TrooperVenger

Geee. I understand your 'hatred' for Mr. AA, but saying all his followers are...well basicaly you're calling them idiots. Again, I have to point out the blatantly obvious - or at least it is to me. 99% of his followers are NOT members of this forum or any 501st based forum. They don't know any better. Going to AA fabebook page and ranting and raving like some loony isn't going to convince them. Use the brain and knowledge contained within to educate people in a calm and respectful manner. I understand that AA has a tendancy to delete posts, but if you DO post, make sure it isn't the usual "AA you are a lair and I hate you!" Another fact is that most people who buy costumes for a collection piece/fun buy them from either ebay or they find out about AA through a google search. That's how I stumbled upon the guy's website. If it wasn't for the fact I didn't have the money, I'd have bought armour from him and I'd be none the wiser. AA is pretty professional looking and he says on there he made the original armour, so THAT statement alone makes you ooh and ahh. Again, I understand the utter frustration - hell I was collecting latex and fiberglass/ABS hocks before most of you even joined the 501st or the thought even crossed your mind. I know all about re-casting and claiming sculpts are yours when they really arn't. It's a sad fact of the business. I bought a hock that was allegedly cast from the mould of a screen used mask. Turned out years later that it was BS and it was a re-cast of a re-cast of an original sculpt and had nothing to do with the movie. Our job (so to speak) is to educate people and point them in the right direction. You catch more bees with sugar than you do with vinegar. But what do I know..I'm just a 'noob'.

What you might want to use for dreads is 'backer rod' If you can't get the black stuff, get some black plasti-dip and coat it in that.

Put snaps on the belt and on the armour. It'll all click in place and sit nicely. Just make sure you have enough snaps on the armour to support the weight. You may need 3 or more if you have a holster and plan to keep your blaster in there.

Latex armour? Eeep! Can you imagine the weight and HEAT!?

I am a member over there but I haven't posted in forever. I did have full intentions on getting a full predator costume. I don't care if I'm only 5'10" and 144lbs. I don't have a latex mask, but I do have a bio faceplate. Not the best, but it's alright. It is a bit warped, but not bad for £30.

Nice idea, but I'm wondering how you'd attach them to your belt. Would you have a latex strap that could have velcro or something attached to it?

I'm 5' 10" and rather slim. My armour is....err.. well It's a recast of something. We think it might even be some sort of ROTJ armour. If you do have a smaller frame, try going for something other than an FX derived kit. You can get it to fit, but it'll require more fitting and trimming. If I was buying armour again, I'd go for ATA. It looks really nice and much better detail and definition than my kit. I can post a link or pics of me in my suit if you require. Pandatrooper has a fantastic build thread on these forums and he's about your size, so you can look at that for some help.

Thanks for the replies/feedback. I hope the UK GLM doesn't require the photos to be taken outside as that'll delay the process by another week. The hole on the sniperplate is indeed a pop rivet. I could paint that white if required. I have tried to get it to EIB standards, but I'm not going for that right away, but I did try to get it as close as I could. I have the 3 rivets on the left side and 1 on the right of my torso and I cut the buttplate. I have metal clips on the TD also. With a little tweeking here and there I could probably get it to EIB standards. Or at least I hope I could.

Ah ok. Cheers. Will get on to that ASAP. Here's just one of the pic I had taken today. Will post more once everything is cleared.

Got my armour 'finished' and took some pics, but where do I post them to be viewed for submission?

Heat them with a hairdeyer. That's how I did mine.

Stick a fan or two in there. Mount a mic for your voice system. Put some foam in there. Put whatever you like. It's the outside that counts.

I got ALL my odds and ends. Velcro, webbing, elastic, snaps etc off ebay. Ebay isn't that bad. I found EVERYTHING I wanted there and generally cheaper than what you'd pay in a shop.

There are some fan edits available on certain websites :whistle:

Also be aware that not everyone is clued up as some of you lot are. Hell, I could have been an 'AA nut-hugger' if it wasn't for the fact I stumbled upon this website. Not everyone wants to be 501st, some just get costumes for fun.

This is a very controversial topic and one I'm not 100% clued up on, so reading these posts are intriguing. I don't know 100% which story is correct. I really don't care if AA is embellishing the truth or not, he wouldn't be the first and he certainly won't be the last. I've 'met' some honest prop makers and some dis-honest S.O.B's. It's part and parcel of 'the business'. If you don't like or agree with AA practices, then just leave well alone and never deal with the guy. To be honest there's FAR more important things to get worked up about that a f'ing prop maker. Matt G, from what I've read, has some good points and some very bad points. I've never delt with the bloke and I never will. He sounds like a real a very impolite person from the posts he's made. I understand being upset about something you're passionate about, but he just took the piss and came across as a whiney slave Leia. I've not even mentioned his dodgy business practices. Sadly, this is a debate that'll continue forever and a day. You believe what you want to believe, only the people directly involved know the truth and as nobody here (as far as I;m aware) was privvy to the actual events, we can't really say with conviction what's 100% fact. It is sad when someone takes credit for someone elses work, but what can you realistically do?

I thought it was just me. Thought I got banned or something. Kudos to the web guys, indeed.

Sorry to take this slightly off-topic. You make hocks? Cool beans if you do. I have a pretty big collection of hocks from loads of different makers. I'll have to post a link to my photobucket. Off white paint? I used a sorta egg shell colour when I wanted to get an off white colour.

Why not try the motorola xoom. From what I've seen it's pretty spiffy. Apple make nice products, but is it essential to have the 'exclusive' features and progs they have?

Dude that guitar paintjob is georgeous!

Thanks Karin.

Would someone be so kind as to put up a link to AA's facebook? Cheers.

Ahah. Yeah E-6000 is the reason, or one of, the reasons my build has taken so long. I'd advise you use E-6000 on your shins as you'll be opening and closing them and you kinda need the flexibility. You could use the super glue on forearms and biceps and even your thighs. You could always busy yourself with other things while you wait for it to dry, or do like I did. Sit on your bum playing the xbox/ps3

The chest does appear to be big. Maybe heat it up and bring it in a bit? Shorten the drop box elastics a tad. The pauldron....err. Up to you if you wanna keep it or not. I personaly wouldn't wear one unless I was a sandy. Put the mic wire under your armour, it'll look alot better. Apart from some very minor mods, you have a nice looking suit there.

No probs. One piece of advice. Are you using a belt and then hanging elastic with snaps on the end to hold up your thighs? If you are, when you measure, be aware that they'll drop a bit because of the weight. When I did mine, I measured them, stuck on the snaps and when I tried on my armour at the weekend to take pics, the thighs were hanging too low so now I have to re-cut and stick the elastic so it's shorter.