MaskedVengeance

Actually, Jim, that's no issue at all! It's recommended that that bulge actually be removed. Here's are some photos from and link to Joseph's guide to return edges.

Congrats Sebastian, and every other EI Trooper and those who contributed to the effort over the years! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seriously it cannot be healthy for me to continue checking Tapatalk as often as I’ve been these last couple of days... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha, nice. The social scientist in me is wondering if you gonna share the data set here once the project is complete. Or at least the response percentages? =) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Super easy, and I think you may find your responses from the FISD population a bit skewed. Haha. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m glad it will be of use to you! That’s my whole goal with the resource thread I’ve been working on! =) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't think you're gonna find any GMLs measuring your boxes, so as long as everything is proportional you should be fine. In fact, HWTs all over the work have limited access to different boxes, so you do truly have flexibility on that front. That being said, the Popit Stackit boxes on Amazon fit the bill excellently. If you're looking for other good builds, check out the ones I list at the beginning of my own build thread. =)

Greetings, and welcome to FISD! Congrats on your armor acquisition! As far as approval is concerned, you may want to fully kit up and submit photos on a thread in the pre-approval forum to get feedback prior to officially submitting to your GML for Legion approval. When I get back to a computer I’ll add the link to that forum in this post. We’ll be here along the way to help! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No worries at all! It's always fun to consider alternative construction techniques and components, which was pretty much the theme of my backpack build (still unfinished). Cne thing you may want to try when eventually installing the bumpers is to add screws to them from inside the container box so that you don't have to rely exclusively on the pre-applied adhesive to keep the buttons on.

Yes, you are correct that they also suffice for ESB. If case this is helpful: OT TK Differences PDF

Alright Eric - Here are some photos I took of the black bumpers from Amazon along with an old keyboard. Interestingly, the color and texture of my black Dell keyboard appear to be a pretty close match with the bumpers, but there are obviously differences in shape. The bumpers have a larger footprint but a smaller plateau on top. I would say they're about the same in height, and I believe you may actually find some differences in height of the various keys on the old style keyboard, and could therefore select the appropriate ones. All that being said, I'm not sure what the cost of the bumpers would be for you in Canada, or what post would cost from here in the US to you, but if it'd be cheaper I'd be happy to mail you some of my extras, since I have way more than I need. I could ship to you from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 30750 in case you want to look up pricing. I hope this helps!

Yup the 421s are for an ANH TK, and they are already dyed. As for sizing, the general consensus is that they run a bit small, so many Troopers order 1/2 to 1 full size larger than their normal shoe size. This also enables extra insoles to be added, or thick socks for winter trooping. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats Justin! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting idea. Do you know if they’re the same size? I can check my bumpers with an old keyboard myself later this evening. Once painted black, they’d probably look relatively similar. It may depend on the interpretation by your GML. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guess that trooper forgot to change out his Rogue One elastic-cinched TK biceps for ANH ones after the uniform reissuing. Right @mr paul?

Either enamels or acrylics are acceptable for approval, but keep in mind that acrylics will wear off more easily on raised surfaces such as the ears, ab buttons, and any screws and rivet which need to be painted. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anybody know what time the DOs go to bed and wake up? Cuz I wanna match their schedules ;-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eeeeeeekkk! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Welcome to FISD, Jim! You’re in the right place for this undertaking, and we’ll all be here to help you along the journey! To answer your question about video tutorials, there are several other series out there other than RS, and TB (CableGuy comes to mind), and well-documented build threads will also be an excellent resource. If you haven’t already checked it out, ukswrath’s Avovos thread is FANTASTIC. I have an All-In-One TK Resource thread linked in my signature that might be helpful, and ukswrath’s build and video series are linked there. Along with MANY other helpful threads. Again, welcome! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good luck with your submission, Sebastian! p.s. Let's see some of that green screen in action! You know, like a TK on a starship. Or riding a dinosaur. Haha.

