usaeatt2

Pack of 100 M4 X 0.70 X 16 L for just under $11 at Grainger... Square shouldered cheese head with a drawing. I drive by the store everyday on my way to work so I could verify these are correct. I'd opt for stainless instead of zinc-plated steel for corrosion resistance... Maybe not "canon", but there's a whole lot of hot breath hitting those screws. http://www.grainger.com/product/GRAINGER-APPROVED-Mach-Scr-6JB17?nls=1&searchQuery=6JB17

The artist offers other SW related items...in fact, he scaled Hovi Mic tips down to 80% size for Walt's kid armor. I'm sure he could QUICKLY scale the E-11 nozzle to the ND blaster... I just brought it up because it saves a lot of design effort. BTW, if you scroll to the bottom, you can download the STL file and make your own modifications!

BETTER than real photos...you can view or download a CAD drawing OR interactive 3D PDF for almost any hardware on that website... Just click "Product Detail" for the item you want. If I knew the correct size and type, I'd post it! LOL, I want the free set with my order!

How about this one for $8.00? 1.25" diameter X 0.41" wide. https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZDLH6UCKG/e11-nozzle?li=search-results-1&optionId=24523862

These look incredible! Do you have a price per set? I get all my hardware through McMaster-Carr. You should be able to find anything you need there, plus shipping and customer service are excellent. http://www.mcmaster.com/#

As usual, I agree with Germain's keen powers of observation! I believe his part/number matching is correct. I laid out my AP thigh pieces when I got home from work. Like Germain said, the inner thighs are immediately obvious because of the double curve which can be seen when looking at the front. I also noticed when they are laid out like your picture, the untrimmed AP inner thighs stand "taller" from the table. It's a deeper form. Once you've made these comparisons, try fitting the inner thghs to your legs. It's almost impossible to put them on the wrong legs. If you do manage to fit them wrong, I promise, it will be very uncomfortable (almost a violation!) Once you've establish left and right inner thighs, then just match up the remaining pieces. The left outer WON'T line up with the right inner. The right outer WON'T line up with the left inner. Much easier than I thought.

I need clarification on the thighs as well, so I'm glad you posted a picture and asked the question. I was hoping some of the veteran AP guys would jump on this. Following this thread...

I like the idea and the CAD file looks great. Is that Rhino software or something else? At what resolution are these printed? Do these exhibit the textured surface typical of most 3D printed items?

I was yelling at the screen during the eFX guy's confident review of screen used hero neck seals..."C'MON!!!!!" I haven't seen any screen shots that definitively show a "cloth" neckseal...hero OR stunt. Most look rigid and/or some type of rubber. Cloth also wouldn't show "ribbed" detail... If it is cloth, there must be a pretty good stiffner sewn inside...

Thanks Brian! Efforts are finally starting to pay off in the form of completed parts. Closer to being a TK everyday! LMAO, bikini cod? Sounds like I might need some hair remover! We get to say great things while describing our builds...I can't think of any other situation that would put those two words together in a phrase. THANKS for the "stellar" compliment. That's my word of choice when I REALLY like something. It means A LOT coming from you, Germain, with your "otherworldly" powers of observation. The risk of the modification was huge, but the reward is even higher! I'm considering the following method for cod attachment (NOT my idea - thanks to whoever posted this!!!). Elastic allows outward cod movement, but tabs glued to the back of the ab plate prevent inward movement and subsequent potential for LOL, "bikini cod". What do you think? Anybody know who came up with this idea? Aaron

