justjoseph63

The good news is that you will be building this set yourself! Hopefully you will be aiming for Centurion right out of the box (completely possible with an RS kit), so this way you will be able to avoid the issues from your commission build (ab/kidney rivet placement, etc.). We are here to help, so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions!

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

LOL. A lot of it will depend on just how much difference there is in color. Pieces can certainly be whitened... not the easiest thing to to but well worth the effort.

WOW, and THANKS!

If you mean the stock, after getting it perfectly smooth I used some 80 grit to emulate the grain. If you mean the butt, that's the way it came. The ridges are about 1/16th of an inch deep.

Exactly. If I could ask a favor, could you post up as many photos as you can of this? The reason being is that this is a fairly common issue, and perhaps you could help others by showing the process. Thanks!

The helmet can be the most frustrating part of most people's builds. but yours is coming along nicely! A few paint issues that should be pretty easy to remedy, but hang in there... you are on the right track and doing great! If I could make a few suggestions they would be: As per the CRL for Basic approval, the paint on the teeth should not extend into the gum area. Most of yours are perfect, but there seems to be a bit much on the tops of the ones shown. A little non-acetone paint remover, a toothpick and some Q-tips and you will have it nailed! Note in the reference image how the paint in the tears goes all the way to the inside edges (just like your side and rear traps). NICE job on the stripes! A valiant effort on the tube stripes, Rob, but as you mentioned it would be best to remove the ones you have. If you want to go with decals (no white background) I will send you a set (no charge.. I'll even pay postage). Just PM me if interested. Not the biggest of deals but certainly an easy fix here. The brow trim should be a little shorter. I know the ear gaps are bothering you, but as seen below many (if not most) of the originals did indeed have gaps (part of their charm). Your left one is perfectly acceptable at all levels, but your right one could use a small trim. SUPER nice alignment on the ear screws! Last up, I noticed that there appears to be a small anomaly on your posterior plate. That (and all) areas should have a smooth finish, The reason being is that small areas like that can be prone to cracking. An easy fix with some sandpaper! Keep up the awesome work, Rob, and keep those photos and questions rolling in!

Yes sir. Please note that the original diagrams included an antenna, but those are no longer allowed at any level. (Those were crazier times, lol). BUT, as mentioned in that first post we do allow some leeway, as not everyone has access to the same build materials.

I noticed during my build that after dry fitting the pieces the entire thing was a bit wobbly. I drilled out the center of all the components and added a 36 inch long 3/8" aluminum rod (Lowe's) for stability.

"Of course, there will always be the one trooper who is totally anal (that would be me, lol) and will nit pick it, but I generally ignore them..." Get ready for some nit-picking and ready to roll your eyes, Ron... I know many (if not most) paint the butt-stock in black, but the ones in ANH were natural wood (brown) as seen in the main detention block room and in the screen used one below. (It sold at auction for around $85.000.00). For my 3D version, I painted the stock brown and striated it with some lighter brown/tan to emulate a wood grain. Not nearly as shiny as the originals but I am happy with it. Either color is fine for all levels of approval.

Welcome to the FISD, Michael! You've been given some great advice so far, and know that we are here to help every step of the way. Before BBB (Big Brown Box) day arrives, my advice is (as others have suggested) to research all the build threads you can. I also recommend getting all your build supplies in order ahead of time. I have a thread here that will help, as well as a few tutorials under my avatar below. Staying organized is a big part of a build, but more importantly it's a matter of taking..... your..... time. Trust me on that one. Rushing leads to mistakes. Post up lots of photos (especially when you have an issue) on your build thread and never be afraid to ask LOTS of questions. It's what we're HERE for!

Just be sure to glue small strips of form fitting ABS behind the gaps before adding the paste. This provides reinforcement and gives the paste something to adhere to. HINT: Don't go crazy when applying the paste. Trust me. Use just enough to fill the seams without too much on top. Otherwise you will have a LOT more sanding to do.

Looking GREAT!

To be honest, even after studying the pieces on their site I find their system really confusing as well. I can see a few items that I can recognize, but most are a mystery. Another issue is that like Anovos it utilizes Velcro. In my experience, Velcro can (and will) fail over time do to extended use from opening and closing it repeatedly. The snap system takes more time, effort and money but if done properly the connections will never come loose on a troop (especially the double snap system in the photo Glen posted.. I swear by it). If you are up to making your own, I have a tutorial here: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44617-snap-setting-101/

As long as it doesn't go above $100. not a bad deal, based on the fact that shipping is over $75.00.

