MaskedVengeance

This is intriguing, indeed. I inherited some older airpods myself and see that Apple support states that an external wired microphone can also be used with your phone. Would be interesting if we could plug up a regular pair of Apple ear buds into the phone (stashed under your chest plate), run the cable to the edge of the chest somewhere, and then have the sound piped to the airpods rather than the plugged in ear buds. Only problem in this scenario might be feedback if an amp is also located in the chest plate. Having a nearby handler hold the phone, as you suggested, is another interesting idea.

Hello there Kody! Great to hear you're endeavoring to continue your build! All the links that Glen and Mario provided are excellent resources and should serve you well! That last index thread that Mario mentioned is one I compiled and towards the bottom I include links to build threads of various armor types, including WTF. You may find it helpful to review the build of people with the same armor kit as you since every type has their unique quirks. =) Asking lots of questions will also be very useful to you, and lots of troopers will be around to provide guidance! And btw, I'm jealous of your SW CO location; tons of outdoors stuff to do there and in the nearby adjacent states!

Wow, a seated TK! I’m still waiting for somebody to create a silicone or similar posterior piece, similar to some of the flexible should bridges you see for some other costumes, like Shoretroopers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats Adam! Cool shot, and troop!

Thanks Dan! Your stamp of approval is good enough for me! Now to just figure out exactly where to drill the holes and bolt together (particularly at the bottom).

Great following your progress on this, Bill! Seems we both took an extended period away from our ATA buildings, but are back at it at the same time! I have no doubt that you'll finish before me, though, because I make turtles seem fast. =) Glad to see you sorted out the Trooperbay website.

Man, those first and third gray buttons on the panel are BEAUTIFUL! (the others should also pass muster too)

