FIVE

Oh... my... good... ness...

HIPS is High Impact Styrene... so it's different. I have a TE2 (the real deal) and it's HIPS and is awesome. It's a bit like saying coffee is coffee and giving light roast decaf to someone who's ordered dark roast. Not the same thing. Yeah, it sounds like he has recast his TE(2) suit to sell online. Hence the "Totally Expensive" comparison. I just think that's too bad and so sad. I'm afraid that "you" would get most certainly what you pay for... in every possible way. And, so everyone knows who doesn't know, TE = Trooper Expert... not "Totally Expensive." <_<

No, I was just being funny. But the part I was talking about were the lids... you know, those thin plastic lids Starbucks and McDonald's uses? But yeah... I know what it is really.

Yep... this thread is beautiful... and really makes me want to do an ESB next.

Who makes armor from Styrene?!?! That's like what the lids on McDonald's coffee is made of... right? Yeah... wary, wary, wary!! Though, if it's for real, it's a sweet deal! haha

One guy in our squad has grey mesh in those areas. He's in the Legion and it looks great on his bucket unless you really look at it. It's an FX bucket though, so not that accurate to begin with. haha

I use shaving creme... just a tiny, tiny, tiny bit... rub it on till it's gone, then buff it off with a tissue. Works for hours! You have to do it before every troop... but it's my tip!

Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'. Make it so they're easy in easy out then you have the option. Honestly I think if you got the right material no one would notice even "up close." I mean how many people have been talking to you for 10 to 15 minutes before they say, "Hey... your eyes are green." It's like people don't really LOOK at us anyway... they just "see" us.

First off... that's not a long post. Secondly... if you 1) really want good, 501st approved armor... 2) don't have time / talent to assemble it... and 3) don't care to spend a bit more to get it assembled... then I'd say go with Trooper Master! He's there in the UK with you and sells his kits completely "ready to wear!" They're incredibly screen accurate and look fantastic. They're about 100,000x better than that armor you first posted too. Just look up "Trooper Master" on here... sounds like he's the way for you to go (imho).

Wow... I was just talking about this with a soon-to-be trooper yesterday morning while working on his armor. I told him I didn't know how many had done it, and how many hadn't. After reading this though I'm really thinking about doing it on my TD. I posted the same question over on the MEPD to see what people say there as well. Thanks for the idea / input everyone!

Great build thread man! If I ever do another clean TK I will be looking back on some of these ideas... really good stuff!

Check out my "Armor 101" page man... lots of good bite sized info. Then read, read, read! Getting your first armor is like a marriage... you don't want to rush into it, especially when no one likes the girl you're dating... and finding that girl on a web site works now-and-then, but... ah... the analogy only goes so far. 8)

I know it's not accurate, and certainly not worthy of MEPD deployment, but has anyone thought of using green "mesh" for their lenses? Since the lenses come out so easily (at least on my buckets) I thought of doing this as an option for extremely hot mid-summer troops. Pros... They would never fog up... They would allow massive ventilation... They would still look good to the average Joe... Cons... They aren't canon... They aren't accurate... They aren't lenses... (haha) I know they use them on ----- Anyway... just a thought. If anyone has tried it post pics and experience. Or, even if you haven't tried it, what do you think?

Isn't it a pure joy?

I'd say any way is better than the 'bay.

Lookin' good man! Once you get it all "tightened up" and stuff it will be fantastic. You've done a good job of cutting and sizing it I think. Joey, I use those same little "buckles" to fasten parts of my TD together too!

Congrats man!! My tips... 1) Take your time 2) Take someone else's time 3) Measure twice 4) Measure again (for good measure) 5) Cut once (after measuring a 4th time... and checking reference pics... and worrying about doing it wrong for a day...) You'll do great! haha It's so fun putting together a great kit!! (is this your first?)

You bet! I know sometimes I have to beat on the head to wait a day for something that I'd really, really, like to be able to finish "now."

Yeah... do it right! Do you have a Lowe's? They have it in big boxes and small boxes. I say that cause I've never seen it at Joann's... but where ever. Haha... thanks!

No, you're not the only one to do things like this... it's all part of the process. My suggestion, get the right Velcro. What are you talking about, another $27 bucks? That's a small price to pay to have it done right in the first place I think.

Very nice job man! Don't it make ya feel good!!!

Yeah! Sort of like you don't regret living.

I love me some build threads!! Can't wait to see more! Also, speaking from experience, putting together a TE2 is so incredibly rewarding. It's like actually eating the cake of which you also are in possession!

Haha... yeah, yeah... I'm ALWAYS being dyslexic on that!

Yeah... just so everyone knows, this wasn't a thread about changing the names. It was just a, "hey, when you dream about TKs at night what do you think the "K" means?" thread. I doubt anything is going to change. TK is known world-wide as a stormtrooper... people automatically say "241" after they hear it. It's just a given we'll stay TKs. Now then, in your own little universes when you're trooping... I say play it up and do what you want!