lightside

Good to know. I apologize if I posted something already discussed. I checked for a similar thread but didn't find anything, sorry. About screencaping: there is a famous picture around the net which shows Harrison Ford in stormtrooper armor without the belt (he is drinking in the picture so I think he was taking some rest between a shot and another), and I believe to remember the abdominal part were split in two parts. Do you know where I could find that picture?

Have you ever noticed these details? 1: Solo's "paper-chest". Well... is that ABS? Doesn't seem to be. Not in that shot at least. Is that possible that they made a rubber chest for that scene? In the junk-cell scene Luke is attacked by a kind of monocular snake, remember that? Han Solo bends over water very easily and Luke stunts very well even though he wears a stormtrooper armor. How could that be? Did they change the plastic thickness or the whole material to make these shots? Because if I don't modify heavily my ABS armor I cannot either bend or sit so easily. 2: unclosed tights. Well, as you can see in this original shot from the first movie "A new hope", it seems that armor tights stood open when stormtroopers stunt or run. You could say that is only that trooper who forgot to close his tights, but if you watch the entire opening scene in rallenty mode you will se that all the stormtroopers have the their tights open behind.

Si certo. Solo che l'armatura arriva tagliata ma da rifinire con carta a vetro. Insomma, tagliata ma coi bordi grezzi, quindi non l'ho ancora montata. Posto qualche foto al volo di qualche pezzo per ora. http://img440.imageshack.us/g/armory.jpg/ Quanto al casco: io ho assemblato prima il pentolone della FX, poi un RT-Mod canadese, poi un AP, poi quello dei V-Twins, e adesso mi accingo ad assemblare quello di questa nuova armor che a dire la verità mi deve ancora arrivare (avevo preso l'armor senza casco pensando di usare poi il casco dei V-Twins, ma purtroppo l'ABS del casco è di gradazione diversa rispetto a quello dell'armatura e lo stacco si nota parecchio). Insomma, diciamo che qualche caschetto l'ho assemblato e un po' di esperienza ce l'ho. Se posso darti qualche consiglio nell'assemblaggio (ma in 501 te ne daranno sicuramente di più e di migliori), non usare la colla: lascia che il casco si possa disassemblare per qualsiasi evenienza. Ti da la possibilità di apportarci modifiche, se ne hai poi necessità in un secondo momento (io, ad esempio, incollai il mio primo casco, e quando poi vidi i lavori di altri membri che mi sarebbe piaciuto apportare al mio casco non ho poi potuto). L'interno verniciatelo di nero con vernice da carrozzeria (per metalli) acrilica. Gli smalti lasciano una patina gommosa, inoltre la vernice per metalli se fa qualche sbuffo si rimuove facilmente sulla plastica liscia con un po' di alchool prima che attacchi bene. Carteggia bene la parte da verniciare rendendo ruvida la superficie liscia del casco e poi passa un primer (anche l'antiruggine va bene) altrimenti la vernice rischia di saltarti via. Dentro io ho incollato dei pezzi di spugna nera di 1cm di spessore, ricavata da un materassino per esercizi preso da Decathlon al costo di 3 euro. Ho ritagliato delle forme per gli occhi e le ho incollate alle lenti che a loro volta ho incollato con la colla a caldo ad altri spessori di di spugna messi sotto a supporto. Così è come si presenta il mio casco dentro: Il "mento" poi, ossia quella parte che va verniciata di nero, io l'ho aperta con dei solchi tipo presa d'aria, in questo modo: Sembra invasivo, ma in realtà è perchè ho fotografato molto da vicino con la luce del PC messa apposta dietro, in modo che i solchi si vedessero bene. In realtà già a 20cm di distanza non vedi più niente. Tutto ciò a che pro? Beh, a parte far passare ulteriormente l'aria, questo movimento da la possibilità di fare una bella cosa (è un metodo che fu da me inventato all'epoca proprio XD), ossia di avere un casco movie accurate anche coi suoni. Ok, oggi esiste il wireless, ma all'epoca non c'era ed ero uno dei pochi (in Italica l'unico) che aveva la voce amplificata direttamente dal casco. Presi un normale voice-amp attivo (significa autoalimentato) e lo smontai, tenendo solo la scheda e l'altoparlantino. Misi tutto nel casco, allungando i fili dell'altoparlante in modo di poter mettere la scheda dove volevo nel casco (la misi a lato, vicino ad una guancia, sfruttando la rientranza del casco da quelle parti. Li vicino misi anche la pila per alimentare l'amp) e misi l'altoparlante li dove ci sono i solchi (ovviamente verso l'esterno), ricoprendolo con un quadrato di spugna spessa 5cm (non sembra ma c'è molto spazio tra il mento e quella zona del casco) per evitare il larsen (ossia quel ritorno del microfono troppo vicino alla cassa che fa "piiiiiiiiiii"). E il microfono? Se mi fossi tolto il casco mi avrebbero visto il microfono in testa. No, per essere movie accurate mi dovevo togliere il casco e non si doveva vedere niente; tutto doveva restare nel casco. Presi allora uno di quei microfoni per skype, che hanno sia le cuffie che il microfono incorporato e tagliai via il microfono (si, proprio il microfono XD) perchè soprendentemente la circuitazione permette di parlare anche mettendo la bocca contro la cuffia destra (quella da cui parte poi il microfono). Ho tolo anche la cuffia sinistra, col risultato che l'unica cosa che mi è rimasta in mano è la cuffia destra e il filo a jack che va nella scheda dell'amp. Ho fissato poi la cuffia (o l'obolo della cuffia che ne era rimasto) all'altezza della "bocca", ovvero dove combacia la bocca del casco che è poi all'altezza della nostra. Ho regolato i volumi per essere sicuro di evitare il larsene e il gioco era fatto. Ora l'amp giace li, dato che lo smontai prima di vendere la mia vecchia armor, e attende di essere montato sul prossimo casco. Appena lo monto posto le foto, perchè mi rendo conto che descriverlo è un po' complicato. PS: si, lo so, c'è anche chi usa i due altoparlantini nei mic-tips, ma essendo tali altoparlanti troppo piccoli e deboli, il volume ne risente molto e si sente più la tua voce dentro il casco che quella amplificata, come dovrebbe. Per il resto il mio casco, assemblato, si presenta così, in un assemblamento misto hero-stunt (è assemblato hero, ma ha un foro in più sulla bocca e le lenti piatte verdi, come per gli stunt): Come puoi notare le lenti non aderiscono perfettamente ed è una scelta voluta. Ai primi due caschi che ho assemblato (l'FX e l'RT-Mod) feci aderire le lenti: un incubo. A meno di 20 gradi respiri e si appannano subito. Questo metodo permette all'aria di circolare liberamente vicino alle lenti e far quindi si che non si appannino mai. Quanto all'imbottitura: io ho usato un hat-liner, ricavato da un elmetto anti-infortunistico preso a 7 euro da Castorama, e l'ho applicato all'interno del casco con del velcro.

