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A minor update...the next detail was inspired by Bulldog44 and took MUCH longer than I thought... Working tunes - found this band tonight...if you like Candlebox, you're gonna LOVE this band. I had to look it up to make sure they didn't reform under another name - turns out they're from Austria and have toured all over Europe. Australian guys will want to find the track "A Path Down Under" for some cool didgeridoo action. I'll definitely be adding this band to my playlist! Lots of amazing transitions in this song (click play, then start reading): First I'll start with an EASY modification that's been documented in several builds - the bottom "grip" bolt. I drilled mine out with two different drill bits, then tapped it. I started with a 3/8" Forestner bit (drilled down about 1/4" for the bolt head), then switched to a 13/64" bit for the rest of the hole. I went as deep as I could with the 13/64" hole, then switched to a 1/4-20 tap. Drilling and tapping resin is SUPER easy compared to most other materials. I still had the grip in my drill press vise, so I just moved straight to tapping: The result - nice, clean threads: I have to say, doing this kind of work in resin is a great way to learn how to use these tools. Metal presents it's own problems and the procedure is slightly different, but getting familiar with the tools on resin is easy. The bolt threaded into the hole no problem. Moving onto the detail work... Brian did some incredible metal work for his trigger assembly and I'm trying to duplicate that, but I took a different approach. I'm carving out enough to insert 1/16" aluminum plates. These have the trigger group pins drilled out - I haven't tackled installing the pins yet... So, here's where I started. The right side of the trigger group (the easy side) is carved out. The left side is untouched - how it came from Doopy. I used a combination of exacto blades and dental picks to carve out the resin. This side doesn't need to be carved very deep (maybe 1/4"), so it's definitely the easier side. Next, I made some cardboard templates of the side plates from an original trigger group. Then I checked fitment of the templates in my replica. I traced pencil lines around the areas where the metal would be exposed in the Doopy grip. Then I used a toothpick and a pencil to transfer the depth of the carved slot onto the template. I missed taking some pictures here, but basically, I cut along the pencil line. From the template, you can see my fake metal trigger group side plate will be a 1/16" piece of aluminum about 1/4" wide. Before cutting the aluminum plate, I drilled the 9/64" hole for a pin (this pin holds the trigger group side plates together on a real Sterling and is visible). Next came the carving for the left side. MUCH deeper. Some spots towards the rear reached almost an inch deep. Here's a picture of the left slot being carved - it's about 3/4 done. See the sliver left under the A R S letters? Carving was done over two or three nights. Here are several pictures of the slots completely carved out. The sides are thin and the resin warped very slightly. I ASSURE you, I didn't apply ANY side pressure to cause the warping in these areas (the sides are thin enough that side pressure might cause them to break off). Possibly this happened by releasing internal stresses within the resin while carving? I'm not sure, but it's not a big deal - I will use epoxy to glue in the metal plates and this will fill any gaps. I also detailed along the edges of the grip to make it look like a separate piece. I did the same fitting with the template for the left side. I'm considering "warming" the resin up to see if I can bend it back into shape and close the gaps (it's minor, but it bugs me). I'd rather not fill it with epoxy and have the sides looking thicker than normal, but it's a last resort option if necessary. Here are the finished results of adding the plates: That's it for tonight. Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Comments, ideas or suggestions welcome! Aaron

Nice work! That's pretty incredible done from SCRATCH!!! There's a t-track supplier in the Netherlands - WHAT ARE THE ODDS? http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/29188-new-t-track/?p=371351 Shoot Roy an email - I'm sure you can work something out for payment without a credit card. Aaron