Wow, 9 months since my last post...funny how "life" and other projects can sneak up on you... Recently, I decided to make completion of my armor a priority, otherwise I might never finish. I've commited myself to working on it whenever possible. My "revised" goal is to achieve 501st membership, EIB and Centurion and maybe even troop it before Episode 7. So here are a few shots of recent progress... Helmet Ear Modifications: "4 bars" sanded down to NO bars. Hero time! Bars area filled with Milliput Superfine White epoxy putty. Sculpting completed. Comparing the original 4 bar ear against the modified 3 bar ear. Both ears done and taping up for primer (not required, but the primer helped me find and correct any imperfections). Primer. Painted. Still needs rank stripe, but I had to research whether to paint the stripe semi-gloss or gloss (found out it should be gloss black - Thanks, Steve!). After the ears were done, I completed the helmet exterior, with the exception of painting the ear screws and a possible tube stripe color re-do... I painted the tube stripes Humbrol French Blue... The paint probably wasn't completely dry when I discovered they should be Mediterranean Blue or a mixture of the two. I think the paint job looks good, but the color is probably going to bother me. What do you think? Beyond that, I have wicked plans for the helmet interior, but I don't want to spoil it until I have pictures to post. I don't want to paint the ear screws until I've assembled the helmet for the last time. With the helmet complete until other parts arrive, I moved onto the armor pieces I built back in March 2014. I had to go digging through Photobucket to find original pictures... I decided to start with finishing up modifications to the biceps. AP biceps are copies of each other. They appear to be an "idealized" sculpt. Both biceps have a very light "thumbprint" impression. I'm thinking AP only wanted to make ONE mold for both biceps and decided to add the thumbprint, but make it very light as a compromise. This way the thumbprint is included on the left bicep, but it's not a deep impression since the same part is used for the right bicep. From reading Dark CMF's build and looking at screen shots, I know the thumbprint should ONLY be on the left bicep. In the screen shots, the impression is much deeper. I wanted to correct my biceps. This meant making a much deeper impression on the left bicep and removing the factory impression from the right bicep. Break out the heat gun and a couple items from the kitchen... One of my original biceps, as they arrived from AP: Back in March 2014, I was messing around with "idealizing" the misalignment between the bicep halves. I know correcting the misalignment is not screen accurate, but the top of the bicep will be mostly hidden by the shoulder bell. The important part is, I'LL know it's fixed. There also won't be any sharp edges poking me in the armpit... Pencil lines. The bottom line is the intended cut line. The rest are "extended" cut lines to allow alignment and a return edge. Here's a great picture of the AP thumbprint. It's pretty weak. It kind of "suggests" the thumbprint impression. Fast forward to today. Biceps are done except for the outer cover strips. "Idealized" alignment of the parts is complete, including slight return edges. I removed the thumbprint from one of the biceps. I used a heat gun, a measuring spoon and a baby spoon improve/deepen the thumbprint on the other bicep. WARNING: DON'T try this unless you are EXTREMELY confident with your heat gun skills. The potential for things to go horribly wrong is VERY high. After the thumbprint modifications, I sanded lightly up to 2000 grit, then machine polished both biceps. I'll probably want to do a complete fitting before adding the outer cover strips (just in case disassembly is required). Clamshell alignment. One factory thumbprint removed, the other deepened. From a different angle. Kitchen tools. I can't believe I found a measuring spoon which was EXACTLY the right size for the thumbprint... A couple more shots... Improved/deepened thumbprint closeup (LEFT bicep). Thumbprint completely removed (RIGHT bicep). Next is digging out the rest of the armor. I think I need to work on the abdomen before anything else. Because I'm really short (5'4"), damn near every piece of armor will need extensive modification. Since most of the other pieces fit in relation to the abdomen, I figure I should get the abdomen fitted, then go from there. My plan is to "cut the cod", remove the necessary amount, then reattach the cod. The modification will be hidden by the ammo belt. Still haven't decided whether to reattach the cod with a "rigid" connection or with elastic to allow cod movement... Please comment or ask questions. Till the next update! Aaron

Dear Brian, I thought I had OCD, but I was wrong... YOU have OCD. Thanks for pushing the EXTREME limits of what is possible with a resin build. TRULY an inspiring pleasure to watch. Your perfectly healthy friend, Aaron

Dan, here's a link to my armor build: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/27936-first-timer-ap-armor-build-thread/ Unfortunately, it's only helmet stuff right now, but I've got tons of pictures for the rest. I worked as a control systems engineer (kinda half IT guy/half instrument tech) for several years and collected all kinds of goodies along the way! I keep meaning to add links to my signature, but I've never gotten around to doing it... E-11 build threads: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26960-e-11-steel-pipe-build/ http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/29140-carbon-fiber-e-11-build/ http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26634-e11-power-cylinder-build/

