tkrestonva

Yeah, this! Congratulations!

If you are worried about the plastic being too thin, a lot of people reinforce it by coating the interior with PlastiDip or something similar.

Looks like the only tools/supplies you left out are (1) rare earth magnets for securely holding down the long seams while your E6000 is curing, (2) blue painter's tape for dry-fitting your armor pieces BEFORE you glue, and (3) a good pencil for marking cut lines.

If you want a Hero helmet, a TM Hero is your best option. Otherwise, if matching the color of the Anovos plastic is your primary consideration, then you'll have to take some scrap plastic trimmed from your kit and do an in-person side-by-side comparison with various lids in order to be certain. The good news is that the screen-used lids (with the exception of the Hero lids) were formed with khaki-colored plastic then painted white. So they weren't a perfect color match, either.

In that case, I've seen people use thin neck wallets. Stuff what thin items that you need ready access to (hotel room key and a credit card or a few bills of cash) in the wallet and hang it around your neck inside the chestplate. Something like this----------------

^^ This. You really should have no need to carry a wallet while in kit. Unless you have special needs (for instance, a diabetic that needs to carry a stash of glucose pills at all times) at most you will need to carry your keys (car / hotel) and a bit of cash. Both of which should be given to a handler for safekeeping while you are in kit.

The yellow markings make it a no-go. You say you can use a marker to cover them up - I've tried that route on a different undersuit. As soon as I started sweating, the ink from the marker washed right out and onto my armor. Tried it both with a permanent marker (Sharpie) and with a fabric pen - results were the same.

1" nylon webbing. I buy it by the roll at JoAnn Fabrics.

Sounds like you'd be right for either a Hyperfirm or a THG. Both are rubber based, reasonably accurate, and great for everyday trooping.

What Clint said. Also, because the CRL is already in place and there is already plenty of precedent to follow. There is no CRL specific to FN-2187, and IMO there isn't likely to be one. Being a pioneer is awesome, but it's always easier to capitalize on someone else's hard work (in a good way). Great precedence example - there are a few OT troopers who regularly costume as Mr. No Stripes from ANH, but they got approved as a standard ANH stunt trooper first in order to get themselves "official". Once you're in - you're in. The rest is up to you.

The place is definitely full of noobs, but there are also a few of us vets on there doing our best to steer them in the right direction (and save them from themselves) and while doing so, bring them over here as new members.

When I use snap plates, I make them out of nylon and adhere them with E6000. Why nylon? Because unlike plastic snap plates, it forms itself to the shape of the armor - thus creating a complete seal w no gaps. Provided you keep them clamped down them while the glue is curing and wait the proper 24+ hour cure time, E6000 holds them down nice and tight. Plus there is no risk of chemically melting the plastic as there is with ABS cement. Kudos go to Eric (Darth Aloha) for inventing that technique years ago with his RT Mod build.

Well done. I hope mine turns out as well as yours did.

Re: trooper Finn (FN-2187) ... If you want to be a Legion member *and* costume specifically as FN-2187, I suggest you first get approved as a standard FO grunt, then do the detailing that is specific to that character. I would also recommend having a separate helmet and ensuring your dirt is non-permanent.

The same question was asked here: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/34819-realistic-build-time/

1. Helmet - frown is painted black on ESB and decals are used for the traps and tears 2. Handplates - ESB uses snowtrooper handplates 3. E-11 - no counter or cylinders, slightly different scope 4. Holster - ESB holster is worn on the right side and is looped over the belt http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:TK_esb

One of two ways: - The easiest way is to look for the square-shaped kidney notch (which not every kit has). If it has that, then that goes toward the bottom. - If not, you'll have to look at the shape as seen from the side. It should have the same curvature that a normal human spine does.

Cutting new straps and attaching them to the ANOVOS holster might work. Still, seems to me that it's easier just to get a different holster. Besides, by keeping the holster as-is and with a few additional accessories (another helmet, belt, blaster, and handguards), you can go back and forth between ANH and ESB at will.

1. Troopermaster here on the forums sells IMO the best ESB handguards available. If you aren't able to get a set of those, contact anyone with an AM/NE kit who didn't go ESB with it (myself included). Most of us have them sitting around collecting dust and will gladly sell them to you for cheap. 2. Yes 3. Depending on how "handpainted" the ANOVOS decals look, you may need a new set. Trooperbay sells them. 4. I don't recall a specific side requirement. Looks pretty random to me. http://starwarshelmets.com/original-ESB-stormtrooper-armor-helmets.htm 5. The CRL says either works, but the M19 is preferable. 6. Nope. Get a new holster from one of the vendors here.

I'm working on one for my 16 year old. I just finished the helmet (bought the kit from the RPF guy) and blaster (got a Rubies and painted it black/silver), and I'm looking into having the jacket and pants custom made. Despite being a "stormtrooper cadet" as stated in the show's dialogue, it looks like the costume will belong to the Imperial Officer Corps (IOC). Makes more sense to me with it being over there, to be honest. There is a guy at the IOC who is working on a 501st-approval Imperial Cadet - he even went so far as to write a draft CRL. That's where I would go for more information. You'll need to establish an account over there to see it, but it's good stuff. http://www.imperialofficer.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5087-star-wars-rebels-imperial-cadet

Nope. A standard TK undersuit is fine for basic approval.

The plastic ANOVOS FO trooper helmet is supposed to be identical to the fiberglass one save for the different material, so I don't see why it wouldn't be approvable. As for the second question, nearly everyone with the ANOVOS FO armor is already 501st, as we were the only ones who were allowed to purchase what ANOVOS is calling the "Marketing Kit". Having said that, I know for a fact that there are a few non-501st members who - usually via a secondhand deal - have acquired the costumes. Don't know of any who have been approved for 501st with them, though.

Paul (troopermaster) sells Hero helmets.

Dan Rodriguez, one of the Legion COGs and a member of Old Line Garrison (OLG) in Maryland is working on one. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/user/14483-danrodjr/

I briefly unboxed my kit - mostly to take a look at the helmet and take some comparison photos with my two TM helmets. The flaws in the ANOVOS helmet are well known at this point, so I'll get right to the photos. I'll also leave spotting the differences as an exercise for the viewer ... Left - TM ANH. Center - ANOVOS. Right - TM ESB