justjoseph63

The dimensions are fine, Eric, but to be honest I would go with the cardboard one from Michaels for a few reasons: 1. You want to keep your pack as light as possible. Even a few extra pounds makes a big difference after a few hours of trooping (trust me). 2. The latch is pretty large and would be really unsightly, and the piano hinge would look odd. 3. Even if cost is not a factor, 3 bucks as opposed to 21 is a big difference.--------------- If you are concerned that the cardboard will not be strong enough, (as I was) you can reinforce the back by gluing a sheet of thin plastic (like a For Sale sign) inside and use washers when attaching it. The photo boxes are pretty heavy duty, though. Mine has held up like a champ despite being banged all to heck after countless troops. As for storage, there really aren't many things you would need to keep with you on a troop. I keep everything in my bin, including my wallet and keys, and unless your bin is in an unsecured area, no one will mess with it, I promise. (We tend to be a very honest bunch, and look out for each other's stuff). I have only felt the need to lock mine once (unsecured area) and I just kept the key to my bin on an elastic band around my wrist) or you could let a handler hold it.

Really nice job on that AP armor, Jenny, and I wholeheartedly agree with Greg, sniper knee looks great! As noted, if you could add the side view close up shots to this thread that would be awesome. Tony or I will be with you shortly!

Here are a few photos of my 3D build, sir. The widest points (front and back) are 1 1/2 inches, and the concave part in the center is 1 inch wide. Hope this helps!

If you have the time and patience, it is a lot less expensive to build your own. Most supplies (nylon strapping, snaps, elastic) can be purchased on eBay or picked up at Joanne's fabrics or a similar store. If you do decide to do it yourself, a cheap soldering iron will help a LOT. Here is a link to my snap setting tutorial if it helps: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44617-snap-setting-101/

The Staff has voted, and the winner of the STORMTROOPERS: Beyond the Armor book is Dave C. of the Empire Garrison! Vicky was a close second, and will receive the official 501st car decal. On behalf of Randy (magni) and myself, congrats to you both, and a big thank you to all who participated! I will PM the winners to get your shipping info.

Thank you for posting the different photos, Jose. Again, as you know Centurion is all about the details and looking sharp. Please take care of the following so that we may move your submission along: 1. I am glad to see that you got a new set of boots, but please remove the dirt from the soles (unless you are going for Sandie, lol). 2. Thank you for updating your hovi-mic tip details, but I see you have removed the tube stripe decals from your bucket and replaced them with painted ones. Unfortunately, you will need to clean up those stripes up before proceeding. The lines will need to be crisp and sharp as seen below in the reference image. Once this is done, please post the required left and right pics of your bucket. Reference image We also still need the a close-up photo showing that you have the correct flat "pan head" TD screws as required in the CRL. Clips shall be attached with slotted, pan head style screws These are the type you will need: As per the CRL, you will need to bring the clips in close to the end caps Thermal detonator belt clips are positioned with little to no gap between the clips and the end caps Reference image

I would go with at least 5 or more. You can get them pretty cheap online: https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-inch-Heavy-Duty-Plastic-Spring-Clamps-Tips-DIY-Small-Tool-Clip-Jaw-Opening-P1/263439219641?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=562461783249&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 You will also need Neodymium (rare earth) magnets. I recommend getting no less than a dozen of this or a very similar size, but NOT ones that are ant thinner, as they can (and will) break/shatter easily. https://www.ebay.com/itm/8pcs-Super-Strong-Neodymium-Rare-earth-Magnet-Disc-for-sale-3-4-dia-x-1-10-thick-/281060567699?hash=item417083ea93 There is a link under my signature below to my tutorial which may help with the magnets.

Well, I have another project that will require some mad graphic art skills, and since my computer skills are famously lacking I need some help! I have the artwork and ideas, I just need a creative soul to help me make them come to life. It's not a huge task, but I simply don't have the ability to tackle it. If interested, please PM me and I can discuss the details. Payment for services can be money or swag. THANKS!

My apologies for the delay, Troopers, and thanks to those who entered but the winner will be announced here on Monday!

You beat me by 15 seconds, lol.

I don't see a big problem with reinforcing the shoulder bridge, A.J. It is not a CRL requirement, so you would be good to go al the way to L3. BUT.. For aesthetic sake, I would definitely make those seams disappear, (you could file or Dremel them down on the edges). Another thing you will need to consider is the fact that once you glue those together, there will be no way to bend it any farther. You may want to find out the correct angle you want, bend the shim and then glue it at with the correct bend.

You can try Imperial Boots, Otis. They are closed until August, but make a really nice product. When you go to the home page, look under "shoes" and you will see their Classic 421 model. https://www.imperialboots.com/ The only thing I would advise is to order a size larger than you normally wear, as they tend to run a bit small.

I would go with one Rob's, Stan. They are made to order for your particular size, and the quality and customer service are top notch. I own 3 and could not be happier! https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/19803-fs-white-canvas-belts/

Much better, Jeff! You will probably learn a lot on your first troop (congrats, BTW!) about how you armor fits and what may need to be adjusted.

