wingnut65

I didn't catch it, but Eagle Eye noticed my shoulder bell gap was unacceptable in my back shot. Here is a retake... Please forgive the off-center TD... trying to rush before all daylight is gone!

I just noticed I missed posting the D-ring shot...

Thanks, Troopers for the support! Life has finally slowed down a little and the weather cleared up on Sunday to get take these pix. Yep. I see it. I guess too much of hands up, hands down, turn around, hands up, hands down... Or maybe too much pull on the elastic straps.

Oops. Forgot a bucket off shot... Thrilled to be submitting. Think I have a chance??

Basic Information: Name: Jeff Salt Legion ID: 50297 Forum Name: wingnut65 Garrison: Florida Garrison / Tampa Bay Squad 501st Status TK 50297 - http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=18619 Mandatory Information: Armor Maker: Affordable Trooper Armor (ATA) Helmet Maker: ATA Blaster Maker: DD resin kit with many upgrades. Built by justjoseph63 Optional, but still very important Information: Height: 5’-10’’ (178 cm) Weight: 170 lbs. (77 Kg) Boots: Bass Amsterdam Boots in Nu-Life ‘White’ shoe spray Canvas Belt: Trooperbay Hand Plates: Karin Sonnenschein Rivets: Echo Neck Seal: Darman’s Props Holster: Darman’s Props Helmet Details: Hand Painted by wingnut65 Mic Tips: ATA’s Standard Issue TD Clips: By wingnut65 S-Trim: ATA’s Standard Issue Inner Drop Boxes: ATA’s Standard Issue Finance Minister: Mrs. Wingnut65 Full Body Front Left Back Right Right Side Detail Left Side Detail Action Shot I wasn’t exactly sure what action shot was needed, the hypothetical ‘what would I look like if I’m fighting on the Death Star’ type action shot, or the action from the everyday life of a Stormtrooper. So, I've included both! Armor Details Abdomen Details Cod and Butt Plate Attachment Interior Strapping Helmet Details Front Sides Back Hovi Tip Detail Lens Color Blaster Details Accessory Details Neck Seal Thermal Detonator Holster Attachment Thanks for your time you spend meticulously inspecting each submittal application. Your dedication is very much appreciated! Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Congrats, Charles! Beautiful work!

That might be another way of solving the problem that I hadn't considered. I can't take credit for coming up with the way I did it. Not sure if it was my attache or another helpful FISD member that suggested it, but it worked well for me. They always said there was more than one way to skin a cat, I mean, build a TK!

Finally got a chance to catch up on your progress. Nice work on the upgrades. Very commendable to have ulterior motives as you complete this project so your son can troop with you. Well done! For the thighs, honestly, I'd leave them as they are. The size of the strip created by the overlap looks appropriate and it would be approvable for basic and EIB. I'd be concerned that adding that additional cover strip and the smaller strip will make it look too bulky and thick. I'm glad someone shared my idea of using caulk to fill and conceal the seams. Now, for the answer to the shoulder bell question you have been looking for... Move the strap location. If your shoulder keeps moving to the back, then move the fastener towards the back of the bell to force the shoulder to sit more forward. I had the same issue and the adjustment solved my problem. Hope this helps! Also, you mentioned that you had a couple snaps that didn't like to stay snapped. I had the same issue at my chest-to-ab straps and my shoulder bell to my shoulder strap. They kept popping loose and I've need a handler to discreetly fix it for me. I ended up adding commercial Velcro over top of the snaps so I will never have a snap issue there again. They work perfectly, now. Good luck and keep going!

Well done, Trooper! Awesome work! Thanks for sharing!

I have a small car with limited space to get things into the trunk. There is no chance I would ever get one of the standard-issue Imperial 50-Gallon TK Bins from Stanley, Husky or other brand, to fit into my trunk. I don’t want to have to put my bin in my back seat and reduce the seating capacity of my car. I have the smaller Sterilite 23-Gallon Footlocker. (Sterilite Model 1842) Everything fits, but my bucket.

