justjoseph63

I LOVE the fact that Dan has latched onto this subject and has such a passion for it! (Makes life as a DO much easier)!! You 'da MAN, Dan!

Although there are no current hard and fast rules as to brow height for OT TKs mentioned in the CRLs, in my Reference Guide I show at least 3 screen shots of each OT style. R1 is another animal, since the brow trim is often molded into the cap. At present, the CRL for L2 requires that it be"..positioned 1/4" above the eyes".

GREAT start... keep em' coming!

I always use Sugru to attach my lenses, Thomas. Not the cheapest, but certainly the easiest! https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/44593-how-to-attach-lenses-using-sugru/

OK Troopers, it's time for our annual design contest for Celebration! For those of you who have a creative mind and mad design skills, it's time to step up to the plate and possibly have your original artwork used as the official logo by the FISD to commemorate the biggest SW convention in the world in Anaheim, CA. this year! We are starting this contest early (in case there are delays in shipping) as we want to get these in your hands in time for the big weekend in August! The winning entry will be made into a patch, which will be worn and traded by hundreds (and seen by thousands) at this event. It will also be available as a T-shirt to show off your FISD pride! So how do you enter? Glad you asked! Here is the low-down: 1. The contest will be open to all members. If you can see this post, you can enter! 2. The competition will begin on March 9th and will run until April 9th. After that, a poll will be opened so that everyone can vote on the design they like best. 3. The number of designs you can enter is only limited by your imagination. 4. You are welcome to use any FISD logos in your artwork. 5. Shapes can be round, chevron, or custom. 6. Design MUST include full Detachment name (1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment), 501st Legion, date (Aug. 2020), Anaheim and LFL. Exact dates (27-30) are optional. 7. All entries become property of the FISD/501st Legion. The winner will be announced in the April newsletter and will receive two free patches and other cool swag (to be announced) as well as some serious bragging rights! The finished products will have their own sales thread(s) once the designs are approved and ready to order.

Looks fantastic, Robert! You definitely have an artist's touch with the painting skills, brother... keep up the great work!

WOW, William... looking GREAT! I don't see anything holding you back from Basic approval, but as you mentioned you might think about raising the biceps a bit more to stop them flaring out. Let us know when you get your official TK ID!!

As Cody mentioned, the cover strips on the thigh and calf should line up. Ideally, they should face forward (first photo) but some leeway is given in many circumstances as there were slight variations (second photo).

Instead of a "build" thread, a "refurbishment" thread! Awesome idea Lionel, and looking forward to seeing your progress!

You really don't need any return edges on the tops of the thighs, Alan. It's not a requirement at any level of approval.

You have some crazy awesome talent, Dan! WOW! However, the Youtube link comes up as "Video unavailable".

Perfectly acceptable, Jonas.

The exclamation points were to show approval, not disapproval. In the response that accompanied the photo I stated "the alignment of the kidney/ab gaps are absolutely PERFECT! '

