LadyInWhite

I sent $ too, don't care if my name is on the list but i definitely want to make sure you got it. I did get a PP confirmation EDIT: Oh wait, stupid me, I see my "Supporter" is showing... how embarrassing. Isn't the supporter supposed to go on the inside?

I believe the package said 6 hours but overnight (12+ hours) is best. The slowness is one of the reasons I hate it. So is the goopy mess. However, it has saved my a very impolite person many times in having to peel parts apart (I've redone my thighs 3 times) and fix things, or when things slipped under the clamps and had to be un-done and re-done. However, once cured, it's quite strong and reliable. I usually lightly sand and then wipe clean (no dust) the contact parts, apply a layer on one side and then clamp, tape, magnet, and so forth. No need for contact spray or any of that other stuff. I wipe away as much excess as I can, but after it cures it's kind of a clear, dense goop like hard rubber cement. It can be easily sliced and stretch-peeled away if it leaks out, like on cover strips, and looks messy. Unless you're planning on building your entire suit in 1-2 days, I highly recommend using the e6000.

For a first build, I strongly recommend the e6000 and nothing else. Tons of spring clamps and rare earth magnets (watch out, they fly!). Definitely snaps. I like the idea of the brackets and screen accuracy strapping but nobody should even see the strapping and I'm not a living prop - function over form for me. Don't get the snap tool, use the hammer method. Snap tools are unreliable and annoying. Also I seem to spend too much time fixing "velcro troopers" during troops... don't go that way. TKBoots... better quality than 90% of the shoes I've ever owned, oddly enough! Love 'em. Cover strip plastic should come with and you can score-and-snap some pretty straight curves with it. Good luck! When it all arrives, start your build thread in the appropriate area and let the pics fly!

"Ideally" is the catch word that can mean "I can be lazy and not worry about that" or "I have tried to find a solution and it's not working for me" in order to give you a little bit of leeway. Ideally it should be as small a gap as possible... but like Paul said, not all screen TKs had zero gap. I would have had 1" gap which for me was ugly so I shimmed both sides. "Ideally" when I lose the 25lbs. I really should not be hefting around and return to my supermodel physique, I can pull the shims off and voila!

Fantastic! And I love finding out what TKs other jobs, hobbies and talents are!

Here is a clip of the SW portion of a student film some of my friends and I did a few months back. The actual film, C.L.E.O., is actually pretty well done (albeit dialog audio is a little low sometimes) and very high quality for a student film, and enjoyable. It's about 10 minutes and makes a pretty strong statement about copyright law taken to an extreme. When I find the full film (I thought it was on VIMEO but I can't find it) I'll post as well. Cheers!

My husband is the crazy cat lady! Yes put me down for a MOM.

This is definitely the laugh-out-loud topic of the decade. Addiction? Duh. I have several projects in the works and a list longer than God's hand...

LOL to 502nd Legion! TK10K (TK-10000) is the first female TK in Poland... so proud!!! I don't know what's up with doling out the #s though, some peeps in my garrison have been waiting like 6 weeks since approval... while others elsewhere seem to have them already. Is it an entirely manual process? I thought it was droids.

I want one for my son that says "My MOM is a Stormtrooper" and one for my bio-dad that says "My Daughter is a Stormtrooper and it's my fault" and one for my brother that says "I hate my frickin Sister the Stormtrooper" and how about some for my cats? My husband would NEVER wear one that says WIFE on it - but I wish he would!!!

I hope you don't mind, but this is about to become the world's most coveted how-to thread on Facebook and Twitter. Keep the advice and directions coming, if there are more to share. Most everyone I know who tried this couldn't get it to work... but if it helps even one other trooper succeed, it's worth it's weight in virtual gold. Good job and thanks!

It is my understanding that the AM chest piece is longer than most... which means... I am not going to be very helpful. I wonder if you can look at some EI threads for AM and compare with EI threads for RT and see if you can eyeball some differences. I'm sure someone else will chime in here with truly useful info. (Sorry )

haha, those are great shots

Actually, yes! Can I bring my 6 year old to boss your 3 year old around? He's good at being bossy. Just you wait. Actually, depending on where you are in Queens, he might end up somewhere for pizza with Grandpa while I help you. More soon, still planning

But the fact that it CAN be made EIB - and that anyone who gets one of these unwittingly or from a former trooper can put the elbow grease necessary to get it to at least this high standard, that says SOMETHING. GOOD JOB, JIMMY!

