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Excellent. Thanks!

I've heard several different opinions on these, so I thought I would ask for more before I start attaching my snaps. For the strap that the shoulder bells hang from, I am thinking nylon is better since the rest of the arm armor is all hanging from that one strap. Also, is elastic strong enough to hold the ab and kidney plates to the chest and back? I know it's more flexible, but I am wondering how durable it is compared to nylon. Thanks!

Hmm. Maybe I'll just keep shopping for a gray PVC then. I'm not at that step, anyway - just looking ahead.

Another question if anyone is still checking this post. I could not find gray PVC pipe in anything less than a 15 foot strip, for which I was not going to pay over $20. I bought the white PVC, and will sand and paint it. Ukswrath suggests Humbro #5 Admiral Gray gloss for the ab buttons, but a different shade (Testors Gunship gray) for the TD. They look basically the same, and I thought the TD and ab buttons should match anyway. Thoughts?

No, I am not. I am likely the dumbest and least skilled person who has ever attempted to build this armor. I'll be lucky to complete it without it looking more like a Jawa than a Stormtrooper... if I ever do complete it at all.

The canister (assume you have end caps and control panel) is just gray sewer pipe. Stupid question maybe, but is this gray PVC pipe?

Awesome, thanks for such a fast reply!

I have ATA armor, and it does not come with some of the accessories that Anovos includes. I don't know what I have to buy to complete a thermal detonator, but I know that I do not have the canister, nor the clips to attach to the belt. Any ideas on where to purchase these?

Thanks, Swede! It looks like your hooks are put inside holes cut right into the plastic. Did you do anything to reinforce the holes, or does the plastic hold well enough on its own?

Many people have suggested the tutorial video by TK 1636 in regards to making your own hooks for the shin enclosure. A couple questions: First, he uses bailing wire, but doesn't say what gauge. Anyone know what gauge of bailing wire he used? Second, has anyone used his method, and how does it work for you? I am concerned about the drilling of holes into the shins themselves, in which he hooks them together. Thanks!

Thanks. I had to make my rear thigh strips very wide. Not that I have big legs (I'm actually very chicken legged), but my ATA thighs must be a bit off. I made them with the correct 20mm front strips, but that left it very tight, requiring an over 30 mm back strip.

I had to make my rear thigh cover strips larger than the recommended width, so I am guessing that the rear shin strips should be the same width as the rear thighs? I know we need to make them what they need to be to fit us, but should I just come as close as possible to uniform width? ALSO, does anyone recommend a good tutorial on the bra hook attachment for the shins? I also wanted to comment about this community. You guys (and ladies) are AWESOME!!!! I lack a certain faith in humanity, but the help and positive vibes I get from people on here gives me hope. I can't wait to start trooping and meet some more troopers!!

Hey Joseph - my magnets are in sizes of 2 and 3 mm thick. I've quintupled them up, and the armor still won't stay down. I think I have to mold the thighs to be more round, as they are more oval shaped, and the butt ends don't come straight together. Thanks!

Thank you. The gaps are a little more noticeable to the naked eye, but maybe I'm being paranoid. I am not very good at building, and I want this to look as good as I can make it. Still, any advice on gap filling, if you've done it before?

I have ATA armor, and the cover strips are super difficult and frustrating to glue on! Rare earth magnets do NOT work, as the armor and strips are just too firm for magnets to hold them down. MAYBE if I had the magnet that Heisenberg, Jesse, and Mike used to mess up the police evidence room, then maybe that would work. SO, a question - this is one of my cover strips on the thigh. Aside from the gap in this one section, it looks pretty good. Is it 501st approved if I fill in the gap, rather than try to do the whole thing over again? I read in another thread that gap filling is possible. Please take a look, and let me know. I'm also going to post my steps to try the rest of the thigh cover strips, as this ATA stuff is maddeningly hard to mold on. Thanks!

I had some helpful tips about the thigh issue, but another concern is the gap below the cover strip. Is this a problem? Can I glue some of the leftover plastic in this space to cover that gap? How does this work when the thighs are simply too narrow like this?

Another question - one thing that's held me back is completing the thighs. I have ATA armor, and whether I cut it incorrectly, or the thighs are too narrow, I may have to go with a wider cover strip on the back to make it fit. Is this ok for approval in the 501st? I mean, it's either going wider than 25mm, or ordering new thighs. As for the size, I don't have big thighs, quite the opposite. However, when I trimmed the ridges (is that the correct terminology?) where the cover strips go on the thighs to the correct width of 25mm, it left me with a very narrow thigh in which to fit my chicken legs. I'm going to have to make wider cover strips, and I do know to put some support strips on the inside since the edges of the armor won't be close.

Sean, thank you I've been getting different responses on the Anovos Facebook page about nylon/elastic. Some say do one, some the other, some say a combination. I actually have a local trooper who reached out to me, and I'll let him cast the deciding vote. I'm leaning toward nylon - seems like elastic would wilt too quickly. And to gmrhodes13, thank you as well! I will look into a build party, although, I can't imagine with the new film coming out and the holidays, that there will be much of that. But, who knows?

My name is Ron, and I live in Royal Oak, MI. I bought my ATA armor quite a while ago, and some personal setbacks, but mainly my incompetence has halted my build. I get very frustrated with some parts, and I just stop. I have the arms, most of the legs, and body complete, but stuck on the snaps and strapping. If there is someone in the Royal Oak area to personally give me a hand, I would greatly appreciate it. Video tutorials only go so far with my limited ability - I need an experienced, hands on helper and someone to kick my rear in gear when I get frustrated. I WANT TO FINISH MY ARMOR AND BEGIN TO UNQUESTIONABLY TROOP AND FOLLOW ORDERS! I am a teacher, and have two weeks off at Christmas, so I have all those 14 days to dedicate to this. I SERIOUSLY want to finish this soon!!! I can host you, or bring my gear to you for assistance. In return, I can take you and/or your family out to dinner, or make some of my awesome marinated lamb burgers and home made German potato salad!

In case anyone is in the market, the huge rolling Husky totes are on sale this weekend at Home Depot. $10 off, down to $55. SKU #896569 if you want to check on line if your local store has one. I bought mine today - exciting stuff!

Kidney plate question - the middle strip on my kidney plate goes straight up and down. I see photos of others where that strip fans out, and the wide part goes on the bottom. Mine is difficult to ascertain top and bottom. I've labeled profile shots of mine, and I am thinking #2 is the correct way, since the bottom seems to curve out where the butt line starts. Thoughts? https://imgur.com/a/lI7wC

Switching to ANH. I originally bought the ESB blaster. I know the ANH is different, I think it just has a scope, where the ESB does not... maybe that's why the troopers in ANH actually hit something! Anyway, should I look to trade it, or can it have the scope added on?

Switching to ANH. I originally bought the ESB blaster. I know the ANH is different, I think it just has a scope, where the ESB does not... maybe that's why the troopers in ANH actually hit something! Anyway, should I look to trade it, or can it have the scope added on?

Awesome guys, thanks! I can do ANH, but I already bought an ESB blaster. I may look to trade with someone.

So, the difference between ANH and ESB troopers? Talking with a local trooper, he said it was definitely painting the helmet, rather than using decals (and different colored frown on the helmet), and the hand guards. Any other differences? I have ESB going, but I would rather be ANH.