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Hello fellow troopers! I'm thrilled to share that I've just received my approval for an ANH Stunt build, featuring an MFX armor set and an RS Prop Masters helmet, a combination I'm genuinely proud of. The armor itself came to me secondhand and in rather rough shape, so the entire build was essentially a full restoration from the ground up, including a complete re-strapping. It's been a rewarding challenge. The blaster is a 3D-printed replica, and the boots are dyed Chelsea boots that turned out surprisingly well. This is actually my third costume overall, but my first armor build -and I have to say, the experience of trooping as a Stormtrooper is something else entirely compared to my previous outings as an Imperial Staff Officer. There's a very different energy to it. Before the final approval, I took the armor out for a full test-wear to make sure I could realistically handle 5–6 hours in it. Let's just say - you all know exactly what I mean when I say it's demanding. But the moment you're in full kit and catch your reflection, every bit of discomfort becomes an afterthought. The joy of wearing it simply outweighs everything else.Looking forward to trooping with my Garrison members soon. May the Empire stand! That was the starting point and how it turned out 1/2 year later First time test fit all parts holding together with white duct tape the worst moment, I glued one coverstrip The wrong way around with super glue and tried to get it off again... Pre Approved "test troop" as non registered trooper... You can find pre approval pictures an details here:

Hydration, Heat Illness, Blisters & Injury Prevention After more than 23 years as a firefighter/paramedic, I've seen firsthand how quickly heat exposure can turn from discomfort into a medical emergency. I've managed dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke in real-world operational environments, and the pattern is always the same: it builds quietly, then escalates fast if it's not recognized early. This guide is strongly aligned with current emergency medicine, sports medicine, and occupational heat illness guidance, while being adapted for practical field use. I have not yet trooped in armor, as I do not currently own a suit, but I am actively working toward building one. I felt it was important to share my background in emergency medicine and field experience with heat stress in similar environments to help keep this community safe during summer troops and long convention days. While the gear is different, I can strongly relate from years of operating in full bunker gear with an SCBA during structure fires and extended wildland operations—often with limited rest, high exertion, and continuous heat exposure. The physiology is very similar: trapped heat, heavy exertion, and fluid loss can overwhelm the body faster than expected. UNDERSTANDING HEAT IN ARMOR Heat retention is how well your body holds onto heat versus how efficiently it can release it. Your body is constantly producing heat—even at rest. Normally, it cools itself through: Sweat evaporation Airflow over the skin (convection) Heat radiating away from the body Contact with cooler surfaces Armor and undersuits interfere with those cooling mechanisms. HOW ARMOR INCREASES HEAT STRESS Armor does not increase heat production—it reduces the body's ability to release heat. Sweat cannot evaporate efficiently (primary cooling failure point) Heat becomes trapped between skin, undersuit, and armor layers Airflow is restricted, reducing cooling Sunlight heats armor surfaces, which radiate heat inward The body becomes less efficient at dumping heat into the environment KEY POINT Heat illness in armor is not about producing excessive heat—it is about the body losing its ability to release heat effectively. HUMIDITY (THE HIDDEN HEAT RISK) Humidity is one of the most overlooked factors in heat illness. Even when temperatures are moderate, high humidity can dramatically increase risk because sweat cannot evaporate efficiently. This means: The body loses its primary cooling mechanism Heat stress builds faster than expected Indoor convention spaces with poor airflow can still become dangerous FIELD REMINDER High humidity can be just as dangerous as high temperature because it blocks the body's ability to cool itself. WHY THIS MATTERS As heat retention increases: Core temperature rises faster Fatigue develops sooner Dehydration occurs more rapidly Mental focus and reaction time decrease HYDRATION & ELECTROLYTES SIMPLE HYDRATION RULE During long or hot troops, alternate water with electrolyte drinks regularly instead of relying on water alone. Good options include: Gatorade Pedialyte Liquid IV TriOral ORS PRE-HYDRATION (BEFORE THE EVENT) Drink 16–20 oz (500–600 mL) of water 1–2 hours before the troop Add another 8–12 oz (250–350 mL) 15–30 minutes before activity if tolerated Include electrolytes if significant heat or exertion is expected BOTTOM LINE You don't catch up on hydration during the troop—you start ahead of it. NORMAL BODY RESPONSE You may need to urinate more frequently after pre-hydration. This is normal. Once activity begins and sweating increases, fluid shifts toward cooling and urine output typically decreases. IMPORTANT HYDRATION SAFETY NOTE Avoid excessive water intake without electrolyte replacement during prolonged sweating, as this can dilute sodium levels and create dangerous electrolyte imbalance. WHY ELECTROLYTES MATTER When you sweat, you primarily lose sodium and chloride, along with smaller amounts of: Potassium Magnesium Calcium These minerals are essential for: Fluid balance Muscle contraction Nerve signaling Heart electrical conduction and rhythm KEY POINT Water replaces fluid. Electrolytes help your body maintain proper fluid balance and normal function under heat stress. FOOD-BASED SUPPORT (SUPPORTING YOUR HYDRATION PLAN) These foods are not replacements for fluids or electrolyte drinks—they are supplements to your hydration plan. Bananas → potassium source Pickles / pickle juice → sodium replacement Mustard → anecdotal cramp relief (limited evidence) FIELD REMINDER Use alongside water and electrolyte drinks, not instead of them. Best use cases: During breaks After heavy sweating During recovery periods ALCOHOL, CAFFEINE & SODA Alcohol increases dehydration risk and heat stress Moderate caffeine intake is generally tolerated in most people Soda is generally not ideal for hydration during heat exposure URINE COLOR GUIDE Pale straw / light yellow → well hydrated Yellow → generally normal Dark yellow → dehydrated Amber → significant dehydration MEDICAL CONDITIONS & MEDICATIONS If you have underlying medical conditions or take prescription medications, consult your primary care provider about a hydration and electrolyte plan that fits your medical needs. Examples include: Diabetes High blood pressure (hypertension) Congestive heart failure (CHF) Kidney disease Cardiac conditions Diuretic ("water pill") use Some medical conditions and medications can: Increase dehydration risk Affect electrolyte