Mopar McNeer

Mopar to Ya! Nice Lee you got there.

Glad to hear you finally got your gear! Looking forward to seeing your progress as I'll be on that same path Noah.

March 18th, 2012 The last few weeks have been very busy for me and I really hadn't gotten to do much work or purchasing toward my TK build. About a week or so ago I did receive my size 11 Boots from TK Boots. While I typically wear a size 11 in my street shoe (Vans/Hawks) while wearing my Hanes ankle cut socks, I found that the size 11 TK Boots were really big on me. At least a size or better too big!! There really was not any amount of insole or sock that I could have used to get them to fit comfortably. I contacted TK Boots via email and they were very helpful and had great communications. I covered the return shipping of my boots and the shipping of the new ones back to me, so changing sizes wasn't necessarily an inexpensive venture, but I knew that I needed a smaller size. I was a bit leary about trying to figure out what size to go with as I really didn't want to have to return a second pair and go through that expense again. I decided to go with a size 10. About a week after having sent my TK Boots back, my new pair were in the mail to me. I had my fingers crossed as I tried them on but was relieved when they fit. I still found them to be just a touch big, but that might be good for when I drop in an insole. I really don't want to go with a thicker sock, but if it's necessary, I'll do it. But overall, these were very comfortable and should be perfect for me. The boots themselves were very nice IMO. My co-works had a few giggles while I showed off my new boots - I suppose they do look a bit silly without the rest of the costume. I have a little bit of spare time today before the Season Finale of The Walking Dead aires tonight, so I figured it was as good a time as any to loose my "TK Cut Virginity" and start doing some trimming on my ATA Helmet. I refered to the forums here as well as my Basic Helmet Assembly book that I had received from Trooperbay to be sure I was on the right track. I decided to go about it a slightly different route though as I wanted paint the interior of my helmet with some Satin Black Krylon paint for plastics (rather than trying to paint it later). That being the case, I decided to wait on cutting out the eyes and teeth until after it was painted. Here was my first cut on the helmet corner...lol. I found that after the first cut, it really was no big deal. The small DuBros Lexan (curved and straight) scissors were great, but I found the "Ultimate Lexan Scissors" that I have previously purchased to be basically worthless for this. They would barely even cut. I'm betting that these really aren't for Lexan, dispite their name. I continued by marking & trimming up the Helmet Lid and Helmet Face. Then trimmed the brow strip and attempted my first ear. On a side note, after looking at the Helmet Face piece, it looks like it will be just as easy to cut the eyes out using the inside molding lines. After having the basic Helmet Lid and Helmet Face Plate trimmed up, it mocked up like this. Before I cut out the eyes & teeth, I got the pieces ready for paint. I started by washing the parts with some dish soap, then let them air dry. I wrapped up the day by taping off and wrapping the helmet exteriors with Blue Painters tape and Saran wrap. I was sure to cover the ATA stamp too, as I wanted to keep that visible after painting my helmet. I set up a small paint station in my garage and layed down several thin coats of paint. It seemed to go on very well with even coverage, which I was extremely pleased about. I'm hoping that I can come back to this in a couple days once everything has had plenty of time to dry and cut out the eyes and teeth. Then rivot the lid to the face plate. Then move back on to the ears. So far so good, I can't wait to have a bit more time to get back on this project. NEW PURCHASES * Storm Trooper size 10 Boots from TK Boots (www.tkboots.com) - $54.00 (+ $14 Shipping) - Helmet/Armor CATEGORY TOTALS TO DATE: Helmet/Armor: $170.90 previous + $68.00 = $238.90 Weapons: $19.99 previous + $0.00 = $19.99 Enhancements: $433.75 previous + $0.00 = $433.75 Tools: $102.64 previous + $0.00 = $102.64 Materials: $57.27 previous + $0.00 = $57.27 Literature/Misc: $17.25 previous + $0.00 = $17.25 GRAND TOTAL TO DATE: $971.14 previous + $68 = $1039.14

Any more input guys and gals?