Hey Dan, I'm kidding myself thinking I'll have pictures up on my build thread in the next day or two... Here's what I did: Snag several of the little nuts and screws from the ends of almost any computer cable. Mix up some Milliput or similar epoxy putty and form "standoffs" around the perimeter of the eye. Thread a screw into the nut, then push it into the putty. The screw prevents the putty from filling the threads in the nut. Use your fingers to form the putty into a nice shape around the nut and eye socket. Let it harden a day or two, then paint to match the interior of your helmet (if necessary). Position the lenses and mark your nuts with a Sharpie (cracks me up the things we get to say here...) Drill the lenses. If the holes are SLIGHTLY larger than the screws, you'll be able to fine tune the fits. Mount the lenses. I also painted the screw heads black and flocked the perimeter of the lenses with black Suede-Tex. Looks super slick, but I don't have any assembled pictures since I've got a little more fiddling to do inside the helmet...

Nice work with the lenses. I did exactly the same thing to make bubble lenses; all your steps plus boil in water and form the bubbles. I came up with a really clean and secure way to mount the lenses... I'll post pictures in my build in the next day or two. No glue or tape...

My vote has been cast! Nice comparisons, Tino! Also takes the fun out of "re-gifting" my cabochons as a brilliantly conceived craft project...

This is the second time in the last week that I've seen "Mediterranean Blue" listed as the tube stripe color. Is this a new finding? I always thought tube stripes were supposed to be Humbrol French Blue...

EPIC! I was just searching for thermal detonator details YESTERDAY! Thanks, Dan! Does anybody know if Troopermaster is still offering his TD kits? For that matter, does anybody know how to contact Paul? I get the following message when I try to PM: "The member troopermaster cannot receive any new messages".

Sorry to hear it, sskunky. "recasterofthings" would be more accurate since it appears he's not MAKING many things... Seems like I remember there being a history of shady activity with this guy here, and on other forums...

Awesome and inspiring! Following this for future reference. Nice work!

Thanks, Vern! When I finish my AP armor, I'm considering a "real" TM hero helmet. What brand is your hero helmet? After the post from the CRL, I went hunting through my "hero" picture folder counting stripes. I see 11 stripes on a few, but those stripes look too "chunky" to me. In the elevator scene, Han's helmet has 13 stripes. "13" is a lucky number at my house, so that was the final deciding factor. I removed 2 stripes on one side and 3 stripes on the other side. The paint lost the battle with a popsicle stick dipped in paint thinner. Now there's 13 stripes on each side. I must admit, it looks much better now. With all the other modifications, I can't believe I missed this!!! Thanks again to everyone who replied!

Awesome! Thanks for looking that up, Ben. I didn't even think to check the CRL. Now, YOU'RE a hero!

I'm VERY close to completing the exterior of my helmet, so I'm getting a little excited! All I have left to do is carve out and fit the right ear. I assembled the helmet tonight so I could start working on the right ear... As with most things I build, I've made this FAR more difficult than necessary... I started with an AP lid and did my best to convert it to a Hero helmet. (Please, I'd rather avoid the debate about how an AP helmet isn't the correct shape for a hero helmet...) Modifications: 4th tooth removed from both sides of frown with a heat iron AP ears re-scuplted from 4 bumps to 3 bumps with Milliput putty Homemade bubble lenses formed in the kitchen from a grinding faceshield All hand painted details (hoping to achieve 501st, EIB, then Centurion right out of the gate). Here's the problem: I used Trooperbay tube stripe templates. There are 15 stripes on the right side and 16 stripes on the left side. I painted the tube stripes with the helmet disassembled. When I assembled it tonight, I noticed the left ear overlaps the 16th stripe. I can see the right ear is also going to overlap the 15th stripe on the right side. Do I need to remove all the stripes and start over? OR can I just remove the last stripe on each side? It's the first helmet I've EVER built, so go easy on me... Thanks in advance for your help! Aaron Pictures: