justjoseph63

I know a great place to come for help! Are you planning on 2 separate build threads?

Wise words, Chris. Many folks want to get things done in a hurry, but that often leads to issues. Are both these photos of the same bicep? The reason I ask is that the return edge on the one on the right is much thinner than the one on the left.. which looks GREAT! When sizing (and before gluing) it's important to make sure that you have removed all the return edge that you want. Otherwise, if you do it afterward the opening(s) will be too large. Some troopers like the thicker look of keeping them on, but depending on what piece it is (like the inside top of the thighs) it can be uncomfortable and cause chafing. Glad to see that you used inside cover strips! Although not everyone cares for them I use them on all my limb pieces- especially the calves,

Correct, lol. Looks like it's back to the drawing sculpting board... so time yet again for me to go all Adrian Monk and overanalyze this thing. From what I can tell, it's not just a button but is part of a larger piece as seen in pic 3 below. The silver color kinda' gives that away. Could it be a clip? Plus, it looks to be longer than my present one (pic 4). So, what I am going to do is enlarge it as seen in pics 1 and 5. Since the folding stock is 15 mm wide it will stick over the top a bit... but I'm OK with that. The button part will be thicker of course, but since it will have a larger surface area on the back for adhesive it will keep it from being knocked off easily. 1 2 3 4 5 If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!

Agree 100%!

I believe you are correct, Tino. My day just got MUCH better!

Welcome to the FISD, Jason! If you had the chance to read the link re: Makerofthings that Justin posted, you will know that they are re-casters, meaning that they have stolen the designs from others. As much as we don't condone this in any way, it happens. My first TK kit (before I knew about the FISD or 501st) was from them. After building it I noticed that the bucket was WAY too large and there were other issues. I ended up selling it on ebay as a "Halloween costume". BUT, this does not mean that your kit will not be accepted at Basic 501st approval (or even higher levels) if it meets the requirements in the CRL. We are here to help, so always feel free to ask any questions. I would suggest starting a build thread here and be sure to post up lots of photos (tutorial link here). If I can offer 2 main points of advice, they would be: 1. Take... your.... time. Don't rush your build. 2. If unsure, always post up pics and ask for advice before cutting or gluing. Trust me.

Trimming to the pencil line you have drawn looks pretty darned good to me. Some were rounder than others, but I would have no issues with passing that at Centurion! When it comes time to attach the ammo pack to the thigh I have a few suggestions if I may: 1. Make sure that the rivets are not too close to the corners. 2. It should not be an issue at Basic and is not specifically listed in the CRLs but traditionally for Level 3 we have required that the rear edges of ammo pack be an equal distance from the "corners" of the ridge at the rear. 3. As for the height it sits at in the front, the majority had it either angled up, covering the front ridge completely as seen in pic 1, just enough to cover the bottom of the ridge (pic 2) and there were a VERY few that had it lower than the ridge (pic 3). Version 3 may pass at Basic, but for higher levels we look for the "ideal" trooper and there can be no gap. Lastly, the amount of ABS you leave above an below the boxes is up to you. As seen below some had more, some had less. What you have at present is just fine, and I wouldn't suggest trimming it down as it provides some strength and will help prevent any cracks. Hope this helps, and keep the questions and photos rolling in!

REALLY nice job, Mark! Looking at the left thigh bottom it appears that you are heading for Centurion! WOO-HOO! Keep it up, brother...

Hi Peggy! As Glen mentioned, it depends on what you want it for. If you are just looking for something to wear to Cons, Halloween or such you can find kits on ebay**. You will still need to put them together of course, but there are many precise build threads here to help. ** ebay armor can be dodgy. Many times the quality is terrible, even for a Halloween costume. If you are looking to get 501st approval, then I would check out the vetted vendors thread Chris gave you the link to. Unfortunately this is not an inexpensive hobby.. Besides the kit (around $650. or so depending on the vendor) there are the boots, undersuit, blaster, build supplies, armor bin, etc. that you will need. I think it's safe to say that the total cost will run around $1000.00 or so. But, with 501st approval you get the chance to wear your armor during "troops" at various events all year long with your local Squad/Garrison and meet a lot of great like-minded SW fans! If we can be of any help, just let us know!

Posting up the photos Dan mentioned here will definitely help us determine how best to help, Jonathan. Altering the circumference of the thigh tops/bottoms or both is fairly straightforward, but knowing what product (CA glue. E-6000 etc.) was used to construct them would be especially helpful.

OK- so I had a little time this morning so I did some digging around and it seems like Jonathan is onto something. When I designed mine, the only image we knew of was the main one of the side view, and it looked to be fairly flat. But, his pic got me wondering if there were any more. So, having no life I managed to find another which shows the thickness. It's faint, but if you look close it shows the front greeb on the folding stock as well. Now for the bad news... In looking closer, I discovered yet another greeb. Yikes. It looks like a mini donut that sits on top of the magazine and has a wire/tube connected to the scope. I am sure this was a one-off.. (please, Lord, tell me it's a one-off), and I am going to forget I ever saw that extra item.

