justjoseph63

My pleasure, Stuart!

Both of those are fantastic options. sir.

Can I ask what image server you are using, Stuart? Have you tried imgur.com? It's free, easy to use to edit/resize your pics and there is no limit to the number of photos you can store. I have posted thousands of photos here using it and never had an issue.

Assuming you mean the rare earth (neodymium) type, I have personally never seen them used that way. Keep in mind that those are crazy strong, and depending on the particular strength/size can (will) jump up to 8 inches or more to re-connect with each other. They can also shatter/break if this happens (trust me). Plus, when you store your armor in your bin it could turn into a pain in the posterior plate as they would tend to stick together. I would be really interested to see any examples of this method, though! If you mean regular magnets, I don't thing they would have the strength. Using snaps is a tried and trusted method. Many troopers go with a single snap on either side of their connections and most have no issues, but I went with the "double snap" method. This way, you know that none of your connections will never ever come loose. Yeah, it costs a bit more in the beginning, but I like the peace of mind.

That's exactly how the originals were done, sir! It doesn't have to be pretty, just functional!

PM sent!

Looking forward to seeing your progress and build pics, Jeklyn!

WOW, it looks like you have been BUSY on those fixes, Robert! Great idea of making mobility cuts on the rear of the calf tops, and that TD plate fix... brilliant! But before moving along and getting that Centurion badge under your name there are just a few items to go over. The shoulder bells still need to be brought in. As I mentioned in your EI submission, it appears that you have the wiggle-room to do this, and it's just a matter of shortening the existing straps, either with CA glue or a needle and thread. Easy fix, brother! Reference images Another easy fix here... As seen in the first 2 pics below, the drop boxes are still a bit out of kilter. It could very well be the angle of the photo, but note in the reference image that the front edge should line up with the outside edge of the ABS belt. Just move those straps out toward the end and use a little CA or E-6000 behind them and you are golden. We will also need 2 more pics, sir: 1. Close up of ab plate 2. Photo showing the white elastic band(s) that holds the shoulder bridges down. You are SO close, my friend. So very close! As soon as you get these things done I will be proud to add that badge under your name!!

ONLY 5, 4, 3 2 1 SPOT LEFT, TROOPERS, SO TIME TO STEP-UP! 1000 Expert Infantry reached! Now that many of us are unfortunately stuck at home and boredom is beginning to take it's toll, it's time to wipe the dust off of that armor bin and become a part of FISD history! Instead of binge-watching re-runs, we are suggesting that you put the D.O. Staff to the test and spend some time on that white armor you miss wearing so much by applying for your Expert Infantry badge! As you may be aware, we are aiming to have #1000 approved by the end of the year. We only have 2 to go, so in order to reach that goal we are asking that you read over the CRLs for your particular armor, (this thread will help) make any necessary adjustments and post up your submission! Photo Checklist- Link here Apply Here Questions: 1. Not sure if I have what it takes to get my EI badge- You don't know until you try, and you have not only the D.O. staff but an entire Detachment to help! 2. I need some repairs/fixes first- This is why we are here! We honestly want you to succeed and are here to help in any way we can. 3. I am happy with the way my armor looks, so why bother?- It not only makes you look more screen accurate, it instills a sense of pride and "esprit de corps"! 4. What if I don't make it? No worries, we will provide detailed suggestions on how to reach your goal! Benefits: 1 Bragging rights for being one of the "Original 1000" 2. You get a cool badge under your name here on the FISD. (Street cred). 3. Access to EI rocker badges (coming soon) to go above your FISD patch (also coming soon)! 4. Access to coin runs for EI awardees only. 5. Certificate for your accomplishment. 6. You will have a more screen accurate looking set of armor, and be one step closer to Centurion!! 7. We are planning a VERY special piece of one-time-only FISD Exclusive merch to honor hitting this milestone! Know that the entire Staff and those who have reached Levels 2 (and 3) are here to help in any way we can, and that you are more than welcome (and encouraged) to ask any and all questions you may have here on this thread, or contact myself or Sha Sha. You can do it, Troopers. Let's turn this "anno horribilis" into a banner year for the FISD!

Ain't that the truth!

For Level 2 (EI) the CRL states that it must be "a wide type mesh". If you need the correct type, Tony has it for sale here at a really good price. Tight mesh (not acceptable) Wide mesh

Since you haven't added any strapping yet they will tend to twist. To prevent this and keep everything lined up, what I would suggest is that when you do get the correct placement, use 2 inch wide elastic or nylon instead of the 1 inch along with 2 snaps on each side of the connection instead of one. I know adding 2 on each side of your connections takes longer, but you can be assured that nothing will ever come undone during a troop. It's worth the extra time, believe me.

Welcome to the TRUE home of shiny white armor, Mark! You are indeed fortunate to be under the guidance of Dan, who is a legend here! Knowing that, I am expecting great things from you, sir, and I look forward to seeing your progress as you head for Centurion level (hint hint).

Terrific job so far, Garrett, and brilliant work on removing those return edges... DANG I'm proud of ya'! I realize that you are still in the fitting stage, and wise move to post up photos of your progress, but I have a few suggestions below if I may. Heaven knows that the movie suits were not perfect, but when doing approvals we are in search of the "ideal" TK armor to make you look your best and show off all that hard work! The trimming you did looks to be spot on, and at this point I would leave it as is. The issues below are simply strapping concerns that are easy to remedy at this stage to give you a little more symmetry. Keeping that in mind, here are a few pointers: 1. Yep, that right shoulder bell could be brought up a tad. Note the orange line second from the top. Raising the bell would make them more even. 2. The left bicep needs to be twisted in to get rid of the gap. 3. The left bicep is sitting lower than the right one. 4. I know you haven't attached the ABS belt yet, but once you do, the canvas belt looks to be in the perfect position to where the top of the ABS belt covers the bottom(s) of the ab-button panels. Nice work!! 5. The wrist opening height is a little different that the left. Not a biggie, but remember "symmetry". You have a lot going for this build, sir, and I can tell that your heart really is in it. Keep those photos and questions coming!

