bishopdonmiguel

Forearms: There are resin greebles included for the picatinny rail (not shown). I'll need to dig those out and determine how to approach that.

Spats: I forgot to grab a photo of the untrimmed front spat. Again, nice pulls. I think clasps attach here but there are no indents. Might need modding.

Biceps: Overall these seem quite nice. Will open pill holes.

Thank you for the encouragement, guys. Spent a few hours trimming the smaller parts. Not much to see in the next few posts. These are just obligatory to show other kit builders what the parts look like. I plan on modifying some of these. Shoulder Bells: These have a built-n lower bell. My plan is to remove these faux lower bells and craft some from scrap. I think it would look more authentic. Is that a mistake?

With the help of my vinyl cutter, had some time to add those pill openings to the Hand Guards. I left this undersized just a tad to allow for sanding cleanup later before painting.

Thank you and sounces like if I add a pill opening, that wouldn’t disqualify me from Centurion. I like the added realism that the recesses and openings give to the armor.

The Hand Guards Figure these were a good starting point. I recently picked up a pair of Imperial Boots FOTK Gloves. They have the black stitching in the palm so I think I can check that Centurion requirement off the list. Happy that the kit is not overly trimmed. Gives me some control over the build and provides some extra ABS should I need it for reinforcing, etc. I picked up a budget priced metal shears for trimming the parts then used a Dremel with a 3/8" cutting wheel. Given my eyesight has become a little unreliable over the years, I use tape to mark the cutting lines. Later, I use a Dremel with a sanding wheel to shape the part. From the screen cap references, the guards appear to be thin, perhaps no more than 3/8". I feel the 850 pull is a bit flat so I used a heat gun to give the guards a bit of a curve to better fit the hand. You don't want to do too much here or the edges of the ABS will crease. A photo below shows before and after heat so you can judge for yourself. although I probably should have shown the parts from the same side to more clearly illustrate the flatness of the original guard. QUESTIONS: Should these be thinner? For the oval on the index finger bump, should there be an indentation of some sort? Are labels required or can I cut a pill and fill or backfill with black paint/material?

On Halloween in 1977, I promised myself I’d have a Stormtrooper costume “someday.” A brief 42 years later, I fulfilled that promise to myself with an ANH TK Stunt kit. After nearly a dozen troops, there’s no doubt that the Stormtrooper's popularity has endured. But as the young fans of today are probably more familiar with the redesigned TKs, I thought I’d give a FOTK a go. I decided on an 850 Armor Works kit, mainly because it was readily available and is made from ABS which is in my comfort zone. I ordered the armor only, no helmet, because I have an Anovos Standard Line (TFA) on hand. The order took about a month to fulfill and the people at 850 were very friendly and responsive. That kind of goodwill goes a long way with me. Obviously I’m here to get this, my 2nd costume, approved at some point. I'm reasonably confident with building and modifying. While I’ll take Basic approval, I’m going to take a shot at Centurion for now. If I hit a wall at some point, I’ll downshift with no regrets. I plan on posting many photos, asking stupid questions and most of all looking forward to receiving constructive feedback that will keep me on target. Hopefully this build log will serve as a good resource for other 850 builders. With that, here are parts I received. Let the games begin.

Troop 011 -- 2019/11/14 -- Children's Mercy in Overland Park, KS

Probably not as well but I didn’t try those. I don’t think the foam would carry much material. Possible it might react to the solvent in the rubber. I’d test first if you want to try those.

I didn’t think the dip was runny really. I’m mean if you put it on heavily, sure. STIR the can with a paint stick thoroughly. It’s liquid at the top and thicker near the bottom. STIPPLE the product on using a 1-1/2” disposable brush... but not the really crummy ones or you’ll get bristles in the stuff. Seal the can with some tape around the lid. Wait an hour or two then apply another coat. 2 is all I needed. After another hour or two, tilt the helmet on its side and point a fan at it. This will get rid of those nasty fumes everyone mentions. Wearable within 24 hours.

Yes. Worked great for me.

Special Halloween Edition of The Tatooinian...

I had this same issue with 2 different email addresses on different domains. Neither worked. But then I tried a GMail address and it went right through. Might try that.

Requesting 10th Troop Milestone Badge. Thank you!

Post troop photoshopping interlude. Join the Empire and get paid to visit the most fabulous locations across the known galaxy...

Troop 010 -- 2019/10/29 -- Big Brothers Big Sisters Halloween Party in Olathe, KS

Troop 009 -- 2019/10/27 -- Halloween Bash in Pleasant Valley, MO

Just finished adding Plastidip to my bucket. LOVE IT! Whomever thought of this was a genius.

Glad to hear you’ll be joining the TK ranks. Welcome home and I’m looking forward to seeing your build.

I respect the opinions presented here but I will offer an alternative view. What is your budget? Paying more for something better is good advice if you can afford it, but if you can’t then this kit is a viable budget option. What is your skill level? Even higher price/quality kits will be challenging builds, this one more so due to some of its shortcomings. If you are confident in your abilities, this kit is a viable budget option but it will require more work. That’s the trade off... cheaper kit, more work. Some comments about this stunt kit compared to an Anovos, the only other kit I’ve seen... Seller... helpful and supportive. If something is missing, you get replacements. If you mess up a part, he often ships another at no cost. Instructions... None. Wild, Wild West although there is a support page on FB with people who will help. Material... very tough 2mm ABS. Anovos feels lighter and softer. I personally like this material better. Color... cool white vs. Anovos warm white. Personally, I prefer the cool white as I think it looks more like what my eyes see on-screen vs. the creamy off-white of Anovos. But there are a lot more warm white kits out there and you’ll look a tad different unless you paint it. Helmet... 3 piece vs. 2 piece (or pre-assembled). You’ll need to fill the gap and sand it smooth. Not difficult but definitely time consuming to get right. Overall, I think the helmet looks quite good when assembled correctly. It’s asymmetrical and a bit wonky like the originals. Limbs... solid but there is a lot of excess material and this causes the assembled shapes to be oval vs. round. Be prepared to heat shape these parts to get a good fit. Ab Plate... buttons are cast in vs. separate glued on plates. Clean look but technically not accurate. Belt... supplied canvas is okay, not great, but connection system to ABS is not accurate and poorly designed. You’ll need to make some modifications here just to get the ABS reliably connected to canvas. Back Plate... personally, looks a tad undersized to me. Kidney Plate... HUGE. Requires significant modification if you don’t need the extra material. Posterior... HUGE. Without question the worst part of the kit if you don’t need the extra material. Getting this to resemble an accurate piece is very, very difficult. Hope this information helps with your decision. Bottom line, if you can afford a more accurate kit, that’s probably a good route. But if your reality is a cheaper kit or nothing, then this is an option if your skills are up to the task. Good luck and I hope to see you in the TK ranks soon.

Troop 008 -- 2019/10/19 -- KC Zoo Hoots & Howls in Kansas City, MO

Troop 007 -- 2019/10/05 -- KC Cares Kids Walk in Kansas City, KS

You gonna share that buddy?

Troop 006 -- 2019/10/04 -- Forestview Festival in Olathe, KS