OP (MV) Post #48: Helmet Repainting In my previous build update I covered my initial painting of the helmet traps and tears, and while I was happy with the results of my tears, I was too heavy-handed with the paintbrush on the traps, and some paint wrinkling occurred. This update will include the following: Trap Repainting Frown Teeth Repainting Ear painting and Countersink Reinforcement Tips Helmet Interior Hardware Paint and Lens Polishing Faceplate and Cap Alignment (pre-attachment) Neck Opening Dimensions and S-trim Questions Upcoming Response to Comment Trap Repainting First up, repainting one of each of the rear and side traps. In both instances, I previously went too heavy with the enamel paint, resulting in some wrinkling. I was happy with the external profile and placement of the black "outlines" that I had painted before, so I decided to try to sand down the wrinkles on the grey, then repaint a second layer on top of the first one (as opposed to removing ALL the grey and black paint and starting fresh). Below is a photo progression of the process. First I put down two layers of tape around the perimeter of the sanding area in order to prevent scratches on the white ABS. Then I began with 220 grit sandpaper then worked my way to 600. I did not want to use any courser grit so as not to accidentally scratch too deep into the paint. After sanding I wiped the area clean with rubbing alcohol, removed the blue tape, then proceeded to hand-paint the gray portions again with Humbrol #5 gloss. Before painting the gray on the left-rear trap (which had been left black for the past year so that I could paint it at the same time as the right now) I also wanted to straighten out the bowed bottom edge that I had accidentally painted when using excess Trooperbay decal material as a template as documented in this post. Some blue tape, 91% isopropyl alcohol, and craft (popsicle) sticks later and I now have a sufficient bottom edge. On the right-side trap and the right-rear trap I also wanted to narrow the black outline, which essentially meant painting the grey out a little more. In order to minimize the first layer paint edge from creating a visible seam line on the new top coat, I sanded down the edges of the first coat to create a smooth gradient to the bottom black layer. I was also hopeful that the base layer of black underneath the new extended grey area wouldn't result in the grey appearing darker than the main center mass of the grey, and I think it looks just fine. The narrowed thickness of the black outline now better matches my left trap and the tears. With the base grey and black outline now complete on the rear traps, it was finally time to have a go at black vent lines. I decided to use the exact same strategy that I employed for my tears, using a TB masking template and sponge technique as documented by Cricket. Joseph also has a Template Painting 101 thread for those of you new to the craft. First I sealed the template with a thin layer of grey, and then I sponged on several coats of black. The top photos below show the state before cleanup with mineral spirts and toothpicks, while the bottom pair shows the initial final result. As can be seen when looking closely, this is where I ran into my first problem. Somewhere along the way I erred with paint thickness or drying time (I pulled the templates up within five minutes, which was surely too soon for drying), because when I pulled up the templates some of the painted extreme tips of the vents came up with them. After cleaning it up as best I could with mineral spirits, craft (popsicle) sticks, and toothpicks, I was still not satisfied, but I decided against free-hand painting the problem areas due to the finesse that would have been required. Unfortunately, in that moment I had to head off to work so I had to table the paint work and lose valuable cleanup TIME before the paint fully cured. After a day or two of deliberation busy life obligations I decided to try something crazy, which was to reuse the same already-used masking templates. Note that, at least back in 2020, Trooperbay included two sheets of each template, so technically I had some to spare, but I wanted to save my second set. Surprisingly, it worked ok, and though I did have to spend some time cleaning up paint that seeped under the template, I’m mostly happy with the end result, shown below. The first three photos show my process up close, first with what the reused template looked like before repainting, and then my cleanup tools (mineral spirts in a small bottle and DVI cable cap). This quad-photo below shows the traps before (left) and after (right) cleanup. It's not perfect, but I can live with it. In hindsight, I slightly wish I had used a standard template instead of "hand-painted" one, in order to achieve more uniformity. Frown Teeth Repainting I spent months debating whether or not to add more paint to the teeth, not due to the first coat being too light, but instead due to the teeth color stopping well before the gums. Essentially I was trying to decide whether the teeth needed more coverage, particularly at the bottom. In my heart I knew that answer was yes, but I was hesitant to potentially compromise the very smooth paint job I laid down with the first coat. I had certainly used borderline too much paint in order get a buttery smooth surface, but luckily didn't experience any wrinkling, likely due to there not being a concave surface for paint pooling (and instead a convex plane). This first triple-photo below shows the "before" state from my first found of painting a year ago. For a time I considered simply adding some paint at the bottoms of the teeth, but I knew I'd never be happy with a visible paint seam. I was also worried about a ridge at the edge of the undercoat being visible through the extended top coat. To test whether or not this would be an issue, I pulled out my trusty paint test strip of ABS that I'd used for various paint tests (paint thickness, opacity, finish, color, sanding, straight-line clean-up) in the past. I sanded down an edge of an old painted rectangle then painted a new later on top of both it and an un-sanded edge. Once it cured I noticed that a faint line of the bottom layer edge was visible in the top layer, which cemented my