tkrestonva
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Posts posted by tkrestonva
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Yeah, this sucks. I worked with Terrell for many years as an FISD staff member and got to meet him in person a couple of times at SW Celebrations. Sorry for the loss, and especially for
his kid who is now without a father.
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Congratulations!
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Welcome from Garrison Tyranus and Inferno Squad (i.e. Northern Virginia) territory!
Here in NOVA we troop often and have a wide variety of trooping activities, and we encourage new members to gain experience as handlers before diving into their costume builds. We also host armor parties on a regular basis. We have 3 active FOTKs (out of 6 total in the garrison) here in NOVA, along with a ton of OT stormtroopers. Please be sure to sign up for an account on our forums.
http://www.garrisontyranus.com
For more real time interaction, join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1014990031897377/
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Nice! Yeah, not a lot of space to work with. I've love to see the result of this. Better yet, I'd like to know how they did in in TLJ since you can clearly see the indicator light on in Phasma's SE44-C along with the one that Rose used during the hangar scene onboard the Supremacy.
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Sorry to hear this. As recently as this past summer I ordered (and received) a fully assembled SE-44C FO Officer's blaster from him, and for what I think is a good price. But I had heard that he was becoming unreliable, so I guess I'm not terribly surprised.
Seems that in this hobby, vendors who remain consistent over the long term in terms of both their solvency and trustworthy are the exception as opposed to the rule.
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Welcome! Yes, we need more stormtroopers out your way.
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I believe Walt's Trooper Factory (WTF) sells black TK armor.
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Wow, that is nice! Jimmi's kits have come a long way since the v1 back in the months prior to TFA.
I would leave it exactly as is. That full underchest is screen accurate, and to my knowledge the Jimmi kit is the only kit that has it. What you are looking at in the CRL photo is an Anovos or a KB yoke, which is cut that way because unlike the screen-used suits (which were made of a proprietary material) the ABS used in most kits doesn't flex enough to allow the user to get it on and off. With Jimmi's flexible fiberglass, it's a whole new ball game.
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As I've said in other venues, you look great. FX armor is difficult to fit properly to smaller frames, yet yours fits as if it was made for you. Excellent job, and welcome to the FISD.
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I'm here.
Exactly how tall & wide are you? What's your height, weight, and waist size? Depending on your answer it may be best to go with AM or RT Mod, especially if you have a large waist and still want to go Centurion with your kit. Either kit if properly constructed will get you there.
RS and TM are top of the line in terms of screen accuracy, but because of that they work best for folks whose bodies are "screen accurate" - meaning approximately 5'9" 150lbs and relatively thin compared to 21st century Americans. Of course there were variations, but only up to a point. Basically, if you didn't fit inside the armor and have the right "look", you didn't get the part. That's the great thing about the 501st - we don't judge based on body type but on quality and fit of the costume.
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Welcome. Where in NoVA are you located, and have you signed on with Garrison Tyranus yet? http://www.garrisontyranus.com
Your first step once your kit arrives (and after you've inventoried it to ensure everything is there) will be to do the rough trimming. On an Anovos kit, that's quite a lot of work. I recommend attending a local armor party where there will be people who can guide you in making those (admittedly scary) first cuts.
I echo what others have said - it's actually easier going straight to L2 or L3. Especially with a kit that is inherently screen-accurate such as Anovos.
In the meantime, best to start preparing now by (1) reading as much as you can absorb, and (2) start accumulating the build tools, supplies, and soft goods that you will need to go with the costume. In particular, I recommend you start getting the boots. Of all the non-armor items, those seem to take the longest to acquire and you'll also need them fairly early in the fitting process.
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Welcome.