balance Reduce heat tolerance Limit safe fluid intake IMPORTANT NOTE A hydration strategy that works for one person may not be appropriate for another depending on their medical history and medications. ACCLIMATIZATION & COOLING ACCLIMATIZATION (PREPARING FOR THE HEAT) One of the most overlooked parts of heat safety is acclimatization. Your body gradually adapts to heat exposure over time by: Improving sweat efficiency Cooling more effectively Reducing cardiovascular strain Improving heat tolerance The first major hot-weather troop of the season is often the hardest because the body has not yet adapted. FIELD REMINDER Don't go from air conditioning straight into an all-day summer troop without giving your body time to adapt to the heat. COOLING GEAR (OPTIONAL BUT USEFUL) Cooling tools can significantly improve comfort and safety during troops, especially in armor. Examples include: Helmet fans to improve airflow inside the bucket Neck fans for external cooling during breaks Cooling towels for rapid temperature reduction Moisture-wicking compression layers under armor Portable cooling vests for extended outdoor events BOTTOM LINE Cooling gear helps reduce heat strain, but it does not replace hydration, breaks, or proper pacing. COOLING & REHAB AREA Firefighters use rehab and cooling areas during prolonged operations for a reason—cooling early prevents medical emergencies later. If possible during troops or conventions: Take scheduled cooldown breaks Remove helmets first to improve airflow and cooling Move into shade or air conditioning Use fans or cooling towels Change out wet undershirts or socks if needed Rehydrate before symptoms become severe SIMPLE RULE Cooling early is easier than recovering late. HEAT CRAMPS (EARLY WARNING STAGE) Heat cramps are one of the earliest clinically recognized forms of exertional heat illness and are strongly associated with heavy sweating, sodium loss, and sustained muscular exertion in hot environments. This is consistent with emergency medicine and sports medicine guidance (CDC, NWS, ACSM). COMMON SIGNS & SYMPTOMS Painful, involuntary muscle spasms Typically affects calves, thighs, arms, or abdomen Occurs during or after heavy sweating/exertion Muscles may feel tight, knotted, or "locked up" Profuse sweating is usually present Body temperature is typically normal or only mildly elevated Accompanied by thirst and early fatigue WHAT IS HAPPENING Heat cramps are primarily caused by fluid and electrolyte loss—especially sodium—leading to abnormal muscle contraction and neuromuscular irritability. WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY Stop activity Move to a cooler environment Replace fluids with electrolyte-containing drinks Gently stretch and massage affected muscle groups Rest before returning to activity FIELD REMINDER Heat cramps are an early warning sign that the body is losing its ability to maintain electrolyte balance under heat stress. They often precede heat exhaustion if ignored. HEAT EXHAUSTION (WARNING STAGE) Heat exhaustion is the body's early failure to keep up with cooling demands. COMMON SIGNS & SYMPTOMS Heavy sweating Fatigue or sudden weakness Dizziness or lightheadedness Nausea Muscle cramps Fast heart rate In many cases, fatigue, dizziness, and cramping may appear before headache develops. WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY Stop activity Remove or reduce gear if safe Move to shade or a cooler environment Actively cool with airflow, fans, cool towels, or cold packs Sip fluids slowly HYDRATION + ELECTROLYTES Prioritize electrolyte drinks + water Drink small amounts frequently FIELD REMINDER Don't wait for severe symptoms—fatigue, dizziness, and cramping are early warning signs that should be taken seriously. KNOW WHEN TO STOP Sometimes the safest decision is stepping out of the troop early. WARNING SIGNS YOU SHOULD NOT IGNORE Confusion or difficulty concentrating Tunnel vision Stumbling or coordination problems Chills while overheated Persistent dizziness Feeling unable to recover even after resting Nausea that continues to worsen KEY POINT Pride should never override physiology. Stopping early and cooling down is always better than becoming a medical emergency. HEAT STROKE (MEDICAL EMERGENCY) Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency involving dangerous elevation of body temperature and central nervous system dysfunction. WARNING SIGNS Confusion Altered mental status Collapse Seizures Hot skin IMMEDIATE ACTIONS Call 911 immediately Remove armor and excess gear Begin rapid active cooling immediately Apply ice packs to the neck, armpits, and groin IMPORTANT NOTE Rapid cooling is the priority in suspected heat stroke. BLISTERS & FOOT CARE (MOST COMMON TROOP INJURY) Blisters are caused by friction, heat, and moisture. PREVENTION Proper boot fit (no heel slip or pressure points) Moisture-wicking socks (avoid cotton) Change socks during long troops if possible Treat hot spots early EARLY INTERVENTION (HOT SPOTS) Stop and adjust immediately if possible Apply moleskin, blister tape, or athletic tape Reduce friction Keep the area dry FIELD REMINDER Treating a hot spot early almost always prevents a blister. IF A BLISTER FORMS Small / intact blisters: Do not pop if possible Clean gently Cover with hydrocolloid dressing or a moleskin "donut" Large / painful blisters: Clean the area Drain only if necessary using sterile technique Leave the skin roof intact Cover and offload pressure AFTER CARE Keep clean and dry Monitor for infection: redness warmth swelling pus worsening pain MINOR INJURIES Common issues during troops include: Chafing Muscle cramps Minor cuts and scrapes Strains or minor sprains TREATMENT Chafing / cuts / scrapes: Clean with a BZK (benzalkonium chloride) antiseptic wipe as primary field cleaning Follow with soap and water when available Cover and protect the area Reduce friction Keep clean and dry Muscle cramps: Stop activity Stretch and gently massage Hydrate and replace electrolytes Rest Persistent or severe cramping may indicate worsening heat stress. Strains / sprains (acute injuries): RICE is useful in the early phase (first 24–48 hours). R – Rest I – Ice C – Compression E – Elevation FIELD REMINDER Match treatment to the injury—clean wounds with BZK, hydrate for cramps, and use RICE for acute sprains or strains. BUDDY SYSTEM & HANDLERS Handlers and wranglers play a critical safety role during troops. Always operate with a trusted buddy Check in regularly Handlers often notice early signs of heat stress before the trooper does Be willing to remove someone from activity if needed Don't let excitement override safety In high-energy environments, the experience is important—but safety comes first. SIMPLE RULE It's better to step out and cool down than become a medical emergency. FINAL THOUGHTS No troop is worth a medical emergency. Heat illness is predictable and preventable. Start hydrated Hydrate consistently Use electrolytes in heat Treat hot spots early Look out for your buddy Rest before you crash Stay safe and look out for each other. Troopers helping troopers.