Are you new to the FISD and wondering what the heck all those abbreviations and strange sounding terms mean? To help you along, I have compliled a list of the most commonly used ones that will give you some insight. If you have ANY questions about a particular term that is not listed or suggestions for new ones please ask! TK Glossary located at bottom of post Entries marked with blue asterisks ** are our "vetted" (tried and true) armorers. More information on them can be found here Acronyms A ABS- Acrylo Butadiene Styrene is a highly durable lightweight thermoplastic used by most makers of Stormtrooper armor. More info. here AM- Armor Master- U.S. based maker of ANH Stunt/Hero style armor ** (See DDD below) ANH- A New Hope (Star Wars episode IV) 1977 AOC- Attack of the Clones (Star Wars Episode II) 2002 AP- Authenticprops Canadian based maker of ANH Stunt style armor ** ATA- Affordable Trooper Armor U.S. based maker of ANH Stunt style armor ** (Sadly, no longer available) B BFG- Big Freakin' Gun Larger style weapons (T-21, DLT-19 etc.) used by HWTs, Sandtroopers and certain other TKs. C CFO- Cast From Original- UK based maker of ROTJ armor** CO- Commanding Officer CRL- Costume Reference Library List of all 501st costumes with a detailed description of each. Link here. CS- Command Staff D DO- Deployment Officer Responsible for approving troopers at higher levels (EI and Centurion) DD- Doopydoos UK manufacturer of various SW props, including resin weapon kits. UPDATE- No longer selling resin E-11 kits DDD- Dave's Darkside Depot Maker of AM armor (see AM above) DCA- Detachment Costume Advisor Offers advice to GMLs for approving various 501st costumes DCOG- Detachment Captain of the Guard Responsible for interpreting/enforcing rules, mediation and disputes. Also oversees disciplinary hearings and moderates FISD elections DF- Detachment Founder Paul (Daetrin) DL- Detachment Leader Elected head of a Detachment DMBO- Detachment Merchandise Branding Officer Responsible for all items pertaining to FISD logos and branding DPRO- Detachment Public Relations Officer Social Media, Newsletter, Publications, Photo Editing, Diplomat, Trading Cards, Content Editor etc. DWM- Detachment Web Master Systems Administrator/website gurus DXO- Detachment Executive Officer (XO is commonly used) Second in Command of the Detachment E EI- Expert Infantry Optional second level awarded for a more advanced screen accurate TK build. More info. here EIB - Expert Infantry Badge Official FISD logo used for the above rank. ESB - The Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars Episode V) 1980 EU- Expanded Universe Older term use for non-canon items/characters not seen in the existing SW films (books/novels/comics etc.) Currently referred to as Legends F FISD- 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment FO- First Order FOBG- First Order Battle Group. Area of the FISD dedicated to all things FO related. Link here. FOTK - First Order Stormtrooper FX- Older brand of TK armor. Armor is acceptable for approval up to EI with modifications. Helmet is not accepted for approval at any level. G GML- Garrison Membership Liaison Responsible for approving costumes at Basic level GCO- Garrison Commanding Officer Elected head of a Garrison GXO- Garrison Executive Officer Second in command of a Garrison H HDPE- High Density Poly Ethylene A petroleum based thermoplastic polymer used to make the 50 original Stunt helmets for A New Hope. HIPS- High Impact Polystyrene Used by some makers of Stormtrooper armor. More info. here HWT- Heavy Weapons Trooper As seen in the Battlefront video game series. More info here I IA- Imperial Attache FISD Extended Staff Officer. More info here IAA- Imperial Attache Ambassador- Staff Officer in charge of the IA program ILM- Industrial Lights and Magic Special effects company founded by George Lucas in 1975 for SW IPM- Imperial Propaganda Machine Pertaining to the monthly FISD newsletter/Facebook/Twitter/Discord accounts L L1- Level one Basic 501st costume approval L2- Level two Refers to Expert Infantry status. Please see EI L3- Level three Refers to Centurion status. Award for the highest level of screen accuracy for a TK build. LCO- Legion Commanding Officer Description here LCOG- Legion Captain of the Guard Description here LFL- Lucasfilm Limited Film/television