LadyInWhite

Okay, thanks guys!

All right. If I keep watching videos and reading tutorials as a method of procrastination I will never join the ranks of the 501st. So here goes. I've built armor out of other, more forgiving materials; I've sculpted/cast/molded things (badly) and then sanded, detailed, painted, etc. I used to build model airplanes. I've probably got everything I need except a rivet gun. Yet I'm scared to death to ruin this "investment." (Mostly the eye holes and teeth. And any part that "shows.") What I've gathered is this: 1. Stop procrastinating. 2. Purchase the stuff you still need i.e. rivet gun and rivets, industrial strength velcro, etc. 3. Open the tutorial on the first thing you want to build as reference. (But don't read it AGAIN.) 4. Take out the piece you are going to build as well as the tools. 5. Trim off the plastic parts that come off: - Use a box cutter or exacto blade, leaving a little room to sand off - Throw up - Sand edges 6. Rinse, repeat on any connecting parts, minus the throwing up part 7. Use masking or painters tape to size pieces, measure, etc. 8. Repeat #5 to size the pieces together, repeat #7 until it's right 9. Glue, clamp, etc. let cure (patience!!!) 10. Continue with next piece, repeating #2-9 minus the throwing up part because supposedly it's getting easier and I'm getting more confident. Does that sound about right? One more quick question - it IS okay if I do this entirely in velcro to start, and then modify over time to include snaps and what-not for screen accuracy, right? And last but not least, if I want to do a return on my edge, I am assuming I do NOT sand down to the edge, but leave a little bit to fold over? Or is it folding over at all, or just flattening the edge (like a T) to make it a bit "thicker?" Thank you all in advance, and definitely hope to be trooping before year's end!

We must be twins! Except mine included a bawling 5-year-old watching the armor disintegrate (not caring one hoot about his mother being sander-dragged)! Thanks for all the tips, guys!

This is great, I didn't want to ask the question myself and I'm glad I found a post with the info! Time to go shopping...

I received a pair yesterday and wore them all evening at home. Very soft and comfy - way better than I expected. Look great, fit well. They are a bright matte white. So pretty I am afraid to scuff them up! I bought 8s... half a size bigger than I would normally get (whole sizes only) but they are spot on with a comfy sock and a little wiggle room for gel insoles (I just anticipate long troop days need as much padding as I can get). Just thought I'd share. ~ happy camper/trooper ~

Very enjoyable newsletter, thank you! The ladies in white are always inspiring, which is why I'm here as well.

Having done the totally un-breathe-able costume thing at Disneyland in 100-degree heat, I've been looking into cooling systems. One of the Vaders at SDCC last summer was talking about his battery-powered personal air conditioning shirt or something. I have been doing searches and there are many kinds: the expensive electronic kind all the way down to the frozen ice pack kind. I might try rigging up something of my own. Here -------- I'm also wondering if anyone's rigged some kind of sneaky camelback bladder... hooked into the back and up the neck into their bucket. It should be invisible. I guess I can experiment with all this fun stuff while I wait for my armor to arrive... there's no shortage of heat in So Cal.