decision. To combat such a ridge I decided to very carefully sand down the edges of the original coat of teeth paint in order to create a more gentle taper to the unpainted portion of the teeth/gums (this was the same technique I used for my aforementioned fixed traps above). With edge sanding complete, it was time to dive into the new coat of Humbrol #5 gloss enamel. Rather than rely solely on and painting to masking tape like I did the first time, I elected to use a combination of freehand painting and masking this time, particularly since I know knew how easy it would be to clean up over-paint while it’s still wet. I decided to mask the tops of all except the center tooth since I wanted to maintain the top edge, and also added guide tape at the bottom of the teeth (shown in the before and after photos below) to mark the front edge of the frown curve. However, rather than paint to that bottom guide, I free-handed the bottom painted portion, ending well before the line. It was really more a point of reference. The goal of this repainting was to have a “full” frown when viewed from the front when previously some of the teeth looked like they were missing their bottoms. This before and after photo below shows the difference between post-sanding, after which a little bit of the edges of the teeth paint had been removed, and after they had been repainted. Notice how the paint extends lower, even compared to the very first photo in the triple-pane at the beginning of this teeth section. I think I succeeded in eliminating the appearance of white humps at the bottom of each tooth, as hoped for. The triple-photo below shows pre-cleanup teeth immediately after removing the masking tape, followed by larger images of my finished product post mineral spirit cleanup. I am now quite happy with the result. Ear Painting and Countersink Reinforcement While I had my paints out I thought I would also try my hand at painting the rank bar areas on my ears. I suspect that most builders usually do this after their helmet is assembled, but I wanted to take advantage of having the untrimmed ears sit flat on a table to maximize stability during the hand-painting process. I understood that I might make errors in my ear trimming so I painted all four of the ears that came with my ATA kit. Once I move on to trimming and sanding the ears I will cover up the painted area so as not to damage the finish during the constant handling and sanding process. Throughout my TK-building journey I’ve grown to appreciate the imperfections and abnormalities of this white armor, and one area I was intent on maintaining was the rectangular vs rounded edges of the painted ear areas. This was done very easily on my ATA armor and I essentially simply followed the form of the ABS. I laid down some masking tape on the four sides of each rank area then followed up my Testors 1139 semi-gloss black enamel paint application with some mineral spirit cleanup. I let the black layer cure for several days before returning with the Humbrol Gloss 5 gray enamel in order to allow me to clean up any mis-painting without impacting the black layer below. Similarly, I waited several days before returning to do the single black rank marking on each ear. Thoughts on my ear painting? For those of you interested in an alternative to painting these ear details, Trooperbay sells pinstripe tape and rank bar decals. Personally I almost caved on the rank bar lines since it took me three tries (wiping off the paint twice to start over) to get it to my liking. My method of paint application may have been a bit unconventional, using the large end of a toothpick and then cleaning up with the pointed end. Also related to the ears, a year ago when I used milliput for my hovi reinforcement and lens mounting I had some extra left over so I decided reinforce the inside of the ears where the mounting screws would need to be countersunk (for higher levels of approval). Here is what that looks like. Notice that in one ear I also painted over the milliput with Testors 1145 gloss white enamel, which apparently dried to a bit more of a cream color. I had planned to use that same paint for the various bits of armor hardware that needs to be painted, but not anymore. Instead I think I'll spray paint the screw heads similar to how Justin did it. Any tips on an appropriate white spray for the very cool white of ATA armor (I believe similar to WTF and AP)? I cannot stress this enough—NEVER EVER RUSH through paint application, or build steps in general. I've previously stated this advice in the past, but it's worth mentioning again. Your build is not a sprint; it's a marathon. In regards to paint work, if you have to ask yourself and deliberate whether or not you have enough time for preparation, application, and cleanup, then you probably don't. Take your time. Do things methodically. No shortcuts. Leave extra time to spar should something unforeseen arise. The context of this advice this time is that I rushed through my trap painting and didn't initially give myself enough paint clean-up time, and also cut it very close with my ear painting. Paint multiple thin layers. Every time I paint I keep attempting to walk a fine line between laying down barely enough paint for a smooth enamel finish, and too much which will result in wrinkling. In the past I experienced wrinkling twice while painting two of my traps, and this time I can extremely close with my ear painting. I applied just a little too much gray on my ears, which resulted in a few tiny pinholes (perhaps from air bubbles, which could have also been the result of poor paint stirring or brush technique). Interior Hardware Paint and Lens Polishing On my known to-do list was also painting the raw metal screw heads and washers inside my helmet so they would disappear into the rest of the black interior. I removed my lenses and hovi tips and sprayed the screw heads and exposed washer sides matte black, being careful not to paint the threading. I accomplished this by pressing them into a piece of cardboard to hold them steady and cover the threading. A long time ago I acquired some screw post covers, so after cutting them to length, they essentially black out the hovi posts. With the lenses off I also tried to polish them up since I scratched