[First Armor Build]

Chris,

 

I hear ya about the fiance. I'm getting married in November and this week approached my fiance about ordering my first set of armor. She said its cool with her, but there isn't any time to get it built before the big day. ...after paying for the honeymoon, it is also difficult to make the up front investment for the armor.

 

Good luck with the build and cheers to having fiances that are down with our obsession for Trooping.

 

-Jim

[HOW to: assembling ATA ABS helmet #1]

Does the ATA ABS lid come with the foam inserts for inside the dome, the mic pieces, the lens, and the black piping to run across the brow and the neck line?

 

 

Panda, great tutorial. I can't wait to order my helmet and get crackin' using this guide.

[Greetings from Raleigh, NC]

Welcome aboard Jim, I hope to see you trooping in the Carolina Garrison soon.

 

No biggie about taking a TK and turning it into a TD. Just remember to make sure that you will be able to remove the ab plate details when you do start transforming your TK into a TD. The other thing is, as you know the TK's can have battle ware (scuff, scratches, etc.), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper.

 

Do as much research as you can and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

Make your self at home.

 

Tom

 

 

Thank you for the welcome. I just moved to the area and have been looking for ways to get involved. Hopefully the 501st is my outlet. I hope to have at least the TK armor assembled and join up with the Carolina Garrison by May 2012. Then, through the summer I will work on transforming to TD.

 

Also, thanks to everyone above for the helpful advise, especially on the helmet build and comparison.

 

Thanks!

 

-Jim

[Greetings from Raleigh, NC]

Bob,

 

Thanks for the welcome. I've been thinking about ATA armor. I've been suggested that is a great place for a first set of armor. Based on your research, would you buy armor and a helmet separately? I want to make sure I get a helmet that doesn't have the bobble head effect other posts of discussed.

 

Honestly, I'm a big fan, but exact replication isn't a must. I'm just trying to get involved at this point, but of course, make sure my set up is 501 compliant. I have found the TD section of the MEPD site to make sure I'm headed in the right direction.

 

I may piecemeal my soft goods right now, as they are the cheapest, and start working on the TD backpack by dumpster diving.

 

-Jim

[Greetings from Raleigh, NC]

Hello, FISD! I am looking forward to posting and learning in the future. I have been an admirer of the 501st since I was in middle school and can finally afford to start researching armor. I contacted a few people in the local Carolina Garrison and I was pointed in this direction.

 

I hope to learn a lot and get the ball rolling on my suit. The goal is a Sandtrooper. I want to start with the basics, just Stormtroop armor and then add my way up to Sandtrooper as my budget allows. Most importantly, I want my armor weathered and battle hardened.

 

If I could have my cake and eat it too, I hope to visit comicon some day to show off my suit, but I'm sure that is years away.

 

All the best,

Jim