I got my replacement boots yesterday from TK. I got a size 10 this time. I did not have any issues with the ankles like what you have in the pictures - my size 11s were just way too big (my foot had about an extra 1"+ front to back). The size 10's were a better fit. Still just a bit of front to back room even with my normal Hanes sock, but much better than the 11's. i think once I drop in an insole and possibly a thicker sock (I really don't want a thicker sock) that they will be a perfect fit. Again, my issue was that I wear a street shoe (vans/hawks) in size 11, but the TK boots in size 11 were way too big on me. If there wan't shipping costs back and forth, I may have even tried on a 9.5 to see if it would be a better fit than the 10. But the 10 is close enough that I can live with it. Hope you've resolved your issue with your TK boots.

I will. For sure.

I recently got a pair of 11's (which is what I wear in my street shoes). They were too big. So I sent them back for a pair of 10s. Hoping they land next week for me and are a better fit.

Most will suggest that you contact your local garrison as they likely have all of the tools you need which will save you money and time. I don't know if there is a complete list anywhere, but check out my build thread (click from my sig below) - you can see all the tools and such that I have rounded up thus far. I already had a variable speed dremel, but most of the other things are in my posts.

lol. Awesome.

ANOTHER QUESTION... So I know that the thicker the magnet, the stronger the bond.... For Example, say you had two magnets, both in 1" Diameter, but one was 1/8" thick, the other 1/4" thick. I assume the thicker magnet would have a higher strength, correct? How does it work when you stack them, does anyone know exactly how the strength multiplies (adds up)? Say the 1/8" thick one has a force capable of holding 18 lbs, while the 1/4" thick one can hold 28 lbs. If I stack two 1/8" ones together, does it just double (ie: 18+18 = 36)? Or does the strength degrade once stacked (I assume it probably would). Basically, am I better off stacking 2- 1/8" ones rather than going with just one 1/4" one? Any input on this?

Thanks Everyone. I love seeing so many good options and hearing from peoples experiences.

Well, I got pwned by my reading skills again. I recently placed an order from Trooperbay.com and picked up two 10 pks of Rare Earth Magnets. What I didn't do was to read the fine print that said that these were 5/16" in diameter. So when I got my order and realized that I didn't order the larger ones (the ones I see in most project logs that are about the size of a quarter or so), I had a major :facepalm: moment. I should have known when the price was just $3.50/10 pk. lol So now I need to get some larger (correctly sized) Rare Earth Magnets and I had hoped to get some feedback, links, and pricing from my fellow FISD crew. If you can provide some insite, I would greatly appreciate it. While I'm waiting, I'll post up a couple of pictures that show the size of the Earth Magnets I purchased from Trooperbay.com so you too can share in my fail.