Thank you to all of you who have donated, for those of you confirmed on our tracking spreadsheet I have now updated your forum profile with the 2026 supporter badge. Some of you have been more than generous, but all of you have our thanks. All donations matter no matter how big or small. It's your generosity that keeps the lights on and the droids working.

NEW In Memoriam Detachment Leader Merchandise Officer Hall of Fame FISD Meme's Around the Detachment Fundraising 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 It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that Trooper 12862, Henk Hoomoedt, has passed away. Henk joined the Dutch Garrison in 2013 and was an enthusiastic and warm-hearted man. He helped many troopers with building their costumes and was always there for anyone who needed him. Henk was diagnosed with cancer and even though it gave him a lot of discomfort, he stayed positive for his friends and family to the last moments of his life. He leaves behind his wife Diana and their two children, Michael and Laura. Henk will always remain in our thoughts. Condolences to his garrison, family and friends "Buckets Off" Greetings Troopers, This month has ended on a high! We have just had the May 4th weekend troops, and to really knock up a notch the premiers for The Mandalorian and Grogu. I know a few were lucky enough to attend events for this and I hope you had a great time. The film will be out before the end of the month, so not long before we will know if there are any new CRLs we can be looking forward to. With the new film coming out please remember not all of us will be able to get out right away, so try keep spoilers contained to threads tagged with spoilers. Last month we launched our annual fundraiser. Whilst we got off to a great start we've still got a good way to go. If you have found anything on this site useful please consider a small donation to help us cover the costs Details are here: With Unquestioned Loyalty Chris Pearson TK-10991 "themaninthesuitcase" Detachment Leader Greeting Troopers! 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. We ran into some unforeseen issues with these coins. The actual shipping cost from the vendor to the distribution points was considerably higher than originally quoted, as well as the import taxes (at least in the US). Coins for the UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand and Canada should have all shipped by the time you get your news letter. If you haven't received you coins, please let me know. US Coins will start shipping the week of May 18th. I have unfortunately been out of town for almost 3 weeks for work. By the time the newsletter is published, US/Central and South American members will have been sent an email with the cost for shipping, which will include unfortunately a bit of an extra per coin cost to offset the shipping and import fees. A longer explication can be found on the sales page, but clicking the link below. Updates can be found here. NEW BUSINESS FISD 20th Anniversary Standard Logo Patch run. The patch run opened on May 4th, and will run though June 1st (or until we run out of patches). You can learn more about the patch run here. There is a 2nd 20th Anniversary Coin and Patch that will both be going up for sale after the patch run is complete. So keep an eye on the forum for these items. Also, LFL has stopped approving our merch until after the Mando & Grogu premiere. We have one item that is awaiting approval, and once that is approved, we have a package merch run that we think folks will be excited about. So keep an out for more information on that run as well. 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 "A stolen SF TIE Fighter crashed here somewhere..." Please welcome TK-64724 to the Stormtrooper Hall of Fame, April 2026! @royal.blue.retta Troop log can be found here. Congrats Retta, what an amazing photoshoot from this event! Those who are interested in seeing more awesome photos, check out the troop log! With Unquestioned Loyalty Jonatan Östling TK-23592 "Nairy" Attaché Ambassador You can find the full meme thread here How to paint button plates Thank you John @JBar TK91213, link 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 Forum Fundraising It's that time of year where we need to pay our bills. As last year we moved away from the temporary legion hosting and on to our own systems we have an increase in costs to cover. As a stretch goal we have also included a proper backup solution into the costs. Currently this is managed manually and a proper solution would be a great addition. We would like cover the next 14 months of costs if possible. This means next years admin team are not thrown in with suddenly having to run a fundraiser. The idea will be from then onwards it will be 12 months at a time. All members who donate will also have the 2026 supporter banner added to their profile, as with the earlier email costs fundraiser. If you would like to make a donation you can find the fundraiser thread here 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 April - May TK-20188 "mirko_in_action" Mirko - - - - - TK-9572 "Myna Sturnidae" Kimberley - - - - - TK-12045 "Melchiorek" Marek - - - - TK-47826 "CloseTheBlastDoor" Hanson - - - - - TK-54185 "Georgia Haywood" Georgia - - - - - -TK-3260 "g60racer" Brendan - - - - - - 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 April - May 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. 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

