justjoseph63

Looks like you are taking this to the extreme, Adam, and it looks fantastic! I noticed that you are hollowing out the ejection port guard... are you planning to add this in? On my last build, I decided that it simply needed it. Will anyone ever notice? Probably not... but I will. I used a spare piece of ABS, carved it into the U shape, and added a short length of a nail I cut off. Is it 100% accurate? Again, probably not, but I think small details like this add that certain "je ne sais quoi".

If you keep going at this rate, Tahitoa, the next thing we know you will be able to actually fire this weapon!

Great idea, Mark! You make it look so darned easy! What style of TK are you using these for?

Trooperbay does sell on ebay, Adrian, but his items are approvable, and he is a reputable seller. As for armor being expensive, it's a case of "you get what you pay for". Yes, the kits (armor) offered by the vetted sellers on here aren't inexpensive, but these folks have spent countless hours perfecting them to meet 501st standards, whereas the sellers on ebay, etc. are selling glorified Halloween costumes.

Some people like to use a rivet gun, (as seen in many of the builds), to secure it together, Jack, but there are other alternatives. They are pretty inexpensive, and you can get one that includes the rivets at Lowe's, Harbor Freight, etc. One thing I invested in that really helped me out was a "needle file" set from Lowe's. It has 6 different styles of tiny files, and was perfect for the teeth. Ran me about $4.00. Another product that I swear by is 3M's "Sandblaster Pro" sanding sheets, (220 grit). These are like sandpaper sheets, but are made of silicone. You can roll them up, wad them up, twist and turn them, and they pop right back into shape. They are almost impossible to tear, waterproof, and seem to last forever! Great for tight areas like the teeth openings, and everything else. For attaching the eyes, I used a product called SUGRU. It is sort of like silly putty, but is actually a glue that you can mold. I simply rolled it up into little snake-like strips, pressed it in around the inside edges of the eye openings, pressed them in, and let it dry for 24 hours. Leave a small opening at the top for ventilation, though. Available in the painting dept. at Lowe's or online at https://sugru.com/ As for the "vents", decals will certainly work. If you have the time and patience, and since you are aiming for Centurion*, I would suggest the painting templates offered on Trooperbay, https://trooperbay.com/trooper-helmet-masking-templates.html. If you decide to go the painting route, PM me and I can give you a few tips to help you out. * To reach Centurion, decals are acceptable, as long as they "emulate" hand painted.

It probably wouldn't hurt to get in touch with Mark, (captsafe66) who is the Provost Marshal, to see if he can offer some guidance.

It's strange that the serial numbers match Doopydoos. I have built 3 DD's and noticed several differences in the etsy one as opposed to DD, like: 1. DDs has a pronounced "lip" on the bottom front of the folding stock, this one doesn't, it's more rounded. 2. This one has a shorter barrel end. 3. DD's sights are not this well defined straight from the box. 4. There is a small hole with a highly defined "dimple" in the folding stock. DD's simply has a hole there, and sometimes not even that. 5. The 2 vertical indentations toward the front of the folding stock are well defined. DD's isn't. These are just of the few things I noticed, as well as some differences in the Hengstler counter, etc., Also the etsy one does not have an inner barrel or spring, and the front ejection port is not securely attached. Unfortunately I don't do the Facebook thing, but would be really interested in seeing the conversation! Etsy Doopydoos

I went with the antenna, and it worked out well .

If you go with Imperial boots, I would recommend ordering the next size up like I did. I had heard they run a bit small, and I also wanted room for padded inserts. Worked out great!

It's not that I don't like the other styles. (ROTJ, ESB, ANH Hero), but I knew that I would be eventually going for HWT (Heavy Weapons Trooper), and that is based on the ANH Stunt armor. The fact that there were many more build threads available helped my decision.

One of the main things I had to learn about becoming a TK is patience, Phil. I am by nature a very impatient person, but I used the "hurry up and wait" time to build my blaster, get all my supplies lined up, order my accessories, and do countless hours of research, especially on EIB and Centurion level requirements. BBB day will be here before you know it, and soon after you'll be out trooping. Worth the wait... trust me!

Congrats on a job well done, Aaron!

I had a few issues posting (including photos) until I switched to Google Chrome. Since then, no worries.

Congratulations on a top notch home conversion, sir! Some great suggestions there by Ian there to add those "finishing touches" to your build, especially adding the flat piece at the end of the magazine. After watching this build, and seeing the results of your hard work, I can't wait to see what sort of incredible things you do on your TK build thread! Again, great job!

I think the one from Mark is priceless... Vulcan: "We took care of the Klingons in our galaxy, now it's your turn..."

That could very well be the funniest photo I have ever seen on this site to date, Tim! Thanks for the huge smile

I also have Gazmosis' holster... built like a tank! Darman makes great products as well.. His neck seal is the bomb! Here is a link to his holster thread:http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/16744-leather-e-11-holsters-35/

Stay well away from that ebay seller, Adam. It IS a recast, despite what he says. This set is made in the Philippines and is NOT 501st approvable.

Mine base armor is also ANH, Jim. The good thing about becoming a HWT is that you have the option to change back and forth between that and Stunt. I simply made my drop boxes detachable. There are a lot pack of great builds and info. on this link, http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/45-heavy-weapons-trooper/. The ones I used were from Tony (ukswrath) and Templar 726. For the main pack body I went with the oil pan from Bavarian Auto Sports, (see photo) because I liked the "bulk" of it, and it it really light from Charles' (Templar726) build. If you need any help with finding accessories, like the ammo packs and such, or information in general, just PM me. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/30034-hwt-backpack-build-part-1/ (Tony's build) This is the link to the HWT CRL requirements: http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:TK_hwt Pay no attention to the pack in the main photos, it needs to be changed. Go by the one in the photos near the bottom

The first thing you will have to do is purchase the armor, and the only 501st approved one available right now (as far as I know) is made by jimmiroquai. Then, you will need to find someone to put it together for you... (not an easy build, from what I've read). ANOVOS should be coming out with theirs sometime this year, but no one knows exactly when. You should probably expect to pay in the neighborhood of $2000. + for the kit and build if you find someone willing to do it.. Then, there's the matter of accessories: Boots, blaster, gaskets, pouches, gloves, etc. Also, you will need to cover shipping to the builder, and return shipping to you. I honestly don't mean to discourage you, but until they become more widely available (I am waiting to order one as well), and people get comfortable doing the build, the prices will be high.

Holy cow, Tahitoa, this is looking fantastic!!! Nice attention to detail sir!

Pics are always welcome, Ben! It would definitely provide a better reference for us to help.

Those boots are looking great, Patrick! I noticed that you are using Velcro on the forearms, though. You should actually not need that, unless your hands are much too large to fit through the small end. I they aren't, I would suggest gluing them permanently with an inside cover strip, (which will make them very strong) as well as an outside cover strip, as seen in the photo. The only place you should really need Velcro for is the back of the calves, (which will also need an outside cover strip). Halten Sie die großartige Arbeit!! Side note: I am really liking your work surface.. With all those colors, it looks like a cool abstract painting!

I have ordered several replacement armor pieces from ATA, and always been VERY happy with both the quality and customer service.