justjoseph63

Fantastic, Paul! Dave should supply most everything you need, but while you "hurry-up-and-wait" for your kit to arrive, I suggest ordering your boots and picking up an under-suit. This thread may help.

Definitely ROTJ armor except for the shoulder bells, non-inverted large ab-button panel, presence of a pauldron and drop box placement. Helmet frown looks to be gray like ANH and not black. Looking forward to seeing more dovetailed images of this!

Down to 35 now! Congrats to Dan Newman, (TK 62910) on his approval as EI # 965!

Hi Daniel, and thank you for your EI submission! In the following review I will be going over items pertaining to your current submission, as well as those that will be required for Centurion level should you choose to apply. CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required submission photos have been posted and I am very pleased to announce your armor displays all the necessary elements to qualify for ANH Stunt Expert Infantry. On behalf of Sha Sha and myself, 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. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. Always great to see a sharp looking set of RS armor, brother, (especially Hero) and yours is no exception! You only have 2 items that need some small tweaks but nothing too major for this area. Let's get started, shall we? Up first are just a few simple strapping issues. Your right bicep sits lower than the left and we strongly suggest that you raise it up a little over an inch or so to give you a MUCH better look. This would balance them out and give you a more symmetrical appearance. It would also help keep it from popping out from under your shoulder bell as seen in the third photo. In doing this, it would create a wider gap between the top of the forearm and bottom of the bicep, so the forearm would have to be raised a bit so that you have the same gap on both sides (the right gap is spot-on). The other issue is the angle on the top of the sniper knee plate. It's close, but for a better look we are recommending that you trim it down to closer match the reference images. EASY fix! Last in this area is a small issue, but one that should take you about 30 seconds to remedy. A dab of white paint on the thigh ammo pack rivet cover(s) would eliminate metal underneath from showing through. Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than those for Expert Infantry, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Although not specifically mentioned in the CRL requirements, we have traditionally insisted that the tops of the shoulder bells either touch or be very close to the shoulder bridges. From the back they look to be good, but bringing them in half an inch would look much better, as well as reduce the gaps on the bell/chest plate. Although the seam on the shim is approvable for EI, for Level 3 it cannot be present, must sit flush, be filled and have a smooth finish. This may sound like a tall order, and it does take some time and patience to do but there are some fantastic tutorials here from other troopers who have had great success. I can give you all the advice you need via PM if you have the time to tackle this project, (and I hope you do)! Your left drop box positioning is absolute textbook, but the right one needs to come out a bit to where the outer edge of the box lines up with the outer edge of the ABS belt. This is a super easy fix by just moving the strap out a bit as seen in the second photo and dabbing a bit of E-6000 in the green area. Last up, the gap in the bottom rear ridge needs to either be filled** or have a white ABS shim behind it. ** If you opt to fix the shim seam on the kidney, you can use some of the ABS paste for this. And that's it! As I mentioned, you have an great looking set of armor there Daniel, but with some tweaks and a bit of work on that seam you could really bring it to the next level! Since trooping is on-hold right now hopefully you have the time, and we are here to help with any of the issues you need. Again, congrats on your achievement, and thanks for representing the Florida Garrison, the FISD, the 501st (and let's not forget Sumter county) as it's newest EI!

I can't believe I forgot that. I normally have a photographic memory, but I think I ran out of film on that one.

It sound like you are interested in the OT (original trilogy) trooper, which are the most popular. I have a thread that breaks down the differences in each one of these that may help, and you can find that here. You are only about 30 minutes from me, and once you get your kit if you feel like bringing it down I can give you a hand with your build.

Hi! Trooperbay does not make armor kits., they only sell supplies and accessories. Do you have a link to the site you are looking at?

Haha, I'll take that as a compliment, Lou. (I happen to have a little experience in these matters, lol).

¡Hola! ¿En qué tipo de Stormtrooper estás trabajando? Las bolsas tipo lienzo son aceptables para TD (Sandtrooper). Tengo uno de nuestros miembros (TKSpartan) que se pondrá en contacto con usted para ayudar a explicar las CRL.

Looking STELLAR, Shane, and excellent idea with the bicep cover strip shims... you are NAILING it! One small thing you may have noticed is that you have a point at the top of the forearms. I would suggest using your Dremel tool (with the sanding drum attachment) to even that out a bit so that it won't snag your undersuit. I can't tell you how VERY glad I am to see that you removed all the return edge from the tops and bottoms of the biceps. EXCELLENT! I must

Welcome to the FISD, Jason! Not to worry, sir, we have you covered from A to Z. The first thing you will need to figure out is what type of TK you are interested in building (you have 16 to choose from). After that, it's down to who you will be purchasing your armor from. We have some fantastic threads with lots of information on where (and where NOT) to get it, so depending on the type you choose there are a lot of options to fit all body sizes. Your best bet for the time being is to start delving into the "Getting Started..." section There is a ton of information here, but don't let it intimidate you. If there is a particular question you can't find an answer to all you have to do is ask and we will help. It's what we do best! As a fellow low-country resident (Mt. Pleasant) I may also be able to help with your build on a local level once you get to that point. As I mentioned, we are here to help every step of the way, so never be shy about asking us anything you need (or want) to.