Greetings troopers, We inch forward! We have now raised just over 57% of our years funding. If you have found this forum useful and can spare even $1 it would help move us closer to our funding goal!

Hello fellow troopers! I'm joined the 501st in 2023 as an imperial Security Officer an go further with a spot on Imperial Staff Officer Costume. Secretly, however, I have always admired how cool a Stormtrooper armor looks and how much joy it brings to fans; so, I decided to follow this path as well. That was more than six months ago, and now I can say: I'm thrilled to share that I've just received my approval for an ANH Stunt build, featuring an MFX armor set and an RS Prop Masters helmet, a combination I'm genuinely proud of. May the Empire stand!

Hi all, I'm really excited to have joined this group. My name is Greg and I'm from Minnesota. I've always wanted a quality stormtrooper armor and after I bought my first 3D printer this spring I fell down the YouTube rabbit hole and ended up finding this forum. I barely know what I'm doing with my 3D printer and don't really know how to modify or create any file yet but I was able to get a copy of the modified Niko files from TKModder421 for the helmet and I got the armor files from Akira-Yuming. I haven't touched the armor files yet because I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to size them properly (Maybe armor Smith app) but I did decide to take a try at the helmet. I printed a few test rings and realized the 100% sized was too small. I have a large head and wear glasses. I ended up printing the helmet at 102% because I didn't want to go too large to where my helmet looked comically disproportionate to my body. I am not exactly a small person though (6’2” 240lbs). After printing at 102% I was able to wear the helmet but I could barely get it on and I couldn't wear it with my glasses so I was blind as a bat. I just printed a few more test rings and have decided to print again at 107%. That should give me just enough space to put the helmet on and wear my glasses with just a few millimeters to spare. I really hope that my helmet doesn't look too big but it is what it is because I couldn't wear the smaller ones. I'm going to start reprinting at that size tonight. Have any of you had to go that size or larger on your helmets? As mentioned, I got my very first 3D printer and I bought a Bambu Labs P2S and although the filament seems a bit more finicky I bought a bunch of white ABS after having watched some other armor builders on YouTube. I am finding that I wish I would have bought a printer with a larger print bed but the 256 by 256 is nice for most things I do. At 102% I only had to cut the dome and back into two parts but now I will have to cut the face as well. We will see how it goes. I'm sure I will ask lots of questions on this page about sizing and about all the not 3D printable parts. Speaking of which, I did purchase the audio/icomm system with hovi tips and amp/mic as well as some helmet fans from @ukswrath on Etsy. My original goal for this build was to build an awesome Halloween costume that will bring a smile to kids faces and also make a really cool decoration for my game room when I'm not wearing it. But after having watched videos and read things on this forum I think I am going to try for 501st approval when my armor is all done. Just the most basic level for now. I followed the local Garrison on Facebook and it looks like they have a lot of fun and it might give me more opportunities to bring smiles to people's faces which I enjoy. I am also an introvert so it would be good for me to branch out and interact with other people. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm going to receive along the way. People on this page seem like a pretty awesome group.

I decided to add a few more pictures so you can see the size difference between the 102% and 107%. 102% is about 5mm bigger than 100% would have been, so hardly noticeable. Please forgive the pictures. Its hard to do with the helmet in pieces and with only one functioning arm.

postimages 101 Why; a short introduction I've been looking into free image hosting websites. Everything seems to point to postimages. (https://postimages.org/) It is a good alternative to imgur, and once you get the hang of it you can be just as effective. Postimages was made primarily to post images on forums, and it's been around since 2004. The sharing functionality is really quick and easy, with direct links to the image that you want to post. If you are, like me, migrating images from Imgur (because Imgur is banned here and there, and want to include your fellow Brits and Indonesians), this is very easy. You have an option to upload an image by using an image url, so by right clicking on the imgur hosted image from your troop log, copying the image address, and pasting it in postimages, you'll upload it. It makes the migration so much easier. 1: Create an account Create an account and log in. You'll be greeted by the following view. Alternatively, you can click on "My images" in the menu, located in the top right navigation. 2: Create a gallery Under "My images", enter the desired name of the gallery you want to create, and press "Create a new gallery". 3: Upload photos/Upload via URL You can upload images from your device, by clicking on the "Choose images" button. Once the images are uploaded, it will automatically take you to the "gallery view". You can also paste copied images or drag and drop your files anywhere. Alternatively, if you are migrating images from imgur or simply just have an image url. Firstly, click on the "Upload via URL" link in the footer. Select what gallery you want to add your images to. Paste the images that you want to upload and press "Upload". 4: Copy direct links Once the images are uploaded, you will end up in the "gallery view". From here, you can easily show all direct links that is used for the forum by pressing the left dropdown in the section "Codes for all images". There are many ways to go about this. I have my favorite and I'll get to that last in this section. First there is the option to just copy the link of the image from this view. My favorite method is to click on the thumbnail to get to the enlarged image view. From this view you can copy the link by pressing "C", and after that, press the copy button on the "Direct link" field. My favorite way, is to simply right click the image from this view and "Copy image address", and paste on the forum, then go to the next image by using the right arrow key on the keyboard. Further tips: If you want to put your images in the order you want them in your post, you can edit the image name by just clicking on the image name, and start typing. I usually do numbers "1, 2, 3", or lead by "a, b, c". When you've named your images, simply refresh the page and you'll have them in your new order. Edit: The sorting seems a bit random so don't expect flawless behavior here IMPORTANT!! - The url of the image will change when you change the image name, so if you have pasted an image to the forum, and changed the image name after the fact, the image will no longer be available and you have to use the new image link. 5: Paste on forum thread

