tkrestonva

Before you do any fitting, the first thing you'll want to do is to take off all the return edge at the wrist end on both the inner and outer forearm. Then proceed to fitting for trimming. You'll also want to trim the inner forearms so that you get a nice taper from elbow to wrist, just like your actual forearm is shaped. Like this:

Type : Armor Master (AM) Country : USA Contact : [email protected] and [email protected] are the two reliable, lowest cost, and best vendors of this armor. Both lite (helmetless) and full kits are available. http://forum.whitear...opic=11538&st=0

I don't think UA designed their gear with plastic full-body armor in mind. When doing long-duration troops and/or hot-weather troops (C6 & DragonCon fall under both categories), you will get hot and you will sweat - no ifs, ands, or buts. Doesn't matter what type of undersuit you are wearing, or whether or not you're using helmet fans (although they do help prevent lens fogging). The key is to drink plenty of water (but not so much that you have to pee every 30 minutes) and take a helmet-off break (which seems to do wonders for making your entire body feel cooler) every so often. If you can find a shady or indoors location to take the helmet off and grab some water, that is best. But even if you can't, it's far better to break character by de-helmeting in public than having to have other people peel your armor off of your unconscious, heat-exhausted body.

Not to mention countless man-hours visiting hospitals, supporting children's charities (Make-A-Wish, anyone?), etc.

Wired VOX is simply the "standard" setup, as I call it. Mic goes into the iComm, iComm goes into the Aker. Basically it's Jim's diagram in the upper right corner: -------------- Given my screen-sized helmet and giant head, I can't see having room in my helmet for a wireless transmitter. I don't have a problem removing my helmet when trooping (both of my helmets are TM) with the mic in place. However, to put my helmet on and ensure the mic stays in place (I use the side-twist method), I hold the padded mic between my lips then push it out with my tongue after the helmet is on so that the mic is barely touching my lips. Makes for the perfect mic positioning.

The guy who Jim replaced the bad iComm battery for was me. I do exactly as Matt does - charge my Aker the night prior and run it the same way, and it runs for hours with no problems. I also prefer the random bursts.

I use VOX. No extra controls to fiddle with, and no extra cord to string down your arm armor into your hand (if that is how you choose to set up your PTT). Once you are set up (and that simply involves finding the right volume on your Aker that is high enough to be clearly heard, but not so high as to cause feedback), all you do is talk and the gear does it's thing. The only downside is that the static burst can trigger at inconvenient times, like during a pause in the middle of a conversation.

I think the difference is much less between the two kits, and much more in how you build them - something completely under your control. Both are sized for screen-accurate sized individuals like yourself, and both can be built to Centurion standards right out of the box. It really comes down time vs money and which is more important to you - pay the extra $$$ to get a T/MC now, or wait the extra weeks to get the ATA later.

Hopefully, this means GT will soon have its sixth Expert Infantryman.

If you can find the backside-of-the-belt archive photo of the screen-used belt (it's around here somewhere), that might help answer your question about whether the back of the box should be flush or show an inner groove. You could cast your own and I certainly applaud your initiative. Still, IMO the fastest/easiest/cheapest path would be to simply pick up a set here - especially since Kevin is a member of the SCG: http://forum.whitear...?showtopic=8638 ---------

As a regular yoga practicioner - I like it.

I would bring up the back plate in order to reduce the amount of overlap between the back and kidney, almost to the point where the neck opening touches the back of your neck.

Fiberglass is also very heavy compared to vac-formed plastic. If you are just looking for a display piece it of course doesn't matter. But if you are looking to wear it for any period of time, you will feel the difference.

I've used GooGone on my armor (AM/RT/TM mash-up), I've never had any problems. Like E6000, it's pretty benign stuff. At the worst, it leaves an oily film that you simply wash off with soap and water.

Look here, then send him a PM: http://whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16995

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I have Tapatalk on my iPhone, my garrison uses it. I just did a search - I didn't find it. Found MEPD, though.

I agree with Vern, and I would add that cutting and otherwise manipulating fiberglass in the way we do with ABS seems like a hazardous endeavor.

There is no more comprehensive source of knowledge about stormtroopers anywhere else on the internet. You asked for advice and you got it, what you do with it is completely up to you. In the end, it's your money. if you truly feel that Rubies meets your needs and is worth the cash - go for it.

No need to keep beating the drum gentlemen (and ladies), I think the message has been delivered.

You are correct. The AM helmet, while (barely) acceptable for basic 501st approval, is not acceptable for Expert Infantry and/or Centurion.

From my time at the STRATCOM Joint Space Operations Center: Although I don't own this one, I wish I did. A-10 drivers certainly have no illusions about what they bring to the table - and what they don't:

What Luis is saying is that he wears ATA, and despite being small-ish for his frame (at the time) he made it work.

Despite the marketing propaganda you will find online, this is what your fully-assembled, out-of-the-box ready to wear Rubies kit really looks like: ------------ This photo was taken by a 501st member a few years ago at a trade show - here is a direct quote from his assessment: This armor is so flimsy it isnt even funny. If you have seen the plastic masks that come with the kids costumes, this plastic is about twice as thick as that stuff and just as bendable. The helmet is laughable. It does not have shoes. The shoulder bells were completely warped and pitted. It was held together by black velcro strips (some of which were pulling away from the armor on the manequin) I suppose for anyone wanting a costume to wear to the bar in hopes of winning some cash this would work. But it doesnt hold a candle to the quality of armor found in the 501st. If someone is serious about joining the 501st, avoid this like the plague. Switch out the helmet (it is beyond saving) and spend a crap load of time reworking, reinforcing, and resurfacing...maybe. If people can turn the Rubies Vader into an acceptable costume, they can do it with this trooper. But if you are going to spend that much money, there are far better armor makers out there who's armor would require 1/4 of the time and effort to assemble and be 501st ready. At some point, we were all total beginners. Furthermore, you have a vast knowledge base right here at your fingertips - a collection of knowledge that many who went before you had to scrape together over many years of painstaking research and trial-and-error experience. If you give in to your temptation, impatience and (temporary) lack of confidence by going the Rubies route, you may scratch your immediate itch but you will DEEPLY regret it the moment you stand next to someone with, well, pretty much any other kit. As Mathias aptly put, 600 quid spend on Rubies is 600 quid wasted - no if's, and's, or but's about it. Good luck trying to resell it on eBay as well, as the word has been out for some time just how bad the Rubies Supreme Stormtrooper really is compared to a fan-made kit. Furthermore, don't even try to get cleared by the UKG with a stock Rubies - I can only imagine how much of a crushing experience it would be. The reality is that this is not a hobby to be done on the quick and cheap. Period. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. If you truly do not want to assemble your own kit (and I strongly recommend you reconsider), then keep saving your money until you have enough to buy a kit that has been built by one of the vendors here to the body measurements you provide them. You asked for an alternative? Buy a kit, then contact the UKG Armourer team and have them help you assemble it.-------- (UKG Chief Armourer) is a outright genius in assembling stormtrooper armor, and has vast experience in working with just about every kit available, not to mention every body type. Furthermore, as I understand it, the way the UKG Armour Team operates is that once you get your kit you don't have to go solo or rely solely on forum-based help - they will physically come to you. By the way, have you posted an introduction in the-------------section?

This. Make sure you are in the main forum index, then try it.