Hi Stan! This is the way I have done my pouches for years, and it works out really well. For the belt packs I used two pieces of 1 inch wide aluminum (about 10 inches long), bent them in half and used epoxied them directly to each pouch vertically, (photo 1) and covered the outside piece in white duct tape as not to scratch my armor. These slide directly under my canvas belt, stay firmly in place and are super easy in put on and take off. Hint: Don't use aluminum that is too thick, as it will snap when you bend it. For the shoulder pack, I added a tab of nylon onto the left strap with two (if you do this, be SURE to use two) snaps. You can run the tab through the bottom or top loop on the back of the pack strap, depending on how high you want it to sit. Don't go too high, though. If the pack sits too high it will make it difficult to turn your head/helmet. Hope this helps! Side note: GREAT to hear that we have another HWT on the way, but please note that pouches must be leather (or "leather-like") for all approval stages. The photos show white stitching on mine, but that is only on the back. The front white stitching was covered with a black Sharpie marker.

Hi Jose, and thanks for your Centurion submission! Tony or I will be with you as soon as possible, but in the meantime there are some issues that will need to be addressed before we can proceed, brother: You will need to post the following required photos: Helmet left side Helmet right side Side view of helmet S-trim Rear photo of E-11 showing D-ring As you know, Centurion level is all about the details, so the following things from your EI submission should still be addressed: 1. The 4 button ab plate trimmed Reference image 2. The tube stripes need to be raised, they Tube should be approximately 8-9 cm from the face and consistent on both sides). Reference image 3. Shoulder bells brought in closer to the shoulder bridge Reference image  4. Drop boxes should to be aligned Reference image 5. A bit more trimming on the "hump" area of the forearm Reference image  6. The screws in the TD must be the flat "pan head" type. Reference image 7. Now that we have a clearer photo of your boots, it shows that they have a seam, which is not permitted at level 3 as per the CRL: There is no seam present on the front of the boot Reference image Reference image 8. The 3-D print lines blaster should be sanded down.  Reference images Thanks very much, and I look forward to seeing how things turn out!

Hi, Markus, and thank you for your EIB application (and your patience). Let's get to it, shall we? CRL and EIB Application Requirements:All the required submission photos have been posted, and your armour meets all the necessary requirements for level 2. On behalf of Tony and myself, we would like to welcome you to the rank of Expert Infantry! Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly: In this section we review observations made by your fellow troopers and ourselves. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. It's always great to see an incredible build, sir, and you have done an amazing job on that TM armor! The only thing that we would like to see is your tube stripe decals repositioned a bit. They should come up closer to the cheek, and the rear should not arch down as much. This should be a really easy fix. Reference image Reference image Centurion Suggestions: Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all we can from what is seen but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. At this time we have nothing to add. Congrats again on a job well done and hope to see your Centurion submission soon!

You will need to sign up over at the Carolina Garrison, Nathan, http://www.carolinagarrison.net/?page_id=436 , and then get in touch with Jason Hill, their GML (Garrison Membership Liaison) who will do the approval. Be patient, though... GMLs have to approve costumes from the entire spectrum of the 501st, not just TKs.

Isn't it supposed to be on the right shoulder?

I should have explained that in a little more detail, Ron. This is the gap I was referring to: Reference photo

You got some perfect advice from Dan there, Ron. You can trim the kidney plate right at the blue line shown, just make sure the top of the kidney is raised a bit to match the edge of the ab plate. You seem to be a detail oriented guy, and as Dan mentioned your armor looks to be fitting you very well (especially the posterior plate/kidney connection) so I would definitely consider taking this armor to at least level 2 (Expert Infantry) after basic approval! (The blue dots are a rough idea of where the rivets go, hint hint). If you haven't already done the strapping on the back/kidney connection, I would bring that in a bit as well. Keep up the great work, and be sure to ask any more questions you may have. We are here to help!

Congrats on your EI, Jared! I would try putting a snap setup in the center of the backplate/kidney connection to draw it in a bit more. See you at Centurion soon!

In the process of reviewing the newest ROTJ EI app., I have also noticed a few additional items that may need some CRL love, for example: The current requirement for ROTJ L3 shoulder bridges is that they be held down with elastic (as in ANH), and that they shall "free float" in the back. In looking closely at the screen caps, there is no evidence (that I can find) of the use of elastic bands, and it also appears that they are affixed(?) in the back, (Velcro)? This one actually appears to have rivets in the back, (probably a one-off, though) I say we remove any references to the elastic strap and free floating requirements altogether, as there is no evidence, (again, at least that I can find). Perhaps something along the lines of this for L2: "Shoulder straps must be curved to where they lay flat against the back plate, and may be affixed with Velcro if needed to achieve this". ?

For those in the U.S. I now carry the resin type as well: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/45196-for-sale-black-resin-e-11-magazines/