Hello There! My Name is Grant and I am a long time fan of SW, watching it first with my dad in theaters as a kid watching Jedi and listening to him talk about the first two. Now I am just a grown Kid and have met the 501st at our local Fancon. So now I want to join the ranks. So with some guidance from a new friend I am making the purchase. I look forward to meeting you all and seeing what cool stuff I can learn here!!!

The Mandalorian and Grogu premiered in Shanghai on May 15th.We collected all three colors of Pauldron

In my efforts to hit arbitrary deadlines and a burnout from school work I decided to spend a couple hours on the TK. Helmet is nearing its final tweaks and hopefully can show it off soon but wanted to show where armour is at. Its missing a few details but all the main forms are complete. Let me know what you think!

Got approved through my local garrison Northern Darkness Garrison in Northern Indiana. Just waiting for my TKID and ill be ready to rock and roll!!!

Greetings imperials, I aim to join your ranks. My name's Henry, and hopefully soon I'll be trooping with the Southern Cross Garrison. As a fan of Star Wars (and specifically the Empire) for as long as I can remember, it's been a lifelong dream to wear the armour of a TK stormtrooper (I quite like the Rogue One look). As an ultimate goal I'd love to be a death trooper, though I'm not sure if that's too advanced to begin with (considering I haven't done this before). Additionally, I have the black series stormtrooper helmet, which I know is very much inaccurate but I'm very happy to modify it (I saw another post before about making it accurate to Rogue One, it involved some sanding and filling in gaps like speakers and battery areas, any ideas on what to fill it with, how to not electrocute myself with the electronic parts, and how to keep the colour through sanding?). As of now I'm in my final year of high school, towards the end now, so I don't exactly have much money to buy a kit for full armour yet (not that I know where to go) but next year in uni I'll be sure to get a job to finance my armour. For reference I'm 193 cm tall (which is about 6'3 for imperial measurements). Apologies about the long post, but I'm very excited to get involved and begin on my journey, any tips are GREATLY appreciated! For the Empire!

This is the (no pun intended) million-dollar question. Truthfully, I don’t fully know yet. Right now, the main goal is simply to finish a set of files that I’m personally happy with. I’m now five months into this build and have essentially restarted multiple times because I keep finding things I’m not content with accuracy-wise (thigh armor, I'm looking at you). A huge part of this process has also just been learning. A a little over a month ago, I had basically zero Blender experience, so a lot of this has been trial, error, and figuring things out as I go. At the moment, these are primarily being built as supplemental pieces to pair with the MPSB files since a lot of the geometry and compatibility already exists there. Out of respect for Paul’s work and licensing, I can see a use-case where modeling my own files makes sense, as I cannot (and will not) distribute the necessary mods they need in order to comply with the TK CRLs. That said, long-term? I’d absolutely like to eventually release my own files in some capacity. Not because I’m trying to become a major armor vendor or anything, but because there really does seem to be a gap for highly accurate Anthology/New-Era TK files that are also printable and reasonably accessible. If I ever do release anything publicly, I’d want it to be: heavily tested (working on this now) accuracy-focused easy enough to print and reasonably priced Especially since the deeper I get into this project, the more I realize how many cool remnant/remixed TK variations could eventually be built from the same foundation (thank you Mando & Grogu). This is probably what excites me the most about this project if I'm being honest. But that’s a looong road away. Right now I’m still in the: “Does this print correctly?” followed immediately by: “Why does this still look wrong?” phase of development/modeling. So short-term answer: I honestly don’t know yet. Long-term answer: If I can eventually build something accurate, reliable, and genuinely useful to the community, then yes—I’d absolutely consider releasing them someday, but likely for a modest fee to help offset the absurd amount of time this rabbit hole has consumed.

We are up to 40 members that have donated. We have raised $498.94 of the $928.12 needed. So we have $429.18 left to go. If you haven't donated yet, please consider doing so. And please make a note in the PayPal notes that it is for the forum. I'm receiving payments for coin shipping and patch orders as well, so having a note telling me what the money is for saves me some headaches. Thank you, James

Hello there! It’s a pleasure to remotely greet you all. Truth to tell, I probably won’t actually be posting much. I’m mostly just here for the tutorials, but I figured, why not be polite and say hello before I begin to lurk.