Ho venduto la mia vecchia FX con casco AP (uno dei primi) ad un membro della Italica. Adesso ho comprato un'altra armatura da un fornitore inglese che dice di aver usato la base di alcuni pezzi da un'armatura screen-used in ROTJ incompleta appartenente a Les Hemstock (famoso DJ e attore inglese), acquistata per un'asta benefica nel 1984. Almeno, questo è quello che dice lui. Come venditore è molto onesto, vende prevalentemente spare parts e non usa il nome della 501 come fanno molti per vendere le armature; anzi, scoraggia l'utilizzo specificando che nessuna armatura è 501st approved in quanto tale. L'armatura mi è arrivata una settimana fa circa, è molto accurata ma pecca di un po' di dettaglio. Ho chiesto al venditore il motivo e mi ha detto che a differenza degli altri (re)caster, ha ricavato i moulds dall'originale e non li ha poi ritoccati per rendere i dettagli più vivi, perdendo così di dettaglio poi nello stampaggio rispetto alla matrice. Ho ancvhe un casco assemblato fatto da due membri della 501Italica (i V-Twins) molto bello. Se non mi sbaglio fu stampato sulla matrice di un Follano (un membro Bolognese riuscì a procurarsene uno) un po' modificata. Le AP sono splendide, amavo il mio casco. PS: non ti preoccupare per l'indiscrezione, era una domanda naturale.

I understand perfectly. If I would be a sculpter, or a cast-off orginal moulds buyer, I think I would be angry with recasters. But I'm neither a sculpter nor a mould buyer, so I'm judging the thing with external eyes. I must also consider license rights, Rubies has its right to be angry to sculpters and recasters as well as the sculpters are against recasters. This means I defend only LFL rights? Nope. As I said, I had an FX armour and an AP helmet. I love AP stuff, also TM stuff, Gino stuff, etc... and I would like to have money to buy all of their jobs. I agree with you when you talk about dishonest sellers and that they're mostly among recasters, but what I do not understand is why some good people among them shouldn't have the opportunity to bring their job as allowed to many others. So when I hear "because they don't play by LFL rule" my question "Does AP?" comes spontaneus. Do I worng? Maybe but I nerver had any response. The final point is I don't like to be pointed as a thief or a no-rule-follower just because I buy armors from ebay, when all the 501 was born in this way.