It wouldn't hurt to get in touch with your GML to know exactly what they are looking for.<br> I'm not familiar with SDS armor, nor have I seen any velcro closures on anything but the shins.

Things to Do While Trooping: Photobomb whenever possible! - If you see people lining up in front of you, look over their shoulders or around them and make sure you see the camera. Did I Smile?­ – After they take your picture, ask them, ‘Was I smiling?’, or, ‘Did I blink?’ Sometimes, they will actually go and view the photo and start to laugh when they realize the joke. Walk Funny! - When I’m called to join others in a group line for a photo, I may walk over like a penguin, waddling back and forth, or like Charlie Chaplin and the Keystone Cops. However, when I’m with a group, it is a formal military walk! Ask for Blue Milk at food establishment order lines. When they don’t have it, say something like ‘What kind of a planet and I deployed on?’ Get Selfies with Mom/Dad! - After they take pictures of their kids with you, walk up to them and say “You need to be in a picture, too. Selfie time!” Works every time! Look for Droids! - Walk up with another Stormtrooper to middle-aged to teenaged people, look at their phone, hold it if they will let you, shake your heads and hand it back, saying “This is not the Droid we are looking for” and walk on. Especially if it is an Apple iPhone. Join the Activities that are going on, playing Bingo, coloring pictures, reading books, anything that the kids are doing that can be done in costume, the kids are thrilled if you do it too. Quote the movies! – Most people from teens and older, know the movies well enough to recognize a line from them. Many times, they say lines first. Good ones I’ve used are: “I have a bad feeling about this!” “Move Along!” “Do I talk first or you talk first? I talk first?” “The Force is strong with this one!” “I find your lack of _____ disturbing!” (fill in the blank with something going on – cheer, decorations, refreshments, customers or use the original, faith) Although not spoken in any movie, a line that is understood and always gets a laugh is, “Don’t make me shoot in your general direction!” At last week’s troop at a church, a lady thought we were members there and asked me “Who are you?” I couldn’t resist and replied “I’m no one”. She then asked, “What’s your name?” I just had to answer, in my male voice, “Rey!” She chuckled. Act Goofy behind the camera man - Try giving bunny ears to a photographer who’s taking a picture of other Troopers and family. Or play with their hair, or make any other funny gestures to make those getting the picture to smile, or laugh! Give Bunny Ears! - People are so excited to be standing next to such a celebrity from the movies that all they want is a picture. They start laughing when there are two of you in the picture and they see bunny ears over their head. Works great in group shots, as well. That should give you a few ideas of how to make Trooping even better! And, funner! Now, Go forth and create Smiles!

