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theisaac

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Posts posted by theisaac

  1. I'm 6'0 and 240. I have wrestled my whole like so I have thick legs and I got EIB with AM armor. I upgraded to RT mod chest and back because it's wider.

     

    You can search my user name and watch my build and updates.

     

    The key is teaming with local garrison mates and getting help during the build. Every garrison has someone that is an expert at any given costume.

     

    Yes, you can pull off a TK. It's not for nothing.

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  2. My best advice, is to wear your suit a few times and then start making adjustments. When I was building mine, I thought about all of the mods I wanted to make to the inside of my bucket almost daily. Then I wore it for a few hours at local troops. 

    I wanted cool gears and electronics for show in case someone wanted to look inside and all of that. Now, after a few years with a TK... I have random foam blocks hot glued in different parts of it to make sure it stays put and so I can actually see out of the eyes. Here in Arizona it's hot so draining your bucket is a real thing. It sounds like the flocking would look cool but shoot you in the foot down the road. 

    I ended up painting the inside of my bucket flat black and that is where the mods stopped :)

    At the end of the day, it's your helmet. You're gonna need to love it. Regardless of how you mod it, you're still going to get goosebumps when you are suited up and pull it over your head regardless. We all do.

  3. Thanks for the feedback Eric!

     

    I really appreciate you taking a look at everything. I'm debating the painting of the shims still so that's why the rivets are still brass. I will finish shaping them either way. These are newer shims I added after dropping a few inches since my original EIB application. The rivets are the correct size, I will throw a ruler up with them if I end up going further.

     

    I'll do the same with the thighs. I had to bondo them, glue the cover strip over that, and then paint them. I'll get closer pics of them up soon. The trap paint is an easy fix, as is the rest of the suggestions. Either way, I can re-do them just to look better regardless of going Centurion or not.

     

    Regards,

    Isaac

  4. Here is an update about a year later as to what I've done since I got my EIB and looking ahead to Cent at some point.

     

    20131103_162306_zps69f403ce.jpg

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    I have upgraded the blaster to a Doopy Doo resin kit and metal scope rail:

     

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    I have added new shims with the six split rivets (haven't painted them yet:

     

    20131103_162707_zps4852c54b.jpg

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    I have hand painted where the decals were on the helmet:

     

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    I have lost just over 3 inches in my waist and in my thighs so the legs fit a little better these days.

     

    I have upgraded the chest and back to RT-Mod since my original application and moved to bars/bolts for strapping. I also added the male snap to the right side of the ab plate. Oh, I also upgraded the ab button plate to a TM one with better defined ribs and buttons to replace the metal ones that came with the original AM kit.

     

    Please offer any pre-cent application advice that you have time to offer.

    I still need to upgrade my TD.

     

    Thanks!

    Isaac

     

     

     

     

     

  5. Great idea Eric!

     

    May I also suggest more staying on the subject of helping each applicant with their post and less commenting on what CRL's need to be and personal opinions not directly related to the post.  These are the applicant's post and not a debate forum, there is a place for debates, stay on target.

    Nailed it!

     

    As someone who is considering going under the microscope of applying for Cent, there is nothing more unmotivating than seeing replies like:

     

    This is wrong.

    Your ____ isn't right.

    or even worse:

    "well you meet all the checked boxes so I'll pass it."

     

    Offering suggestions to help move forward to correct issues is a huge plus. Phil was really good at that. I read a comment on one of his reviews that basically said, the thighs were off so if the applicant cant bring the thighs up, lets look at your strapping and drop the cod down.

     

    Here's to hoping we see more than just TM/RS kits applying too :)

  6. Eric,

    The EIB to Centurion suggestions is a big step forward. I love the idea.

     

    I'll be honest, once I got EIB and because my suit is a mix of AM/RT-MOD - I gave up on trying to go higher. I love the idea of a pre-application thread where we can post a few shots and get feedback and advice. Something like that could give me the confidence that the higher award is within reach.

  7. In the top photo it looks like they are switched. I good test is to put them on the opposite legs and see how they feel. They should feel a little more comfortable if you switch them and walk around a bit. Did you use e6000?

     

    Also, the cover strip doesnt go all the way down over the bottom ridge on the thigh. You can snip that part off and the sniper plate won't catch and pull it like you see in your pics. I had that same problem when I made mine. Since I made the cover strip out of the trimmed thigh piece. It made sense to make the cover strip run the whole length of the thight including the bottom ridge. Once you trim that off, you'll walk quite a bit easier and not feel like you're messing up your thighs.

     

    Your build looks great though! You look better than I do in mine.

    Isaac

  8. 1. Did you buy online from a website or eBay?