No problem. If I go out of the line you are right to notice me.

Yes, you're right. I apologize if I seemed to defend recaster. I do not want to change rules or someone's mind either. I only saw the section here to speak about that and I just posted my opinion. I bought one of the first FX from its own sculpter/creator Dale (ex TK510) when Galaxy Trading were still on the market in 2002. He had been banned from the 501st because he sold on ebay his products, and that was against the 501 rules. But the point is there wouldn't be any 501 without him, since no other armors were produced at that time! When GT closed its activity, people wishing to join the 501st applied by buying FX recasts, thousand of them. The FX original sculpter was banned because played against the rules, and after people was allowed buying FX recasts for years on ebay to join and enlarge the 501, and now that FX armors are no more useful, because of new and more accurate sculpters, recast hunting restarts. Is this a solid base to create a rule? This is the thing I do not understand and would like to know what people thinks. I'm far from 501 since 2005, many people has changed and with them the rules of course. I'm sorry for some misunderstanding, I just only find this debate interesting, but if you want I can stop talking about this. No prolem to me.

I'm sorry, but... some of the "credited" sellers sell armors on ebay to everyone as well, not only to 501st members (like AP, for example). So how could you consider "playing by LFL rules" buying armors from them?

Grazie del benvenuto Baldtrooper. Per il resto preferirei parlare di armature, ho promesso ai diretti interessati che non avrei più ritirato fuori vecchi discorsi. ^^ Però non ho capito: questa sezione a cosa serve di preciso? E' solo per i membri dell'Italica?

Yes, you're probably right. I've been far from armor market since 2005, when there was few sellers around, mostly from the United States.

I think the important thing is that the seller is a honest person, and seeing that he discourages any use of the 501st name to sell products I think this one is. Moreover he rarely sells enitre armors, he sells mostly spare parts giving an help to europeans.

And I will happy to buy. Maybe I'm not be able to explain myself in a understandable english: I do not have anything against unlicensed products.

I know. Those were only my two cents. About your question: I was in 501st in 2003-2005 with a FX armor bought directly from GalaxyTrading (owned by ex-TK510) with an AP helmet (you can see me in a fan-movie here ). At that time, AP made only helmets, not armors, and he made them without permission of anyone. Now AP is a credited provider of armors but he started as recaster as most of them. So why someone can and others cannot? This is the question we ask, finally.I know and accept the rules, is only the incoerence I don't understand. Now I bought an armor by an UK provider. He is probably a recaster, he sells on ebay and he does't use the name of the 501st or a famous producer to sells his products, he discourage it. Mostly he provides spare parts (a benediction) but also entire armors if requested at a reasonable prices for us europeans. Most of the providers are in US, but is not always too easy for us to buy oversea. So I accept that people, if honest, could become what people as AP became starting in the same way. As a helmet I possess a second generation GF bought 2 years ago from a 501st member.

In these two days I took my time to read old threads of this forum and I realize that this kind of discussion has been made several times. The result is always the same: the discussion goes nowhere. There will always be two different schools of mind and I understand that for elder people of this forum these discussions are actually boring.

Just and adivce: I purchased this armor because it was sold without the helmet. I have a GF of second generation (made on a GF modified mould to be more accurate) but the problem is that the color of the ABS doesn't match at all. I thought my helmet was a "grade 1" as the armor I bought, but it seems to be a "grade 0", almost blueish, and the difference is very visible. I think I'm going to sell my helmet. So think about that before buying an armor without its helmet.