You can certainly get away without purchasing a Dremel type rotary tool to use for the helmet, but since you will eventually be building a whole set of armor I would suggest picking one up. It will make things much easier (trust me) and it comes in handy for all sorts of projects in the future. You don't have to buy the Dremel brand, though... there are many less expensive alternatives out there for a lot less. Here is a cordless one I found on the UK Amazon site for less than 25 pounds. As for the tool box, absolutely without a doubt. Staying organized during your build is one of the things I suggest most, and this is an excellent idea!

Fantastic work, Luca! From what I can see it looks as if the cover strips are ready to attach, but just make sure that the tops are not too tight. There should be enough room to comfortably insert 4 fingers (or so) in between the tops of the thigh(s) and your leg. If you need a bit more room you can always trim off a little of the return edge (yellow line). "Visibly hand painted, so maybe I'll do a bit of clean-up in the future". Just the way it's supposed to be! CRAZY nice job on the both the painting and placement of those tube stripes. You mentioned you still have a few touch-ups, and I would think about widening the lines in the tears a bit. As Glen mentioned, the vocoder could use a little black paint love. If you have one, I would suggest using a small "Filbert" style (round end) brush for clean/crisp lines. You really are doing a wonderful job on this armor, Luca. If you keep up this rate of excellence, I fully expect to see your submission for Expert Infantry right after Basic approval. Bravo!

Way to go, Georgia! If we can be of any help with Centurion level, just let us know.

I would definitely remove the pointed area on the top of the forearm as it can will poke into you and may cause snags/rips in your undersuit. Excellent job on the wrist/hand guard spacing, and the posterior/kidney gap is absolute textbook. NICE WORK!

You have a few issues, but you are moving along nicely, Luca! Once you get to meet Tino in person he will be a GREAT help, I promise! It may be the angle of the photo, but without seeing a full length image and not knowing your height/weight I see what may be a potential issue. As per the CRL, "... all costumes are proportional to the wearer in scale, fit and size". Although I can't see the left one, in looking at the photo of the right one below it appears that the rear of your thigh tops might be way too large in circumference and are extending too far back behind the posterior plate. As seen in the reference images they should ideally sit closer in and may need to be reduced. Reference images If this is indeed the case, it's not as hard to do this as you may think. The blue dotted lines below show an example, but it's best to do it in increments until you get the right fit. As for the tops, I would suggest evening them out as seen with the yellow line. Those points WILL cut into you when walking, especially if they sit high. On a side note, if you do decide to reduce the size of the tops, I recommend getting rid of some (if not most) of the return edges, especially in the groin area to prevent chafing. More info on that can be found here. Again, once you and Tino get together he will be able to explain a lot of the nuances that will help, and in the meantime keep posting up lots of photos and asking lots of questions!!

And yet they still continue to market TK armor kits (link here) using an "Interest List". Shameful, especially at $1200.00 a pop, and that doesn't include boots or a blaster. I remember buying mine for $300.00. Side note: The Mouse has to make a profit, of course. The last time I was there (earlier this year) they had a full set of FOTK armor for only $6615.00 (sans weapon). I came THIS close, lol.

THANK YOU for your submission, Georgia! One of us will be with you shortly, so hang in there!

Can't wait to see more of the progress!

Hi Zack! The only 2 items we can see are the light sabers, but in looking at your total it looks as if there are other items. If one of those is a set of Stormtrooper armor, can you provide a link? The reason I ask is that if you are interested in joining the 501st, anything made by Rubies is not accurate. Not even close. The helmets are not accepted at all, and the armor takes a LOT of work to meet standards. There are many vetted vendors (link here) who can provide a top-notch kit you if this is your goal. If you are asking about the light sabers, I would suggest checking out the Sith Lord Detachment (link here), but anything Stormtrooper related we are more than happy to help with. Just ask! (Especially before spending any money)!!

Thanks, Rich! I have added her in as a pauldron maker, but this information could also be added to Tony's @ukswrath FOTK vendors list here. Not sure if she makes OT holsters (material may be too thin) but worth asking!