Done. Òscar PC Catalunya Squad Id. de transacción 76R582531S030505D

Decided I’d pump out some work on the bucket today. Thought I’d stop for a moment and update the thread. ESB decal kit and correct hovi mics received, Removed some of the painted Anovos bits already. Just disassembling the bucket now so I can trim out the eyes a bit and paint the inside black.

So I figured out the issue with my printer (which was really stupid) and it was that the printer was printing on top of its own cords which I tragically couldn't realize (I promise I'm smart this isn't like me). This printer that I refuse to let die and that's being held together with duct tape and a rubber band is currently what is supporting my project, more updates to come once I finish printing all the remaining pieces.

Its that time of the month again! I found some time to work on this. Remade the torso from the ground up and a lot more happy with it. Let me know any critiques as I will be aiming to print them ASAP. Please keep in mind the back indents are not put in yet as I need to complete all forms first.

I find Rust0leum very inconsistent and can run easily. Here's a few threads on painted ROTK helmets

Starkiller Garrison GML team has Cleared my ESB TK this past Wednesday ! I can't add a Link from my garrison's or the Legion's members with an image of photo ... some of other tech shenanigans happening with the HoloNet

I do have the blaster printed. Just working on finishing it properly. It is a little rough currently. But figured it was something I could do while waiting to start the actual build. Sent from my SM-S938U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the great feedback! That's very helpful and I'll post some updates as I make progress.

Sorry for being late to the game! Donated - 88R236207N752243E

File Name: Fallen AT-AT Remote Holder Designer: 3Demoniak Last Update: 24/08/2024 File: https://makerworld.com/en/models/603070-fallen-at-at-remote-holder?from=search#profileId-525559 Description: Bring a Galactic Touch to Your Living Room with This Star Wars AT-AT Remote Holder! This unique piece showcases a fallen AT-AT in the snow, capturing an unforgettable moment from the Star Wars universe. Available in two sizes and 2 colors to suit your needs, you can also choose between a single-color or a multicolor version. Whether you’re a dedicated collector or a casual fan, this remote holder is both functional and decorative, keeping your remotes organized while adding a sci-fi flair to your space. Viral video on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-0PLm3tZp4/ Images:

The result after fixing the shoulders and some other issues:

Finally got the Rouge One DLT19 done. Just a troop gun if it doesn't need repair. Even with a metal rod down the center it's surprising fragile!

This looks like great work (without cracking out the reference anyway). Blender has always been a black art to me, I've had a couple of goes but it just doesn't compute. To think you got here from nothing in around a month is awesome. I've made a few bits over the years, but always using CAD (fusion mainly). I've released those for free mostly as it's small bits and bobs. People will generally pay a fair fee, some sets have seemed "optimistically" priced but what do I know, people clearly pay for them. I have a couple of other bits I am sat on as I want to make sure I am happy with them on a completed costume first. Paid, free, other, there's a gap atm. Non-Saga armour just isn't really available. Stuff is slowly starting to appear, but rogue one came out 10 years ago now! It's now abundantly clear that this is the styling for anything made that needs to feature stormtroopers going forward. Heck they even used them in TROS https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/508/lot/197721

IF A BLISTER FORMS Small / intact blisters: Do not pop if possible Clean gently Cover with hydrocolloid dressing or a moleskin “donut” Large / painful blisters: Clean the area Drain only if necessary using sterile technique Leave the skin roof intact Cover and offload pressure AFTER CARE Keep clean and dry Monitor for infection: redness warmth swelling pus worsening pain BOTTOM LINE Hot spots are the warning. Blisters are the injury. Early prevention is everything. For anyone who gets blisters, there are also bandages specifically designed for blister care (usually packaged as blister bandages, but also more specifically called hydrocolloid bandages). They look something like this They help protect against chafing, absorbing excess moisture and helping promote clean healing. Just put then in place and leave them until they come off on their own. They're far better than ordinary bandages about not binding to scabs, that said they do still bond a bit which is why you should just leave them be. If they come off prematurely, you can just apply a new one to the area. They're also fantastic for severe rope and rug burns for the same reasons. You can get them in roll form as well.

