sharkbait

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/19-request-expert-infantryman-status/ then Start New Topic in the upper right? Are you having issues posting anywhere else, or just that thread?

I wondered about that! I couldn't see the back of them on the inside either, so I thought they weren't there. I admit that did seem odd since you have so many other Centurion details, but they're so simple they're easy to forget. Another way to help with the thighs is to trim up the backs of the bottom so they don't grab/pinch behind the knee. Take small half-moon shaped pieces off and gradually make larger until more comfortable. That obviously won't help the top pinches, but it does make a world of difference when walking a lot, like in parades and stuff. Pulling the torso up just a bit should also help with that. If more is needed, I'd say just trim a slight bit off the tops of the thighs, since there's no return edge there anyway. You appear to be very close to a great fit, so it would be just minimal modifications. And to be fair, we're never done with our mods and our repairs- every costume is always in some state of needing repair or modification.

Yes, Hyperfirms are a rubberized material. They're damn near indestructible and allow for high-quality details. I have an ESB E-11 and a DLT-19 from HFx Productions/Lewis/Slavefive and they're great. His B-Grades are hardly distinguishable from his A-Grades, so you can snag a deal that way. Highly recommended. You just need to add a D-Ring for higher levels of approval. https://www.facebook.com/HFx-Productions-1669859386576227/

Easy basic pass, EIB looks pretty good once you tighten up the shoulder bells and the belt box elastic. For Centurion, you'll need the ab/kidney rivets. There's a lot more to that one, but with the pictures above, you seem well on your way there, at least! Are your thighs comfortable? They look really close to the cod- easy way to get nasty armor bites when walking.

Nice build! Welcome to the ranks! As far as Centurion goes, I can't tell from the pictures- do you have the six rivets on the ab/kidney?

I paid about $700 shipped for my AM 2.0 kit, about four years ago (I want to say it was $650 for the kit and $30 - $50 for shipping, US to US). It included all hard parts (including parts for ANH, ESB and Sandies), as is typical for most. (I think RS commissions come with just about everything). As to the cost of soft parts... I didn't keep great records of it, because I just lumped it all together with tools, supplies and electronics; and I've used most of the supplies and tools over and over again for other builds and stuff around the house.

I've had good luck fixing cracks with ABS paste and an extra small piece of ABS backing to add more thickness. Using a ceramic or non-plastic bowl, pour acetone (100% like from a hardware store- nail polish remover won't be strong enough) over small trimmings of matching ABS pieces. You'll need more than you think- let sit, and stir occasionally. If you add too much, it evaporates quickly, if you add too little, just add more. For this fix you'll want it quite runny, and a Popsicle stick works great for spreading. Spread it on the back of the piece first to get your technique down, then repeat the same on the front. Glue another small piece of ABS on the back to strengthen the area. Once the front is dry, sand down to remove any blemishes from the paste. I would also echo trimming the return edge down a little bit more- it will help in the long run. Do you have a bigger photo of the shins?

I'm following that one, too!

For eBay, it looks pretty impressive. I agree I think it's one of Jimmi's older kits- so it's more likely than not fiberglass, and therefore heavy. His new ones are fiberglass, too, but they have been lightened. There is a significant cracking/break in the shoulder/back/yoke area, which would concern me. I personally don't think it fits the model that great (biceps are way too big and awkward). Those gaskets look suspect. For the price, I'd go with someone here, someone definitely vetted. And you would know 100% what you're getting, vs. gambling with your hard-earned credits.

Author Larry Correia wrote a hilarious blog post about it, because he too is apparently now a Russian Troll. (He wrote the Monster Hunters International series and multiple other fantasy novels; highly recommend MHI- hilarious and fun reads!) I lost it at the picture of himself "thirty seconds after [he] read that nonsense." http://monsterhunternation.com/2018/10/02/my-russian-bot-review-of-the-last-jedi/

ABS is the way to go. Durable, easy to trim, lighter weight, keeps its shine, etc.

