wook1138

Looks good! There might be a bit of return edge you could trim off to help with the fitting of the forearms - but I also found that a bit of reshaping of the forearms were needed to get a more round opening (one forearm was good, the other was not). Also, it looks like the top of the biceps have a bit of return edge - I find it more comfortable to trim that away. As for attaching everything together - it wouldn't hurt to wait until you get a feeling of how it looks with the chest piece in place.

Lol. Understood - I have the ridges intact but I also have considerable padding inside the biceps to make them fit. Anyway, the lack of ridge is more screen accurate anyways.

Did you trim the ridges off? AP is designed to have the ridges on the biceps, so they can get pretty tight if trimmed. That said, as long as they fit, you are good. And if you do find them tight, there are ways to fix that.

Hey Chris. As mentioned above, start with some light passes of the blade, then apply a bit more pressure. AP plastic is 2mm - so it will be a little harder to score and snap than some other kits. I found I had to use a pair of plyers to grip the plastic to bend it to a point where it "snaps". Especially when the piece I'm cutting off are on the thin side. I always found the "how to" videos so frustrating - it looks so easy for them, but many of those kits have thinner plastic.

Hey Danny. A lot of the members have been busy with some recent local Expos (Calgary and Saskatoon) and Celebration - so don't give up on the Badlands forums just yet (there is a member near Calgary that has an approved ROTK) . That said, for build knowledge, you really can't do better than FISD. Unfortunately, I am pretty much useless for a ROTK build - I can certainly give you general TK building advice or help you find things on the forum, but my knowledge of the ROTK is pretty limited. FYI - there is a Maker Faire in Saskatoon on June 25. We (Badlands) will have a booth there. It is a great event for costume building. A few members will troop but most of us just work on projects (we all have unfinished costumes and props. Some more than others, lol). If you can make it, I recommend the trip.

Been there! My first kit was a trimmed AP as well (I have build threads for both a trimmed and un-trimmed kit). I was terrified to make that first cut. Yes, some trimming for size is usually required, but it is not nearly as difficult as you might think. Take your time, go through some build threads, measure twice, and ask questions with lots of photos. The troopers here walked me through my first build. You’ve got this.

This is normal for AP armour.

Hey there. Looks like you have your biceps upside down.

Hi Carlos! I hear you. The DLT-19 was the first prop I ever built. It’s what started this hobby for me. And yes, the sandtroopers are sweet (I have a stormtrooper and sandtrooper costume). FISD has a lot of great information for general building (the costumes are very similar) but, as mentioned, you will want to sign up on the MEPD forums as well. Good luck with your build!

Correct. The plate gets glued to the armour.

It wasn't so much the costume as it was the blaster... people get nervous when they see a gun. Go figure. I wore my costume in non-501st situations (all within the last two years due to Covid peeing on my trooping parade). It was never for promotional purposes and, more importantly, I never mentioned the 501st or did anything that would make people think I was affiliated with the 501st... well... aside from being in a sweet stormtrooper costume. But yeah, when in doubt, stick with your garrison buddies and follow their lead.

Welcome aboard! Incinerator… very nice.

Welcome to the FISD. Looking good. I only saw a couple minor things in the pics. Looks like you need to glue the fronts of your shoulder bridges down, for example. Post more pics in the pre-approval thread and we’ll help all we can. Good luck.

Hello and welcome to the FISD. My deepest condolences. I honestly believe that taking on a build will be a good thing - this is a good community here with a lot of people willing to help you along the way. I have a couple sets of AP armor that I'm happy with - I think Mark (AP) is producing. He has a sales thread on this site. His handle is @ABS80 here on the forums. Good luck

Welcome to the FISD.

Welcome to the FISD, Jonathan. Embrace the OCD. lol. Oh wow, sounds like a home-run Halloween coming up.

Welcome to the FISD!

Looking good, Sean. Like the guys above mentioned, tightening the ab to chest will help a lot. One thing I would add is some black mesh behind the frown... or wear a black balaclava - it hides the face better. It's not a show stopper by any means, but it sells the stormtrooper persona better when you are trooping. Good Luck!

Welcome to the FISD. My condolences for your loss. I have not had to go through such an ordeal. but I can say that this group and this hobby is a great way to clear out / get away from life's less-than-awesome moments.

Congrats Andrew. There are probably easier ways to turn your hair grey.

Congrats on your purchase. I have two AP kits and I love them - one is a TK and the other is a sandtrooper. I have detailed builds for both here on the forums. Let me know if you have any questions. And don’t worry… I didn’t have a hot clue how to do any of this stuff - if I can sort this craziness out, so can you.

Hi and welcome to the FISD. Both are good choices. RS might be more screen accurate but AP gives you a bit more room in some of the more critical parts (i.e. around the gut area). The cost and shipping times will likely play a part in the decision. I've built both a TK and TD from a AP kit and I have no complaints - although I had to source a few TD specific parts from other vendors. As much as I love my AP kits, I would lean to RS if you want a really accurate TD build. I think the links Glen provided above gives a bit more detail on the differences. Either way, you'll be happy.

This is what I use. I've displayed a few different trooper costumes on it. The butt plate won't sit perfect because of the stand, but it is not noticeable when on display. https://store.voicebooster.com/male-mannequin-flexible-posable-full-size-in-black/

AP is a solid choice and Mark does a good job with the builds. The kit should fit you fine. I’m not sure if Mark will trim for your exact size. Some parts may be a bit long - but these can be easily trimmed down. You might find the midsection (ab, butt, and kidney parts) to be a bit large, but you can always add padding to these pieces.

Welcome and congrats on the purchase!