Sometimes it's hard to hear in a bucket, especially if one has loud blower fans running. There are two main options people will use: use quieter fans (sometimes not an option in hot places) or use a hearing assist. Hearing assists can be tricky to install, but if you're handy with a soldering iron, they're actually not too hard to build using an off-the-shelf kit, extra wiring, and a shrink wrap. I did this work years ago for myself, but for those interested in learning how to become a maker, I'll include some additional thoughts here. My original build blog for the hearing assist Part 1: How to Solder I covered this in an older forum post that you can find here. Part 2: The Velleman MK136 Super Stereo Ear IMPO it's the worst-kept secret that this off-the-shelf kit is the heart of most hearing assists used in TK buckets to date, because it's prefab and inexpensive. When you're paying for a hearing assist that's put together, you're mostly paying for the person's time to put it together, which isn't trivial. That being said, with some time, effort, and slight modification, you can install the kit with the included microphones into your helmet, and wire them back to the main board for amplification to the headphones or ear buds of your choice. The kit is still widely available on Amazon and other online retailers. You can use this link to search Google. The kit is easy to assembly because the instructions are clear and all components are through-soldered. This means there's no surface-mount soldering, chips, ICs, etc. to solder. It's 100% analogue. Just put the leads through the board, solder them, and trim the excess lead with wire clippers. There are plenty of video tutorials discussing how to put these together (try these YouTube videos). However, before you add the microphones or battery pack, pay attention to Part 3. Part 3 - Modifying the Velleman to Use in your Helmet The Microphones For the default kit, the mics are soldered directly to the board, where you don't want them. They need to be mounted close to the outside of your helmet without being seen. To do this, you'll want to solder about 12" / 30 cm of lead wire between the microphones and board, maybe more depending on where you want to mount the board inside your helmet. An easy way to measure is to use wire or string to measure between where you plan to mount the board and where you plan to mount the microphone. If in doubt, give yourself extra wire. It's not hard to add more wire if need be, but it's extra work that can make an extra point of failure. There are two main things to remember when mounting your mics: They are stereo mics, so the left mic will need to be on the left side of your helmet, and the right mic on your right. * Otherwise, your audio experience won't match what's actually happening. The mics have polarity, so when adding lead wire, keep track of the positive and negative terminals of the mic. * If the mic does not work, you can de-solder the wires, switch them around, and re-solder them. * Bonus points: using Micro JST 1.25 male/ female connectors between the board and mics can make installation, uninstallation, and repairs easier. For mounting mics, there are other posts in FISD that cover that. Most TKs opt for two options: Make mounting holes under either side of the rubber brow gasket so the mics hide underneath the gasket Video by Matt Nelson here Make mounting holes behind the ear pieces, then use jeweler's drill bits to create miniature holes on the black ear stripe through which sound can travel to the mics. Video by UKSWrath here PRO TIP: bend the microphone leads at 90 degree angles before soldering and installation. This will be helpful when installing in either of the above locations. Also, protect and bare wires with shrink wrap or liquid insulation to keep your wires from contacting and shorting out. Here's my own helmet for reference: The Batteries The kit comes with a battery holder for 3x AAA batteries. This is fine but can be bulky inside of a perhaps already-cramped helmet. Some people prefer regular AA batteries though because they're easy to swap if power runs out. If you decide to stay with the 3x AA battery holder, do NOT fasten it to the back of the main board; instead, simply solder it to the board to alongside the board in the helmet. Otherwise, it will be too tall for it to be in the helmet while wearing it. you can even install it elsewhere int he helmet if you add more lead wire between the battery pack and board. Again, you can use JST connectors here to make installation easier, or to swap between batteries or USB power. Speaking of which, if you have an old USB-A male cable lying around, you can easily cut this and splice this into the power leads on the board instead, and run the system off of 5V USB-A power. Then just choose any USB battery pack you prefer. For this, the USB-A connector has 4 wires, but you only need to worry about the 5V and Ground wires, usually red and black respectively matching what you would solder for the AA battery pack or to a JST connector. PRO TIP: avoid battery packs that have auto-shutoff, since the hearing assist may not draw continuous power and such battery packs could shut off mid-troop. Speaking of which, for those with battery packs with more than one USB port: EM Noise and Battery Packs This is fancy stuff, and if you have separate power supplies for your fans and hearing assist, you can skip to the next part. Otherwise, if you're interested, please read. Running USB-powered fans off the same battery pack that's being used for a hearing assist can create EM noise for the listener, which is irritating and reduces the effectiveness of the assist. However, using a filter, like those used for old DSL lines, can mitigate or remove line noise. I wrote about my own experience when I assembled and modified my Velleman some times ago (see "Phase 2" in the blog). I don't use the helmet bracket anymore, but all of the electronics concepts for the filter and assembly still apply. There's an additional FISD post here that discusses it. Keep in mind that using wireless mics can also introduce noise on a hearing assist. There aren't any easy ways around this since the mic lead wires will act as antenna that pick up this noise, beyond using RF shielding, which can be messy and cumbersome. I tried it, but somebody more clever than I might have a better approach. Your best bet is to switch to a wired mic. I use a pico mic and have never looked back. Part 4 - Shrink Wrap or Encasing the Board The easiest way to protect your work is to use 3" shrink wrap. Cut a section long enough to slip the board into, plus a little extra at each end, then shrink it with a heat gun or (hair drier on the hottest setting).You'll probably need to cut through the wrap for the headphone jack, and ensure that your mic lead wires pop out one side while your volume (gain) knob pop out the other. Add labels if you're feeling fancy. There are also 3d Printed cases online, but the ones I've seen are for the assembly with the battery back mounted to the back of the board for the stock Velleman assembly, and wouldn't be useful in this application. But if I end up making an STL or finding one online, I'll append it to this how-to. Part 5 - Mounting We talked about mounting the microphones, but the main board and battery pack mounting is up to the wearer, so long as everything can connect when finished. My personal preference is having the knob close to the bottom of the helmet on the left or right side, so I can easily make volume/ gain adjustments without the knob being noticed. As for how to fasten, most people use double-stick tape or Velcro. The latter can make it easier to remove if the assist isn't needed or repair/ replace if something breaks, especially if JST connectors were used in construction. In my old tutorial, I mounted everything to a helmet bracket, but I later removed the bracket and mounted everything to the inside of the helmet with Velcro. Even later, I switched to mini blower fans, so I removed the assist entirely (the mics are still installed but not used). Summary It's all about time or money. There's nothing wrong with paying somebody to assemble a Velleman Super Stereo Ear for you, but if you have used a soldering iron before, or want to learn how to solder, this isn't a bad way to learn or practice. Either way, installing it can be the tricky part, but with a little extra care during construction, you can even make that a bit easier for yourself.