production company started in 1971 by George Lucas. Now owned by Disney. LMBO- Legion Merchandise Branding Officer Description here LMO- Legion Membership Officer Description here LPRO- Legion Public Relations Officer Description here LXO- Legion Executive Officer Second in command of the 501st Legion M MEPD- Mos Eisley Police Department Detachment for Sandtroopers. Link here N NL- News Letter Refers to the monthly FISD online publication O OT- Original Trilogy (A New Hope / The Empire Strikes Back / Return of the Jedi) P PER- Personnel Officer In charge of various FISD administrative duties PM- Private Message PRO- Public Relations Officer Serves as the FISD's main voice on Social Media R R1- Rogue one: A Star Wars Story 2016 RL - Rebel Legion Info here ROTJ - Return of the Jedi (Star Wars Episode VI) 1983 RPF - Replica Props Forum is a non-501st forum for prop replication information sharing. RS- RS Propmasters UK based maker of ANH Stunt style armor** RT-MOD - Canadian based maker of ANH style armor ** RWA- UK based maker of ANH style armor** S SDS- Shepperton Design Studios UK based maker of ANH style armor T TB- Trooperbay Seller of various TK accessories. Link here TBA- To Be Announced TBD- To Be Determined TD- Thermal Detonator TD - 501st Costume designation for Sandtroopers TFA- The Force Awakens (Star Wars Episode VII) 2015 TPM- The Phantom Menace (Star Wars Episode I) 1999 TK - 501st Costume designation for Stormtrooper style armor TLJ- The Last Jedi (Star Wars Episode VIII) 2017 TM - Troopermaster UK based maker of ANH Stunt, ESB and ROTJ style armor ** T/MC- U.S. based maker of ANH Stunt style armor ** TROS- The Rise of Skywalker (Star Wars Episode IX) 2019 W WIP- Work in Progress WTF- Walt's Trooper Factory- U.S. based maker of ANH style armor ** Glossary of common TK terms A ABS Paste- Slurry made from ABS scraps and acetone used to fill gaps/seams. More info here Armor bite- Points where the armor (usually return edges) are too tight and rub against your skin or cut into you causing chafing/bruising Aurebesh- Writing system/alphabet used to represent spoken Galactic Basic (the most commonly seen form of written language in the SW franchise). B Brow Trim- Black rubber gasket with a U shaped profile located above the eyes that extends back to the center of the ears on a TK helmet Bucket- Alternate name for a TK helmet Butt join- As used in ANH and ESB armor where the seams on the biceps, forearms, thighs and calves are hidden with a cover strip C Cap- Rear section of a TK helmet Canon- For our purposes, as seen on screen or deemed a standard part of the accepted/sanctioned Star Wars universe Centurion- Highest level of FISD approval for screen accurate TK style armor Info. here Cheeks- Elongated semi-tubular areas located below the tears on a TK helmet Chicago screw- Fastener that has a barrel-shaped flange and is internally threaded. Commonly used for attaching the holster to the canvas belt. Classic (strapping system)- As used in OT armor, the torso parts are held together with metal brackets/straps in lieu of snaps/straps Cod- Lower tab of the abdomen plate that covers the crotch area Cover strip- Plastic strip used to cover the bicep, forearm, thigh and calf seams on ANH and ESB armor D Detachment- One of 16 specific factions within the 501st dedicated to researching, constructing and promoting a distinct group of costumes Double Cap rivet- Hollow bodied 2 part fastener with a dome on both ends used for attaching ammo thigh pack. Not screen accurate. (See Single Cap Rivet below). Double snap- The use of two snaps instead of one on the ends of a connecting strap, providing a more reliable/stronger connection Drop Boxes- Rectangular boxes located below the ends/tabs of the ABS belt on most TKs E Ear bar- The raised area in the center of the top (round) part of the ear on a TK helmet Ear bump(s)- The 4 raised ridges on top of the ear bar. Hero ear bars have 3 bumps Expert Infantry- Optional second level of FISD approval for screen accurate armor, given only after Basic 501st approval Info. here F Face plate- Front section of a TK helmet Fire Team- Although not officially recognized by the Legion or FISD, these groups form a common identity and spirit of camaraderie among approved stormtroopers in the same geographic area/Garrison that troop together. More