March 7th, 2012 Still no work has begun, but I did receive another order from Trooperbay. This order included Ear Rank Decals, "Dave M" Helmet Decals, TK-4510 Helmet Assembly Manual, E-11 Blaster D-Ring, 2- Ten packs of Rare Earth Magnets (more on that in a minute), Zap-A-Gap / Zip Kicker Combo Pack, Black Rubber Glove/ Bright White Hand Plate Combo, Frown Screen Mesh, & Tube Stripes...and a E-11 Blaster sticker too!! I mentioned that I had purchased a couple 10 pks or Rare Earth Magnets from Trooperbay.com. I was expecting to get the nice, large (size of a quarter) Earth Magnets...but I didn't read the fine print very well I guess. They are only 5/16" in diameter. And while they might be strong, they certainly won't be up to the task of helping me much on this project...lol Since I'm building a HERO TK, I ordered the "Hero Upgrade Kit" from FISD Member John Danter. I chose to go with the "smoke" colored bubble lenses. Lastly I snagged up a couple packs of sandpaper in different grits (180, 220, 320) from Wal-Mart. NEW PURCHASES * Ear Rank Decals from Trooperbay.com - $3.00 (free shipping) - Enhancements * "Dave M" Helmet Decals from Trooperbay.com - $26.00 (free shipping ) - Enhancements * TK-4510 Helmet Assembly Manual from Trooperbay.com - $15.00 (+ $2.25 shipping) - Literature/Misc * E-11 Blaster D-Ring from Trooperbay.com - $3.00 (+ 2.25 shipping) - Enhancements * 2- Ten packs of 5/16" Rare Earth Magnets from Trooperbay.com - $3.50 ea (+ $2.25 shipping) - Tools * Zap-A-Gap / Zip Kicker Combo Pack from Trooperbay.com - $20.00 (+ $2.25 shipping) - Materials * Black Rubber Glove/ Bright White Hand Plate Combo from Trooperbay.com - $38.00 (+ $2.25 shipping) - Enhancements * Frown Screen Mesh from Trooperbay.com - $3.50 (+2.25 shipping) - Enhancements * Tube Stripes from Trooperbay.com - $0.00 (free shipping) - Enhancements * Hero Upgrade Kit (Ears & Lenses) from FISD Member John Danter - $29.00 (includes shipping) - Enhancements * 180 Grit Sandpaper 5 pk # 11180-G from Wal-Mart - $3.68 - Materials * 220 Grit Sandpaper 5 pk # 11220-G from Wal-Mart - $3.57 - Materials * 320 Grit Sandpaper 5 pk # 11320-G from Wal-Mart - $3.57 - Materials CATEGORY TOTALS TO DATE: Helmet/Armor: $170.90 previous + $0.00 = $170.90 Weapons: $19.99 previous + $0.00 = $19.99 Enhancements: $324.50 previous + $109.25 = $433.75 Tools: $96.89 previous + $5.75 = $102.64 Materials: $24.20 previous + $33.07 = $57.27 Literature/Misc: $0.00 previous + $17.25 = $17.25 GRAND TOTAL TO DATE: $805.82 previous + $165.32 = $971.14

Yeah, you should have picked it up then. The price is already $550 + shipping as of today, and there is still 2 days left. Looks like by the end that this auction won't be a deal anymore - just the standard pricing. If you want to spend $400-600, try ATA or AM.

Welcome!! I know you said you wanted to be 501st accepted, but did you have any other goals you were shooting for? Not sure how much research you've done or if you were trying to go the ROTJ trooper route, but depending on what your overall goal is, that can make a lot of difference on the advice you'll get here. I think alot of the troopers here try to hold each other to a higher standard, which IMO makes it that much better in both end quality and accuracy. So if you are aiming to go above and beyond the standard TK costume, you're certainly in the right place,

Leaning toward the RT-Mod Armor right now.... But I'm not purchasing any armor until I finish the ATA Helmet build first. Thanks for the heads up though.

Nice build. Definately makes me want to take a stab at one. You mentioned early on that you wished it could have been done with PVC instead of metal, is that an option for this kit? It would definately be easier... Can't wait to see the finished product.