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With more items ticked off, I decided to do another suit up today. These are stills from a video so the image quality isn't amazing, and I dressed myself so there are a number of dressing issues, but I'm happy with how everything is coming together. Still TODO from from the fitting/assembly/strapping point of view: - I still need a way to keep the biceps up. I've been considering various methods such as strapping them to the shoulder bells (the same thing I did with my OTTK), or possibly adding some kind of strap with a snap or buckle to attach them to the shoulder gaskets. - There is also nothing keeping the spats in place on the shin, so I'll add some Velcro. - I have an idea to attach elastic to ankle sleeves, and attach them to the bottom of the knee gaskets in order to keep them from riding/bunching up. This is particularly necessary since my shin armor is fixed and I have to slip my legs/feet in vs closing the armor around my shins. - The inside point of the shin armor really digs into the inside of my knee (the top of my tibia) so I am planning on cutting them down some. Looking at the Anovos/Denuo Novo armor, the inside point is quite a bit shorter than the outside so I'm assuming this is fine. - Finally, one danger of taking 8 years to build a set of hard armor is accounting for body size changes. I have been lifting weights consistently for the last 6 years, so my arms and legs are bigger than they were when I first started this project. I already made the biceps slightly bigger, and I am considering doing the same for the thighs. After all the strapping and fitting it will be endless sanding and painting, but I do feel like the end is in sight!

Bit late , but I just sent a donation over . Great cause ! Glad to help .

Hi kaleb, As you are quickly realising, this hobby requires a lot of research. Luky for all new members, this is now a lot easier then when I and many much older members started. Now days, you only need ask a question and we will point you in the right direction. This resource (FISD) is massive and can be very overwhelming, but rest assured, there is no such thing as a stupid question, so keep asking for what you dont understand, keep looking at the threads you are directed to and the advice given. This is a long journey we have all taken, and you won't regret it. lots of fun, a great community, and we do a lot of good out there in the wide world. Welcome to FISD and I hope you love this new adventure as much as we all did when we started down this path.

Backwards progress update! I essentially scrapped the files I previously showed… and started over. ...then I did that two more times. However, after several failed attempts (and an unhealthy amount of staring at reference photos on airplanes), I think I’ve finally landed somewhere presentable. I also learned what a “matcap” was in Blender, which ended up being instrumental in helping me spot some pretty nasty high and low points throughout the surfaces. Once I finally understood what I was looking at, I was able to correct a lot of those inconsistencies—and honestly, I think the results are starting to speak for themselves. Again, I’m by no means a professional modeler here. I’m just someone who got frustrated after spending a good chunk of money on files that still didn’t quite capture the look of the screen-used armor. I’m not claiming these are 100% accurate… but visually, I do think I’m making solid progress. The chestplate: The backplate: I’d still argue neither of these are fully “done” yet, and there are absolutely areas I could still refine depending on how many hours I want to dedicate. But provided I can get clean prints and finish them properly with paint and post-processing, I’m hopeful these should at least get me through basic approval. That said, if anything looks off—or if I’m missing details—please don’t hesitate to call it out. I’m hoping to start test printing these at full scale relatively soon… assuming I can first figure out what keeps clogging my printer nozzles.

Sent Transaction ID 1L765227VJ942832H Pete

Done.

Screws came for the forearm inserts. This is a test pair which isn't the best printed or sanded, will also need to be painted.

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I'm excited to be back into it. June is 10 years as a member for me. I haven't been very active the last few years but still get out here and there for troops. I started a new job that's 20 hours a week less time (now 37.5 hours per week lol) and my lead hand just told me to bring in cosplay stuff to work on during shift if I want to so I might actually have time for my hobbies now.

I've printed the helmet now 3 times on a 256mm cubed printer without issues... a lot of it comes down to orientation and patience, but it's doable!

Of course, I really look forward to seeing yours and you should send me a message when you start it. Overall advice: don’t get GA’s stuff for this. He’s a great dude but his Imperial stuff just isn’t great.

Trooping is definitely different than approval photos, tweaks can definitely help. Not sure if you have elastic from your shoulder bells to biceps, this can help pull them in when moving. Also having the connections further to the front on your shoulder straps elastic can help angle inwards when arms are at rest. Adding velcro or elastic with straps to the inside of the boots and shins can help. Here are just a few mods

Hello Troopers, I can report that yesterday I had a test troop with my armor, during which one of my GMLs was present. The armor hasn't fully proven itself during wear yet, as the shoulder bridges still stick out too far upward with slightly more arm movement (the radius is too small and they flare out). Second point: The shoulder bells keep rotating backward, which causes them to no longer sit flush against the chest plate at the front. My proposed solutions: Sand down the "return edges" of both bridges — this will allow them to bend much more easily, and if necessary, cut off (trim) a segment at the back. Secure the shoulder-bells at the center front with an elastic band and snap button, additionally attaching them to the chest plate, so that they point forward and the gap is reduced. What do you think? I also forgot to mention that my left shin rotates outward while walking, causing the sniper plate to stick out to the side a bit. Is there a good solution to prevent this?

Update: The issue with the shoulder bridges are allmost solved and I'm ready for new approval pictures (not this ones here). I also shortend the lenght of the right bridge after the fitting test here, because the bridge touches the 0II box.

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