Looking SHARP, Daniel! We will be with ya' shortly, sir.

If you don't have rubbing alcohol, I would use Windex (or vodka, lol). You don't want to use a chemical that may leave a film residue of any sort which may affect adhesion. As for installing the components, I would wait as long as you can... like a week. The reason being is that while some products can seem dry (like paint) they need to cure, especially when you have applied multiple coats. Better safe than sorry.

The reason I asked about seeing the bottoms is that I was wondering why they didn't sit closer to the biceps. The return edges are mostly off (), but the curvature may be doing it. The one on the left below is pinched in, and the one on the right has a flat side which may be pushing them out, giving you that larger gap. If this is the case they may need a hot water bath to round them out (not as difficult as you may think). Reference image # 2 shows the way they should ideally fit The bells really should be the same height. This is an issue I've not personally seen before, and may need to be addressed at some point. The bottoms can be trimmed down as much as needed and do not a need a return edge at all as seen in reference image #1. The inner drop box can stick out a little in the back, but shouldn't go out farther than the one seen below in pic 3. Reference images 1 2 3

Yeah, they certainly drag their feet, but I have never heard of anyone that never received the product. The last kit I ordered from them took over 2 months! After 60 days and zero answers to my inquiries I contacted PayPal. They intervened and the next day I received an email and the shipping info.

"Paint all the rivets that need paint (12 off the top of my head, the crotch ones dont get painted right?) 12 rivets?" It should only be 8. 6 on the ab/kidney connection (left side) and 2 on the thigh ammo pack. The cod rivet, posterior tab snaps and "Han" snap do not get painted. "... belt (it's being made right now by a local 501st member)" Would that be Gary or his wife Ann by any chance? Can you post up a pic of the undersides of your shoulder bells for us? Thanks!

Trust me, you are doing exactly what I wish everyone doing a build would do, and that is to ask questions and post photos before moving ahead! So many times we see folks trying to speed up the process and forge ahead with no guidance, only to find out that in their haste they have cut or glued something that will be a pain in the posterior plate (or impossible) to fix. Posting photos is a bit of work, and some folks may be embarrassed by asking for help, but the FISD is a "judgement free" zone and we actually encourage questions of all sorts. Your build thread and others like it are a shining example of how it should be done, and for that I applaud you, Caleb!

Hi Cesar! To convert a set of Anovos Stunt armor to ESB should be relatively straightforward. For Basic approval, the gloves can be rubber, Nomex. leather or "Leather-like", but for level 2 (EI) they must be made of rubber, black silk or satin (or silk like) material. Silk or satin may be difficult to find in men's sizes, though. The correct ESB decals can be found here You can find the clam-shell hand guards online here Another thing you need to think about is that for Basic 501st approval the holster is not affixed to the canvas belt, but is attached with 2 black leather loops and worn on the right side.

Welcome to my world, Cricket! Amazing job so far, but I have one question: Are you taking commissions for the full size version? (Just kidding). I think we need to change your FISD Kudos title to "Best SW Mom Ever"!

When building a set of TK armor, there is no such thing as having too many magnets, lol.

The lines you have look pretty close to the original ones, but they are a bit wider than many seen onscreen. Is this a big deal? Nope. The main thing to focus on is if you have enough to go over the tabs on the back plate and space enough to attach the white 1/4 inch elastic. Being a taller trooper, 4 bumps on the front (not including the large one) of the chest plate will be good. If you need less, it's not a deal breaker for Centurion. We completely understand that troopers come in all shapes and sizes! By the way, your back/kidney/posterior plate connections look spectacular! NICE JOB!

Well, all I can say is looking at that armor she was definitely not a member of the 501st Legion. While I honestly appreciate her enthusiasm, no GML in his/her right mind would pass that kit even at Basic approval. .

OK Daniel, I think I know what went wrong. This issue really piqued my interest, so I actually spoke to a chemist at Eclectic products as well as the person who is in charge of packaging design there and got some really interesting information. The product you show in the photo is legitimate, but as Chris mentioned there is an export issue. Unlike Asia, Australia and most other countries, the EU does not allow solvent based products such as regular E-6000 to be imported, so they came up with E-6000 Plus. It is actually is a completely different technology/formulation and is solvent free, but I was told it should work fine on ABS with no issues if used correctly. BUT, with it's unique properties it does not cure at the same rate as regular E-6000. To use it effectively, you will need to look at the technical data (2 pages, a quick read) from Eclectic products located here. Side note: All the people I spoke to at Eclectic products are well aware that we love their product!

Now THAT'S the spirit, Jim!! If you have any questions, I am always available via PM if you need.

In looking at the photo below it does appear that way, but it could very well be the angle of the photo. If you look at the width and curvature of the right one as opposed to the left one there seems to be a pretty big difference. If you could post up a few "straight on" pics of the left and right together (front and back, no need to suit up) we can figure this out! If this is indeed the case, it's honestly not the biggest of deals to fix though, Thomas. I had to do the same thing on my first build (and a lot more), so you are in good company! Your build so far has been incredible, so don't let it get you down, sir. You can do this!