Runnriottt

For you have lived it...

Smitty, you must have been tyoing as I was... Rock on bro... Go to a mirror and look at yourself. What you think of your self shows. You are in transition man. We all go through it. Growing up is a fact of life and what you take from your childhood will always remain. I am 32. I have 2 kids and a wife, have spent time in the Navy, (Conformity right there) and am now a full time Collage studant for the first time ever. I am known as the "Star Wars" guy to alot of people. Of course there are inside jokes I dont hear with people, and I dont really care. I enjoy giving back and I do it with plastic armor. I dont know about regular clothes though... Armor hurts bro... You just need some balance. Take some time and think about things, and find what your enjoy and live it. Self Esteem is a cool thing, its all in how you look at yourself. You got to love yourself first. The shoes you are standing in are yours and no one elses. God made you you... be joyful of it. I remember the freind shift after high school. I too was an outsider and had few freinds in those days. man to be 20 again. You really dont know squat about life at 20. Its just a great ride. Enjoy it. Things will start to be clearer and clearer as time passes. I woke up 25. Thats when I truly started loving myself and who I am. As far as being dorky... You have to find the balance. Extremes are never a good place to go. Its ok to daydream, Hell, I do. I love the star wars universe. Thinking about comics and stuff is cool, stay grounded in life though man. Star Wars is not real. Life is. Everyday is a blessing, and you are not given tommorow. I am a god fearing man, and its with grace I am still here to write these words. (long story) Ill borow a thought from a guy... It fits pretty good. "It is often said that the hardest person to live with and love unconditionally is ourselves. Yet, I believe that just as we are attracted to things like (Star Wars), so God made us to be attracted to ourselves as well--and I am not talking about vain narcissism or arrogant pride. These are Satan's counterfeits for this truth of God. His ways breed envy and disdain for our fellow man. God's ways, however, release us to find joy in being just who He created us to be -- a unique reflection of His image. When this work is completed in us, we can truly rejoice at the marvelous things He has done in others without feeling the slightest twinge of envy, competition, or inferiority." Source of the quote Then armor up and rock out with this in your heart... Enjoy life. You only get one.

Benard... God speed man. Thats awesome. I am bookmarking that page bro. Impressive. I too am a Cyclist. I joined the navy at 200Lbs and 23. I was pretty fit and doing ok for my self... I passed physcals and stuff no probs. Then Shore Duty in the states. Then 30. I had gotten used to a Japanese diet, and well... Hitting stateside I crapped out. Soda, Mickyd's, Tbell and box crap food of my youth returned. But the body awas gone. Older. It is easy to go to Wally world and buy crud to eat. Most if not all of the isles are full of crud. In bigger citys your able to go to like a Trader Joes, but man, the small towns where wally is king,like my home town, there is little choise. They rin out all the mom and pop and shovel in the crud. I hate Walmart. (can you tell) Insult to injury are the fat lazy ones riding on the electric carts. If you are disabled, I can see it. If you need to walk, Walk. (rant over...) <_< It is getting harder in America to eat right. You have to WANT to eat right. I balloned to 260, an all time high at 264. I almost lost my Navy carreer early due to it. I moved back to Japan, and totaly Ditched American food. I cant say I work out, I hate it. I would lift weights if they were not so dang heavy... Running sucks on my knees for the old Football injurys. But Cycling. Thats the ticket for me. I ride 10 miles a day no matter what. My bud got me into it as well. I am finaly back up to speed from the accident, and like you Benard, feel the daily life buzz. Life is just too short. Live it man. Right on brutha! I put on a little weight in the down time, but ill melt that off. I need to work on the midsection, just doing some extra sit ups will aid that, and I like billy blanks stuff. Raquetball is soon to return as well, the wife and I enjoy it. Plus its a together thing. I am back to 205. I know I can ditch another 15 in the middle and be where I want to be. I stay active... I want to get competitive in my riding, but not yet. It felt pretty good to have to shim my TE2 for the fact my thighs are bigger. Cool! Set your mind to it, and just get busy living.

Yea... Hes my stunt double... I need to bulk him up in places. Hes on a diet to much!

Well I am purty happy with it now. Ill show some pics... I went for an "organic" feel... In otherwords, controled sloppyness. Painted on the black first then the grey. Great Tip i picked up from 4510's builds... Man you rock. As soon as I can procure some decals though, Ill change over. I need to pad and add lenses. Still finding time to do anything any more is hard... I am kinda busy at school and having kids is a full time job. I could spare about 30 min to paint this back up last night though. I need to get out to my shop and engrave, make tab snaps and start on the build of the armor. SHeesh. Then to Tokyo again... I aint complaining though... Life is great! Oh yea... Sex bolts are great. 2 make installing the Knee plate a breeze! I might mod my lid for these to hold lenses...

