Trooper 666

I used satin on my Bucket. approved no problems.

Greetings, TK-19819 requesting access please. http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=21199

so, my last post in here. life has finally quietened down, and i have had a chance to make the requested 'fixes' from our GML... And am very happy to announce that my numbers have been issued and troops completed. ID # TK-19819 thanks to everyone for the encouragement and support, especially Sskunky at CFO. couldn't have finished without his level head and sage advice during a few minor (well, not really that minor) hiccups along my 501st Journey. looking forward to what the legion throws my way...

So, a quick update for everyone... few little fixes to make, mostly around the belt (putting the holster on the wrong side doesn't help... the other main issue was the join lines down the shins and thighs weren't straight. so will have to pull them apart, carefully cut/sand/grind them on a flat surface and re glue them. Hovi mic tips weren't straight, but will be be replacing them with actual speakers from the kit made by ukswrath. system works great, just need to figure out best way to mount it all... also looking into some wireless options to make mounting stuff easier. @SLY11, would love your opinion about the joins. any advice is most welcome... the ONLY unfortunate thing is, Life has got so hectic with studies that i literally don't have the time right now to fix these little issues. bring on the holidays i say, 2 or 3 days into them will hopefully re submit for approval... @Disco, my sister lives in Brisbane, so you never know, i may come up and troop one weekend... on a side note, is anyone reading this from Badlands Garrison?? I am hopefully heading over there in sept/oct for 3 weeks. If I do make it, would love to meet up with some International 501st brothers and swap swag/stories. I'll also hit up their garrison forum, just a stab in the dark on here...

thanks Mark. few little fix's i've already noticed, but more for centurion. things like pad out the shoulder bells a touch more.

K@nne, the decals weren't brown, but they were dark. asked our GML about them, and he said if i wasn't happy with them ten that pretty much answered the question. so yeah, got yet ANOTHER set of decals, this time the ESB set from trooper bay. much happier with them. it also may have been the dodgy lighting in the pic i posted, as they weren't that dark in real life, but they weren't great either... having had a good look at the pics, i also think they need a bit more padding in the shoulder bells at the bottom to make them push out a bit more. especially as i want to apply for EIB and Centurion. thoughts??

cheers for the support guys, posted my approval pics today to our GML. now the fun part, waiting to see... lol some of the pics for everyone to add the 2cents worth - look forward to all feedback.

Hi all, been a long time i know but Life has finally slowed enough to allow 5 minutes to do a major update. while I may not have posted much, I have been quietly working away at my build, receiving my replacement bucket and blaster, and nearly being done so here we go... the box when it arrived (special shout out to Mark at CFO. really quick turn around and he bent over backwards to help) this was a replacement face plate, back'n'cap, ears AND an E11 RotJ blaster resin replica Kit.. so the bucket didn't take too long to assemble (being My second attempt and all) also painted Ab plate and attached the belt. I have also attached my holster (on the left hand side to allow for magazine to protrude into space instead of my leg) going through reference pics/the movie. not many shots showing TK's with holster's, so I was wondering if anyone can clarify which side the holster should be on??? (easy enough to change sides if needed....) recently finished the bucket, getting some bubble lenses from Fenix (originally for the Tie Pilot helmetet, but they work just as well in a TK, and Don't bugger your vision...!!!! I am also aware i need the black stipes/bars around the ear bumps. My main concern is with the decals i was ordered from Fenix. they claim to be RotJ accurate, but i believe the front traps are too dark. looking ar ref pics, they should be the same colour grey as rear traps & tears. any advice?? can anyone recommend Good decals at a decent price i can get ASAP if the ones I have are no good... Cheers (Mark, the one's i originally received from you were too blue. i was advised by recent TK who applied for centurion to get some from Fenix, but now i have my concerns about them too...lol) AND finally, here is a pregress pic of trying on the kit (Minus a bucket, was still waiting for it this point) a few changes have since been made, including the addition of the holster, shrinking the size of the bicep armour and adding strapping in the bells to hold them down over the biceps (also a requirement for centurion.) also the assembled blaster to finish off the long, long update. sorry for the flash glare, but who needs to see my face anyway... lol and the E11 Ok people, have at it. all feedback welcome... cheers, Luke

So a quick update (been slack, i know...) Armour is almost complete (plenty of pics to upload, just been too busy to actually get them on here...) just a few bits of strapping to finish, paint a few buttons and attach the belt and drop boxes and the body armour is all done. NOW to the sad part. My bucket was mishandled by someone i live with, and is damaged beyond repair. Have been in contact with Mark at CFO, and new parts needed are being organised. also getting my E11 at the same time, cut down on shipping costs overall.. We're having an armour party tomorrow, so will post a few pics of that up too, possibly be me kitted up (minus the bucket obviously) so until the replacement bucket and blaster arrive, my build will take a bit of a Hiatus. but that's ok, allows me to deal with LIFE!!! lol

So, strapping has commenced, and is now almost complete. nice tight fitting undersuit arrived yesterday (monday), and it feels so good that i've ordered another one. so here are some pics from the start of the strapping weekend, just seeing if everything aligns and fits ok before attaching the strapping. and a side on view.... it all fits nicely (in my opinion anyway!!!! ) so a few pics up later this week of everything that's done so far.

CfO all the way, If you want to do a RotJ TK. Mark is great to deal with and very knowledgeable about good ways to assemble his Kit.

time for an update (and some pics) Almost have all parts glued and trimmed, just a few of the smaller parts to do/finish (shoulder straps, knee pad/belt/knee ammo belt/trim around butt&kidney plate) with my build, I have opted to do all joins outer over inner, as sizing seems to fit me quite well with some small pieces of foam for padding in a couple of pieces only... (some pics up in the next couple of days...) And some pics of the glueing process.. Have taken a step back from the bucket for a while, just not quite focused enough to tackle it atm... mostly trying to get the details painted right and fixing the helmet liner in...

Thanks for the clarification Mark. it's coming together nicely now i have a much better idea of what I'm doing. Having done a big 2 day convention (wrangling) and seen how a few different troopers have put theirs together, something has just clicked and now it all makes sense!!! only thing holding me back is allowing the glue to set properly.... OOOhhhhh, First world problems

@Star1687, Yep, same problem. the join is nice through the middle section of the shin, but at the top/bottom sweeps back. but having looked at some source pics (including those in star wars costumes: the original trilogy) RotJ Stormies had similar issues. @Disco - did you ever get it confirmed, outer over inner, or inner over outer for shins/thighs/forearms/biceps??? and how much of a return do i need on those same pieces. obviously none on front of forearms for centurion, but what about the rest. CRL doesn't say, and nobody has clear pics. any advice? i have left about 5mm on my returns, but happy to make it less so it wont dig in... Also, I've heard of a few TK's spraying the interior of their buckets black/rubber. any thoughts???

Hey everyone, Just a quick update, not much achieved recently, as been down with Pneumonia (who the hell gets Pneumonia in the Australian Summer??? well, I am in Melbourne after all...) pics up over the weekend of the little i have done. another quick question in relation to the Joins on shins/thighs/forearms/Biceps... does the cut edge that can be seen HAVE to line up with the folded/molded edge of the internal piece, or can the join line seen in the middle of it??? cheers, Luke.