DroidHunter

I love the weathering job on the armor and the helmet! Very nice.

This thread has gotten long, so as I actually start my armor build, I am going to start a brand new, less cluttered thread. This post will conclude my helmet build -- although I end with a question. (BTW Germain, I painted the darned screws!) I spent some time messing with some foam I grabbed at the hobby store and found a configuration that works well for my kit and my head. The pieces are just taped in right now. I was going to use velcro, but I'm not sure how to attach the velcro to the foam. Any suggestions. Can't find any good posts on this.

I used a 50/50 mix of the gloss and the flat black. I think the suggested ratio is more of a 2 parts gloss to 1 part flat, but the 50/50 worked well for me on the mic tips and vocoder.

I used the flat primer and then hit it with a coat of satin gloss clear coat that I had laying around for the detonator. And I went with closer to 7/8 inch on the end caps.

There are some troopers here with NE build threads. You should check those out in order to see how they are progressing and if they are having any issues. I know of at least one Garrison that does not recommend NE. But as was said already above: You can't go wrong either way. Both are vetted and respected armor makers. I can personally vouch for ATA because that is what I own, through the wait was substantial. Of course you can always order your helmet separately as Terrell generally has helmet kits in stock, and/or work on other parts of your setup (e.g. blaster, holster, neck seal, etc.)

You should send an email to each of the sellers. Generally, they are all great about responding quickly with price options and potential wait lists.

Here's the link Tim couldn't copy for you. Based on what I've seen and read, RT-Mod is probably the best choice for you based on height. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/11538-the-various-types-of-armor-and-where-to-find-them/

Working on my build which I hope to complete before the end of 2014. Setting my sights on EIB.

Keep in mind, with the RS amp you may need to get either a powered mic or perform a minor procedure on the amp. Unless the iComm serves to provide power. I can't speak to that issue. I grabbed that amp to go with a couple of Samson mics I had laying around. They didn't work with it. But if you open the amp and solder in 1 small wire that solves the problem. Thanks to Tray, I did just that and now it works fine. And I've never soldered anything before, so if I can do it, trust me when I say that anybody can! ----------

That is outstanding! Nice work.

I think this is looking really great. Your ears came out fantastic. If there is 1 thing that really bugs me about my build is my ears. Great painting too.

Many people have ear gaps. They are a real pain in the you-know-what. Comb through some of the EIB and even Centurion submission pics and you can compare what you have to what you see. Also. most of the ANH buckets had some serious gap issues.

Sorry. I hate asking questions that have been answered already. But I appreciate the assist! I actually just remembered that when I bought a Sampson wireless rig for my bass, it came with a decent headset and a lavalier mic. I'm going to try those with the Radio Shack mini amp.

Anybody ever use this as a voice amp? I know its not high quality like the Aker setup, but I know some guys at the Dented Helmet make use of them as a low budget option. ----------

Thanks Nick!

Forgot to paint the ear screws!

Simply the best reading I have done in ages! This stuff is pure gold. Thanks for keeping this stuff available for the nubes.

Have a safe and a very Happy New Year!

Helps a lot! Thank you my friends.

When using velcro on a TK -- e.g. putting velcro pads in the helmet or for the backs of the shins -- which is the better option: using the industrial stuff that already has an adhesive, or using the sew-in kind of velcro with an alternative adhesive such as E6000? I remember once wearing a helmet with velcro inside, and my head got so hot that the adhesive turned gummy and came loose. I don't want that kind of a mess in my bucket. Any good advice? Second question, is there a consensus as far as gluing the mesh under the frown versus simply using white tape?

I was an Eastbay fan, but I'm dismayed now that they changed the look and used non-black stitching. So, I went to target and picked up some Champion compression gear. Not the light stuff that has the checkered pattern, but the next level up -- warm. It's a little higher quality than the last Eastbay set I had and is pure black with just a small C logo on the chest and leg. I recommend. 16.99 for the shirt and 22.99 for the tights/pants.

Well, my bucket is finally done! More or less anyway. I still have to attach the mesh and add some padding inside. I'm not happy with the ear gaps, but I know they are better than some of the ANH movie buckets so they will suffice for now. But otherwise its finished. Most guys get their entire suits done in the time it took my, but I do what I can. Now on to the armor!

Thanks guys! Your comments are greatly appreciated. Keith, I'll be hitting you up soon after the holidays to get started on the armor!

I understood what you meant. It just didn't occur to me at the time that the anchor screws would get in the way. So once I'm done painting, I am going to use pop rivets to lock the cap and face together, then go back and mount the lens on the ear screws.

Life gets crazy this time of year so I haven't had much to post recently. I did start to work on the lenses as a singe piece, but ran into a prblem due to the location of the screw holding the cap and faceplate together. So I decided to hold off until all of the painting is done so that I can rivet the two parts together. That should help. So in the meantime, I started painting. All I have left are the grill marks on the cheeks and rear traps. All hand painted so far. Sorry about the blurry cell pics.