justjoseph63

If I could make a suggestion before gluing the cover strips on I would trim down the tops as seen below. The reason is that those return edges can cut into your arms while bending them. Here are a couple of pics of screen used armor which will give you a better idea: If you decide to do this, I would highly recommend sizing them again afterward to make sure the openings are not too wide, which will make them too loose. "Also, apparently I have used my entire 512kb attachment allocation... How do people usually cope with this for threads with lots of pics"? I use Imgur. Free, easy to use and unlimited photo sharing capabilities! Here is a tutorial that may help: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/42381-howto-post-images-in-threads-using-imgur-easy/

Great to have you here, Dan! If you have any questions or concerns with reaching Expert Infantry, just ask! We can assist you with any issues you may have, but it really helps a lot if you can include photos. If you have any problems posting them let us know.

I can't see a thing holding you back from Basic approval, Andrew. GREAT job on that armor! Once you get your official TK# I can see you taking that kit all the way to Centurion. If you decide to aim for that, there are a few small items (super easy) that will get you there. One that jumps out is the ABS belt placement as Daniel mentioned. In your first photo it looks pretty good, but in the last one it looks a bit low. I noticed that in the front of your ab plate that it appears you have no snaps or Velcro to hold it in place. If you can't install snaps, a couple of strips of Velcro attached to the cloth belt and ab plate would keep it in place,

Congrats, brother! You went above and beyond on those suggested fixes and it certainly shows! GREAT job!!

Looking SHARP, @kman!! The only thing that bugs me is that you are too clean. lol! Some charcoal powder would certainly make you look as if you just came out of a battle.. Looks as if you used Spool86's resin parts on that T-21. SWEET!

Nice job on this so far, Pat, and EXCELLENT idea of putting a full size reinforcement behind the shim! I would actually extend the mobility cut as seen below, and the back cover strip will hide the bottom of the V shape where the existing bottoms come together. Some ABS paste, a few hours of sanding/polishing and you should be good to go! Hint: To make life easier, don't go overboard with the ABS paste. You want to use just enough to fill the join with a tiny bit of a "hump" to make the join even after sanding, but not too much. Adding it too thick can add a lot of time removing the excess and getting it smooth. Keep up posted on your progress, and add lots of detailed photos. The reason behind that is because it would make a great tutorial for those in the same boat.

To give it a bit more flexibility at the bottom and allow it to sit closer to the front of the calf, it couldn't hurt to remove a bit more from the lower part.

The mount for your E-11 (while a cool idea) would probably not pass basic HWT requirements if your GML adheres to the the CRL, as it specifically states "...no extra greeblies." (extra parts not shown in the CRL photo). The requirements were changed a few years back because people were putting all sorts of items like video monitors, etc. on their packs. When trooping, individuality is fine, but you want to look pretty much like the person next to you if they are wearing the same costume. This is one of the reasons we have the CRLs in place. As Tony mentioned, what you do after approval is up to you. I actually mounted my E-11 to my pack similar to what you did at one point, but found that the extra weight caused the pack to lean and shift to the left so I removed the mounting straps and abandoned the idea. Plus, even having even that little bit of extra weight can take it's toll after an hour or so of wearing it, trust me. As for strapping, I used 1 inch wide black nylon, attached by doubling over the ends and bolting it in to the plastic areas as seen below. By using the 1 inch wide nylon it allows the straps to rest between my shoulder bridge/shoulder bells so it puts no weight on any particular piece which can cause cracking. Some use the padded type of straps, but I am leery about putting any extra weight on my shoulder bridges/bells that could cause them to crack or split over time. This is the way I personally put mine on: 1. Connect the clips on the left top/bottom straps. 2. Have someone hold the pack while I put my left arm through. I make sure the strap sits in the space between the shoulder bell/shoulder bridge. 3. Hold the pack with my left arm while someone connects the clips on the right side. 4. Ask that same person to attach the shoulder pauldron. 5. Done! In case you are wondering what the extra strap is for, I attach my shoulder MP40 ammo pouch to that. It just loops through the strap on the back of the ammo pouch and holds it in place. By the way, AWESOME job on that pack build! If I could make one suggestion, it would be to scuff it up a bit to look more "battle worn". If I can be of any help sourcing HWT items or if you need specific help, please feel free to PM me!

