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LOL, Brian, there's no crying in Star Wars. THANKS! Jonathan, for a split second, I thought the guy on the right was Adam Sandler as ZOHAN. Thanks for the applauses!

Thanks, Mathias! Believe it or not, chrome plating actually crossed my mind. A chrome E-11 would be ridiculous with sskunky's chrome helmets!!! Funny...my wife says that all the time... Thanks, Tim. Just about ready to add the scope, counter and power cylinders. Then the dreaded paint.

NICE! REALLY NICE. Germain already covered everything I could find and then some...

This post removed as my thread has been copied to external sites... sorry guys!

Nice! I like seeing AP kit EIB applications! Awesome strapping system and hand painted details. Sniper knee looks low and ammo knee has fallen in a few pictures. You might consider shoulder/bicep/forearm strapping to set gaps more evenly and hide more elbow. Might also want to paint abdomen/kidney rivets white. For Centurion, you'll need latex or latex like hand guards.

Forearms look huge - is it possible to disassemble and trim them down? Also, ALL of the return edge needs to be removed at the wrist end (even the raised area with the bumps). Removing that return edge will also help provide more room to fit your hand through. Jason already mentioned the shoulders. Other than that, looking good!

Looking good, Brian. Now I'm feeling pressure to finish my E-11...you're well underway on a second gun. Cutting that stock with a band saw or a jigsaw would be daunting, but a coping saw? You've definitely got perserverance! When there's a will, there's a way. Tim: Orders?

MINTY...the boots and the mints! Hey Brandon, I don't know if you've thought of it or done it yet, but I would consider VERY LIGHTLY scoring along the edge of the tape with an exacto or razor blade. It would really suck to pull up any of the white while removing the tape. It's not leather, but I've seen custom paint guys do it after painting flames or graphics on cars. I want your boots to look as good or better than TK boots when the tape is removed. An inspiration to those with motivation! I bet it's killing you waiting to pull the tape...

How much for the stand?

Nice diagrams, Brandon!

WOW! Just wow. I hate being a perfectionist, but I love it at the same time. Awesome work. Can't wait to see the vacuum table! My wife is a musician, so I understand your creative sacrifices all too well. Glad to see you following your dreams. I've always said that wonderful things happen when people pursue their passions. It's just too bad our society puts so much emphasis on getting a good job and working yourself to death. Thanks for posting!!!

Right! Thanks for the update. LOL, maybe yours and Marv's were specified in millimeters and Gino's were were specified in inches...thus the slight difference. Marv's tracks (and yours, I assume) cover the holes on my Sterling replica if they are positioned PRECISELY.

Mark, are yours different than Marv's? I have a set of Marv's T-track, but I'd like to use whatever is most accurate.

LOL, you should name him him "Nubs".

BRAVO! Well done, sir! My wife ran two marathons and I learned ridiculous things during her training...like people using a product called "Glide" which prevents their clothes from causing chafing of the skin (it comes in a deodorant type stick, but it's REALLY slippery), people filling the toes of their socks with antibacterial Goo, discovering pronation and supination when buying the correct running shoes (they actually filmed her running on a tread mill and replayed in slow motion to determine the angle her foot was hitting the tread), and learning the human body starts physically breaking down after about 13 miles. And even more... Long story, short - running any marathon or half marathon is a major accomplishment. Running it in full armor is INCREDIBLE!

I can't imagine the propmasters would have had the time or budget to do anything but rattlecan everything flat black. Right over the existing military finish. My Sterling parts are a really dark military green - I think the same as Tim and Steve's folding stocks. That green wouldn't look too slick and futuristic against white armor, but black looks great. And why else would the cloth covered wires on the power cylinders and other fine details be black? In effect, I think everyone is using the wrinkle paint to get the texture, then applying a top-coat for color. Vern likes black for screen accuracy. Others like a dark "off" color, like gunmetal grey for realism. Creativity and personal preference. Always nice to have options.

Excellent work, Tim! I'm on the fence with the wrinkle finish right now. Might be the pictures, but yours looks slightly different than Steve's. I wonder if humidity affects the wrinkling? I would imagine it's a little more humid in Alabama than Chicago right now. Anyway, it'll either be wrinkled or textured, then top-coated. Can't wait to see your choice for the topcoat!!

That's EXACTLY how it goes for me. I enjoy the building part more than anything and when it's done, I'm depressed that I didn't spend more time on it. I built a Harley a couple years ago, and ran out of things to customize - so I sold it. I'm curious about the rubber T-track and how it compares to Marv's T-track. Does it bend or compress when you grip it or is it a hard rubber?

Hi Zach! Won't you be, please won't you be, my neighbor <while changing into my sneakers> Thanks for stopping by. My TIG welder is one of the most expensive items in the shop and probably my favorite. Quite a blessing to have it. I used to fabricate custom parts for a hot rod shop in Chicago as a side job to make extra money. Some of these projects were particularly good practice for making a Sterling replica... We're the "weird, eclectic people" in the cul-de-sac because none of my neighbors quite "get it". I'd love to have neighbors that are into doing projects and making things!!!

LOL. Thanks. Thanks A LOT! I'm on pins and needles here since I'm getting close to paint...and now I have to wait to see your texture analysis. At least I won't be waiting till October! BTW, have you noticed your thread has had over 5,000 views? You're trending, buddy!

Great progress, Derek! Moving right along! I think you're headed in the right direction with the bolt. I know you said you don't want to add "strips" for the details on the bolt, but that seems like the easiest way to do it. You cut carve them out, but man, that would be a lot of carving and sanding. Tim did a great job of documenting the strip process in his build - and you've got everything already except some thin strips of flexible plastic - and that shouldn't be too hard to find.

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!! I love the iridescent scope lens made from a cut up CD! REALLY cool effect and super cheap - the best kind of modification. Super glad you posted this - I just learned something!

SWEET! The masking and texture paint approach is very likely how I will finish mine. Why? I like the wrinkle finish and there have been some spectacular examples recently, but I simply like the texture finish better. Grippy!!! Nice work Zach! I also like your paint lab!