Hi Jonathan! First, EXCELLENT catch on this, sir. This will come as no surprise to those who know me, but you have officially ruined my Sunday! (LOL, just kidding). Just when I thought I had it nailed, you come up with a pic showing that this particular greeb is definitely thicker than I thought. It's the first photo of a side view I've seen, and the shadow underneath it proves this IMO. However, I don't think it was the same one used on Leia's DDC for a few reasons.. Although the thickness looks closer, the close-up in the first pic shows what seems to me a flat, square top, whereas the button has a smaller top with the sides angles inward. I could be wrong of course, as the blue arrow in the last pic shows what could be those sides, just unpainted. But, there is still the rest of it to explain. The yellow arrows (3rd image) show some sort of clips(?) and although the top is level with the folding stock it is a different color (green arrows), leading me to believe it was one whole piece. Unless we get one of the original prop makers involved (highly unlikely) I don't think we will ever know exactly what strange part was used, so I am thinking I may need to re-design my original.

I assume you are using imgur to post you photos, Paul? If so, to post them onto an email to your GML is really easy. When ready to send, go to the page as seen below but instead of using Direct Link as if you were posting them here, scroll over the image and right click. Once you see the menu come up, left click on Copy and than paste in into your email. Done deal! It may also be a good idea to edit** the pics down to show more details and remove some of the background. This As opposed to this **This is also super simple to do.. should take you less than 10 minutes to do all your photos. Instructions can be found on my thread here. If you have any issues or questions I am more than happy to help. Just PM me. I think I can speak for the entire D.O. staff when I say that once you get 501st Basic approval that we hope to see your submission for Expert Infantry!

Thanks, Glen! I didn't realize what I had here, and forgot that the 501st was originally going to be a Squad. I think I'll hang onto it! 2017 saw the twentieth anniversary of the mighty Legion.1997 saw the beginning, with a small but proud squad.

The strapping all depends on your personal taste, Gerald. I personally don't attach the straps to the rivets in any way and I put snaps on them to attach them to the plates, so # 2 for me. The reason being is that I may have to replace the elastic in the future (and I have) so that way I don't have to remove the rivets to do so. The most important part of setting those rivets (as I'm sure you know) is the placement of the rivets themselves. Note on the diagram below how the measurements are taken from the center of the rivets, not the outside. Looking forward to seeing your results!

Thanks for those! The reason I asked is because of the return edges. If I could make a suggestion, it would be to smooth out the area seen below a little more. Any time you have an angle in a return edge (yellow arrow) it's best to round it out as much as you can. The return edges take the brunt of any movement, and that's normally where cracks will start. That area and the angles on the bottom of the posterior plate are where we see this happen the most, so I though I'd give you a heads-up. I know it's a small thing, but may save you some headaches in the future.

I don't remember where or when I got this patch, but I just now noticed that it says "501st Squad" (???) with Vaders Fist in Aurebesh. It's a 20th anniversary patch of some sort but has no LFL branding. Has anyone seen this before? Just curious. Thanks! It looks yellow in the pic but is actually made with shiny gold colored thread.

Absolutely. Saves any ambiguity when it's in black and white (or blue/red in this case).

Almost there, Paul! I have a strange request if I may.. can you post up some close-ups of the areas below? Phenomenal paint work on those ab plate buttons, but is the ABS/canvas belt attached to the ab plate in this pic?

Excellent choice, Robert. I've been trooping in IB boots for 7 years and no issues. The only thing I would suggest is to order a half or full size larger than you normally wear as they run a bit small.

I saw ANH over 60 times (seriously) when it first came out in '77. 8 years ago I decided that rather than collecting Stormtrooper action figures, I wanted to BE one, lol. What a great journey it's been so far!

Excellent point, Brien! I have added this to my build thread: *** Please be aware that this product should only be used outdoors or in a well ventilated area. It is also highly suggested that you use a mask and gloves.

Now THAT's the spirit, Matt! You can certainly enjoy your new status.. you earned it, brother, and starting a thread is an excellent idea! Your issues are nothing we haven't seen before and can be remedied of course, but I like your "can-do" frame of mind!

Looking good, Chris! On your shoulder straps, it looks like you could use a bit more trimming. The fronts should "ideally" be squared off, but this will not affect approval at any level, it's just one step closer to screen accuracy. Depending on your height, you can also remove the large tab in the rear (as long as you leave enough to go over the back plate tabs). Keep those photos and questions coming!

Way to go, Matt! If we can be of any help with any of the issues, just let us know!