lightwave000

Yes I saw that too. That was 4 days ago now. I messaged the owner and the official page. Multiple times. I see they have been active but no response back. I know I'm probably not the only person trying to get a hold of them but I think a quick reply to let us know whats up would be nice/professional. At this point, the 1 week that has turned into 4 weeks of waiting-as much as I wanted one, I may just go another route. I don't have anymore time to wait or ill end up buying something random at the toy store and spray painting it black lol. Very disappointing as Ive heard its a great product.

I just did a search on the vetted vendors list. Dave is already on there so he has already been vetted. https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/11538-the-various-types-of-armor-and-where-to-find-them/ This is his section noted below: Type: AM (Armor Master) Country: USA Contact: davesdarksidedepot@gmail.com Kit: ABS. All body armor components including face piece and ear pieces are .090 ABS. The one piece dome/back is formed using .125 ABS, as this piece is formed over a rather deep mold and anything thinner can cause thin regions which will eventually crack or fracture. White .060 ABS blanks included to cut as cover-strips. Availability: Normally 4-6 weeks or less. Assembly: Comes trimmed out of the box, but you will still be required to adjust for proper fit to your body size. Good choice for large troopers, but can be cut down. Comments: Chest and back molds have been updated to address past concerns, and are now acceptable to Centurion level. They are now including a custom, die-cut Imperial cog themed helmet liner for the helmets, mounting velcro included. They're very comfortable and take three minutes to install. Hovis are professionally cast aluminum. Hero helmets are now available.

Dave's Darkside Depot is who I am using so I can vouch for them. If you do a search for AM armor you will see lots of 501st members swear by it. He recently took over sales I believe but AM armor has been around and is reputable. Right now I think its the AM 4.5 armor being offered so it has been getting better and better. I received my helmet kit very promptly and they are currently customizing my body armor for the height. AM armor is also a good option for taller or larger individuals because I believe lots of kits out there limit you on having to be in a certain height range. The shipping times have been fast, and one of my favorite things about this process has been that Dave himself allows you to text him questions and he is usually very quick to respond and give advice/help on your build. Also, the AM armor is thicker and more robust than lots of kits out there that are thin and crack easily. So in summary, I would have no qualms going with Dave's Darkside Depot. He is a member of the 501st and knows his stuff. Here's a photo of my AM armor helmet which he and some youtube videos assisted me with. I am still finishing it up but its coming along. Thats another thing, Eric Dyck on youtube has a collection of videos helping with assembly and his videos are putting together the AM armor which is what Dave's Darkside Depot is selling.

Thanks for all the advice! I will most likely go with a m38 E11 from Praetorian. While its not as accurate as I would like, its pretty darn close and the pros seem to outweigh the cons.

Ok thanks for the info. They told me a week and its been 3. I'm slowly running out of time to wait so I may have to go with an alternative.

Thanks Dave! Cant wait! I have a Darman neck seal. Still need the tights, the boots to come in, the armor, and the E11 blaster.

I used some of this info for reference for my bucket. I dont know if I will be able to fit the tubing in though as I can barely get my head in now lol. As far as plasti-dip, if you sit the can in warm water for a bit it helps. Went on super smooth. I did 5 coats. Wait 20-30 minutes between coats. I went ahead and sprayed the teeth and eyes. There was a little overspray but it just rubs off. Took a little time to get the overspray off the outer teeth of frown. Velcro sticks to it great!

Higher res inside view- I had wanted to put some sump pump tubing in to hide wiring but my head is so big that its a tight enough fit to get this thing on. I don't think I could if I keep adding items. The UKSWRATH sound system is amazing. I cant turn it up all the way without feedback but half way is plenty loud. Not sure I will need an additional speaker or not yet. The fans work great (also from UKSWRATH) but when I turn them on I cant hear anyone unless they are 3 ft away. Not sure I want to go the assisted hearing kit route. I think I will leave the fans off unless I notice bad fog up.

