lucnak

I think cutting at that line makes sense. I have it pretty even with the amount of return at the arm right beside it. Keeps it looking uniform.

My helmet is sitting off to one side. Not sure how exactly to fix that. I played around with some foam to move it but I guess that wasn't enough! Anyway, sent off my application just now!

Keep some on the back so that your back plate can't potentially slip under your kidney. Keep some on chest for thickness. Top of butt should have some, but most seem to remove other return edges on the butt plate. I keep some for top of ab, but none around cod area. Hope that helps.

I would agree with Gary, though I don't personally have the same problem. Just build them according to the ridge and then put some foam if they are really moving around too much. Remember that these don't stay up through pressure from you actual bicep. They will be attached to your shoulder bell and hang. Same with your forearm (will attach to your bicep and hang).

You're making good progress! I assume that no canvas belt listed in your first post means you will be replacing the Anovos belt? I've gotten the impression that the supplied one is flimsy (based on photos and others' feedback), so a lot of people replace it!

My lens came as a rectangle. I bent it and it's screwed in using the screws that hold the mask and the cap/back together at the ears. Lots of different techniques to put lenses in.

Hi Michael, there is currently only one armour that is publicly available by Jim in the Philippines. Anovos will be releasing their FO armour sometime this year IIRC. Some members of the 501st were allowed to purchase kits before public release (to give them feedback, I believe). You can purchase the helmet from Anovos for now. Check out this thread for resources for FOTK everything: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/34166-first-order-stormtrooper-resource-guide/

Only thing I would mention here is if going for Centurion, three male snaps should be visible...male snap in upper right ab corner and two male snaps on butt plate. So there you might be picky with having snaps without the text.

Posted photos in my build thread. I tried tagging you, but I'm not sure how that works here. Forums vary!

I decided to create a tab system to keep by ab and kidney lined up. I was going to use straps as well (as you can see by the snap plate in my ab), but turns out that just my belt holds this together quite nicely! Edit: Forgot to shout out Senty71 for the inspiration...I was thinking of a tab system already, but his changed the size I was thinking about!

I found with the snaps I used at first, they would occasionally pop apart, but once I started using the Tandy ones, they really stay in there! Not sure what you're using, but I think it's worth finding them!

Will share either tomorrow or Monday (currently have a sleeping baby strapped to me, so not conducive to photo taking/armour unpacking)! I basically made two long tabs that go in between the rivets and made slots to accommodate those on the other side.

So I did a test-fitting today with everything on...my hands got super sweaty wearing cotton gloves+rubber gloves (required for Centurion). Suggestions?

Wasn't sure where to write this/figured it was worth sharing in a public manner, but I made slot connections for both sides of kidney/ab connection and the pressure of my belt keeps everything nice and lined up! I was just test-fitting and realized it was solid and keeps it looking good. I have no straps at those connections, just the slots, and it seems to be working well for me!

Congrats on your approval! Missed this, somehow!

Looks good so far! What are you working on next? Oh, and I've been posting on both my garrison forums and here since I tend to get more opinions here, but my garrison is very helpful with pointing me in the right direction when I need to buy supplies! Hopefully you find us helpful here! Lastly, I don't know how picky people are with nothc alignment. I just haven't been worrying about it at all.

I just noticed...unless I'm all wrong, you're using the snap pieces incorrectly...cap goes with female part and the other piece goes with the male part. From what I've seen, snap plates are normally male and straps have female snaps. I noticed it in your shoulder strap. One shows caps and the other shows the underside with male parts. I have no idea if this would impact the usability. Just something I noticed. I find it interesting that we did things in very different orders. My final tasks right now are closing the sides and gluing on shoulder bridges, whereas you're doing this part before your legs and all...that may just be me having to comply with Canadian winter and the garage being cold though. Hah.

Wow Gary, so quick from basic approval to EIB! Congrats! I hope that I can apply for EIB this fast after basic!

I'm building a Stunt so had no idea that the grappling hook was an option for Hero. Nifty! Good luck on your build!

You shouldn't need to cut anything off the kidney off the top and bottom edges. Keep a small return edge where the pieces will meet (back to kidney, kidney to butt). If you assemble everything and it seems too long, then maybe consider it, but that should only be the case for very short troopers! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Woo! I started around the same time and I'm finishing up now too! Have some strapping/snap plates left. Good luck with your application!

If your kidney and ab plates are not sitting flush together, you can add a shim using spare ABS to close the gap. If you look up TK 1636's videos on youtube, he does this for the trooper for whom he is building the armour in the videos. From what I can gather, you will have to wear your armour a bit lower and have longer elastic straps over your shoulder and have less of your shoulder bridges glued on your chest plate, but I haven't done the research to say that 100%. There are a number of people who are taller who have build threads. Reviewing those and some Centurion applications from taller troopers should help you.

Regarding your kidney plate, it should be the flat side down and the curved side up. The idea is that the curvature should follow the line of your ab plate.

I meant that the elastic straps between your chest and your back pieces probably need to be longer to let your back piece move down to be flush with your kidney.

TD is done now too! Just awaiting my new snaps to put my armour together!