dougefresh

Got some work done on the helmet today. Happy with the progress so far, but I did make a few mistakes I'll have to clean up later: As I was attempting to clamp the faceplate to the cap, I made a mark in the flashing at the top of the left eye, which I'll probably need to flatten out with a modeling iron. Also, to get the brow where I want -- which is a little higher than most -- I think I'm going to need to use some bondo on the ears to fill in some slight gaps. I'll post pictures again tomorrow, once I'm a little further along. Please excuse the painter's tape. I need to clean the teeth up a bit, but all in all, I think it's headed in the right direction. Any comments and/or suggestions you guys might have would be awesome! Now to clean up some of the mess I made.

I think the record will show that I'm a long-time supporter of kittens, and kitten-based initiatives, but I'm going to have to respectfully diverge from my colleagues and go with puppies. I realize this is a controversial stance to take, but sometimes, you just have to do what you think is right.

There's some pretty big, solidly-built dudes in the FISD who wear TE2, which shares the same lineage. And they look awesome. You might need to shim it in places, but from what I've seen and read, it can be done, with really nice results. Gos-- I usually paint the inside black-- maybe I'll try the rubber stuff. Do you have a brand-name or a SKU # you recommend?

I'll be doing the same thing. Seems like it'll be a big stress point-- I'll feel a lot better if it's doubled-up.

Sorry, Darren-- didn't mean to ignore ya'! Any of the TE-based armor would work great for smaller troopers, I think. TE, AP, TE2, CAP, ATA, etc. -- originally, they were all designed for actors between 5'8" and 5'10" or so, who were fairly thin, so they're inherently on the smaller side. **EDIT** So far, I notice that ATA helmet is just a little smaller than CAP, which is just slight smaller than a TE2... seems to me there was some slight shrinkage in the making of the helmet molds. The ATA lid, however, is a bit bigger than my AP, which is probably the smallest helmet out there with any ties to a screen-used lid. And for those who aren't so tall, you can always trim the arms and legs to the length you need 'em. I know there's a photo set on Flikr from a woman in Denmark, I believe, who's 5'4" and made a TE2 kit work really well for her. Might be worth it to look it up. I don't know as much as a lot of the other folks around here, but, I think any of the TE-based stuff would translate well to a shorter trooper. **/EDIT**

Totally agree. Equal parts shame, hilarity, and unbridled little kid joy. Whenever I tell somebody I have stormtrooper armor, the reaction is always the same: "No way! That's awesome!.... and good lord, you're a dork!" Right now, I'm just super happy my girlfriend seems to be reasonably okay with it. In fact, this year, she's going out as Princess Leia with me for Halloween. Of course, she makes fun of me non-stop, but she's also pretty excited about it. Has even offered to help me put it together. "It'll be bad-a$$", as she puts it. Can't argue with her there.

Yup-- you want to cut away all the lumpy stuff-- you should be able to follow along the mold line; it's pretty visible from the inside of the helmet if you have any doubt. The sides of the cap n' back get pretty wild and woolly, don't they? This kit seems to require a sense of adventure when trimming.

Thanks, Nate! I'm sure I'll have plenty of mistakes and near-catastrophes to keep the thread entertaining. ATA, *and* TE2, *and* a TM, if I'm not mistaken? Man-- I want to come play at your house! You have all the cool toys! Sounds like we have our work cut out for us, buddy! I know my biggest stumbling block is going to come from forcing myself not to get all hyper and rush through it. This stuff turns me into a antsy little kid-- I really have to force myself to go slow.

Those are some wise words... On my last TK, I let my enthusiasm get the better of me and slopped through things I later came to regret. (Hence the purchase of another set of armor... pppfffft) He's spot on-- you can always trim a little more, but you can't put stuff back. I have the patience and attention span of a gnat, so I struggle with it a bit, but I'm telling you, Shiv's giving us great advice.

I feel your pain, Gos. I only weigh in at a buck sixty, soaking wet, and I'm 5'11", so I'm a skinny dude too. Good thing is, the armor tends to look good on the thin folks. Look at the Hero promo pics, if ya' don't believe me. My only complaint so far-- and it's minor -- is that the faceplate seems a tad thin in the chin, as are the indentations where the mic tips attach. Definitely feel like I should reinforce it with some Elmer's, as suggested. Some of the mold lines are a bit tricky to spot as well, but that's to be expected. I'm just gonna go slow, and try to err on the side of leaving too much material. I'd like to nail the "illusion of depth" thing, so I'm going to allow for a return edge wherever possible. You're right-- the FISD is a total life-saver. I'm sure someone's probably already mentioned it, but Stukatrooper has an amazing photo set on Flikr that's hugely informative. And I follow Mike (TK-4150) and Troopermaster's advice like it's gospel. If I get out of this with a decent looking suit and at least 90% of my digits intact, I'll be a happy trooper!