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1 (Can only fit 500kbs of images so this will be in three parts) Update: Helmet nearly completed in 2 days!!! I got the helmet kit in from Dave's Darkside Depot. I was a bit intimidated to start. The helmet is asymmetrical and nothing seemed to want to fit together from going along with Eric Dyck's youtube tutorials. So I kinda followed along the best I could and then realized it doesnt have to be "perfect". So I gained confidence during the build to sand here and cut there. I assembled the helmet with only screws so it would keep its shape and inserted the lens. I went ahead and put a little e6000 down the inside seams and where the two halves meet. This was an epic fail. The back part of the e6000 tube busted open and a huge glop fell in the helmet and on my leg. I quickly cleaned it up so crisis averted lol! I put the stickers on, one of which I will have to replace as I had not learned the windex trick yet and tried to stick it on dry. The rest turned out well though. Then I decided to remove the lens and plasti-dip the interior. I taped it down well and covered the eyes and teeth and exterior of helmet. Plasti-Dip ended up being easier to work with than I expected. The trick is to stick half the can in warm water before using. I then proceeded to do 5 coats. A new coat every 20-30 minutes. Then I realized I wanted it to be completed black inside. I didnt want white areas around the eyes and mouth so I peeled off the tape and did one coat on the teeth and eyes. The bleed through on the teeth and eyes was a bit time consuming to rub off but thats all it took was rubbing with my finger and a paperclip. I let it dry while I slept. The next day it was good to go. No smell and things adhere to it really well. I took it to work with me and reattached the lens, and sanded the ears and put them on best I could. I then proceeded to paint. This was another challenge but I think I pulled it off pretty well. I didnt need the hovi mics the kit came with because I had UKSWRATH's audio kit. I had a hard time getting the hovi mic speakers even because they dont sit flush on this helmet mold. But his kit comes with these captive screw washers that hold it in place. I then stuck in a helmet liner with velcro and proceeded to retrofit the helmet with the audio system and fans wherever I could fit them and still be able to put on the helmet. I would have to say it was a success. I finished it on my break at work in a total of 2 days and walked down the hallway of my office area. I was talking with the randomized static bursts and had people coming out of their offices taking pictures and videos. It was hilarious! I still have a couple spots of paint to touch up, cable manage a bit better/more permanent, and install the mesh for the frown. Cant wait to get the full armor. Ordered and waiting on- Boots Armor Still need the E11. I want to get a Praetorian but I cant seem to get ahold of those guys so I may have to go to an alternative.

Does anyone know what is going on with Praetorian? I was in communication with them over 2 weeks ago on their FB page and they said they were almost done with their new batch of E11s. Then they fell off the face of the Earth and are nowhere to be seen and do not respond.

Can anyone else post photos of their Praetorian blasters?

I took the plunge head first and am starting my AM 4.5 Stunt build so I can be up and running prior to Halloween for its debut and who knows where else. For now, I am fulfilling a dream I have had for many years. Thus far as I do not have any pics to provide as of yet- Armor- I purchased the AM 4.5 armor kit from davesdarksidedepot. I am 6'4 and he will be customizing the armor for me. I would love to build it myself but I lack the tools and time to pull it off. I will however be tackling the bucket myself so he is sending that to me separately. Thus far I have purchased a UKSWRATH Stormtrooper speaker system for the helmet UKSWRATH 2 FAN Set Padding for helmet Testors Paint Darman Neck Seal Still need: Bodysuit Boots Balaclava Gun (Plan on getting a Praetorian E11) I plan on plasti-dipping or painting inside of helmet. I know there are a few bobs and bits I will need to get but I will try to document the process as I go. Trying to get this going as soon as possible to allow it to all come together before Halloween. I posted this elsewhere, but I have a young nephew who loves "Chootroopers" as he calls them. I am going to surprise him as a full on stormtrooper this year. And this will be the only Halloween costume I will ever need again! Unless of course I become a bearded Han Solo!

I am considering a Praetorian E11 Blaster. How easily do they bend? Are they extremely light?

I have been researching E11 blasters and one thing I have found is that there are a ton out there. Ive read up to 4 versions were used in ANH alone. I am on the hunt for an E11 from ANH and hoping to get some clarity. I am wanting to source one already built with weathering (or weather it myself) but there are so many options for cosplay or just all around prop that sits on the shelf. What do you guys/and gals have and would you buy it again? What would you do different if you were getting your first E11 now knowing what you know? Most accurate, best build, best price? Anything E11. I have been warned against the SDS version and am not sure I want to go a Hasbro mod route. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any and all input!

6'4 220 new and looking to suit up. I have heard I need either an RT-Mod or a AM2.0 kit. Do either of these come with most of the necessary items needed to assemble and modify? Instructions? Which would you recommend? I'm athletic build.

Where do you get the AM 2.0 build? Would it accomodate someone 6'4 230lbs?