Runnriottt

I am so getting those for the misses... Dude, you gotta do a run.

Not to much to add here but that 3000 is overkill for a TK. 2000 is the high water mark... That being said I will say that things do add up and although not a big hit in the start, even an FX will eventulay in time with all that you do to it top 12-1500. (you will upgrade, its only a matter of when...LOL) I had 1000 in the FX, Should be about 1500 in the new TE2, and around 2000 For the TM for the completed costumes. Bodysuit, (get a good one) boots, gloves, sound, blaster, neckseal, and then the stuff you want... Sticker kit, Ab buttons, lenses, straping, glue, sand paper, paint... Whew... My Vader started out about 3000, but has far eclipsed that... Your never done upgrading... And like a new car bro, If you get cold feet and want to sell, you will take a hit. Just the way it is...

I dont think its the supplied plug, I think its the cheap way they make things in mass... LFL probably gave them the real deal, but its the junk they put out. Look at the lids? Easy to mass produce in one peice blow molded glory. The TB helmet is also testament to that. Don Post of old is now Rubies...

Here is my crystal ball prediction. Some one with talent will buy it. It does have qualitys... A few... 1, Biceps look good. Only need tweeked. 2, Legs look all right. The thighs no, but the legs yes. 3, The chest is right to a point, it has the molding and droopy neck line. 4, It will make a some one a great cast to recast and fix then sell. Did I say recast... Yep. Toss the helmet, assemble it correctly and wear it right. I tryed to get them at CJ to let me wear it. I wanted to use my buds TE2 lid to model it. They chickened. The Vader is acceptable in the 501st with mods. Extreme yes, but doable. To date, Rubies makes the best ROTS Vader chest armor. Like it or not... I think outta the box its horrid. But wait... It will happen.

It would scratch and weather black... That would be cool... alot of wxtra work though.. White can be had...

Purely issued White Armor Imperial Bad A$$ness...

If the TK wasent enough... Yeesh... Now this.

I love it. Having a blast I see!

If you really need to, youll find a way. Allthough short answer for my armor is well... I dont. Cutting the butt and cod does allow movement. But its armor. It bites, pinches, and just plain hurts. Trimming to fit your body is the only meathod, and that take wearing and tweeking.

If I had to pick a part that I thought about alot it would be the bucket and neck seal. The bucket would contain all the sighting and electronics like a HUD, and the rebreather. The suit would have to be sealed, and the thing pressureized. Now why on earth did one blaster bolt take em out? And the flunkies in the movie failed marksman training. I also think that ideal stormtrooper armor is perfect. No flaws. Just like it came from the Blastech factory...(or what ever low bidder won the gov contract)

You can simply cut them with scissors, or invest in a really expensive machine to do it for ya... LOL. Its not all that hard. Now the thicker ones take a little doing. A sander or a grinder would be my best bet on that. A sheild should yeild about 2ish sets of lenses if your careful. If your good, 3. Hope that helps. Good luck!

Small update to this thread... My frames is slightly tweeked... SO... My new frame should be here this week. Full on Carbon Fiber and Stickerless. It will have custom stickers with my TK # and such. Cant wait. Bummer the Motobecane is dead though. Nice rig. All my parts are good, just the frame got damaged.

Finish the TB Lid rebuild... Finish assembly on the MOT resin blaster... Start on the Scorch replica RC lid, and finaly start sanding my trooping Vader lid... again... Decide on joining the Army... No kidding.

Shade 3 is used for grinding a brazing, mostly. For the helmets, you see out, flash dosent get in from cameras. If one is to get real close to you thy could see in. Dosent happen to much. It is like a good set of sunglasses. Shade 5 is as dark as it gets for plastic. Very dark. Hard to see out of. I would not use it in a helmet that is worn. Its hard to see anyway, why make it harder... Almost looks black from the outside. it is for heavy cutting and brazing. To go darker than that is not only super expensive, but there glass. Only used in welders helmets, you would need to buy 2, as for the glass is only big enough for one lens. I do think they go to shade 10 in glass. Long story short, grade 3 is great for trooping, its what I use in my scout and TK lids. I even use it as a back lens for my Vader. If you are getting a sheet of your own, look at welders supply stores.

I have a suit like that as well.. I have a full on dance unitard. Its a onsie... I also have a second suit the covers everything, head to toe. That freaks out people when you debucket...