info here. Frown- The upside down V shaped opening (tooth area) located above the vocoder/Hovi tips on a TK helmet G Garrison- The largest type of 501st unit within a geographical region containing at least 25 members. Currently 76 world-wide Gaskets- Black ribbed rubber or shiny black coverings used to cover the shoulders, elbows and knees of FOTKs. Greeblie- A small part (usually plastic or resin) used to accessorize a prop weapon or armor H Hovi (mic) tips- Short round black plastic parts attached in the recessed areas on either side of the vocoder on a TK helmet. Note that the ones used in the original ROTJ helmets were metal. Hero- TK armor style as worn by Han and Luke in ANH. Differs slightly from Stunt. More info. here Hyperfirm- Maker of high quality rubber-type TK weapons/props. No longer in business. K Knee plates- Separate knee coverings worn by FOTKs which cover the front area between the thigh and shin L Legends- Please see EU in the acronyms area M Merch- Term often used when referring to FISD/501st branded merchandise Mobility cut- Arc shaped sections removed from the top rear of the calf and bottom rear of the thigh for comfort purposes N Neck Seal- Black ribbed collar used to conceal the entire neck and openings above the back/chest plate. Examples here O Outpost- The smallest 501st Legion unit containing at least 1 member, usually outside the borders of an existing Garrison/Squad. Currently 30 world-wide Overlap (construction)- As used on ROTJ armor, this is where one side of the bicep, forearm, thigh and calf connecting seams overlap the opposite seam, eliminating the need for a cover strip P Pauldron- Soft part used by Sandtroopers, HWTs and certain other TKs that cover the right shoulder Pull- Term used in vaccu-forming. Often used with "bad" or "rough" when the ABS loses it's intended shape in the heat molding process. R Rare Earth Magnets- Incredibly strong neodymium magnets commonly used for holding armor parts together during gluing. Info. here and here. Recast(er)- Person who steals someone else's original design in order to manufacture and sell copies, normally at a discounted price. Info here Return Edges- Angles on the edges of many parts of TK armor used for strength or to give them a thicker appearance. Info here S S-Trim- Black rubber gasket with an S shaped profile installed around the opening of a TK helmet Shim- ABS pieces normally used to extend the sides of the kidney plate, but can be used in other areas as needed. Single Cap Rivet- Hollow bodied fastener with a dome on one end used to connect the thigh ammo pack. Screen accurate, but split rivets may be substituted. Head diameter should be 5/16" (8mm) Sniper Knee Plate- Hexagon shaped piece attached to the top front of the left calf Shoulder bridge- Ribbed armor piece that connects the chest and back plate Spats- Circular pieces which wrap around the lower ankles of FOTK armor. Split Rivet- Round head metal fasteners with a split (bifurcated) shank attached on the left side of the kidney/abdominal plate. Head diameter should be 5/16" (8mm). Can also be used to mount the thigh ammo pack Squad- Subdivision of a 501st Garrison in a distinct region containing at least 10 members. Currently 78 world-wide Stunt- Armor style as worn by most TKs in ANH. Differs slightly from Hero. More info. here Swag- Alternate name for merchandise (coins, patches) etc. See also Merch. T Thermal Detonator- Elongated canister clipped to the rear of TK belts. Examples here Thigh ammo pack- Semi-round armor flexible piece with rectangular boxes, attached to the bottom front/sides of the right thigh Tears- Irregular triangle indentations located below the the eye openings on TK helmets. Pronounced "teer" Traps- The trapezoidal shaped indentations located above the rear of the brow trim on each side and on the rear of a TK helmet Troop- An event sanctioned by a local Garrison, Squad or Outpost. More info here Tube Stripes- Blue curved lines located on the upper section of the cheeks on TK helmets U Under Suit- Black (normally compression) garment(s) worn under TK armor to conceal all exposed skin Y Yoke- Extended tabs that are attached to the back plate and extend over the shoulder/under the armpits on FOTK armor. V Vocoder- The 7 raised black ribs located in the recessed area between the Hovi-tips

