FIVE

Or maybe they should look into troopermaster's flexible armor.

For one, I think it's awesome you're posting here! I mean how cool would it be if the Disney armor ended up being actually GOOD!!! There are a lot of little things you can do to make it better. For one, you're all mixed up on what "version" you're doing. Is it ANH, ESB, or ROTJ? The "edge" on the armor makes it seem ROTJ, but the hand plates and frown color are ANH. Things I would change that don't include completely re-sculpting it all are... Get accurate colored "tube stripes". Change the lenses to be green flat lenses. Change out the "ab plate" buttons so they're smaller, colored correctly, and in the ANH position. Make the eyes and "frown" bigger. Try fixing the size of the gray "traps" on the helmet... they're a bit small too. That's basic "quick fixes" that could do a LOT! Look at------------here and study the films like we do... endlessly. Check out--------- to find out what armors we choose from as 501st and which ones we stay away from. There are a lot more things you could do... remove the edges, put "return edges" on the shoulder bells, and stuff like that. Personally I'd scrap the helmet and start over there... it's the most iconic important part and when it doesn't look JUST right it looks REALLY wrong. Even when people can't put their finger on why. Hope that helps! I'm sure I'm not the only one who will reply!

God speed man! And, maybe one day, you'll consider joining our sandboxand being deployed there.

I may actually end up glueing mine. The manner in which I suit up, however, makes them need to be Velcro right now as I put on my boots, calves, step into my ab-plate / kidney trunk, the put my thighs on. I may be redoing how I suit up though... Also, it helps with transporting the armor in the bin I have because the legs can "wrap" around each other.

Velcro! I riveted (then covered with the finishing strips) the fronts.

Yeah, you could tell it was an FX, but it didn't look anything like the "normal" FX. I actually gave that one away in a raffle. The guy was ecstatic. -------------

Could you? Sure you could! Should you? Why not!? I mean, like you said, you're going to replace it sooner-or-sooner anyway. Why not use it as a "test" to see what you can do and what you like? I got a 2nd FX bucket a few years back and used it for just that---------I liked how it turned out... though, of course, it was still an FX. (and yes... I know those pics on that page need fixing...)

No. While I see the point of being ready "full gear" I really think the E-11 is "full gear" for troopers like the "move along" trooper... which is what my armor / pack and everything else is. I admit I'm one of the "only E-11" guys on the MEPD so the last thing I want to do — from a purely personal standpoint — is make it so that you have to have more than an E-11 to be deployed. haha Plus, people seem to know. Example; I literally had a teenage kid come up to me a couple of weeks ago at a troop and say, "It's nice to see a sandtrooper without a big gun... not all of 'em carried 'em yet it seems they always have them." I laughed and said, "Thank you." So yeah, I see that side of it, but I'd say leave it for now. There are too many other exciting things happening at the MEPD to throw the guns into the mix. (and yes this obviously begs the question about pack-less TDs, which has been an ongoing discussion amongst the command staff for some time and the pack is still required for many reasons and I doubt will be changed anytime soon...)

Ah... yes, I can see / agree with that standard for sure...

I agree with that. And I think the TD / sandtrooper should allow E-11 alone for deployment simply because there were many who had it alone. One obvious example is enough to warrant it I think — like the DLT-19 and the TK on the Falcon. (sandtroopers... deployed... what board are we on right now?) hahaha

It's probably because they are still lumped in with the "TD" classification (why can't we have a 3 letter designation anyway?) and the TD allows "just" an E-11. Heck, we allow just an E-11 for MEPD deployment... but again, that's because there were a few TDs who carried only that (including the "move along" trooper) in ANH. So my guess is it carried over. But, I agree with you... for HWT it seems kind of silly to allow the E-11... I mean the "HW" does stand for SOMETHING.

No, you've not cut too much at all. There are 2 "lines" on most of the edges of TE derived armor. Starting from the INSIDE / main part of the armor you have 1) the initial / first "dip" which is often a quite obvious "ledge" of sorts and is the true return edge, then 2) the "edging" then 3) the "bump" that leads out to a finishing edge. So what you want is to cut between #1 and #3 and cut right in the middle-ish of #2. You may then trim away #2 so it's almost gone, but leave #1 completely there. Some parts are MUCH harder to see where these 3 areas are. But if you find it in one place on the piece you're working on and then trace from there you can always figure it out. So, for your cod piece, you really should cut all the "red" off here... all the #2, leaving the return edge of #1. Make sense? Hope that helps!

You do know about the MEPD, right? Most guys on there have seen them on here though. I'd say the RPF as well And facebook too... start a "page" (not a group!) and then people can "like" them and talk about them on there.

Thanks for posting here T! And it wasn't so much that I "broke it"... I just left a thermal exhaust port open... and well, you know the rest...

First off, -----I'm assuming. If so, great... if not, go read it first then come back here. Now, here's what I would suggest... ----- a) tighten the gap between the shoulder bells and the chest / back plate. You may have to "widen" the shoulder bells some to do it. raise the thighs and — at the same time — lower the cod piece / butt plate. You will probably have to "shim" the backs of them to get them pulled up more it looks like. c) tighten the ankles. TKs aren't supposed to have 'cankles'. d) change the lenses in your helmet. You need to make the helmet an ROTJ because of the armor. e) change the tube stripes and paint the frown black (in standing with the ROTJ.) f) not sure, but your under suit looks "baggy". If it is, get a new, skin-tight one. g) after raising the thighs make sure they're 'form fitting' on your legs. Wider at the top than the bottom. Not "tubes." h) get new boots! ----- That's what I see right off the bat. Actually... if I were you... I'd try to sell it online somewhere as-is, helmet and all, then use the $$ to buy some armor that's good to start with and doesn't take all the work... which you can easily get for what Rubies sells for. Hope that helps man!!!

I asked for templates for the tube stripes at one point too and never found them. So if they're out there I, personally, don't know where. As for the paint, I'd say order it online if you can to get the right kind. If you can't do that, buy a couple of different brands and test them on scrap plastic and see which does better. Possibly someone else here knows of a good paint out of those options. I'd say any would work well if... 1) it's high-gloss white 2) you read the directions 3) you follow the directions 4) you practice first.

Yeah, there's not really any armor that's made of "just" styrene.

Hobby Lobby is where I buy my E-6000.

Okay... seriously... this ROTJ actually makes me consider WANTING an ROTJ! In other words, FAN-TAS-TIC JOB MAN!

-------- The thing is, it's pretty tough as is. I cracked my FX suit too. It's just plastic after all. And HIPS is so light weight and so flexible / easy to work with! But, as the debate rages on it always comes down to what you prefer. And all that really matters is that we all look killer sweet anyway, right?!

You know to be accurate they don't connect in the back... right?

Seriously... this thing is just fantastic...

Fantastic man! It's not "movie-accurate" (of course) but it is, as Rolf said on the MEPD, it's still bad an impolite person cool!!

Nice job man! I've downloaded all these for my reference files. I love the detail on the eye! Just like the real one! While I won't be doing a "complete knock-off" (probably no chin strap etc.) on my ESB, this is very nice in deed! Thanks for the pics!