I was NOT going to watch the teaser because I didn't want to spoil the experience of seeing the movie... After the teaser was released, a LARGE number of posts went up on the FISD, RPF and R2 Builders (Astromech has been down for upgrades for nearly two weeks). I figured it was safe to read people's comments and found out quickly there were no spoilers...so I watched the teaser. Then, I watched it again with all the lights out and the Bose CRANKED to wall rattling volume. AWESOME. From the many comments I've read, it seems most troopers are resistant to changes - it's original TK or nothing for them. I LIKE seeing changes in the SW universe, especially when they are done well and show an evolution of the original, because that's what would happen in a real universe. I like the TK changes because some of those changes MAKE SENSE - like switching the magazine to the opposite side and integrating the "holster" into the armor. I also like the white accents (for contrast), but I think I could do without the chrome details... Chrome doesn't make ANY sense on a tactical weapon, but then again, shiny white armor doesn't really do anything to conceal your presence either... All in all, it appears the production crew has worked hard to pay hommage to the original props while still providing a believable evolution. In real life, there was nothing wrong with the M16, but the U.S. military still evolved to the M4. It happens, no matter how much we love the originals. Astromech guys are dismayed over the "soccer ball" droid... Most are quite passionate about it being the stupidest droid they've ever seen. Some have commented since there are no seams on the ball, it's mechanically impossible and CGI has ruined these movies. They've already torn it down and posted comparison screen shots much like the E-11 comparison above. I say, what if the dome is held in place magnetically? Or some other way? The spaceship scenes are breathtaking! X-wings skimming the water and throwing up rooster tails? I want that shot as a FULL WALL mural. Glad to see they retained classic configurations, with a couple updates here and there (like the replacement radar dish on the Falcon). Who's flying the Falcon? Why is all this action taking place in the atmosphere and not in space? Is the X-wing pilot shot paying hommage to Jek Porkins? I like the mental exercise of having new things to think about in the SW universe. That's kind of the point of entertainment, right? To occupy my thoughts with make-believe things? To invoke conversations with my forum friends and family? To plant the seed that I need to buy new SW merchandise? If everything stayed the same, I wouldn't have much to think about or buy... So many questions - TRULY an exciting time to be involved in this hobby!

Wow Michael! NICE WORK. That's a big piece for flocking! How did you apply it? Cardboard pump tube, spray gun or electrostatic? I'm guessing one of the latter, based on your excellent results! Here's a picture of the 1961 Sunbeam glove box I flocked. The original glove box was damaged beyond repair and I couldn't find a suitable replacement for this car. I made the box from scratch using thick card stock from a craft store. Then I used rivets to assemble it and added custom aluminum trim to dress it up a little. Since it's a small area, I applied the black flocking using a cardboard pump tube. I'd test a small area on your helmet. If the substrate holds up to the glue, I'd go for it. Then you might have yourself an opportunity to start a helmet flocking service or at least post a HOW TO thread for the forum...

Flocking is a suede/velvet like material. Commonly used inside jewelry boxes. I flocked the inside of a new glove box on a British sports car. The only hesitation I would have is if the flocking adhesive would be compatible with the helmet. The Suede-Tex flocking I used had some pretty strong glue... I'd be worried about the glue eating into the helmet. Beyond that, it would probably make the inside of a helmet really nice!

If you can't find them, you might try this? -------------

Yep, sounds like the right bit. Thousands of tiny little white toothpicks spraying off the bit... Here's a look under my drill press:

Great score on the saw, Brian! Those blades look like mini Japanese saws...they usually cut on the backstroke, which, in my opinion, allows a lot more control. It would make sense, since Tamiya is a Japanese company. THAT'S going on the Christmas list. Very cool idea to backlight the counter. It's not canon, but I still like it. Maybe red, so it doesn't throw off your night vision? I wonder what red light looks like through stormtrooper green lenses? One note on my resin part "trimming" method, just in case others try it... I used a Rotozip bit, which is designed to cut laterally. A drill bit might work, but the cutting surfaces on a regular drill bit are only designed to cut vertically. If you don't have a Rotozip bit, you might consider ordering one - the sideways cutting action is super smooth - like a router bit. Trimming the counter should work REALLY well since all the sides are perfectly flat. My magazine housing had a very slight warp to it, so I had to mind where I was trimming in relation to the warp. EXCITED to see new developments!

Thanks, Brian. Truly a compliment since seeing your build is what inspired this build!