Hello, Since I'm european (Italy) I purchased this armor and arrived today. The seller is a very kind, honest and gentle person, I mean it. Always responds to all emails with patient and education, even if you move him a bad comment about his job. A person who is pleasant to deal with, sincerly. The armour is quite good. Made of 0,60inch ABS arrives already trimmed but not finished: just a little bit of sanding is required. Comes also covered by an invisibile film to protect the plastic from scratches, which has to be removed before assembly of course. The armor is very accurate (totally asymmetrical as the originals) but in some pieces it lacks of details (for example the "button" at the center of the belt piece is almost invisible). Seller shows he lacks of some skills in vac-forming but in general his armor is quite good for its price. Well, he is probably a recaster (but I think he has modified some moulds), but here in Europe we've not lot of choice on sellers, specially honest like this one (TM armors are difficult to find sometimes). Buying from USA for Italians is a nightmare sometimes. Custom taxes are very high and often packages are lost or arrive damaged. Shipping costs are also expensive. So, please, understand the choice. (discalimer: I'm not a member of Italian 501st anymore, I'm speaking about/for myself). I can post some detailed pics if you want, so the experts of the forum could tell me wether the armour is as accurate as it seems or not. .

I don't doubt of that. But the question is "why he get payd for license his products by other companies and do not protects their rights?". Telling people in public that they can replicate a licensed product (with other companies which are paying for that) is a breach of contract to me. Boh (means "I don't understand but it's ok"). In any case we're discussing the same thing in two different topics.

First: even though Gino (or any other else) would have something to say, I think he couldn't. He has no legal right to speak about that. Only moral, but moral doesn't make any right or any law, because everyone of us has a personal one (otherwise we would agree each other now). We should have personalized laws as well at that point. Second: ok, I understand your speech about the group-rules, but I don't understand how this could fix our question, in general. I still continue to find people who attack recasters a nonsense. Do you want to know why? It's easy to explain. Five years ago they said the same thing for AP. "Whoooo, a new recaster, bad guy, bad guy!!!", in years people changes and now AP is one of the most accredited in selling accurate armors among 501st members. And ist an history that repeats all the time. This time won't be different. That's the reason why I find the whole thing a monkey business.

I do not agree. It' like saying that if I am able to steal you a Ferrari I gain the right to copy it and selling it on the internet. Because the thing that is all made by fan for fun is a joke: They all sells armors to all the people indiscriminately on ebay or on their own sites.

Are you sure? In 2005, during a Con, here in Italy, I asked directly the thing to Sansweet. He answered me that Lucas was flattered by seeing such amount of people wearing SW costumes. The problem is that LucasFilm is a Limited and has many Companies which pay for licensing its products, such as helmets, armors, etc... (see Rubies) and they have their rights to see the products they produce un-replicated. No matter by whom, why or what. This was in 2005, now I think that LucasFilm stopped run after copiers just because their number is too big, they're unstoppable.

Don't misunderstand me, I agree with you. But what you're talking about is a moral thing, and I can understand it. But I cannot justify people who claims something for other people "out-of-law" exactly as the ones they attack. To me, that's immoral too. Does Gino, Dave, or first casters have something to say against the recasters? Well, just speak then. But what others have to do with the entire thing? You talk about the hobby, ok. But let me say that if Lucas would be as Warner there wouldn't be no 501st or any other costuming group without wearing cheapo or inaccurate licensed stuff. If we can wear armors every year more detailed is due to crafts (I don't know if this term is correct, I'm italian) who improve the old cast, recasters (not all of them of course) included. I don't understand this "witch hunt" against the recasters, because almost all of them were at first time. Without recasters, we all would still wearing FX armors now, perhaps... . PS: I'm not a recaster, I just find this whole thing nonsense.

Agree. Nor Gino, or TE had the permission/license to cast-off armors from LucasFilm, so they're out-of-law as same as all recasters. They cannot claim anything, nor anyone of us should do.

Just one question: Why TE, or TM, or AP are justified in copying other people work (in example: LucasFilm/SDS armor design) and others are not?

Ciao, ci sono anche io. Sono un ex della 501. Mi sono iscritto qui perchè mi sto ricomprando l'armatura da storm (che ho venduto ad un vostro membro). Sono il trooper del filmino "never call me at work" (su yoiutube e nella sezione "video" del vostro sito). La mia armatura era una FX con un casco prima RT-Mod canadese e successivamente un AP (come potete vedere appunto nel filmato). All'epoca l'Ap lo pagai davvero poco, nonostante la sua accuratezza, perchè il produttore era ancora sconosciuto. Oggi di caschi e armature accurate ce ne sono una marea, ma all'epoca non c'era molta scelta. C'erano le FX (che andavano per la maggiore), le Movie-FX del temutissimo Guidon Messika (temutissimo perchè sbaglia sempre a spedire i pezzi) e le Follano (prevalentemente caschi però, le armature erano quasi irreperibili)e le prime TE. Tutte per, a parte le FX e le Tedesche, erano out-of budget.