them up a bit while sanding the edges. At that earlier point in my build I didn't have any sanding experience and didn't realize how easily the lens material would scratch up. Using Novus 1 and 2 I was able to buff out some of the scratches, which I'm sufficiently happy with, but some do still remain. I used the Novus paper towels by hand, but would a polish drum for my dremmel provide a better solution? I have the three levels of Novus, but would another agent work better? Or perhaps I'd be better off sourcing some replacement lens material? The photo below shows pre-buffed lenses with tape covering the screw post holes to keep the Novus 2 paste from entering. Faceplate and Cap Alignment A long time back I had previously posted a mock-up for faceplate and cap alignment to inquire for feedback about brow height, but I wasn't yet ready to attach the pieces at that time, so we'll try it again now. Using Dan's excellent reference posts on helmet alignment and brow height, I set out to achieve proper alignment, with perhaps a slightly lower brow than the average Stunt trooper. I'll admit that I've always loved the menacing presentation of a lower Hero brow. So friends, what do you think of this? I'm sure @CableGuy has some thoughts, and I feel like I've seen @ABS80 comment on alignment in the past, though I admittedly am not working on an AP kit. I do know that some additional trimming around the edges of the pieces in the ear and neck area are still in order. The first quad-photo below, admittedly, utilized lights at a bad angle, so the brow looks deceivingly low due to shadows. The last photo provides a more accurate depiction. For attachment of the face and cap I'm intending to use two screws on each side, with washers and a regular nut. Would a locking nut or washer be better? I hope to place one screw somewhat between the top two ear-piece screws, and the other towards the bottom of the ear. I imagine this lower one should go above where the bottom ear screws in, correct, so as not to congest that area near the S-trim? Neck Opening Dimensions and S-trim Finally, in preparation for my helmet face/cap assembly, and ear trimming, I'm hoping to crowd-source some information on neck-opening sizes. I know that getting a helmet on often requires putting it on sideways then rotating, and that things can get tight quick, so I want to ensure I give myself enough room before making a final cut in my S-trim. Can any of you share measurements of how deep and wide your neck openings are, and what your recommendations would be for sizing? I'd hate to cut it too small then have to widen it up down the road and then have an insufficient length of S-trim. The first dual-photo below is an example photo of what I'm looking for, using a WTF bucket that I won from Stormtrooper Ranch last year (which has been helpful for hands-on observation). The second show my ATA faceplate next to the WTF. Are there minimum and maximum recommended opening sizes? As a reminder, this section contains all the questions I asked throughout the post, and sometimes also new ones which are generally listed first. I've always been hopefully that such a consolidation might increase the likelihood of them being remembered and answered. =) Are any improvements needed on my rear and side traps? Thoughts on my ear painting? Any deficiencies? Any tips on an appropriate white spray to match the very cool white of ATA armor (I believe similar to WTF and AP)? It seems both Testors 1145 and the Humbrol gloss white are both somewhat off-white. Would a polish drum for my Dremmel be the best solution to buff out scratches on my helmet lenses? Is Novus 1 and 2 the best buffing products to use on lenses? Would it be better to simply source some replacement lens material and cut new ones? What do you think about my faceplate and cap alignment? Is it ready for attachment? For attachment of the face and cap I'm intending to use two screws on each side, with washers and a regular nut. Would a locking nut or washer be better? I hope to place one screw somewhat between the top two ear-piece screws, and the other towards the bottom of the ear. I imagine this lower one should go above where the bottom ear screws in, correct, so as not to congest that area near the S-trim? Can any of you share measurements of how deep and wide your neck openings are, and what your recommendations would be for sizing? I'd hate to cut it too small then have to widen it up down the road and then have an insufficient length of S-trim. Are there minimum and maximum recommended opening sizes? Did you miss me? ;-) Not armor build related, but still relating to the hobby, do any of you have suggestions for a chrome spray paint? Faceplate and cap attachment (screws) Ear trimming and fitment Neck opening sizing and S-trim installation Tube stripe painting My completed ATA helmet build vs the WTF TK/TD I won from Stormtrooper Ranch And there we have it. My first real update in nearly a year. Here's to progress, and rebuilding momentum to continue my build and journey to the 501st! As a reminder, a specially-formatted (not just a webpage printout) downloadable PDF of my entire build thread to this point is contained in [THIS SHARED FOLDER]. The PDF will be updated within a day or two of my own new posts and will note sequential version numbers and revision dates. Additionally, I've now revisited all my previous posts on this build thread and updated (reduced) the image widths where single rows of two to four images bled onto a second row due to a narrowing of the whitearmor webpage to accommodate the activity column last year. In a web browser this thread should now display as originally intended. Bill @CT 1977 - Thanks for your kind words; I'm glad to hear my content has been helpful to you! Trooperbay is definitely still up and running, though ironically I faced a similar access challenge when attempting to navigate to the site from work. I think some filters block the site, and certain browsers might display security certificate issues. But Trooperbay is definitely the place to go, and this masking template link is working for me right now, as is the other one that Chemi linked to. You may also try utilizing a different device, such as a tablet or phone, if you've been on a computer.

