Trooper Downen

A very nice start to your build! I like how you decided to make your own hand guards. Looks like you're on your way to a fantastic result.

A bit belated, but GREAT job on those boots! Very effective. Good start to your build.

Fellow Troopers: I have been assisting a friend with his armor build who wants to apply for 501st membership as a TK. It will be ANH stunt. We’ve done an all-round good job with his armor based on feedback from our GML (just a few minor things to tweak) but his helmet is another story. With the MRCE / eFX helmet our GML has informed us that we will need to make the following modifications for basic ANH stunt 501st membership: 1) Replace lenses with darker ones (shade 3 or darker green ones) 2) Replace the tube stripes 3) Add correct number of screws to the ears (two on the top disk, one on the bottom where the neck trim goes) 4) Fill in the seam just below the frown with caulk or similar. Repaint and new stickers. Additional optional items include the following: 5) Cut out the last tooth on each side of the frown. 6) Cut the width of the ears down. I had anticipated #1-3 and had already made those mods to my friend’s bucket because those were the standard when I was approved a fair number of years back. But #4 really caught me off guard since it entails a substantial degree of work (most associated with the repaint) which is really outside the ability of my friend at this time (he’s a returned war vet convalescing from surgery associated with wounds sustained while deployed). So I am volunteering to make the necessary mods to his helmet. While I’m at it, I’ll work on a second MRCE that I have on display and had intended to use for a TD armor build for myself that just hasn’t happened yet (you know how that goes). Now yes, I know that the MRCE is the subject of a fair amount of derision here, but I am a proponent of this bucket for a number of reasons. It just needs a bit of help to punch it up; actually a bit more nowadays than early-on shortly after it was first released! I will document my complete tear-down and re-build here (might even do a video series just for posterity) but, before I rip into these buckets like a monkey on a cupcake, I need a bit of help from you fine folks. Replacement decals or paint masks: Years ago when I was approved as a TK some of the best replacement vinyl decals (in my opinion) were available from TrikToys. But he does not appear to be a going concern any longer. It appears that TrooperBay offers both replacement decals and paint masks for the MRCE. Is there anyone else offering either decals or paint masks that I should consider? Rubber brow trim and neck trim: Again, years ago when I last researched the topic it was agreed that an S-seal was needed for the neck trim and U-channel for the eyebrow trim. At that time www.sealsdirect.co.uk appeared to be the best option per these forums. I can’t find evidence that this has changed, but would anyone propose a different supplier nowadays? Does anyone know whether the SWR149 or the SWR150 would be a better fit for the S-trim on the neck? I am assuming that the U-channel trim should be of the square variety rather than the round? (see picture below) Lens: And finally, I had purchased green welding lens replacement material for my TK bucket years ago but failed to note where I bought them (probably eBay – they were just sheets of the lens material). Any suggestions for current sources of replacement green lens material would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise I’ll just strike out on eBay again and see what there is to offer. While I’m tearing into these I might as well go ahead and work with the ears to cut them down and look into cutting that last tooth into the frown. I really had not anticipated another project since I thought we had his armor well in hand, but since this is the current standard I’ll grin and bear it. Thanks for your advice and I’ll post updates here. Be forewarned; my free time is limited so this is going to take a while! Clock this build with a (slow) calendar!

Greetings everyone. Requesting status upgrade for 501st member. My profile is located here: http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=12257 Thanks!