LadyInWhite

It's too bad there isn't a way to chase these losers off ebay, or at least chase down their posts so they remove them promptly before people waste their money.

I have been looking for a cost-effective 2-piece as well, because it'll be easier to get on-off for bathroom breaks. Currently I have and use two of these cheapies: http://amzn.to/IdktoW <-- prosport or whatever dive skin suits, zip up front, thumb locks, foot loops. Run small, pick a size bigger than you think. Feels nice, long arms, keeps me cool and dry (so far). I had to wear a patagonia long-john on top at Legoland. Meanwhile I'm looking into the eastbay set...

If you don't have to be canon, try silk or cotton gloves, something with a little more air flow.

This is kind of off topic (I love catching up on old threads), but it has to do with voice. Some guys at a division of my work (where the genius nerds who got picked on in school are now the geniuses who bring us all the best stuff in the world...) showed me something I'd only heard about for the past few years and it's made me OBSESSED. So obsessed that I have to go ask those guys if I can work with them now. Without pay. I can't say what it was. But let's just say that when a person is in costume, there is a way for that person to have thousands of canned, pre-recorded lines at their fingertips, so that every experience with every "fan" is unique and there is a response for everything, including active listening. They have not quite got it into the costume yet, and their "fan" experience is far more complex than ours, but I am now determined to try this out with the handful of movie lines from the SW movies somehow, so that while in my TK I can say "move along" when people are taking too many photos, or "there's one, set for stun" during a droid hunt... can you see where this is going? I simply imagine several PTT-type buttons in my glove, or a few under the ammo boxes on my belt, which activate pre-recorded lines. You could even record more lines and do all the voice changing in software and then export the clips to your little gadget. This could be done via hardware or software, depending on the genius who builds it. (Which is obviously not me.) This way, it really DOESN'T matter if you're a girl or guy! or if you have an iComm or ROM/FX! because you're always going to sound like you're still on screen! Hope I don't get fired for this - if you know who/what I'm talking about, please don't post it and don't tell them.

snap kits! See Eric's ANH Stunt build thread (pinned in that section).

I do career consulting for college kids a lot, as well as people later in their careers, and taught career development at a college. I admire you for considering the military. Most kids I encounter seem to have a chip on their shoulder that they deserve something more than reality allows right out of high school. "I got good grades, I did everything you said was good, so I am entitled to start with higher pay and more X and higher title and whatever." More than who, the 100 other applicants for this job who did the same, or the 10 people who work for me now who have paid their dues and already proven to me that they deserve more pay and better title? By exploring like you are doing, you are on the right path and it shows you have the right attitude to succeed at something. It might take you some time to figure out what it is you want to do, so keep that exploratory open mind. Perhaps consider a job/MOS that isn't going to be the one thing you do for your entire service, or that branches out into different areas of something you have an interest in - something to grow from. Keep learning - learn everything you can. It doesn't have to be formal in-class academic/training either. You'll find a niche where you're stimulated and comfortable and THAT is actually where your career starts. Sometimes that takes years, and sometimes it's just dumb luck. Your future is made up of what you do with your opportunities when they are presented to you.

Slightly worse than a solo trooper WITH a blaster. A target AND no defense!

That's awesome, and what a great idea. You don't even have to wait for a RfA to do something like that.

This thread is amazing. Either you are exceedingly meticulous (I mean that in a good way) or that armor is exquisit, or both... because you make everything look so precise and clean. Nothing like the mess I was standing knee-deep in or the crap edges from my poor cutting skills!!! It's the cat. If not yours, the neighbor's or a stray.

You didn't put it in the box with your CT & blaster, did you?

Oh look, I might get some real work done for a change. Can't wait to see the results. Break an IT leg!

Seriously, if i had kept tabs on what I spent, my husband would have me committed. I keep reminding him, "At least I don't have a shoe habit." Can't forget to include supplies (tools, glue, snaps, scissors, polish, sandpaper, exacto blades, band-aids) and all that stuff that adds up in micro payments.