Garrison Tyranus is a large garrison (over 250 active members), with over 80 of us in GT's Inferno Squad right here in northern Virginia. Like A.C. said, definitely sign up on the garrison forum and start coming out to events - it will give you the opportunity to look at different costumes (including different types/makers of stormtrooper) and talk with the owners in person. That, and we never have enough handlers for our events.
http://garrisontyranus.com/forum/index.php
Speaking of upcoming events, our next big local event is All Star Comic Con: https://www.theallstarcomiccon.com
If you are on Facebook you should also ask to join our local NOVA Region GT / Inferno Squad group where we focus on very localized events, not to mention just general Star Wars banter. It's a closed group so you need to be approved, but it's open to garrison members, other local-ish 501st members (such as Old Line Garrison in MD), local members of the other SW costume clubs (Rebel Legion and Mandalorian Mercs), and others in the local area that have a more than just a passing interest in the garrison.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1014990031897377/
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That seems odd. Can you post some photos?
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"Up to 6' " is more or less for an ideal fit, but we have an Anovos trooper in my garrison who is 6'8". It can be made to fit, although you may have to make some adjustments and/or accept that you will have more black undersuit showing at the knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders than someone smaller would.
Having said that, Alan is correct. Be wary of Anovos and their business practices. Also, there are other options out there for big/tall troopers. AM and RT Mod immediately come to mind. TM also makes extra long shins upon request if you simply need more length in the lower legs.
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You can also get a one piece undersuit from Extreme Racing. Coincidentally (or not), this looks like the exact same one piece that Trooperbay sells - even the description is similar.
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Definitely two schools of thought (one piece vs two piece) when it comes to undersuits. I personally prefer one piece since the two piece can ride apart and separate in the back, resulting in the dreaded "trooper's crack".
As far as using the facilities goes, I manage that by going before I suit up and regulating my water intake based on climate conditions and how long I expect to be in kit.
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Well yes, but you have to get the armor first. Seems like with the way more and more FOTK armor vendors are becoming unreliable (Anovos, MIMIC, now KB Props), that seems more and more like the main challenge. We are now down to ... what, 850 Armor Works and Jimmi?
Better hold on to those Anovos alpha kits for a while yet.
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Hardest part will be to get the armor kit itself. There is a small list of preferred vendors for that, but that list is subject to change as propmakers come and go.
As far as the chrome goes, there are a few ways you can do it. None of which will be both cheap and easy. If you choose to minimize costs, prepare for hours upon hours of sanding, buffing, painting (and repainting), and polishing. If you prefer to outsource that (and use your time for other endeavors), I've seen a couple of people do that use professional auto body-style paint businesses, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.
Bottom line - as incredible as a well-done Phasma is, it isn't for the faint of heart. I've seen a completed Phasma (with all the required accessories) come up for sale on the Legion board from time to time - typical asking price is in the neighborhood of $7k. That should give you an idea of the level of commitment you are signing up for.
If you are on Facebook, I recommend you search for and join the Captain Phasma Costumers build group.
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Oh boy ...
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Most of the ones out there that I know of come from KB Props. There is also Jimmiroquai, Both also sell complete kits, so there is that.
Eventually Anovos will deliver their offering as well ... I hope.
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For those who are on Facebook and/or can figure out a way to get the footage over here independent of Facebook, here is some cool new footage
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501st approval is probably ok. But that top seam is a definite disqualifier for EI or Centurion.
Interesting that they named the boot "TROOPER-12". It's as if they were targeting a very specific audience.
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It does look amazing. Definitely on the Christmas wish list.
Mods - can we get this topic moved to the "Weapons Locker - TFA F-11D, Pistol, and other weapons" section?
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Some use a unidirectional mic like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PMEM1-Headworn-Omni-Directional-Microphone/dp/B003D2S7HA/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519002883&sr=1-13&keywords=headset+microphone
My experience with it? It's ok. Not great, but ok.
Honestly, I've found that the headset that comes with the Aker amp works best. You just have the mic both correctly oriented (it's a directional mic so there is a right way and a wrong way it should be facing) and literally sitting on your lower lip. You also need to get into the habit of speaking loudly and enunciating your speech, almost to the point of exaggeration. Mumbling simply won't cut it.
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Welcome.
We have a very active group in Garrison Tyranus' NoVA region (i.e. Inferno Squad) - including quite a few stormtroopers. Where at in NoVA are you?
Hi there from Canada, I'm excited to be here!
in New Member Introductions
Posted
Hello, and welcome!