Tray

I think the Idealized face is the worst. I would never buy an EFX/MR helmet because of that very reason. I like my accurate smooth eye bump helmet. I think the clean or scuffed TK is great and mine is certainly getting that used look. Not like I have been crawling on concrete or playing in the mud like that but it is getting some nice weathering on it's own over the years.

I have said that over and over in arguments with people. Whats done for the movies was so they could churn out 20+ kits in a second so they could film from a distance. The True Empire would never allow that patched together look. People are standing right next to me. If I am going to wear it it should be as clean and tight as it can be. If I wanted a display piece I would likely go with screen accurate but then it would look like crap so probably not.

Looking great Brian. Good meeting you earlier this month at the armor party.

Doesn't look too bad. I would consider shimming the sides between the kidney and ab plates. This will help keep the ab and kidney pieces centered. In your photos you can see they are both slightly off center and my guess it is due to the closer gap on your left side and wider gap on the right side. I might also look into a new set of thighs. Those appear to be quite short for your body. I've seen kits that look terrible and still get accepted. This kit is clean and shouldn't give you any problems. I'd just try and space your ab and kidney so they center better. Other than that I can't see why you wouldn't be approved. It will be up to the local Garrison to make the final approval though.

should be roughly 17" end to end. My boxes are 14 3/8" from outside edge of left most box to outside edge of right most box.

Some people add a little more space between them. I have in the past lapped it over the butt plate so the butt plate doesn't flare out like I see a lot of them do.

I would trim the kidney plate down before I would trim anything else. Go slow and take off a little at a time until it works for you. Be sure to remove from the bottom of it so you don't remove the return edge at the top. I may have waited on gluing the shoulder straps on until after the entire kit is fitted you you and wears correctly. The square ends should be cut off the back side for accuracy. Don't forget the thin elastic that holds the shoulder strap to the back plate. As for the back plate hanging crooked. I would try and adjust the webbing straps you have holding between the chest and back plate to allow them to hang square to you. And also make sure you are standing absolutely straight with both shoulders level. Sometimes we stand slightly crooked or lean and this will only add to it being off. Glen is right, the right shoulder strap does appear to be mounted higher up than the left one.

For the record I trim out the entire kit curves and all using the score and snap method. It works just as well or better than scissors. Once all the trimming is done I use table belt sander to finish the edges. Then a fine grit sandpaper to finalize the edges. Scoring takes a steady hand no matter what parts you are trimming.

Sorry guys. Our kit comes as a Stunt kit. We don't have 3 bump ears although I have been trying to get them made so we can offer them for this very reason. I'd still like to see proof that Heroes only had the 3 bumps. I've always been suspicious of this rule. I'm sure I have seen photos of Han and Luke wearing helmets with 4 bumps but ALL of my photos I had were lost in my computer crash.

I know some people have heated up the bump in the right eye to bend it in slightly so it isn't so prominent. I didn't do this. I just trimmed it so the curve was even for mounting the lenses in individually. Yours is looking great.

Once everything is together the eyes may not look as wide. It is really looking great.

It is looking great Brian. Sorry I haven't noticed your build until now. YOu seem to be doing a pretty good job getting the parts to go together. When Iglued the halves together I always glued the outside first on one side, then glued the other side and then glued the inside. Then started on the opposite seam starting with one edge, then gluing the toerh edge then on to the inside. I think doing it from inside out or outside in works well enough. One other thing i used was a table to help hold the pieces still as I glued them. It also helps keep everything straight and even. I know of one member who used a can of soup or something like that with a heat gun to round out the forearms a bit more once it was together. Looks great so far.

Here is what I bought i think. I basically searched for the brand of walkie I was going to use and bought one that worked for it. I got 2 different throat mics as I have 2 different motorola talkabouts. ------------

I'll have ot take photos. I have no idea the brand anymore. I bought them off of ebay for cheap.

Like how tall parts are. Be interesting to see if we can just buy a longer an plate.

Thanks. I'm wondering if there isn't a comparison of the parts from kits like the helmet one out there.

I have a friend/cadet who is a larger trooper and after getting everything together and working out the fit of the armor it has come to our attention that he possibly needs to add about 2.5 inches to the height of the ab plate. If he has the cod where it goes, his chest plate is above the ab about 2.5" so I can only imagine we have to cut it and extend the ab to fit under the chest plate. Is there anyone out there that can help with some photos or tips on how to accomplish this. Maybe you have had to do this or have helped someone doing this. We are thinking the best way is to buy another ab plate and cut the top off of it to make it raise higher. I've also considered cutting just under the belt and adding some ABS to it. To me this will change a lot of how it sits and how long the cod piece would be after adding 2.5" to it. Another thing I worry about is the seam if adding another piece to the top of the ab plate. I do not have photos of what I mean but hopefully that won't be needed for you to understand what I mean.

I was able to go ahead and transfer to Carida when I moved from the Mountain Garrison to Garrison Carida back in March of 2008. Of course I was trooping within a few weeks of my move but I don't recall having been told I had to troop before the transfer will be done. Welcome to Carida Juan.

Oooooo.. glitter.

I received this message from our Legion PR Officer.

funny. The cod has some nasty stuff ALL over it. The TK has a different cod on it and the sandy photo is of Chris Bartlett in his Sandy from his website.

Where are you Andrew? I see Delaware listed and have Garrison Carida as the local garrison. We have a number of members here in Newark as well as a few cadets and a member in Wilmington. then there are a couple of others further south in Delaware.

I glued mine in with hot glue. I wrapped some of it over the edge of teh lens material to hold it in place better. My display helmets I glue a headliner material around the edge of the lens to clean it up. ---------- http://traynichols.com/501st/display/display-bucket-inside-1.jpg

I used a Exacto #16 scoring blade w/knife to do the major trimming. For the faceplate I used a #11 blade and drill to do the frown and the small sanding wheel on the dremel for the eyes. Once I scored and trimmed the armor I used a table mounted belt sander to smooth the edges. Hand sand with finer grit and done. Not really. I then used a utility knife to remove the burrs from the edge of the armor after final sanding. Insures no sharp edges to cut my under armor. ditto

why is there an antenna on it? Is it a radio?