I don't know the difference in wearing or durability, but I do know you can make the regular ABS super duper shiny.

haha *like* <-- Jenny and *like* <-- the troop

It's a really fun exhibit, so if you can get there on a troop, on a "Star Wars Fan Day," do it! Looks like fun, good costumes all around! Jenny, why weren't you there!?!?!? *poke poke*

Impressive. Very impressive.

HAHA My husband won't STOP going on about making a Sandy and a HWT. I've decided he's going to be the Sandy and I'll build it for him!!! And he can wear that obnoxious backpack! But as for this, I want to conclude the thread by saying that "Matt Black" Rob walked me through the entire process of repairing this terrible damage, and I am happy to say that my shin is not only like new, it's better and shiner than new!!! Here's what I did: Wet-sand with 600 grit and soapy water until all the scratches were out. I would have given up on a few deeper ones that persisted but Rob kept me going and they did actually come out. This part was the most work, of course. Up and down, not circular, long even strokes, let the paper do the work, etc. [*]Wet-sand with 800 grit, then 1000, then 2000. (Next time I might use 1500 in between.) This was actually pretty quick. I got the sandpaper at an automotive store (Pep Boys). [*]Polish (by hand) with Maguiar's Ultimate Compound. This worked 3x faster than Novus 2 and boy is my arm/shoulder grateful. I have now touched up almost all my pieces of the suit with the Maguiar's and it is fantastic, and smells much nicer than the Novus too. Even the dome of my bucket, which I couldn't seem to get to a full shine to save my life, is super shiny! I can't wait to apply this to my car... but for that I need a tool, no way I'm doing my car by hand. (Wax on, wax off...) Thanks, everyone! Signing off, LadyInShinyWhite the Shiniest TK in the galaxy

Agree with Vern except the separation of cod. Well, mostly. If you don't HAVE to separate it, perhaps don't. I find it helps give me a little more flexibility in the groin area. I believe cover strips are optional but i highly strongly pointedly decidedly recommend them. They look way better/cleaner. <wave hand> You will do cover strips. You may have to cut flashing off to fit you in places, but you can (with effort and patience) put a return edge back on. However, return edges aren't required, they just look nice. <wave hand> You will do snaps. The only place I don't have snaps is connecting my kidney and ab plates on the sides, because I wanted easier on/off. Snaps are strong! So strong I often accidentally rip off the snap plates rather than detach the snaps themselves. And I am only using mini Anorak snaps, not real heavy duty snaps.

Dan, you can be my minion any day!

Yeah it's called Jam It The F On There. No seriously, I don't know if it's AP in particular, but it gets crooked if you try to line it up with the top bulgy part of the shin, right? I carefully measured where I wanted, looked to see what was interfering, and trimmed to get it as flat-straight-flush as possible, glued and clamped the hell out of it, and crossed my fingers. It was a lot of work and ultimately I gave up and riveted it (guaranteeing it wouldn't slip or anything). However, now I have to figure that out for centurion status. I might have some before and after pics somewhere, certainly a "oops my rivet gun sucks" picture...er, never mind, that was my thigh/ammo.

I tend to get a foot cramp if I try to put it in from the top. Somehow, miraculously, my clamshell process works fine and the cover strips and ABS hold fine. Do you have a cover strip inside as well?

That is quite a transformation and you are amazing to help so much!

It's really about your comfort level. I would start bigger and troop a couple times. It's way easier to fix to smaller. However, if you're doing butt joint, you can use strips to open up a little bit, too.

The tutorials on this board are pretty helpful for the snap system and all the details for EI and what-not. When I was starting out, I had the same question - everyone recommended snaps, so I have snaps everywhere except the ab-kidney closures, those I did velcro. I use dual snaps on the shoulders back & front for "failure" but with a white elastic not black webbing, and my snaps are up-down not side-side. Personal preference I guess! I have a lot of repairing and upgrading my insides going on all the time. Ultimately, what you do INSIDE your armor is up to you. It's what's on the outside that counts for the most part - despite what our moms told us - so just spend countless hours on the CRL and tuts looking for the outside details and any building requirements like belt attachment and the white shoulder straps. Your harness/strapping/whatever system is your own. If I'm wrong, someone slap me - I don't want to be giving bad advice!

Yep that looks right to me, and you put the cover strip over it and voila!