OP (MV) Post #47: Personal Life Update Today is March 1st, 2022 and my last thread post came on May 4th, 2021. What have I been up to, you might ask, so here is an update on my personal life. (Don't worry, an actual armor build update is coming immediately after this short personal post). In my March 11, 2021 post I mentioned having received a promotion at work, which was very exciting news on the financial front, but little did I know that I would remain an office of one (down from three employees) for the next six months. After a lengthy candidate search and three declined job offers I finally hired a new staff member at the end of August and we are now in the fifth month of a full-year training cycle. Extra hours at work, raising a toddler, and pandemic complications have kept me from my build until recently, but I now have actual progress to show. Read on in my next post. Of course, the absence of build progress was not indicative of the lack of Star Wars in our household. I gave my daughter her first Stormtrooper toy (a LARGE plush), followed soon after by her first donning of a WTF TK bucket I won in a raffle (isn't she a little short for a Stormtrooper, with the perfect head tilt?!). Boba made his annual Christmas tree appearance, this time joined by icicle Luke, and my wife's big Christmas present to me was a Black Series Mando helmet. She also adopted some gifted socks that were too small for me.

OP (MV) Post #46: Tribute to Terrell Reber, ATA Founder Terrell Nash Reber September 2, 1978 - November 30, 2021 November 30, 2021 marked a day of great sadness for the entire Stormtrooper and FISD community with the passing of @SuperTrooper Terrell Reber. Terrell served the community as the maker of Affordable Trooper Armor (ATA), and though I never had the chance to meet him, I did share a 48-message email string with him over the course of 12 months beginning in November of 2019. Despite questions that, I'm sure, reflected my novice status, Terrell was always a gracious veteran and quickly answered my questions en route to my first TK armor purchase and build. Though my ATA armor is still a work in progress, I hope to do his armor kit justice and eventually don a finished suit that Terrell would have been proud of. Following are some words from Troopers who knew Terrell personally. "If you were ever fortunate to have spoken with Terrell, you will know he had an affect on people. He had a way with words that made you feel like a lifelong friend, he was intelligent, talented, and believed everyone should have the opportunity to live out their Stormtrooper dreams. Terrell is a huge loss to our community in many ways. His service to FISD our members and the Legion at large will never be forgotten. Rest in peace good sir, and may the force be with you always." ~Andrew Franke @Sly11, Detachment Leader "It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the passing of Terrell Reber, who was my XO for many of the early years of FISD and later became DL in his own right. In that time, he contributed his insight and wisdom in many areas most particular in the areas of armor, molds, and armor making. He was the first person to find a legitimate, conflict free path to selling TE derived armor when he founded ATA. It may be hard to believe, but there was a time those years back when a decent set of FX armor was $1200 and TE type armor was hard to acquire from a reputable person. ATA changed much of that, and ATA set the bar for providing quality armor at an affordable price. Hence ATA: affordable trooper armor. He was very picky about quality and hunted for plastic suppliers who would provide virgin material with the right shade of white. He could have charged more and had a long wait list, however felt that would be against his principles. These days there are many options for people to procure quality TE type armor at an affordable price, and we have a solid list of reputable makers. It can be hard to believe that it wasn’t always this way, or that even having a public list of vetted armor makers was considered taboo. With a glance at a picture, he could tell you the make of the armor or helmet and could spot all the “tells” that was uncanny. He gave selflessly his experience and advice to FISD members time and again. However, most of all I will remember him as someone who was always there to take a phone call when needed. Who gave selflessly to this hobby that he loved. 43 is just too young. Buckets off, as I drain it of my tears." ~Paul Hoeffer @Daetrin, Detachment Founder "It was a shock to hear of the passing of Terrell Reber TK1787 "SuperTrooper" due to complications with Covid. For those that may not know, he was ATA (Affordable Trooper Aarmor) and for many years has supplied 501st members around the world with quality TK armour. Not only did he make great armour, but he was a former Detachment leader of FISD. [...] Our condolences go out to his family, friends." ~Glen Rhodes @gmrhodes13, PRO Newsletter Buckets Off. A Sad Day for FISD December FISD Newsletter 2021 Eternal Legionnaire Terrell's Obituary Sadly, only two weeks after his passing, Terrell's wife Tracie also passed, leaving behind their son, Tyler. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Hi Andrew! I totally understand what you mean about starting a build and life getting in the way. I had my BBB Day back in 2020 the week before everything here shut down due to the pandemic, and have had long pauses in my progress. However, I've recently been working on my helmet again and actually have some updates to add to my build thread (likely posting tomorrow!). What type of armor did you originally start building, and now who is your commission from? I do suspect that the sense of accomplishment you have from eventually finishing your own build will be great. I'm looking forward to it myself!