March 4th, 2012 Well, the real world has been keeping me away from getting started on my project. But I have continued to do so shopping while mentally working though my build (and continuing to read and research here on FISD). Just thought I'd add a few things to my purchase list and post up a few pictures of the purchases. On a side note, I ordered a pair of boots from TKBoots.com. They arrived quickly and were very nice, but were a size too big. I normally wear size 11's in Vans/Hawks and in my dress (work) shoes and work boots. When I got the TK Boots, they were very loose on me - I could slide my foot forward and fit my fingers down the back of the boot without issue. I contacted TK Boots (trooper supplies) and they were very helpful. I sent my boots back last week and hope to get my replacement size 10's soon. I'm setting a goal for myself this week - I would like to get the face and helmet trimmed. I'm hoping also to spray the inside of each with the Krylon Satin Black Paint too. I have ordered the Hero Upgrade set (hero ears & smoke bubble lenses from John in the U.K) that I will be usings,but in the mean time, will be trimming a set of ears that I got with the ATA Helmet kit so I can build some experience before working on my "Hero" ears. I have a few other things on order too, but I won't be adding them to my "Expenses List" unti I receive them. Needless to say, I'm racking up a decent total thus far, considering I haven't even ordered an armor kit yet...lol It's only money, right? NEW PURCHASES: * Aerator Micro Speakers (pair) from FISD member LaunchPad - $11.00 (included shipping) - Enhancements * ANH TK Ab Buttons from FISD member Vader Dave - $20.00 (included shipping) - Enhancements * Imperial Fan Kit (x2) from FISD member TK4261 - $30.00 ea (included shipping) - Enhancements * Eastbay Compression Tight (pant) w/ EVAPOR, # 6846102 from Eastbay.com - $15.00 on special, reg $24.99 (shipping of $3.99) - Helmet/Armor * Eastbay L/S Compression Mock w/ EVAPOR, # 6843102 from Eastbay.com - $15.00 on special, reg $24.99 (shipping of $3.99) - Helmet/Armor * Black Baron Sealing (Hobby) Iron, #covr2550 from Ebay - $21.56 (+ $5.95 shipping) - Tools * Parma Ultimate Lexan Scissors, #PAR10404 from Ebay - $6.69 (+ $2.24 shipping) - Tools * Du-Bro Body (Lexan) Scissors & Reamer 3 pc Set, #2331 from Ebay - $18.49 (included shipping) - Tools * 3 pc Rotary Leather Hole Punch Pliers & Grommet Hole Punch, from Ebay - $15.95 (included shipping) - Tools * Aker MR1506 (black) 10w Voice Amp, from FISD memeber TK6294 - $47.00 (+ $4 shipping) - Enhancements * i-Comm Static Burst System, from FISD memeber TK6294 - $95.00 (+ $4 shipping) - Enhancements * Memorex Wireless Headset Mic Kit, #MKA 382 from FISD member TK6294 - $25.00 (+ $4 shipping) - Enhancements * Clean Release Blue Painters Tape .94" wide x 60 yards, Duck brand from Wal-Mart - $2.97 - Materials * Clean Release Blue Painters Tape 1.88" x 60 yards, Duck brand from Wal-Mart - $6.17 - Materials * Fiskars Self Healing Cutting Mat 18"x24", Fiskars brand #01-005900from Wal-Mart - $15.44 - Tools * Hovi Mic Tips (sskunky), from Trooperbay.com - $35.00 (+ $2.25 shipping) - Enhancements * Yellow Helmet Foam with Straps Kit, from Trooperbay.com - $15.00 (+ $2.25 shipping) - Enhancements * Krylon Fusion Spray Paint (for plastics) in Satin Black, Krylon brand #2421 from True Value - $5.49 - Materials * #1 Light Duty Hobby Knife, Techni Edge brand #01-012 from True Value - $3.79 - Tools CATEGORY TOTALS TO DATE: Helmet/Armor: $133.00 previous + $37.90 = $170.90 Weapons: $19.99 previous + $0.00 = $19.99 Enhancements: $0.00 previous + $324.50 = $324.50 Tools: $6.78 previous + $90.11 = $96.89 Materials: $9.57 previous + $14.63 = $24.20 GRAND TOTAL TO DATE: $169.34 previous + $363.48 = $805.82

Nice Save!!!

Nice. I enjoyed reading your build thread thus far. So how does it feel to be in the completed suit? I bet it brings a big grin to your face, eh?

He is a legend and will be sorely missed.

I still see them at Targets local to me.... Picked one up a few weeks back.

Does it need to be said again? No... Oh well, I concur - TKboots FTW

So, did you figure out what helmet you are going with? It really depends on what your budget is, what your goals are for the helmet (accuracy, etc), and how you plan on using it. IMO - its better to spend a little bit more up front for a nicer quality kit than pay for it later in hassles/issues or time. The ATA helmet I picked up was reasonably priced at $125 (USD) + Shipping. Something worth looking into.

Congrats!