realised the offset alignment block means that on one side it fits will and on the other it creates a bad fit. So I created 2 mirrored rails to fit on the respective forearm. I got to learn some fun Fusion tricks with parameters so I only have 1 model, and just change between L and R and it updates the alignment and the engraving to ensure I know which is which. I have also been progressing on the armour and have had some deliveries to cover but I'll do that in a different post.

The close up shots the soles have masking tape on them - sorry they were taken during dying & painting. You can see from this photo taken on Sunday they are black. [emoji1303][emoji1303]

Okay, now I’m getting excited. After receiving notice that my Anycubic order was being delayed immediately after paying (I have a lot to say about this, but won't here), I jumped ship and picked up a Creality K2 Plus instead. I was looking for similar features, but from a company with a slightly better reputation—and I’m very excited to finally put this beast to work, and utilize that heated chamber. For scale, an MPSB abdomen at 100% scale fits perfectly on the print bed of this 350mm³ behemoth, which is wild coming from my previous setup (of 256mm³). This was originally printed in 8-pieces on my Centauri Carbon... but I do wonder if down the road a 1-piece print would be better for longevity... or a Shoretrooper build. With the new printer, I also decided to move away from PETG for the remainder of the armor—not because of any major issues, but because I wanted to try ASA (and potentially ABS later) for its acetone vapor smoothing capabilities. For those unfamiliar, ASA/ABS can be vapor smoothed by placing the print in a sealed container with acetone (typically soaked into paper towels). Over time, this helps soften and smooth the outer layer, reducing most of the obvious visible layer lines. For armor at this scale, that’s a massive advantage—especially since I’ve grown to strongly dislike sanding. Quick disclaimer: this build thread is not a direct tutorial—just a documentation of my own process. I’m still learning as I go, so take everything here with a grain of salt, and always handle chemicals safely with proper PPE. With the new ASA, I reprinted both the posterior and cod armor. My original prints had some issues—most notably fitment (and some infill separation). The posterior armor was… tight. I only realized how tight when I tried to flex it into place and it snapped down the middle on the seam (now welded twice...). I repaired it, then promptly snapped it in two more places shortly after. Lesson learned: scaling matters. A lot. The cod armor had similar proportional issues, so I rescaled and reprinted both pieces to better fit my frame. Both of these are pre-vapor smoothing (future update), so here’s the before (minor layer lines, nearly "perfect" prints): Now, while waiting on these prints (because the K2 Plus is not exactly a “fast” printer), I revisited my good friend: the thermal detonator. It’s funny how such a small part can have so many intricate details—but after spending time studying references (especially while working on the belt), I realized that neither Akira’s files nor Jason’s updated versions were quite where I wanted them. Now—I’m not claiming mine is more accurate, especially as a first-time builder—but I decided to take a shot at improving it. This past week I had to learn Fusion360 for a project at work (designing an "LED sign"), so I used that as an opportunity to try fixing some aspects of the control plate. My main focus areas were: correcting the rounded recess seen in Celebration reference photos avoiding the hard 90° edges present in most files (even Akira’s) giving the oval greeble more breathing room by shifting it slightly inward After about 10 minutes of trying to tweak the existing model (because I don’t fully know what I’m doing yet), I gave up and started from scratch—which ended up being great practice. That quickly spiraled into a bit of a rabbit hole of “I can keep improving this,” and before I knew it, I had re-modeled the entire thermal detonator assembly. The most notable changes: added slots for the oval greeble and control panel buttons to properly nest into the control panel for assembly refined the oval greeble “knurling” to better match reference photos smoothed out the end cap chamfers and rounded the edges on the ident detail added chamfers to the control panel buttons And with that… here’s the result of about 8 hours of not fully knowing what I’m doing and filling in the gaps with tutorials: Again, I’m not claiming it’s perfect—this is only my second real modeling attempt—but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I printed it first at 50% scale in some leftover PETG as a proof of concept, then it'll be re-printed in some leftover ASA soon for the actual armor. It was only after finishing all of this that I realized Jason had actually included two different versions of the control panel: a simpler plate (~¼ coverage) a larger cuff (~¾ wrap around the detonator tube) At first, I wasn’t entirely sure which was more accurate when I began printing—and then re-designing—these. After going back through reference photos from Celebration EU and Celebration 2022 more closely, it does appear that the larger cuff-style piece is closer to what’s seen on screen. That said, a lot other new-era TK builds I’ve come across still lean toward the simplified, non-cuffed control plate, which—for now—is the direction I’m sticking with too. If that ends up being the wrong call, I suppose it just gives me another opportunity to revisit this and refine the model later on. Thankfully, I’m not completely strapped for time this month—my April travel plans have been put on pause (and potentially June as well, TBD)—so I’ve got a bit more breathing room to make adjustments if needed while continuing to focus on the rest of the armor. I may very well be getting lost in the minor details instead of focusing on the bigger picture… (but if I’m being honest, that’s probably just procrastination kicking in). While continuing to avoid fully committing to paint (shocking, I know), my latest shipment from Mr. Paul finally arrived from across the pond: These pieces are awesome. I originally had it in my head that I wanted to print absolutely everything myself, but in this case, this was 100% worth ordering. So Paul—if you happen to see this—thank you! Anyways, this update has been a bit all over the place while waiting for the new printer (plus a massive printing project for work), but things are finally getting back on track. With these new shoulder brackets in hand, I’m ready to finally move into the strapping phase, and once fitment is sorted, we’ll be pushing into base coat.

to my fellow troopers who keep this place friendly and inviting.

I believe two people have made firm offers already, and it is being hashed out. Guess we will find out shortly who is going to pick up the mantel.