You are close, William... so very close! It's pretty obvious you have put a LOT of work into this kit, and I honestly think you can bring it to EI and then Centurion level with some modifications. SO proud to see that you got rid of the return edges on the sides of the back and chest plates, and that the alignment of the kidney/ab gaps are absolutely PERFECT! Well done, sir! I realize that you are only trying to get your Basic approval right now, but I think you have the will and the determination to get to Level 2 (and then 3)! For that, you will need to raise the biceps and adjust the drop boxes to where the edges line up with end of the ammo belt and the shoulder bells, and the shoulder bells should have a much less significant gap in the front. The chest has a gap between it and the ab plate which must also be eliminated, but we can help with that.

If it raises your voice more than one octave, loosen the cod/posterior plate connection. Otherwise, you may end up sounding like Salacious Crumb.

I would probably pass Basic (depending on your GML), but for higher levels not so much. As Mario mentioned, you should add the chest/back armor and then see what you have. Can the cod/posterior/kidney be raised? If you look at the screen caps below there was a gap (although sometimes a small one) in that area. Plus, you may find that the outer edges of the posterior plate may get stuck under the thigh at times, which can cause a clicking noise when you walk.

I could tell right away that you have AM armor, Steve, and it looks like you have done a great job on it so far! Keep the photos coming and always feel free to ask any questions you have, no matter how small. One thing I would HIGHLY suggest is to get in touch with Gary jr. (whistle nut) there in the Makaze Squad. The guy is an absolute wizard when it comes to TK armor, and if he holds one of his famous armor parties at his "TK sweatshop" in Clermont it would be wise to attend. You can check the Makaze Squad boards or PM him directly here. I have known he and his wife for years (and his dad)... good friends and awesome people. Tell him Joseph sent ya'.

Now that's the spirit, Robert! Looking forward to seeing the results!

Hi Robert, and thank you for your EI submission! In the following review I will be going over a few items pertaining to your current submission, as well as those that will be required for Centurion level should you choose to apply. (And I hope you do)!! That being said, let's get started! 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 the D.O. Staff, 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. Starting at the top, your ears are a little off-kilter. Ideally, the top screw should sit just below the the bottom corner of the trap and the bottoms should follow in the same line. Not a deal breaker for L3, but something to consider. Reference images OUTSTANDING paint job on those ear bars, brother... among the best I've seen, but while the decals on your traps/tears is nice and shiny, it appears as if you used a flat/matte finish paint on them which kind of throws off the overall look. If you look at the reference images you can clearly see a sheen where the light reflects off of them. We are suggesting that you use a semi-gloss (or at least a satin finish) to make them look their best! Reference images The same with the frown paint. Reference images For a better look, the bottoms of the calves could definitely be tapered in a bit more. Reference image 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 EIB, 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. Before you read this section, remember that it's the small details that really count when it comes to Level 3. Using your obviously awesome build skills, you should be able to knock out the following issues in an afternoon! The TD may take a bit longer, but I have faith in you! Let's get to it, brother: While the right one is close, the bottom left ear screw could use a little work. As per the CRL for Level 3, "Ear screws shall be .... countersunk..." Left Right Reference images Although they may actually be present, I can't see the thin white elastic bands that hold down the shoulder straps. Be sure to add a close-up of these if when you submit for Centurion. Easiest fix ever! Reference images The gaps on the sides of your shoulder bells are SUPER close, which is what we like to see, but since you have the room we would like the tops of the bells as close to the bridges as possible to eliminate the gaps at the tops. Some quick strapping adjustments would do the trick! If you need a quick way to do this, just PM me. Reference images Your TD plate is sitting REALLY far back, and will need to be re-positioned. Your O ring is actually facing the rear and is barely visible but it should be facing upward, and the button panel should face outward. Unfortunately, in order to do this, the length of the clips will need to be reduced at the bottom. Note in the first reference/comparison image that the end of the clip at the bottom can barely be seen. NOTE: If you don't want to cut the clip down, I have another idea that may work and save you some time/effort. Just let me know. Reference/comparison image Reference images This issue could very well be a lack of a clear/close-up photo Robert. AMAZING paint job on those ab-buttons (WOW), but as per the CRL the paint cannot extend beyond the bottom of the raised button. A side view may help. As per the CRL, for Level 3 the ABS belt should "....sit at or just above the bottom of the central and vertical ab button panels". Raising this half or even a quarter of an inch (6-12mm) would make a huge difference. Reference image Reference image While the tops of your drop boxes are positioned perfectly against the bottom of the ABS belt, they need to be scootched out to where the sides are parallel with the outer edge of it. This is a super easy item to remedy... just slide the connecting loop out toward the end some, add a few dabs of E-6000 and you are golden! Reference images Although it's a tiny one, there should not be a clearly visible gap on the rear ridge at the bottom of your left thigh. (The right one looks GREAT)! Another crazy-easy fix! You can just glue a piece of ABS behind it, or if you want to go all-out you can fill it with ABS paste (or even white E-6000). The choice is yours, and either would work, Reference images The same with the front of the left thigh. Since the front has a higher visibility, I would suggest filling it or actually raising the ammo pack to cover it. Again, it's the small things like these that are important for the top tier. Reference images Up last are the tops of the calves in the rear. Since you can't really close up those gaps, the next best (and easy) thing is to turn them into "mobility cuts" as seen on many of the troopers in the films. This should take all of 10 minutes and would give you a much better look. You will not need to do the same thing with the bottoms of the thighs in the rear (unless you want to). And that's it, Robert. Like I mentioned, a few hours (or less) of work and this set of armor will look spectacular! I honestly hope you will take these items to heart so that we will see a Centurion submission from you soon, brother. If we can be of any help, just ask. Now, get out and make Lord Vader and the Japanese Garrison proud as their newest EI trooper!!