Thanks! I lean towards perfectionism, but realize I have to be practical with time and effort. With that, and the questions from Steve and Ian in mind, now is probably a good time to formally establish priorities. In order of importance, my priorities are: 1) As accurate as possible 2) Lightweight 3) Functional bolt, trigger and scope, plus hidden sound effects 4) Sturdy enough for regular trooping 5) Provide an interesting challenge for myself Using real hardware drastically improves appearance and doesn't increase the weight much, which is why I think replacing the allen bolts is a very popular upgrade. I DO want to replicate the ejector with plastic (large steel pin with the set screw in the mag housing - the real part is solid, hardened steel and too heavy). Why not keep the original Doopy casting? I could have, but I've never seen anybody do that mod, so I enjoyed the challenge and now it's more accurate. Another reason the ejector mod isn't done? You can only see the round end unless the bolt is functional...when the bolt is open, you can see the pointed end. I might also replace the magazine catch knob with the Doopy knob and an aluminum stud (again to decrease weight). The real folding stock modification is nice, but since we never see the folding stock open in the movies, I'm going to sacrifice that option. I know for sure my modified magazine housing and front stock weigh LESS THAN HALF the original weight - they're really light now. I removed a ton of material, but I also considered strength and tried to leave extra resin in structural areas. Can anybody provide the weight of a completed Doopy with scope and counter (full resin or pipe build)? I know troopers LOVE Hyperfirms because they're light and tough, but I think there's a sacrifice in detail. Dunno, I don't have one, so I can't say for sure. It'd be nice to have an extremely accurate pipe build that weighs less than Hyperfirm, Hasbro or Resin...so I can have my cake and eat it too!

The object for this E-11 is being as light and strong as possible for trooping...otherwise, a real stock would have saved A LOT of work.

BE THE HERO! (click play, then start reading...takes about 2 minutes to REALLY get rolling) I've been working on the front portion of the Doopy two piece stock and I'm having great results with Bulldog44's exacto blade "seam line detailing". I'm using a broken, reversed exacto blade, small chisels and believe it or not, stainless steel dental picks. My wife is a pharmacist and also owns a business - somewhere along the way, marketing people decided she was a dentist...so we get professional dental equipment catalogs in the mail now. I laugh every time we get one, but I guess the joke's on me since I ordered a set of dental picks last year... They're getting kind of beat up since I bend and sharpen the ends to suit whatever job I'm doing... I used a ball nose end mill in my drill press to accurately clean out the length of the folding stock channel. I wouldn't try this with any other material, but the resin is so soft, I figured I'd give it a shot. Worked like a charm. Cleaning out the channel. Back half of the channel cleared out and some detailing done. I drilled out the bottom holes and detailed the area around the handle. On the Doopy stock, the last hole is partially hidden by the handle, so the hole is really more of a "D" shape. After scribing the handle details, I drilled the last hole from the top so it forms a complete circle (instead of the "D" shape). After all this, I decided to clean out the entire length of the stock for a full length folding stock tube. You can see this tube through the holes from underneath, but you can also see about 1/2" of it at the front end. I'll replace the resin that was removed with a 1/2" diameter aluminum tube. I also wasn't happy with the front end of the stock - the resin details are sloppy and in general, it just looks like a big glob of resin. So more detailing up front...

Wow. My unfinished AP is looking really good right now... LOL, he needs to touch up those ab buttons!

AWESOME! Glad to hear the Rotozip technique worked. It's still nerve racking...I don't like sharp tools spinning at Dremel speeds anywhere near my fingers... Maybe you could carve a favorite scene on the old magazine and sell it as ancient "Star Wars" scrimshaw...

Yep, Doopy magazine. It's THIN. Steve's magazine wouldn't fit until I squared up all four corners with a very sharp chisel. Thanks for the compliment. I'm working on the stock right now...while listening to Star Trek soundtracks... Trying your trick about scraping seams with a backwards exacto blade - works AMAZINGLY well so far. Control, control, I must learn control!

Nice! I'm taking that as a compliment. Yep, Red Bull every morning. For some reason, I only like coffee at greasy-spoon diners or after dinner. I know, weird. Which is part of the reason I didn't want to attempt this freehand. The stacked paper and plexiglass kept everything perfectly stable.

Hi Aaron (LOL, great name)! I don't see it as a derailment... Music is a HUGE part of what happens in my shop, so I like to include a small sample of what was playing while I was working. It sets the mood for me and I figure listening while reading might improve the experience or at least inspire someone to try the same work in their shop. I found The Sword several years ago when I walked into Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle in Chicago. They said "Oh yeah, welding music". Favorite album: Warp Riders - the cover art looks like it came straight from a 70's science-fiction novel. Glad you like it! It's as much a part of my build as paint or glue.