It has been cool reading your posts here as of late. Great to be able have good conversations. I dont want to mess that up... LOL... This might be a better way of explaining my thought. As a costumed trooper, most of us strive for screen accurate in the costumes we have. The details are listed in the elite standards. Those that hit the mark are as close to screen as they can get. That list is what makes a screen accurate costumed trooper. What was seen on screen, in a general way. Now prop accurate is a whole new level. Most will never have that. It takes too much money, and well... Imossible parts to get a hold of. Made for the production, perfect with every flaw and detail. Who ever won the ANH lid with no ears here lately is Prop accurate. Untill the ears are added. Then it would be screen accurate. Some can claim Prop accurate. You are one of those few, Gino. Your Vaders are some of the best if not the best around. Those are truly prop accurate. I for one could never wear that out to a troop. Far to much time and well lets face it, Money in the rig to mess it up wearing it. But a screen accurate Vader or trooper... Now that could be worn, and what the 501st looks for in a trooper. Some parts availible can be prop accurate as well. No many though. Idealized would describe a part that is made to look like it "Could have" if it was a real part off of some assembly line. Its not screen or prop accurate. It might share some details, but its a whole diffrent group. That would be the MR and the EFX lids. Clean and "shoulda" looked like. Troopable? Heck yes. It has a great look and the costume is better for it. I totaly agree with you on the fact that in its wording, screen accurate is tossed out so much it is not a good way of knowing what is really derived from the movie parts. Most all things from Rubies are "cast from screen molds". Yikes. In the future, with the machining and processes we have today, we could see prop accurate parts from the movies hit the shelves. (Although the Rubies Trooper and Vader are a laugh...) We wont see it from the OT, but maybe in the future of Star Wars fandom we see parts from the newer movies. A rough example is the ROTS vader lid from MR. Then there is the level of the FX lid. On the way out, good try in its day, but not good enough to be made into anything. That is the "nice try" level...

Just listing what examples come to mind... I am not starting a Vader war with you... LOL.. Long story short... Screen accurate is a loose term. I really think Prop accurate is a better way to describe what is on screen.

They are two diffrent things. An MRCE can be made screen accurate. It can look like the movie. Change the ears, add some decals among other things. It will look like the movie. Prop accurate is the cast form original molds. Then add the correct paint and detailing. Same with Vader. A cape set is screen accurate with the look, and the right measurements. It is prop accurate with the correct fabric and stitching. Idealized is a totaly clean and perfect look. Is a ROTS Vader from MR Idealized? Its screen accurate as far as I know. But it is perfect. Hmmm... One that dosent fit the classes. Or does it? As far as the TK, I see your point. There are perfect helmets. There is no perfect trooper on screen, but there are in real life. A perfect helmet can look like the screen though. I dont think its confusing at all. Its all in what we want. Maybe the way we describe things needs a revamp.

Screen accurate and Prop accurate are two diffrent things. I had to address this in the creation of my Vader. I screen accurate prop resembles what is seen in the movie. A prop accurate peice is replacating what is used in the movie. Vader is one tough cookie to get right for your body size. (long story) Stormtroopers and Vader have evolved from actual props used in the movie, so the lines are blurred. Helmets have there historys and originals detailed and supported. The stormtrooper is an icon that is reconized world wide. No matter what helmet or armor you wear. After trooping here for a while, and seeing what reaction you get in plastic, I know the general public dosent know a TE from a TM from a MRCE. I will say though it is very obvious when a few troopers are next to each other. The FX helmet is horrid next to a few more canon ones. Food for thought. The fact is the public sees stromtrooper and they want a pic with him. Did the helemet matter? Nope. We know. We care. Well at least some of us. I am thankful that there is enough intrest in the costume to keep new offerings coming. Weather from a company like MR and EFX or from the armor masters, to the garage kit on ebay. The fact is it is still in the hearts of all of us. I choose the middle. I will look back 5 years from now and see where I am in the hobby. More than likely, trooping and still doing this for the kids. Opinions as varied as they are in this hobby, and with all the intrest in the history of a costume that is produced, some times I stop and marvel that after 30 years we are here talking about it. The costumes that came from Star Wars, the OT anyway, will remain for time to come. I saw that first hand at CJ. Little kids still know who Vader is, and they know what a Stormtrooper is. Props will remain hot for a while. I love the OT look. It took more than a computer to make it. What was made was hand made. I would love to know if the artists the made them thought "Masterpeice! This will be discussed for three decades!" or "That'll do..." The PT movie look is what is going to take us into the next 30 years though. ROTS had a perfected Vader. I am sure that somewhere in the future we will see a screen worn perfect trooper. The MRCE and the EFX resemble that. I think it is cool there is still a need for Star Wars.

Here is a question... Any one found the real mic? What does the whole thing look like?

ESB is my movie... But I was sold on troopers watching Han turn tail... That was great!

I held and almost got a chance to try it on... They chickened. The two funniest things at CJ. 1, Those armors... 2, being asked to do "Promo" shots there... In my Vader... I laughed all the way through the shoot. Rubies armor is flimsy, and not put on the manny at all correct. See pic above... I think with alot of work, tossing the helmet and replacing some peices one could have allright armor. But for a starting price and all the work involved, Not a chance. If it hits 300 or so, maybe.

I actually asked Steve Sansweet about the TV series, and he said around 2011... He was excited about the new movie, and the animated stuff. I met the director of the new movie, and the previews look interesting. Say what you will about the style, the meat of the story is there. LFL has produced some iffy stuff as of late, but I see a renewed intrest in bringing the fanbase up again, so good stuff might be in our future. I think trooping will become more popular. I just hope the mission isnt lost...

There is a reason we are all here. Grab your chance at life, Live to the fullest. God Bless on your speedy return to your daily life!

My face is still a little off, numb in spots from the nerve damage, but heck, I am not complaining. I am back. I pedaled for the first time today. I even wore my new jersey... Check that bad boy out... It has been an eye opening time, I am happy to be able to share this pic. Taken just before the first pedal stroke. My freinds at the FISD, I am back!