I would advise to always be little leery of "501st Approved" because nothing is 501st approved out of the box, as approved not only the details and accuracy, but that it fits you as the individual wearer. Now if they have some caveat about "eligible for 501st," or "approvable by 501st," or the like, then you're in safer territory. I've just personally seen too many listing and sites with "501st Approved armor!" and it is no where near basic, let alone EIB or Centurion. This is not to say there aren't vetted armor makers that indicate 501st approved or similar language- as mentioned above, RS Props commissions are quite good and I have seen several that were approved out of the box. They all have needed tweaking later to really be the best fit, as armor is really tough to fit with just measurements and not the person physically there. To me- if they're not on the vetted list here on Whitearmor, then stay away, it's not worth the chance for the money we shell out for these things. As far as Scouts go, I'd recommend Studio Creations or Walt's Trooper Factory (WTF)- Facebook and studiocreations.com. I have a WTF Shadow Scout and it's great, and I was originally going to go with Studio Creations until I found a deal on a WTF kit someone was offloading. But definitely check out http://www.501stpathfinders.com/ for Scout details and assistance. (or https://specops501st.com/ if you're interested in the Shadow Scout).

Nice! Yes, I have a resin TD (pretty light but still feels sturdy, for resin, I'm impressed and intrigued). The forearms are two parts. (The four bits next to each other just above the fingers). I realized when looking at other KB builds that the kit has undergone several revisions. Makes it hard to follow other build threads but good that they're paying attention.

If anything I think the biceps look a bit low (not by much)- the top could be maybe an inch-ish higher (hard to tell scale on the photo, but you get the idea). The shoulder bells should also be butting up against the shoulder bridges- if the bells and biceps are connected, it will raise both pieces and you should be good to go.

Welcome/welcome back! Glad to see you're able to join the ranks.

Easy basic pass! Great job there, trooper! I spy a lot of Centurion details, and I don't see anything major jumping out at me that would prevent that. Those ears are just a royal pain- there's no way around it.

Mineral spirits worked on my Testors and spray paint, too (spray paint was Rustoleum 2x), though the sooner you get to the paint, the better and easier it is. It also removed residue left after removing E6000.

I've had good luck with mineral spirits for cleaning up excess glue. Also, it won't melt the ABS like acetone would. But it will remove any paint already there, so keep it away from any paint or decals you want to keep.

And here we go! Rough trimming is mostly done- a few curves I need to use the dremel on. Next I will fine sand the edges and then I can start assembling the armor! Finger armor has arrived (the yellow pile), and they need sanding and polishing. Gaskets are on order, threw in a neck seal as well (Geeky Pink's), cape, belt and soft belt boxes will be the next purchase. Close up of the boots and lifts: The CRL says no laces, but no laces are going to show, so I should be able to make it work. I found that because of the height the lifts added, my foot wouldn't fit comfortably in most non-lace boots. A pair of my work heels with my lifts for scale, roughly 4''. If I can wear those heels 4 - 5 times per week and walk comfortably, then I think I can do the same with these lifts. I'm going to build up the base a little so that there's not such a distinct drop in slope at the arch, which should also make it more comfortable. And finally, the helmet thus far: A little more fine sanding along the eyes and then I'm ready to fine sand the whole thing. There's a lot of little extra bits that I have to remove, most of which are in tricky places. We'll see how that goes. I'm also going to cut out new lens material. The helmet came with bubble, and I just can't see out of them except a tiny little spot in each eye. Not a great combo for someone on lifts who's already kinda clumsy. No stumbling Phasma around here! With luck, I'll have some time between a troop, decorating for Halloween, and Book Club this weekend to get some more work done!

Another ESB, yay!! Very nice job there! At first the tube stripes look like really nicely applied decals, then I can't see a decal line... then I can... So that would be my question, too (concerning the tears/traps are definitely decals, I'd assume the tubes are too). Nice painting on the ear rank bars, too, by the wa. I believe what been mentioned as to the black teeth is the little corners at the bottom- they're not painted, just the teeth themselves. Otherwise everything lines up sharply and you're looking great! Good luck!

Much agreed! So much easier to do it EIB or Centurion from the start then retroactively do things.

As a side note... does anyone know of a better way to do this than Google Drive? Because it's been a hassle on my end and it keeps wanting to revoke the Public sharing status... which the whole point is to share this.

Try it again now, and let me know. It's showing up for me as corrected, but I'm not satisfied Drive is doing what I tell it to do. Also try opening in Google Sheets, not just the preview page that pops up- I think that was't refreshing, but the actual Google Sheets version was (at one point anyway). I spent time on this, I want it right! Thanks!

Looking pretty good so far! I noticed the belt placement and forearm return edges too, but those have already been well explained. Definitely follow Tony's build thread, and also others- even if they aren't your armor maker, there's a lot of cross over, and sometimes it helps seeing multiple different picture and angles. Also check out the EIB and Centurion threads for great close ups of a lot of different parts.

What magnet strength did you use for the connectors? This looks like a fantastic idea... will likely employ it with my Phasma.