Grimez

My armor is HIPS and it has been fine. The only thing about it is that it needs painting. The details are sharper as well.

Still waiting on my webbing plates and mic tips, but I finished up my helmet stand today (did the blaster one yesterday). Here they are:

I don't know if those boots are approvable. The front seam part on those are really obvious.

Either storming the tantive IV or the one that gets leia in the shoulder

Time for an update that isn't really an update but still sort of is since i've done something that i've been pushing off until now. I installed that pesky s-trim. I'm considering opening up that second bottle of e6000 and putting it back on so it wont just rely on compression to stay on. It made what was already a tight fit tighter but I can still fit my head in. It does however bring up item #2. I emailed Mike from Trooperbay about this but didn't get a response, so i'll ask you guys. I need my head to stay pushed into the petal foam and into the lenses and for it to stay there when I look around for best comfort and visibility. Basically it works best when my face is practically smashed up against the faceplate (eyes in the right spot of course). So I need to figure out where to put this chinstrap to help do that. The side petals by the ears arent glued on and i can lift them up to put the chinstraps under those if need be. My main issue (after installation) now is wondering how im going to fit my hands up into the helmet to snap it in place with that lovely new s-trim there. Here are the pictures I took of the inside to show where it should be placed.

That's honestly a good, yet expensive, suggestion. Feel free to send me a bunch of snowtrooper gear and i'll get right on that.

Have you considered painting the wood to add some color to it? Like a black with white cog?

You're killing me, Ron. Regardless, the bells were still pretty loose. And i've already cut off the old straps - wasn't too difficult. And it does look like i need to place it about an inch above the bottom. I haven't done any of the shoulder or torso strapping yet as i'm waiting on the 30 piece snap webbing from Redforce. How long should I make the shoulder elastic?

Also, before I attach shorter shoulder straps, should I place them higher up? This is where they are currently.

I went and touched them up some. I think its less noticeable now.

I did attempt reshaping the shoulder straps a second time but they seemed to want to set back into their same position. I may heat them up, let them cool in a straight position (while pressing out some kinks in it), then reform then around a round object. We don't drink 2 liters here so i'll have to get my own.

Yeah, that's something I was thinking when I put them in as well. I didn't take into consideration the fact that the piece is concave and my arms would fall into it. I can shorten them.

Why?

Let's do a preliminary test fit, shall we?

They're just way too big, and the eyes are too triangular.

I can also open up those needlenose pliers I bought and forgot I had and bend down the rivets with those.

I'm going to order some thigh garters from VaderDave, webbing snap plates from red force, and hopefully some TKBoots soon.

It does. Much appreciated. Steve.

Oh, okay! That makes sense. So the males are static while the females go on the strap. I'll probably go through and do all of the males first and then make the straps with the female bits after that. How did you hammer those rivets? I feel like if I just tried to do it now I would hit both ends.

Alright, I tested out some of my stuff and I have an idea on how it all works. I just glue to snaps directly to this plastic, right? Then they just snap together. Then the split rivets I hit onto either side until they are secured?

Just asking how to strap my armor using the snap technique, Eric. Every little tutorial or piece of advice or tip is welcome.

Someone teach me how to do this.

Ok, I redid the shoulder straps but I can't really tell if there was much of a difference. However I also did the final trimming on my ab and kidney pieces as well as painting them. I wasn't thinking when I did the right side holes and accidently did a hole on the right side of the kidney plate but i'm sure that can be filled in with some kind of paste or spare plastic. I'm also touching up my ear paint and just painted my ab plate. Here are some quick pictures I took, its about 10pm so lighting isn't ideal. I also still need a good place to get thigh garters as well.

Dear lord, and I thought the TK forearms were big on me...

First off, welcome aboard! Moving on, I don't think the task of painting should really scare you. From my experience all you would really need to do to add the blue markings is tape off your helmet and then spray blue paint onto it. If there's one thing i've decided in this hobby, its that if you're going to put this much of an investment into something - do the thing you want the most. Mine being a TK.