I'm doubting my hub wants to go anywhere outside the city (except when we go to Warwick to pick apples). Looking forward to it - thanks for the details, Lou!

Woo! I love new friends! If we don't get out to Long Island we will probably go to the Scholastic Store as well.

Not too shabby! I can't wait to work with you in person You are like 90% there... Wow 3 years and it's still shiny white! First things first. Ditch the back plate on the O2 canister (aka Thermal Detonator). You will be using money clips or bent metal strips to attach properly, not that weird FX style. Ditch the other half of that tube as well. Buy a 2" diameter PVC pipe (I want to say 8" but someone can give exact #s or I'll dig mine out and measure it) and paint it primer gray and attach the front plate and end caps and clips (not in that order) and there you go. I think the best thing to do to cut the butt plate is wait until i can see it on you with the canvas belt. That will tell us where to cut the butt off. If you can find someone (Trooperbay?) with white belt squares to cover those giant rivets, that would be nice, but otherwise perhaps paint them white. When I see things in person we'll look at those details cuz it's hard to judge. Meanwhile I think you're going to have a pretty nice suit. There are some great threads in the tutorials and tips areas that give you all you need to know about how to attach the arms together. I kind of want to make a tutorial for what I did which works really well... I would love to see some of the other methods more photographically detailed and step by step laid out for us Any volunteers?

I'll be in NYC for the weekend and around Oct. 4-9. Or something like that. I'm hoping to take my son to a Star Wars Reads event there, one where some 501st will actually be present. I found one event in Long Island on the garrison site but it's a bit of a haul. I don't always like doing all the things my (NY native) husband likes doing so if anyone in that area (including new TKs) would like to get together for dinner or lunch or beer or coffee or pizza or cannolis just let me know! (You would never know I'm introverted by the way I seek out company in faraway places!) Cheers, Ingrid

Yeah, try one way and if it doesn't work for you, try another. I've been through three systems - I'm back to modification #4 on first system

Patches!

The answer is: it's whatever works for you. Just make sure you don't hang the thighs directly from the ab piece, as the extra weight will cause problems. Personally I use a belt/garter system with webbing not elastic, and elastic suspenders to hold that up. None of this is attached to my upper body armor in any way.

I'm a fan of Maguiar's Ultimate Compound and a heck of a lot of ELBOW GREASE! Wash with mild dish soap and water to get the dirt/grit off, then polish that mofo. IMHO It's not shiny enough until the light reflections in it are sharp. It looks shiny with fuzzy edges but it's REALLY shiny when the edges of the light reflections are sharp. I did strain my shoulder polishing a few months ago, still not healed... lol! My husband does call this my OCD hobby.

We had this discussion at a b-day party last weekend. Adults get nostalgic about the TK. Kids seem to be more familiar with the clones. Also the clones are popular to wear these days because (imho) there is more variety and creativity in them, as Luis points out. And they are definitely harder to build. I'm a shiny white at heart and always will be, and it is my first choice to wear. I only made my staff officer because I needed a plain-clothes option for Celebration - yet I craved being in my TK constantly. I have an IN in the works but waiting for jumpsuit. I also have a shock trooper in the works but I hate it and am ready to throw out the armor and get a newer, more modern suit. And at least 5 if not more of us in my garrison are ready for ATA's magma trooper. That's going to be a troop to behold. I always say: a lone TK is a target. And in reading the October Newsletter from 2011, Paul (Daetrin) also mentions how a lone TK doesn't get as much attention - the MORE TKs together the more picture-worthy. And what a sight to behold. Our YMCA photo from CVI was from having four of us together - a huge attraction! My garrison has probably 50 or 100 TKs, who knows. We're pretty huge. We usually have to put limits on how many TKs are together. But usually people see a few TKs on the attendee list and opt for alternate costumes so they stand out. Depends on the event, too... We've had as much as 5-7 at events I've attended.

Cool, keep it up! Looks nice! Get a d-ring on there and you're all set. I recommend - but totally optional - you replace all velcro with snaps.