I always have a support crew when I troop... But the holster Idea is a great one! I had a TD tube, but I could not get to it and was always afraid of loosing it.

Dave, Prayers are with you.

I have the Forearms, Calfs, Thighs, Biceps are all assembled. The Bells are done, as well as the chest and back. I need to fit up the Kidney and Ab plate next. I repsinted the lid, and will be detailing it this coming weekend. I cant say my skills are where they need to be. It really takes patience to put a canon kit together. I lack that. The TM is just in the box waiting on me to slow down and think things through. I dont think I will be building it anytime soon for I am still in the tweek mode for the TE2. I am fitting up the ab this weekend, and adding in the snap system, so I should be wearing it by next week. I am glad its going sandy, I have some booboos to hide. Ones I dont want to repeat on the TM.

I love how so many can have an opinion without trying it on. The man was doing a review. Like I said before, there not all that hot. I have a set in Vader and I have had a set in my TR and the foam actualy hepls to absorb the sweat a little. You will have to wash it after a time, thats the only flaw I see. I attach it with velcro so it comes out. Loop side to the helmet, Pile to the foam. The pad on top is a plus, it comes out with velcro. I still think though a painted and padded TK is better looking, but this is a good meathod as well. Ill take some pics. I like mine, it needs mods for fans and like everything else, skill in making it look right. I would venture to say that it would be better for fiberglass lids, for there harder on the face if you know what I mean...

I am back 100%! Again! I tweeked the white frame... Bummer too its a nice frame. Might make it a single speed later on. It just wont take a geared setup anymore... SO! Carbon Fiber baby! This one flys. Thats all I need right a faster bike?! I had a time finding an internal headset, but I finaly tracked one down stateside. The Japanese guys dont understand new tech at all. So I installed myself. Training has begun! There is a 50K this fall and I so want to race it!

Click... Save... Awesome.

Unfinished Makerofthings Resin MR recast. I REALLY want a hyperfirm. 80.00 Shipped. Let me know. I never got the scope rail from him. You will need to get a strip of Metal for the mount. Ill be putting it on my sale thread as well...

You have to figure in the cost of making the molds, supplies and such... your going to end up with the same money as a bought set if not more. Mre than likely much more. Fiberglass would be better than resin, but still, heavy and brittle. Armor takes a beating trooping.

Well... not as freindly as the FISD, but try out these guys... GBfans Proptopia And of coure TheRPF Dude, Ghost heads rule...

Well... I tried my hand at painteing the traps and tears... TRAIN WRECK! I am not posting. Too embarrassing. So this baby gets a coat of white and a do over. Decals. I am waiting for decals.

:headphone:

I gotta be honest here... these builds are far more involved then an FX. I knew that going in, but man. A few times I thought about a new set of FX... (cant believe I said that) Back to the grind, I have the parts fully trimmed. I have the Thighs glued up and have totaly scrapped the magnet idea. I am glueing this set together. The helmet is polished as far as I want to go, might not shoe in the pic, but Its far glossy than the start. Before the polish... Middle... End... The thigh Ammo boxes are ready to go on the thigh, so they will be done tommorow. I am then starting on the calfs. The hands, bells and straps are fully done. For a guy thinking about a canon set... Make sure you have the skills in modeling and the patience to perservere. Cutting the mating peices to fit right is a bear if you havent done it before. I will take a step by step photo progression on the shin armor, that should help (or show my flubs) guys looking to upgrade. I felt the thighs are easy, those went together pretty quick. Where I see problems for me wil be in the biceps, getting those right will take a helper that I dont have here... I will feel great when its done, and be far better at Stormie building!

Hey Kev, when you doing TK!!! Dude, that clone is sweet!

I wouldnt say TM is bigger... Looking at it next to TE2, its almost the same. Freaky cool really.

Cant go wrong with a TE2 or a TM or an AP. Now, I need an AP...

Started in on the helmet. I am not painting this armor or helmet for its weathered anyway. I like the rough look. The Sandys though do have a shine on them under the dirt, so I am polishing up the TE2 with Novus and a Japanese polish. I am not going to go crazy, but a shine none the less. If I miss a little it will add to the worn in look. Pics later on.

------------- My boots have a taller upper. No problems with the shins riding. I like the tab Idea though...

When I lived in apartments, I always had my valuable stuff shipped to my Dads house. I dont trust anyone. With Military USPS you cant track anything. Ever. It sucks.

There not all that hot. I have a set in my Vader, and trust me, Thats a hot costume. TK is nuthin to Vader. My only thing is that the fan placement will be tricky in a full padded lid. Might have to mod it to allow for the fans. I like it. Will make a lid look great.

TM is great armor. It is ABS and slightly flexable, so I am pretty shure in it not cracking. All armor is adjustable, and shimming will be needed a little even for me. I am 6-1 200ish and need to shim the back and chest. Good luck!