My sentiment, exactly, Doc! The ATA factory has been working overtime! Somewhere, there's a very tired man, slumped over a Vac table. I think it's great that so many of us are building these out at the same time-- it'll be like a HIVE MIND. We can all turn to each other if we get stuck. Just warning you ahead of time-- it's very likely that I'll be the squeeky wheel, always asking to crib off you guys. I'm pretty terrified about the seams, and the paint, to be honest. Gonna do my best to get through it, but it makes me mighty nervous.

These videos are unbelievably helpful, Mike. I've never taken a stab at building and painting a styrene helmet before, and these are a fantastic reference. I'm still pretty nervous about it, but I feel WAY more prepared after checking these out. I'll be dragging the laptop around my entire build, without a doubt. Thanks for taking time to share these with us!

Ryan -- great job! Lookin' sweet!

It's like the hypno-toad in Futurama. The reflection just sucks you in. I can't help it-- I've been obsessed with Stormtroopers since I was 5 years old, and it's still completely mind-blowing to me that it's even possible to look like one. Half of me is transfixed by what a monumental nerd I am, and the other half thinks it's the coolest thing ever. I've never shaken that weird combination of "Oh my GAWD, I look sweet!" and "What the hell is wrong with me"? Definitely one of the more unique feelings in life, that's for sure.

Pulling into my driveway this evening, I was smacked in the face with 9,000 Watts from a Beatles tribute band, playing a gig at the Blockbuster across the street. So, already, my night was kind of surreal. Then, what do I discover on my porch? A big ol' box o' styrene goodness. Awwwww yeah! Ringo Storm-something?? Paul McWho?????? Needless to say, I had a knife plunged into that thing faster than O.J. at a waiters-who-are-putting-it-to-my-wife convention. It really should be said that the producer of this kit is RIDICULOUSLY under-hyping his product and abilities. He makes GOOD stuff, gang. Really, really nice work. Everything looks sharp, detailed and clean. And considering the price? *INSANE*. Anyone considering an FX kit for ANY other reason than size, or ease of assembly, needs to do their homework on ATA. Absolutely worth looking into. From looking at it, it's going to require more skill, patience and elbow-grease, but the product is infinitely superior, in my opinion. I've owned FX, and loved it at the time-- but for the accuracy-minded trooper on a budget, the ATA seems like a no-brainer to me. Just my $.02. To give you an idea, here's the ATA, alongside my AP, and my mystery helmet. (GF or Mon Cal??) At present, the ATA lid doesn't seem quite as sturdy as the ABS helmets, but the detail is far better, I think. But that could very well be because it's not put together yet-- it's my experience that all helmets feel substantially more durable when fully assembled. Note the tear on the AP-- living proof that acetone and decals do not play nicely together. All in all, I simply couldn't be happier. I'm not trying to proselytize for ATA too obnoxiously, but I'm genuinely thrilled with what I found in the box. I'm a guy who had his heart set on a TE2 and a TM for a long time-- and I still hope to get one someday -- and both the AP and the GF have been a little bit disappointing by comparison. (Just my personal preference -- not trying to step on anyone's toes. Sincerely.) Anyway, I'll shut my trap and stop shilling, but anyone looking to optimize the bang for their buck would be hard-pressed to find a better offer. And now that I've shot my mouth off, hopefully I won't screw anything up!

I'll second that request, if it's not too pushy. A run of these would be fantastic! I'd definitely be interested in buying a set if you were inclined to make 'em.

I like that one too. Less gaudy-- more refined looking. I dig it.

Umm... as long as this thread is active, I'm gonna' need a tarp to protect my keyboard from drool. Even unassembled, it looks AWESOME. Can't wait to see you put it together!

You don't have to glue them -- they'll stay on the helmet pretty tightly, just under their own pressure.

The plastic is riveted to the canvas belt, in three places-- hence the three "buttons" on the front. In addition to their esthetic function, they hide the rivet. The canvs belt gets two female snaps beneath the plastic, which connect to two male snaps that are driven through the ab plate. There's a few fantastic photos on here somewhere, that illustrate it perfectly -- I just haven't been able to track them down. Can someone help us out?

I definitely relate with your excitement -- hopefully my ATA kit should be shipping in the next few days. Can't wait to follow along with your build thread! Best of luck to you! We're all here to help, if you need it!

Richard-- I agree. You can add Brak's Buddy to that list well. All of those guys have done unbelievable jobs with their armor. So cool!!!!!

Here's to a speedy recovery! Get well soon!

A HUGE thanks to all you who have bravely served your country in the Armed Forces. And while I'm at it-- a big thank you to all the folks in Law Enforcement, Fire Fighting, EMT Services, etc.! Thanks for keeping us safe and secure! I truly appreciate all that you do!

Thanks, Smitty! Crazy-- I was searching eBay last night, and found the SmallTalk amp-- on a hunch, I bought it, since it was cheap and kinda resembled what I had seen in the photos. Yay! I made a good guess! The auction listing says there's 14 more available, for anyone that's interested: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT That is the right one, isn't it? (fingers crossed)