Looking forward to watching your build thread, Dixon! Remember... post LOTS of photos, which is especially important when you have an issue. It's always best to ask first before cutting or gluing if you are in doubt, and a photo really is worth a thousand words. Ask all the questions you need to (no matter how small)... we are here to help!

The spacing looks MUCH better, Thomas! You may want to think about rotating them in, though. Ideally, the thigh cover strips should line up (or be very close) to the ones on the calf.

You have some fantastic advice there, Thomas... this armor is looking better and better! If I could expand and add a few things, they would be: 1. As mentioned, the shoulder bells should be more evenly spaced in the front and back. SO glad to see that you removed the return edge from the bottoms of them! I would suggest taking Mario's advice about getting a tighter fitting under suit before final fitting. The excess material can (and will) affect the way your armor fits. At some point you will need to install the interior bicep straps, which along with the bell/bicep connecting strap will help keep them in place. 2. It looks as if you are leaning slightly to the left in the first photo. If possible, try to stand as straight as possible for fitting. 3. As seen in the third pic, I'm sure you are aware that the rear tops of the thighs will need to be trimmed, and the bottoms should be level (easy strapping adjustment). 4. Also in the third photo the posterior plate tab (green arrow) will need to be connected to the cod with a strap. But, (unintentional pun) when you do that the sides may flare out a bit (if so, this can be remedied). The red arrows show where you will be getting stress. Depending on how much return edge you have and the angle they are cut at will affect this. Note in the screen used plate how there is a crack at that point. Sharp angles anywhere will eventually lead to splits.. and making sure the angle has a slight curve will help prevent this. Incredible job so far, Thomas, and I applaud you for posting so many photos and keeping up on this thread!

1. You should cut these down a bit, especially to get rid of the 90 degree angle at the front. Anovos is famous for the return edge on the neck splitting/cracking (red arrows). If you want to keep that return edge, be sure to add a thin (1/4 inch) shim** behind it. I would suggest losing it altogether. ** One solid curved piece... don't use short ones. You can trim the tops down as much as needed, just follow the existing curves. BUT, do this before final fitting (gluing the backs together). VERY important! The bottoms of the thighs can be kept like they are, just sand down those rough edges. Keep up the great work, and keep those questions (and photos) coming!

Roger that, Justin. I hope you feel better, brother, and our thoughts are with ya'.