Always impressed with your work on these incredible files and final products! Amazing work, and a fantastic resource for troopers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats Andrew! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ll echo what others have said that this truly is an amazing finished product. Excellent work! You really may need to do a second blaster so that you can display one safely away from drop-risk troops. Haha. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Bill! It seems you’re referring to the sign vinyl that Terry used to make a rear trap vent template. If you wanted to go the DIY route, instead of purchasing template decals from a place like Trooperbay, you could use any removable adhesive vinyl from a retail or craft store. For example, cricut vinyl or transfer paper could work. Some builders even use painters tape. Joseph actually has a Template Painting 101 thread that describes this. I’d add specific links, but don’t have easy access to them on mobile. However, I have included some on this master resource compilation I put together: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/49412-all-in-one-tk-anh-stunt-index-of-resources-by-maskedvengeance/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello there, Kenny! I, too, have been working an an ATA kit (for about two years actually). Linked below is a resource compilation thread I initially pulled together for myself and then published for the benefit of other builders. The bottom half of the thread is composed of links to many build and higher-level submissions, many of which are of ATA armor. We look forward to following along on your progress!

Just catching up on this old thread, Justin. You expanding/reviving your RascalSnaps offering? Funny, I still have the ones I got from you waiting for installation in my kit. How has that press ended up working for you? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was also about to say “YOU WOULD!” Haha. Fantastic job, Joseph! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know, right?! Joseph keeps adding to my to do-list. Lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like Lou beat me to mentioning AJ’s AM build thread. I particularly love the imagery AJ documented. The resource compilation thread that Glen mentioned is also a good one. ;-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve always understood this to be a preference thing, since screen references show the brow trim ends angled and cut in all different ways. Interested to hear what the DOs say. Here’s what I did: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Merry Christmas you filthy animals! =) Seasons greetings to all, and a happy new year! (May 2022 be the year I finally get my TK done) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So very sad about this news of Terrell’s wife. My prayers will be with their son Tyler and the rest of the family. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah that main plate and the vents are awesome! I could get in on this too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just PMed you and included Justin on the message, Ron! =)