Ofishal Update: Now that I have a few troops under my TK belt, I have learned a few things that I posted above. I also learned the hard way that there is a proper method of putting on TK armor and other ways that are more difficult. I’m sure there are many ways to do it. I know that some TK’s can do it all by themselves, but either I don’t know the secret process, or I am not flexible enough to do it myself. Until I learn something new, here is what I do… Putting on TK Armor The process noted in the next steps work for me to assure everything is all tucked in. Let’s Go… I’ve found that it is easier and less uncomfortable for others in the room if I am already wearing my long black pants under my street clothes when I show up at a troop. Especially if this is a parking lot change… Preparation before Suiting Up: First, I get everything up high enough so that I don’t have to bend over as that function is greatly reduced the more pieces you have on. If a table isn’t available to spread everything out, I’ve put my bin up on chairs or even lay out my armor on the hood of my car. (Don’t drop your hand guard on the floor, unless there is an Officer, TIE Pilot or Biker Scout nearby. Lesson learned!) Make sure my bucket lenses have some sort of anti-fog solution applied. This week, I used Rain-X Anti-Fog and had no issues. Snap the Chest and Back together with only one shoulder strap and set aside. Snap the Abdomen and Butt plates together completely along one side and at the crotch. Snap the forearm together with the bicep and shoulder bell. (I keep my shoulder bell and bicep snapped together in my bin.) Some troopers have foam inside their forearms to be able to slip them on and off, without using any snaps. Make sure the holster is snapped/fastened to the belt. Set the thermal detonator, gloves, hand plates and blaster somewhere within a standing reach. Go to the restroom now, while you still can! Suiting Up Steps: Balaclava. Although not required, I’ve seen a TK trooping from just the right angle while he was bending over for some kids, where his chin or side of the face was visible under his bucket. Since then, I’ve started wearing a balaclava just to be safe and completely covered. Neck Seal goes over the balaclava and holds it down. Black Compression Shirt. Make sure the shirt goes over apron of the neck seal. Thigh support belt with elastic straps. Make sure to have the strap snaps facing out. I learned… Thighs. Put them up over your knees, but don’t snap them yet to your thigh support belt. Boots. This is done while the thighs are loose and I can still sit down to bend over and reach my feet. Calves. It’s a little tricky with the thighs flopping around, but much harder if they are snapped. Snap the thighs in place. Ab/Butt Plate Combo, slipping one foot into the leg slot and pulling into place and snap the open side snaps. I find it easier to snap the lower snaps first, then the upper. Chest/Back Plate Combo goes over the head and the remaining shoulder strap gets snapped. Chest-to-Ab Snaps/Velcro gets connected to hold the front together. Back-to-Butt Plate Snaps/Velcro­ gets connected. This is the first step where you will need some help to reach the middle of your back. I even had a Wookiee help me snap these this week! Belt goes around the waist with two snaps to the Ab plate and Velcro’s closed in the back Blaster goes in the holster, usually. If it is permitted to carry blasters, it is easier to put it in now, while I can still move my arms! Thermal Detonator gets slipped over the belt. I can do this by myself, but it’s easier with help. Arms (Shoulder Bell, Bicep and Forearm) slides up the arm and a helper secures to shoulder strap. This is your last chance to hydrate before trooping… Gloves and Hand Guards are easy to slip on. Finally, the Bucket. Be sure to turn the fan(s) on before screwing the bucket on your head! Go Troop! Have fun and make plenty of people smile!

Agreed on the accuracy to the movies, just haven't made up my mind if I like having to velcro the tops closed to fit in my calves and then strap the calves down to the boots. But they do fit perfectly and have not had any issues since I came up with a solution for my issues. Paint for the leather is Meltonian’s Nu-Life Color Spray from a shoe repair shop and the elastic was painted with Tulip’s Soft Matte White Fabric Paint from a craft shop. Maybe using the Angelus leather dye could have saved me some issues.

I went the less expensive path and with Amazon Prime, saved about half to receive Amsterdam boots. Then I painted them. The two issues I have are 1) they are lower in height and I have to use straps to keep my shins pulled down, and 2) I broke them in first before painting and now those creases are where the white paint comes off first. Depending on how much walking I do, I need to touch up every few troops. Now that I have a good blaster and on the list for fans, my next purchase will be TK or Imperial Boots!

It is looking good so far. Kudos for looking for the rivets and wanting to make the kit better. Being a newbie myself, I have no experience with an FX other than watching builds like yours. Keep on going and let me learn more. I had not really thought that much about an amp system and hearing inside the bucket, but now you have me thinking. It seems to me that I've seen an amp system for us to hear better, using a microphone inside one of the Hovi mic aerator tips, in bucket amp and a ear piece. Gotta go see where that was... Let me be the first to say that your E-11 looks amazing! And that display stand is so simple, but so functional. Nice work! Keep going, Marc!