     

    Check out the getting started area and look at the info in there. I looked at all of the armor makers and contacted the one that made a suit that would fit me. Avoid ebay, you've heard it over and over. The reason is that ebay armor is almost always recast and the quality is never consistent. If you are going to spend your money on armor and the time to build it; get armor that will hold up to trooping. The vendors in the getting started area have proven they can make armor that can hold up.

     

    2. Did you start here and communicated with a TK maker?

     

    Yes.

     

    3. RS Propmaker seems to be the my best resource so far - any feedback on RS Propmaker?

     

    RS is the most accurate armor you can get. Read the info on their website for all of the details. I love the look of RS armor and they are really good about communication.

     

    Another fantastic maker is Troopermaster. My next set will be from TM. If you can afford the cost of the dollar to pound exchange rate, you will have the best of the best with either RS or TM. I hear TM is a little bigger than RS so that can factor into your decision. Good luck and take your time. This is a big investment of money and more importantly, time.

     

    I ended up getting AM armor because of the size and it was affordable. It's not made anymore, but it wasnt the most accurate and by the time I was done building it, I had to order chest and back parts from another maker. My rush to build cost me more money in the long run. Learn from my mistake.

     

    The Golden Gate guys are really solid. Go hang out with them before you buy and see the armor up close and personal and make decisions after that. As always, happy to answer questions along the way. That's what the FISD is all about.

  9. Hi Walter,

    I would create a forum account at the golden gate garrison website and say hello to the folks there. They are going to be the family you troop with in the future so start getting to know them and ask if there are troops coming up. Explain you want to start a TK and then check out the different armor makers up close and personal at an event. More than likely, there will be different TK's with different armor kits in your local garrison.

     

    At first, they all looked the same to me. It was white, it was armor, it was a Stormtrooper. Then over the course of building my kit I learned more about the original TK's from the films and studied how they looked and how the armor was put together. The more you research, the bigger the differences in makers will start to stand out.

    Take your time before spending money on a kit to make sure the one you get will fit you correctly.

     

    We are more than happy to help you here on the forums as well. I would start by looking at the different builds in the centurion application threads to see the different kits in their completed state to get a feel for them. We can help guide you if you ask questions. Don't hesitate to ask questions even if you think its "dumb." Nobody here was born with the TK knowledge they have now and they started just like you.

     

    Good luck man.

    Isaac

  10. I started really making an effort about 6 weeks ago. My wife and I got a gym membership and I've been doing some lifting and then 45 minutes of cardio every night.

     

    I am 6ft and started at 252lbs. I weighed myself a few days ago and Im at 250lbs. The big difference is that today I tried on my TK and had to remove a shim because of the extra room. I was pretty excited.

     

    null_zps3fa49906.jpg?t=1378162164

     

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    *Im not posing here - Im holding the gap closed where the shim was to show how much I removed*

     

    I have a goal to finally get into a Troopermaster. I've talked to him for about a year now and as soon as my measurements can fit into one of his kits without shims, I will place my order.

     

    I'll keep you updated.

    Isaac

  11. Darman, That's awesome.

    I'll say it again, both your holster and Vern's are great! Im stoked to hear that you are constantly improving on the design and build of them. Your holster is exactly what I wanted and needed during my build.

     

    In fact, I use it with my Tie Fighter and your wife's neckseal gets double duty between both costumes. They still look brand new a year and a half later.

     

    Keep up the good work bro. Your family provides a great service to the 501st as a whole.

     

    Regards,

    Isaac

  12. I have both Vern's and Darman's holsters. I love them both. Vern's fits like a glove and will ask you what blaster you are using so that it fits perfect. He goes the extra mile and you pay a premium for his work.

     

    Darman's is a bit thicker and doesn't have the same level of craftmanship, but it was also less expensive.

     

    To answer your question though, they are both ready to rivet out of the box. Vern's, came with the black rivet and leather strap unattached so I could double check the size before it was fastened to the holster. Darman used a chicago screw on his.

     

    Those are my personal experiences with both suppliers. Both are really good. Vern has more heart and soul craftmanship and is a little more money. Darman is cheaper and a little more assembly line. In the end, Im happy with both.

  13. one kid acts like he wants a picture. Stormtrooper starts to pose while another kid sneaks behind the trooper and gets down on his hands and knees behind the trooper. The kid who is standing in front of the trooper rushes him and pushes him. The kid behind the trooper blocks him from backing up and was is supposed to block the troopers legs from stepping back.

     

    The trooper looks like he see's it at the last second and stepped back with a leg and OVER the kid tripping him and just falls back and catches himself on the wall. The kids get up and run away on skateboards.

     

    It's an old Jackass prank.

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