Armor...coming along S-L-O-W-L-Y. I had a fish eye problem with helmet paint, so it all had to come off. Cleaned with brake cleaner (since alcohol didn't work the first time) and re-painting is going nicely now. I gotta tell you, I'd rather build a dozen E-11's - MUCH easier... no fitting, no sewing, no elastic straps...

Old school experimentation night, with old school tunes (and bigger, fuzzier guitars...) So, cleaning out the magazine housing made me nervous. I wanted to figure out a way to get REALLY CLOSE to the edge without freehanding it. Too much at stake here, which includes risk to my fingers. I also wanted to find a solution that almost anyone could replicate. No mill and compound milling tables. My answer? A stack of paper, a couple pieces of plexiglass and a Dremel with a Rotozip bit. Removing or adding sheets of paper allows minor height adjustments. I started with a shallow plunge (no more than 1/16"), then moved side to side to clear a "slot". I found moving the resin part back and forth was easier than moving the Dremel (resin sliding on plastic versus rubber sliding on plastic). Once a slot was finished, I flipped the part, checked clearance and made another slot. Slow and steady, never trying to take too much with each pass. Once I made all the slots I could at that level, I removed about 20 sheets of paper, then started again. I kept this up until I had the whole thing hollowed out enough to fit gazmosis's entire magazine. I cleaned up the bottom and squared up the corners with a razor sharp chisel. This process worked so well, now I'm considering hollowing out the magazine too... Working with resin parts isn't so bad after all! After I could insert and remove the magazine without much resistance, I started on holes for the hardware. I started all of these using a drill bit by itself - no drill. I turned the drill bit between by hand until I had a decent hole started (this is a tip I picked up in gazmosis's "ear" thread) Once I was sure the starter hole was big enough to prevent the bit from walking, I finshed the holes with a drill. Minor cleanup and clearancing with a small file. For the slot in the bottom of the housing, I used a 1/4" end mill chucked in my drill press. With the drill press running, I lowered the bit until it removed about 1/16" of material, then stopped. I locked the press at that level, started it back up and slowly moved the part around to removed the rest of the material from the slot. I kept readjusting using this procedure until the magazine catch fit flush to the housing. Final step was fitting all the Sterling hardware. To save weight, I may try to duplicate some of this with plastic. The housing still needs cleanup and minor sanding, but all the hardware fits!

AWESOME tutorial, Steve!

I'm always amazed at the stories behind these props - Where do you learn this stuff, Vern?

I knew Derrek would have experienced this! I use an ice pick to get the aluminum chunks out of the teeth on my files, then a wire brush. I also have an old Colton file cleaning brush with a small pick, but sometimes it's not enough to get the chunks out.

Sorry Ian, but I can't avoid a response... JB is AVERAGE epoxy with good consumer marketing (as quoted above). It works well for the purposes of prop making and tolerates mixing ratio errors. You could probably fill this forum with the research done on higher grade epoxies. There are many manufacturers, but I prefer West System due to their extensive research, publications and technical assistance. Another good epoxy is System Three. Users can customize these epoxies to meet specific structural needs and even make a "metal infused resin polymer". My first gallon of West System came with a BOOK to introduce the properties and chemistry involved and it's NOT cheap. The plain, unmodified version of their epoxy cures to over 7,000 psi tensile strength and can go much higher with additives. Here's a WAY OVER-SIMPLIFIED chart showing options for an "above average" epoxy: Every choice changes the physical properties and sometimes results in the need for technical assistance. Mixing ratios have to be EXACT, hence the need for ratio pumps. I've built two boats for Lake Michigan and I've used AT LEAST 30 gallons of modified epoxy. Every product has it's place. I wouldn't trust my life to JB Weld, but I've done it several times during storms on the lake with West System. JB Weld is an AVERAGE epoxy, but for cost, ease of use, purchase just about anywhere and catchy advertising, it's GREAT. Back to your regularly scheduled blaster build, and again, sorry for my off-topic rant.

Step bit and a drill press. I think aluminum oxide bits would tend to "load up" with aluminum. Derrek is the expert on aluminum tubes - I'd go with whatever he says...

SSSSSAAAAWWWWWEEEEETTTTTTT!!!! I'm also very interested in the electronics write up!