Two things our armor doesn't like is heat and getting shot by a blaster. I have not been around the Anovos kit yet to know what all they provide. For my build, I took notes from other builds and used the Tandy Line 24 Snaps just about everywhere. These have a 9/16" (14 mm) head. I used their smaller Line 20 snaps for the belt to the ab plate, which is what you are changing in the post above. The Line 20 have a 7/16" (11 mm) head. See if this can help. I came up with this to figure out exactly how many snaps I actually used. Wish I would have done this earlier so I could make one trip to Tandy! BTW, this also shows the rivets needed for Centurion.

I'm glad you found my build, Luc and Christina. When I first started this build thread, I thought it would be just another build showing what everybody else shows, but there were steps and details that I could not find anywhere. Maybe it's that being an architect, that I am a very visual and detail oriented person that wants to explain everything so I can understand it. Good luck with your builds! Yes, I have been wearing this a few times. My TK Troop #7 was Saturday night at the church where I first encountered the 501st and started this adventure. Things I have learned: 1. Breaking in the boots before painting them white was not the best idea. Or maybe I was too impatient when prepping and cleaning the boots, but now the white paint comes off all the bends and creases and I need some white fabric paint to touch-up every so often. 2. Visibility in a TK Bucket is Awesome!!!. That is my first thoughts from wearing a Tusken Raider bucket for 8 months. A TK is much better than looking through toilet paper tubes all the time. Granted, there is no visibility straight down in front of me, but I have learned that tilting my head will allow me to look out the outer corners of my eyes to be able to see most of what is down in front of me. Little arms wrapping around my legs is another good signal that there is somebody in front of me who I can't see. 3. A TK has it's privileges. jj63 made me aware of this when we escorted Lord Vader past marching bands, cheerleaders and many others to our staging area for the Christmas Parade. I've been able to be a Vader Escort several times since, including at the TFA premier and even through a Walmart during a Toy's For Tots collection drive! I even escorted a Bride and Groom into their wedding reception. 4. Stairs are much, much easier in a TK than in a Tusken! 5. Using some sort of Anti-Fog on the lenses is most critical. Follow the directions or suffer the consequences! 6. A fan in the bucket helps me. Right now, as I wait for the next fan run, I am using my single, 70 mm fan from my Tusken to give me a breeze on my face. Without that little air movement, I really feel the heat. I'm hoping to get real fans before the weather warms up. 7. Hydrate! Even at an inside troop with air conditioning, I perspire in my TK. Be sure to drink plenty before trooping and during breaks! Thanks for asking the question, Christina. I didn't know I had learned so much in such a short time. I also learned some assembly steps for putting on my TK that works for me. I'll share when I finish getting it all together.

WoooooHooooo! Congrats, Tim!

Glad it could help, Mike. I improvised with what I had when I found the big 2" Velcro and 2" elastic to hold the shins down to my boots. For the other, I was looking at Jo-Ann's to see what they may have that could possibly work and found the Velcro One-Wrap. Since I made this up, I have had absolutely no issues with my boots. Go for it!

What they said! I believe the only relatively easy interchangeable costumes are the TK and HWT-TK. I know some that are HWT and use weathering that is light enough to be removable when they need a TK. Yes, it is work, but it can be done. Like the others said, TD pieces are too different from each other. When I was researching vendors, they all offered choices of TK or TD, like Paul mentioned. Most also offer TK's in all white, black or red plastic, so you can pick your own flavor. Good Luck Jefferson. Be sure to stat a build thread when you begin you journey into the World of White!

