kman

Say what you will, my 90x150cm flag (made in Europe, btw) works perfectly well.

I have one of these. I like the design. Good quality. ebay ------------ http://www.kppix.com/piwigo/_data/i/upload/2017/03/14/20170314033556-cab5bd12-me.jpg

I wrap the "good" threads with tape to protect them, hold them with pliers, lop off the excess with a hacksaw, and clean up the new tip with a file. Takes maybe 30 seconds per screw and works every time.

Oh, but it (might) get even better. Seen this one? http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/04/breaking-disney-creating-star-wars-starship-luxury-resort-experience-attached-disneys-hollywood-studios/

Agreed. I've heard nothing but good things about those kits... AND I've heard nothing but complaints about the IMMENSE amount of sanding and prep work they are to assemble. If you really enjoy that sort of thing, you're in for a good time. Especially for a display piece. If you just want something durable and ready-to-troop, I'd definitely agree that Hyperfirm is the better option.

Honestly, MOST things are cheaper locally than TrooperBay ... IF you can find them locally. Since you asked for a specific example, the "Centurion Strapping Set" is a fantastic way to get nearly all your shopping done in one click. But if you go to JoAnn's and buy the same strapping yourself, and buy the more esoteric bits directly from the people here that sell them (MrNoStripes hooks, JustJoseph's latex hand guards, Home Depot screws and hardware) you'll pay a fraction of the price. You just have to be willing and able to sew on a button / sew a straightish line, and/or cut things to size yourself. Or for another example the paints are MUCH cheaper at your local hobby shop and no shipping, BUT I have yet to find a local hobby shop that carries all the specific colors you need, so it was easier for me to just buy the full set all at once from TB. Raw plastic is going to be cheaper at your local plastic supply shop... but you'll have to go there, select the right size, thickness, color, plastic type, etc. Shipping & Handling is also DEFINITELY not free at TB. That said, there's definitely comfort knowing that the right materials have been preselected. And I'm supporting a fellow Legion brother. I don't have to wade through detailed specification on 30 different eBay auction trying to find something with the right specs. And I don't have to think about options, or drive around to 12 different shops. So sometimes it's worth paying a premium. If pennies are tight, shop elsewhere. If any of the above benefits are worth a slight premium, then shop at TB worry-free. Personally, I've spent a fair amount of money there... AND I've passed, and gone locally to buy stuff I could have gotten there. All depends on what I need, how fast I needed it, how flush I was feeling at the time, and how worried I was about product specs.

Hey Caleb! Do you mean the 3D E11 power cylinders? Those were pretty simple. I think I used mostly the defaults, printed at .1 resolution, and cleaned it up with sanding after. You can do fairly well with just that. One of these days I'll get it really dialed in, because I know these printers are capable of more. Tempting idea, on that 12v power pack. Perhaps if I can find something smaller. That's a lot bigger than the packs I'm using now, and would unbalance my helmet a bit.

Looks great, guys! Can't wait until my little guy gets big enough to wear some. I'd start on the armor now, but at the moment I kinda like the Stormtrooper keeping guard in my garage, LOL The white Keds are a great idea for inexpensive TK boots.

My personally recommendation would be this: Unless you NEED 12v power for some reason, ditch those 12v fans (they're cheap so no big loss) and bulky AA battery pack, and get some 5V fans. Then you can use a cheap 5V USB mobile phone power bank to run your fans. A very small and inexpensive rechargeable battery bank will run your fans for 8+ hours, easily. Pretty good writeup in this thread: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/36631-how-to-diy-usb-helmet-fans-no-more-9v-or-aas/

Toshi: That fabric is probably fine. It doesn't have to match perfectly, and frankly, it's going to get dirty and weathered naturally as you troop anyway (and cloth belts are really hard to wash), which is good and screen accurate, so if it matches perfectly today, it won't 6 months from now. There's NO way to tell color from photos, however, without a reference, because everyone monitor is a little difference. If you want to compare, lay the cloth over your armor, so the color relative to YOUR armor (which is the only important metric) can be seen. But honestly, I wouldn't bother. Make your belt and go troop, and all will be fine.

Nice job! I'll have consider whether I should give my Rubies a little more love one of these days. So far some black paint and 3D printed power cylinders is all I've done. Hard to make the time, for a backup blaster, when I already have a Hyperfirm, though. I like some of the things you did there, though, so one of these days...

Wow. That's one heck of an impressive amount of modding. I wouldn't have the patience, I hope you enjoy the actual process as much as the final product!

"Easily" LOL

Darn it. I'm not a huge fan of fiberglass, even the flexible type, but this project has me reconsidering that stance. Can't wait to see how the final product looks! Jim, will you be doing a helmet as well?

I was gonna say. They haven't even nailed down the R1 CRL yet, and no one makes a complete set of armor. Par is trying to piece together a set that might pass muster eventually, but that's not done yet. It would be nice if someone would produce a legit full set of R1 armor that's ready to build like any other kit, but we're a long way off. (and I worry the price will be insane, too)

I agree with Allan. Also, the FO-TK is nearly impossible to get dressed in by yourself, without assistance. OT TK can be put on without help (although it takes some practice to get to this point).

Impressive... most impressive.

Correct, although 1/2" is not quite long enough on every bucket, so I prefer being able to cut down and size as needed. And they're really hard to find! Most places (in the US) carry the electrical box screws, however, which makes things pretty simple.

If you want the REAL deal screws, you need to source brass screws of the right size and type, which are REALLY hard to come by. Very few bother with that, since the screws are painted anyway so you can't actually see the metal. Fortunately, there are readily-available screws for the ears at your local Home Depot or Lowes. The Anovos ear screws, by the way, are nearly perfect for the TD. (and the Anovos TD screws are entirely wrong) So pull out those stock ear screws: ... and use them in your TD. Then get yourself some electrical box screws: Naturally, out of the box, they're too long. Assuming you don't want to get jabbed in the temples, just cut them down to the same length as the Anovos screws: ... and screw them into your helmet: And finally, paint them white. Nice and easy accuracy mod, that's not expensive. My favorite!

Ah, sorry about that, I misunderstood. Or rather, read that in the OP originally, but forgot on later replies. Gmrhodes advice seems solid to me, in that case. That's how I would go. Probably set the magnets in place with E6000 so they can be removed if you want.

Tandy Line 24 snaps only come in one size. (24 is the size) You can get them at Amazon, Tandy, or other leather goods shops, even.

I prefer the 3mm x 12mm discs. They're small enough to fit in the channel when assembling the arms, but strong enough that you can easily double stack them for extra hold on the tougher bits. Use stronger clamps on the very ends for those tough parts, like the thighs, where the plastic is fighting you. And don't forget to tape the cover strips in place (in addition to the magnets) because E6000 is slippery and they'll ooze out of position if you don't! (and won't find out until the next day, *sigh*) Easy enough to re-do (yay E6000!) but you lose a day's work, which is annoying. No sure where to buy in Oz. We can get them at Home Depot (if you're in a hurry). BangGood has a much better price, but the shipping takes quite a while. TONS of pics in my build thread. (I happened to have some ring discs also, but I liked the smaller ones best)

Hey Chris, I saw your later post on MEPD forum, that you found a local supplier up in Canada. Care to share what it is? I'm sure your fellow Canucks would appreciate the pointer.

I can't even begin to imagine how gluing a magnet would affect it's magnetic properties. It's done all the time. I wouldn't worry about it. Post some pics!

Once there is a LOT more information, and verified accurate, not a recast, etc., I would be interested. Until then, I'm curious to learn more, but that's it.