A GREAT start there, sir! As mentioned, squaring out those teeth would be more screen accurate and give you a better look. If you live near a Lowe's or Home Depot, I suggest getting a Needle File set for a few bucks:

I had this same exact issue, David. CA glue releases fumes which fogged it up, so I ended up wet-sanding it with super fine (3000 grit) sand paper until it was fairly clear. After that, I used the Novus scratch removal paste to get it clear. https://www.ebay.com/p/Novus-1-2-3-Plastic-Polish-Set-Scratch-Remover-Cleaner/1231451712?iid=400082797682 It probably seems like a waste of money to buy the Novus set rather than buy a new lens, but it sure comes in handy for armor as well. I ended up attaching it using plain old Elmer's glue around the edges, applied with a toothpick. Dries clear, holds great.

I have only been stopped by the police once, (at a police sponsored event, actually). They wanted to check out my T-21 not for security, but because they thought it was cool. They got a kick out of the fact that it is made from rubber, and got a laugh when I reminded them that even if it were real, Stormtroopers are not known for their accuracy.

"First, why is there 2 sets of "ears" for the bucket"? It is more that likely that you have a set of "Stunt" ears and a set of "Hero" ears. The difference is that the Stunt has 4 raised ridges on the "bump" and Hero has 3. "Second, should I have gotten decals for the bucket, or will I have to order some or hand paint myself? If I want to order, any suggestions from where?" If you didn't receive decals with your kit (some armorers supply them, some don't) you can order a set. Just be sure that you order ones that have a "hand painted" look as required for ANH. ANH Stunt/Hero ESB/ROTJ If you want to go the decal route, these are what I would recommend: https://trooperbay.com/dave-m-helmet-decals This set also includes the tube stripe decals** **As per the new CRL standards, note that tube stripes: Ideally, the tube stripes are positioned approximately a pencil width from the side of the cheek. Fall of tube stripe tops ideally lean toward the front. If you have basic painting skills you can do them yourself (which is what I suggest). They don't have to be perfect. Just try to make sure the outside lines are not too thick. I noticed that you did not cut out the 4th tooth. (GREAT job on the others)! Are you aiming for Hero? For basic Stunt approval and above, Frown is painted gray and does not leave the teeth area. Eight total teeth on the frown are cut out. For basic Hero approval and above, Frown is painted gray and does not leave the teeth area. Six total teeth are cut out and frown is tapered at both ends.

I keep it strapped to the top of my bin with bungees (one in each direction) and carry my T-21 on my shoulder.

Did you get a chance to read this, Simon? Quite informative: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s53lnuh9rq5xe7a/E11 Power Cylinders Analysis.pdf

Only one more before you get you badge, Arthur. Keep up the great work!!

Looks fantastic, Adi... that extra work really paid off, brother. Nice job!!

As mentioned, steer clear of Anovos. If you are looking for larger armor, I suggest either AP [email protected] or RT-Mod [email protected].

Certificate issued, sir, and congratulations!!

Truly one of the (pardon the pun) coolest things I have seen here, Glen. What's next, a blue milk vending machine? Bantha jerky?

Besides what has been mentioned, Kevin, 2 things that may affect basic approval are: 1. As per the CRL, the shoulder bridges "..shall be securely mounted in the front"... Not sure about the right side, but the left one needs to be glued down. Easy fix! 2. In the back, the bridges extend too far over the tabs and look to be a bit wide. The bridge should not overlap the tabs at the top of the back plate. You can also trim down the sides of them if this helps. The backs of the straps should be parallel (or close to it). This can be done by measuring when gluing them down. Nice job overall on this, sir, and best of luck on your submission!

Welcome, Jarvis! In addition to the link Sly11 included, you may want to also check this one out: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/19329-where-what-and-whom-to-avoid-when-buying/ We are here to help every step of the way, so please feel free to ask any and all questions you may have. Best of luck on your TK journey!

Glad to see things are progressing nicely, Michael! What I would highly suggest is to post your photos (as many as you like) directly on to your build thread here. Many of us use imgur (imgur.com), which is a photo sharing site that allows you to edit and post them directly. Here is a link to a tutorial to make it easier, but if you have any issues feel free to post them here or PM me directly: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/42381-howto-post-images-in-threads-using-imgur-easy/

Welcome back, Mark! Those should be fine, and it was wise to post up a photo before gluing them but it would help to have a pic of how they look on the raised plates of the ab. You did a great job making sure the corners are square instead of round, but note that ideally the edges of both should stay inside those raised areas, preferably with a slight space around them. Keep up the great work and keep those photos coming!

GREAT job on that sniper knee fix, Pam!!

The double caps will work just dandy, but the ones used in the films were single cap.