I go over all the pix I took during my build, there are still a few details I haven’t shared yet. So here we go, finishing up the details! Removing A Shirt Label! I purchased a black, long sleeve compression shirt from Amazon designed for hot weather. It came with the logo that might be visible under the edge of the chest plate, so I needed to cover it up. Easiest idea was to grab the permanent marker. Nope! It didn’t make the logo disappear. Back to searching for more ideas… About this time, an appropriately timed thread popped up on FISD, discussing “How to Remove Undersuit Logos?” One link that caught my eye was for a YouTube video “Taking a Label off a Shirt” using nail polish remover. Having daughters in the house provided what I needed. I dabbed it on and let it soak into the label and then just peeled the label off perfectly. I left the atom logo on the shirt since it looks hi-tech and will be covered at all times. Plastic Handguards! I posted before that I purchased and assembled the latex hand guards and rubber gloves from Sonnenschein that I will need for EIB. As I wore them for my fitting session and dance routine, my hands were sweating, which is normal with rubber gloves. So, to make long troops more bearable, I decided to use some spare canvas work gloves and use the plastic hand guards that came with my ATA kit. To prepare the guards, it was the same old ABS Routine – Score, Snap, Sand… PiettLives showed me his plastic hand guards and they were comfortable. The secret is to attach the elastic straps around the base of the guard so they go around your wrist. I’ve seen others where who add a second elastic to go around the palm of their hand, but this works fine for me. Next up, while keeping on the budget minded build, I decided to dye a spare set of canvas work gloves that I purchased for my Tusken. I know they are not as tight to hand as I’d like, but I already had them. I used the powdered RIT dye in a pot on the stove and let it sit well over an hour. Nope! For some reason the fabric did not take the dye like I was hoping. Luckily a trip to Walmart was successful in finding an alternative pair of gloves. And, they are tight. I picked up a pair of “Faded Glory Men's Active Touch Performance Glove” for less than $10. The band across the glove is completely covered by the hand guard, but I think I did use a sharpie on it. It is hard to see the elastic around the wrist, but these gloves fit well with the hand guards. TIP: Wearing Rubber Gloves to Troop: As I mentioned to a few squad mates about me not wanting to troop all the time with my rubber chemical gloves and latex hand guards due to the heat, they mentioned that my hands would not sweat as much if I wore fabric gloves inside the rubber gloves. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will see how it works! My Rookie E-11 Blaster! A year ago, my twin daughters were in a Christmas skit at church that they were Christmas ornaments on a tree, talking about why they were there. One ornament was a Princess Leia, holding a blaster. One of the lines of the angel ornament was “Are you going to shoot me with that thing?” After dress rehearsal, I asked my girls what Leia was using for a blaster and was informed she was pointing her fingers as a gun. That day I went to Target and picked up the Hasbro Star Wars Rebels’ Stormtrooper Blaster for a more accurate E-11 prop, instead of just pointed fingers! Recently, just to have something to carry in my holster, I decided to see what it would look like painted standard issue flat black. Since parts were visible through the barrel, I took it apart and painted the barrel pieces separately. Once painted, this actually looks nice. I’ve trooped with it several times and nobody has noticed it being anything but normal. Here’s the close-ups. For trooping, I covered the orange tip with black tape. The bag is the Nerf darts that it shoots. I know it's not too accurate, but for a Rookie TK, you can’t be too careful. BTW, the box says it is ‘2 Feet Long’ and with the folding stock opened, it is! The end of the barrel is removable. The dart goes in that big hole on top of the barrel and the magazine slides back to weenie the gun. This E-11 was just to get me started trooping with my TK. Except for the library troop that had invading balloons that needed some discipline, the blaster was kept in the holster or not used. The blaster requirements were also the only thing holding me back from submitting for EIB and Centurion. Now that Santa has come and thanks to justjoseph63, this Rookie E-11 has now been upgraded and I get to play with the big boys!

Thanks, Jason. With costuming, it takes a lot of creativity to figure out how to make something look like something else or to do something that is wasn't designed for. Other times, it is an emergency modification while everyone is standing around you, waiting for you to finish suiting up. Fun times... BTW, the sweet blaster has been put away until next season!

Or cut a circle out of plastic, sand the edges round and glue to a square piece of plastic the size of the button cover. If you are covering a snap, drill a hole in the middle of the square piece to cover the snap. The main objective in costuming is to make something look like something else, in this case, a button/snap cover. Use whatever materials you have available.

Also, consider primer that is formulated specifically for plastic. It has better grip than metal primer paint. Would she consider a Clone Trooper?