Dday

Germain, thanks a lot for your input, I really do appreciate the second set of eyes and you have a great attention to details! As far as the belt goes, I think the Luke belt is a little longer on the ends then the normal belts. Well at least referencing this from the RS suit. I based the length of the belt ends off the width of the boxes themselves. From the above photo, from the last belt bump to the edge of the belt is the width of one hanging belt box. In person, my belt matches that. One width of a belt box from the last ammo box to the edge of the belt. It seems like Luke has larger boxes then the normal TK... or maybe they just look bigger on him because he is so small!

Ok, some new shots of progress. I"m moving along pretty quickly. Some general trimming shots: In the back, you can see the TD is done. I finished that on day 1, just to get something easy out of the way and feel like I made progress! I have decided I like to glue on the first half of the strip by itself, let it dry, then to glue on the other half of the strip. This extends the build time a bit but it allows me to get a better collection on the sides. Maybe it's extra work.... but I decided it's good this way, also this makes for a lot less glue tracks as I am sliding the pieces around to get them into place.. then they slip as I grab the clamps or magnets and I slide it back and there is a snail trail... Gluing the other side The Belt in progress The belt finished The Ab plate finished, minus paint. Once I start with the brackets I will attach the backplate to the ab.

The original AM armor is not a good way to go. There are accuracy problems just like the FX armors. They are working on a new version that is supposed to be better (not recast like NE). SO long story short, stay away from the old AM armors, which is what available now.

Sorry no posts the last few days, but that doesn't mean no progress! I've been taking a lot of photos... well some, and making good progress. Just every time I come back out of the work room I forget to bring the camera.... so I say ok maybe tomorrow. Hahah, I will get the updates up today though.

Ahhh, yeah, thats more like it. IF you look at the straps in the first photos, they are absolutely red IT's amazing what lighting can do to things.

Huh? Troopermaster ( TM ) is an armor maker here on the FISD who makes the best fan sculpted armor around. You can contact him by sending him a private message to troopermaster here on the forums.

Your mannequin looks sad... like they just blew up him home... If the elbow is the trouble with the mannequin fitting the biceps, I cut my mannequins elbows off

The only thing I can see that stands out to me is the straps on the holster. They seem red, not that this will stop the EIB, they just seem to stand out a lot. The coloration on the backside of the straps that you show in the second to last picture is a better share.... but thats the back of the strap. Good luck!

It is made from 1mm thickness ABS. When the ABS is so thin to start with, it is super flexible and when pulled over a buck it will retain much more detail then any other thicker ABS, so it's light and has very sharp details

Well, I'm pretty sure Mr. Sexy didn't full on jump on the box and start humping the 1mm beauty that is inside.... but then again, I did leave them alone for a little bit. Disturbing...

This will be for another member sadly, so when it's all done I will have to give it up! I think a 1mm suit is almost like a costumers dream. We are always looking for ways to make things lighter while retaining all the details and functionality, this really fills that bill. Sharp details, great functionality and it's lighter!

So today was box day, I got in the 1mm TM kit that is my next build. Wow, this stuff is light! Wearing a full kit will be easy with as light as this stuff is. Super flexible is the key for this stuff. I don't think you could crack this stuff if you tried, you can easily fold the pieces in half without creasing/cracking. First thing to do was to get another project off of the table to make room! The box had seen better days! (Mr. Sexy corner humping the box) Unwrapping all the pieces and laying them out for inspection! And the TM hero helmet, the only Hero helmet that is Hero from the mold (that I am aware of).

Yeah Rubies is trash, but it's commercially available, finished armor thats easily recognizable as being a stormtrooper, and did I mention fully finished from the package? Likely these guys are just doing something that seems cool, easy and doesn't take a lot of pre-production time building a set of armor, gathering the parts and so on.

Getting so close! I'm excited, are you?

I would never make this crazy armor into a TD. Just because TD is dirty doesn't mean it's not as intricate and detailed... and in many cases more detailed (weathering) then our normal TK's. It would be a travesty to take a crazy bad recast and turn it into a TD.

I heartily agree with going the styrene route until you've got the technique and routine down. It will save you a lot of money. You don't paint on the best canvas with the most expensive paints when you're a beginner just geting your brush wet. You work your way up and the better you get, the better your materials get. Or, like you don't go out and buy that $4000 Fender until you've put in the hours on your $100 axe from the pawn shop.

Huey, Dewey and louie? Thanks Germain and Matt, I must have missed that post in the thread.

A recast is someone who buys a set of armor from a maker, then makes another mold/casting from this in order to be able to make even more suits. They basically copy the work so they can make their own money on it. But the money isn't the only thing, it's just copying someone else's work, no matter what you do with it. Think of it as copying a new release movie from the store, then making 100's of other copies, and either reselling or whatever you want to do with them.

Hi Matt, did you buy the strapping kit from RS when you bought the armors? If so, would you mind looking at the snaps and letting us know what the name on the snap says? thanks! Derrek

The armor isn't too bad. It should be fairly easy for people knowledgeable about US armors to see who makes this one, as the TD has a backplate with the flat ridges, that isn't needed, the belt river covers are molded with raised ridges and a few other things that are pretty tell tale. It isn't a hero, it's a stunt. the Helmet is the only difference in an unbuild set of armor between hero and stunt and it's down to the number of teeth in the frown, and some other details. This one has holes for the stunt version, which is more than the stunt. Likely it is a recast of some armor.

You will learn to track people as they come up, so you can't see them, but you know you are there, then, you can preemptive lay stick out the hand for a shake or a 5. But yes, it's not super visible. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Folders, welcome to the community! If you have a love for Star Wars costuming, and the willingness to always keep working at it, your gear will surely come up in accuracy and you have a whole team here ready and willing to give you tips and pointers. Don't let the 1 person like Vern put you off. He has no filter. Keep up the good work! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Vern, this is uncalled for. You do not speak for the whole community, nor the hobby. Don't be a jerk to people coming here and trying to say hi, and show their previous work, regardless to its level of quality or accuracy. And the first step in our hobby is not extreme accuracy. That is a step that some people go to, but it it not for everyone. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Excellent details! Thanks Paul and Germain! I did some searching and bought some snaps, and once I get back home I will take some shots of them, see how they stack up. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If you know the size, you can buy snaps at eBay for like 30 snaps for the price of 10 at Joanne's. But they won't be dritz snaps, but I haven't ever really noticed a difference. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk