kman

I'm curious about this eye shadow thing. I would think it would wipe off shiny armor pretty easily... but that's an issue, if it comes off too easily. I'd hate to get hugged by someone wearing all white (Leah?) at a troop and have half of my weathering go with her... and one steaming mad hugger!

Rough gig.

I concur. The RS armor is outstanding, but pricey, and delivery dates for completed armor are an unknown. If you can afford it, and aren't in a hurry, it's a great option. The Anovos kit delivery time is also something of an unknown, unfortunately, but the price is MUCH lower. It's not "the best" armor out there, but it's a solid, decent choice. Many, many 501st members trooping happily in Anovos armor, myself included. (and I'm 6'3", $220, btw... you'll fit even better than I do) I would avoid the Anovos completed/pre-built armor like the plague, for all the reasons Brian mentioned. Insane price, bad (non-fixable!) assembly, one size fits all (if you define "all" as "only those with the ideal body type") and equally unknown delivery times. All of the downsides, none of the upsides. Building armor to 501st specs is not that much more difficult than building to any spec that's remotely accurate. I agree I would definitely go that route. And trooping with others who feel the same is a LOT more than just being some random guy wandering around the parking lot wearing armor, LOL!

Correct. The belt fix is the only MANDATORY change. There are many others you'll really WANT to do, though, optional or not...

I concur. I have nothing bad to say about Imperial Boots, but for US-based buyers, TK Boots is likely to be an easier transaction, since they ship out of SoCal and keep stock on hand (check before ordering to make sure they have your size, of course). IB's wave system works as advertised, but it's definitely not fast, even if you get lucky and they're going a run. TKB is a little cheaper, as well. And yes, they send you a sticker, a patch, a shoe horn (I got 2!) and storage bags for the boots. For people outside of the US, the math is different, and IB may be the cheaper option.

You shouldn't have a problem with basic acceptance into the 501st, but higher level approvals (particularly Centurion) might be an issue if you are wearing armor that simply doesn't fit you well, forcing you to use wide strips that drastically change the visual proportions of the armor. Most armor can have shims built into it that will allow you to use more normally-proportioned cover strips, but it's a good amount of work. At some point, you might consider selling this armor and looking into armor that's built with larger troopers in mind, instead.

Tony, is this still the setup you're using? You use the Antigravity Mini XP-5, to feed 5V power to the fans (from the battery's 5V USB output) and 9v power to your ROM/FX (stepped down from the battery's 12v output) and also to your SHA (also stepped down from the 12v output). You do NOT actually (personally) run the Aker "Amp 2" + iComm setup, right? (other than for occasional testing purposes)

Looking great! I look forward to seeing how this all turns out.

Great job, all!

That hand-cut knurling is UNREAL. Stunning work so far! Following this.

Always love your work, Jameson!

That might be easier. I actually use Velcro for that particular connection (bell to bicep), so it doesn't require particularly precise aim like a snap does.

Try attaching the shoulder bells BEFORE you put the main armor on. Then you should be able to get your arms through without assistance. Then, as a last step, just slide the arms on like sleeves.

Totally up to you, of course, but for me, I plan to use a 4x4 snap panel if I ever re-do my thigh straps. Currently they're E6000'd directly to the plastic, as in the video, which has held strong through many troops, no issues whatsoever. At some point I plan to make the elastic straps removeable, but I want to be REALLY sure it stays put just as well as the glue has been, though, since the thighs are definitely pieces that move around a lot as you walk. Two snaps would be a bare minimum, for me. As Randy noted, this is definitely a piece that you don't want to disconnect in the middle of a troop! The velcro "extra insurance" is a touch I'll consider adding at the bottom, too. I personally have zero interest in keeping internal screen-accuracy. (I really despise the wire loop method used for the clamshell, at least for me!) I love snaps and really consider them to be the current state of the art, for internal rigging. I only went with straight glue when I first made these because I was in a hurry, and I was really tired of setting snaps at that particular moment, LOL! I figured I would just migrate to snaps later, if the glue doesn't seem like it'll be enough. But who knew that method would end up working brilliantly? As a result, that particular "upgrade" (snap installation) has moved WAY down on my list of planned armor tweaks.

I would use more than one snap, personally.

This is as simple as it gets. Very robust system. Very inexpensive. One seam (per leg... you can hand sew if you don't have a machine) and some glue. Highly recommended. (except maybe mute the audio, LOL) I use a 2" webbing tool belt I got for $5 at Home Depot. (or just use any spare belt you already have) Very secure, no need for suspenders, but they'd be simple enough to clip on if you needed them. There are a lot of little things I want to tweak with my armor here and there, but this isn't one of them. It just works.

I would also consider using E6000 instead of CA glue. The 24 hour time to cure sucks (and the whole length needs to be clamped well, most people use magnets), but the first time you need to take any pieces apart, you'll thank yourself. Tomorrow, or 3 years from now.

Threads like this make me glad I finally set up my own gallery to host my own images. If you already have a web host for your own website, it's fairly straightforward for most hosts to add gallery software.

Florida is VERY active and has regular armor parties. Once you're in on Walt's Facebook group, you'll also see a lot of activity there, and people who are happy to answer questions. Another option is the Anovos Stormtrooper Kit builders group. Different armor, but VERY newbie-friendly group, and a lot of the same techniques apply. (If you ask specific questions, be sure to specify that you're using WTF armor and not Anovos, to avoid confusion!) I know there are some Florida heavies who host regular armor parties who spend a lot of time in the Anovos group, as well. And, of course, we here at FISD try to be helpful as well. I would definitely start a build thread here when you get your armor and are ready to start!

Definitely RS. There are lots of threads here on FISD which should give you background into the reason why SDS armor is not given much respect.

Unless you have color-calibrated files (the JPGs here are not) and are using a color-calibrated printer, this is not a good way to get the correct shade of paint.

This. Spare parts are nearly impossible to obtain from Anovos. Any other armor making, shouldn't be a problem, just contact them directly and ask.

Do your best to leave at least some, because they don't look good without it. But it's not technically required to have any.

^^ That's the method I use. Before I started doing that, the shoulder caps were the one thing I really couldn't do myself. Now, I don't need any assistance suiting up at all.

Bravo!!! I've added this to my arsenal, and will share it far and wide as the paint questions arise (which they do, over and over again). Perhaps a mod can make this sticky?