Not sure if you knew this, but AM (Dave) includes the rubber gloves and flexible hand guards with his commission builds.

Hi again, Justin, and thank you for your second 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. (I think you should)!! 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 HWT 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. First, thanks for a fantastic job on the issues you have already addressed, brother. We honestly appreciate all the hard work, especially with what you are going through... well done! Only a few items to go over in this area, sir, and I must say in advance that I am well impressed with your weathering job. Not too much, not too little. Just right! First up is the vocoder. Overall a nice job, but ideally the lines on the ridges should be clean, crisp and symmetrical with the tops a bit more rounded. I realize that as a HWT that we are expected to have a few battle scars here and there, but since this armor is based on ANH Stunt we are suggesting that you touch up the paint on the small ab-button panel. Reference image Although the Battlefront game does not show them, the original DLT-19s used in ANH had thin black wire holding the T-tracks on at each end. Certainly not a deal-breaker by any means, just more of an FYI as you seem to be a fellow accuracy nut, lol. Reference image (Screen used weapon) 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. Just one item to mention here, sir. The gap between the bottom ridges on your left thigh is pretty prominent and needs some ABS love. You can simply add an ABS shim behind it, or if you want to make it look awesome (hint hint) you can fill the gap with a tiny bit of ABS paste. Battlefront game images Reference image And there you have it, brother. A super nice job on this conversion, and I can't wait to see you take this armor to the next level so that you can join the ranks of the few, the proud, the HWT Centurions!!

Exactly. The shoulder bell to bicep and bicep to forearm strapping will keep them from shifting out of place if they fit correctly, so no foam should be needed. Foam is normally only needed if you find that the calves are turning out (usually the left one). I have AM armor for my Stunt and HWT (which can be used for larger troopers) but I cut it down to fit my frame perfectly, and your arms look to be be larger than mine! Note in my own "action shot" below that my biceps are pretty tight fitting, my forearm is tapered with minimal room at the ends with small wrist opening.

I would leave the return edge on the bottom of the chest plate just as it is, Thomas.

As Dan mentioned, trimming them down will help a LOT. I would start with trimming down the raised area that faces out (yellow lines shown). In this particular case, the sides of the 15 mm wide cover strip should extend all the way to the edge of the raised areas (see arrows in reference image). Same with the forearms. After that, since there are no ridges on the other side any further trimming can be done there to give you a better fit. Can you post some photos of the forearms showing the seams (both sides) for us? Thanks!

Front/back pics look GREAT, and THANKS! Just one last small thing before we can get that Centurion badge under your name, brother. I need you to spend 5 minutes with some (non-acetone) paint remover and a toothpick to remove that last bit of paint from above the teeth as shown below. I know it's a small detail, but these little nuances are what matter. You can do it!!!!

Looks like you are off to a fantastic start, Shane! One thing I would suggest is to save your ABS scraps. The wider ones (photo 1) can be cut down and used as interior cover strips to strengthen the joins. They don't have to be pretty, but will definitely make the seams stronger. This is especially important on the calf armor pieces, (photo 2) as those get a lot of wear and tear (flex) from opening/closing the backs when suiting up. Another thing that may seem like a no-brainer is to make sure the clear plastic protective cover is removed before gluing. My Hero armor is Anovos, and I found this out the hard way, lol. Lastly (for now) I would suggest using some of the scraps to reinforce a few areas as seen below (photo 3), as Anovos is famous for splitting/cracking there. A few well placed 1/4 inch shims on the inside will prevent this, but try to use single pieces for each and not sections. 1 2 3 I am following your build, so keep up the great job and keep those photos coming! Remember, when in doubt, post a pic before cutting/final gluing.

Some fantastic advice from @CableGuy there, Jonathan. Trimming them down just may do the trick! In looking at your overall build so far, I can definitely see a Centurion badge in your future should you wish to head there, but the thickness of those ears would have been a barrier. I realize that it is not specifically mentioned in the CRL, but for Levels 2 and 3 we consider source material (screen images) when doing approvals. Looking forward to seeing the updates!

My fault, Wayne.... Sorry about that, and thanks, Sha Sha!

You are making great progress, Emily, and especially nice job on that ear placement!! If I could make a few suggestions, they would be: 1. It looks as if the wire mesh in your Hovi-tips is of the fine type. For Level 2 and above it needs to be the wider (more open) type. Reference image 2. The paint at the ends of the frown is more Stunt style as opposed to Hero. Instead of the longer taper you may want to shorten it a bit with some (non-acetone) mineral spirits and a toothpick. Not the biggest of deals, but note how the paint on the teeth doesn't extent quite so far toward the tops as seen in Stunt frowns. Hero frown reference images Last up, as you mentioned the forearms/biceps will need to be reduced in size (the length is spot-on, though). It should not be snug against you, but should not look over-sized. The rule of thumb I use is 4 (maybe 5) fingers of space between your arm and the armor, with the wrist opening just wide enough to get your hand through with a little extra room. Keep up the fantastic work, and keep the questions and pics coming!

I'm gonna hold you to that, brother... Now that you have reached Centurion, I hope you will consider hanging around the boards and using all that you've learned to help and encourage others.