OP (MV) Post #31: Thermal Detonator Part #1 For those of you not up-to-date with my previous post, I had decided to continue assembly of my TD and helmet prior to letting go of my kit, since neither of them are related to armor fitment, and I figure it would be a fun last-hurrah. Completing them shouldn't negatively impact the eventual sale, assuming I do a good job, particularly with the helmet. I'm continuing to sell off personal items from my previous hobbies in hopes of miraculously being able to turn my TK situation around; half income is no cakewalk. Side note: If any of you have any leads on remote/virtual teaching/tutoring opportunities, let me know. My wife is a certified elementary ed teacher with a Masters degree in reading instruction and a TESOL endorsement. Ok, so on to Part 1 of my thermal detonator! Be forewarned, since I'm assuming that these are the only two components left with my build, I'm going photo-heavy here on out. (Not that I hadn't already been doing that). After all, I likely won't reach the 1,000 image flickr free max at this point. This post will document the resources I used as well as the process of preparing the end caps, control panel, and main tube. Painting and the clips will be included in Part 2, in case any alterations are suggested after this post. Resources From the beginning I have known that ATA thermal detonators run small, and I had primarily understood that to be in relation to the end caps' tightness, but it turns out that not only are the caps a tight fit, but they're actually designed for use with American imperial (seems appropriate) sized 2-inch (50.8mm) outer-diameter pipes. Now that I think about it, I suspect that most American-produced armor makers do the same thing, due to availability of piping. I had just never really considered that before. Apparently screen-accurate detonator tubes had a metric outer diameter of 68mm, but I'll need to make due with the 2-inch (50.8mm) sizing that my ATA parts are designed for. Oh well, it's not like I have an RS kit anyway, so it'll be fine. ANH Stunt CRL: PAGE LINK (excerpt shown below) FISD Image Galleries: Thermal Detonator | RS Suit Page 3 ATA Thermal Detonator discussion threads: 2012 Dutchtrooper | 2013 Dark Trooper Thermal Detonator build threads: ukswrath ANOVOS | ukswrath AM | A.J. Hamler | wook1138 For my build I elected to use the largest documented measurement for all the components of the TD. This way the proportions might be relatively consistent plus I'd be able to trim pieces down if it is suggested to do so by other Troopers. So here are my final measurements: Overall width: 7.5 inches (190.5mm) Panel width: 122mm Panel arc length: 185 188mm (limitation) End caps width: 20mm Clip width: 1-1/16inches (Tony's default) End Caps I began with the end caps since it seemed like they would be the easiest portion of the TD to complete. Turns out I was correct, and I actually made my job even more difficult than it could have been due to over-engineering. To measure the 20mm width of the cap edge I used a pencil and a ruler both set in a clamp, with the pencil point set 20mm off the tabletop. I then spun the cap around a couple times, letting the pencil mark a perfectly level line, and shown in the first two photos below. In hindsight, I could have simplified the setup by measuring and marking 20mm at a single point on the cap, then adjusting the pencil height in the clamp (no ruler necessary) to match the height of the mark on the cap. This would have eliminated needing to see the ruler with the pencil in the clamp. Oh well, lesson learned. With perfect 20mm lines drawn, I used my lexan scissors to rough trim close to the lines, leaving the excess to be sanded down. I then wrapped painters tape up to the line to serve as a guide and began sanding with 220 and 320 grit sandpaper sheets on a flat table surface. I worked slowly and intentionally to ensure level sanding all the way around each cap and avoid sanding too far and pressing into the tape. The end results were smooth, crisp, caps with straight lines and 90-degree edges and no chamfering. Control Panel The panel turned out to be the most technical aspect of the TD, with various measurements and alignments to be mindful of. I wanted my panel to be perfectly squared and not shaped like a trapezoid or parallelogram. I'm sure the construction of the original ANH screen-used panels was far less precise, but I wanted mine to be as close to perfect as possible, especially since this and the helmet are all that I have left. Documented in a previous post, I had already cut off the flashing from the edges of the panel, so next I wanted to get the left and right edges relatively straight. I started off with using painters tape to give me a guide to draw pencil lines roughly 4.75 inches (120.65mm) apart (later altered to 122 mm). At this point the lines did not need to be perfectly straight, and once drawn I cut one side with lexan scissors. I then used more painters tape to mark long horizontal lines 195mm apart along the surface of the panel (third photo below). In other words, the length/depth of the arc of the panel, front to back, would be 195mm, though I would later change that (described below). With the cut lines marked with tape I grabbed my tiny metal ruler and handy xacto knife. Since the ABS was protected by a layer of tape, and I wanted the straight edge to be as close the plastic as possible to minimize wayward cuts, I flipped my ruler upside down so the cork was facing up. I then clamped it and used the score-and-snap method. As a reminder, light pressure with the blade is all that is needed when scoring; press too firmly and your blade may slip. The ruler method worked will for the large open side, but when moving to the round "knob" side there was no room for the ruler. I decided to layer several lengths of painters tape to create a raised edge (third photo below) to guide my blade, and it worked pretty well (fourth photo). The next two photos show the end result of my score-and-snap reductions on the top and bottom of the panel. At this point it became obvious to me that additional trimming would be necessary due to some outward curvature still being visible. The light next to the shadow makes this clearly visible, and I was disheartened that I'd need to reduce the panel further and not be able to maintain the 195mm arc. That being said, I know that there were many incidental variations to the dimensions of the TD components, as shown by the many diagrams showing ranges of measurements, so really it's not a big deal. Heck, even Tony had to compromise on his ANOVOS detonator build. The next four photos show how I tackled creating perfectly straight edges running perpendicular to the length of the tube. First I grabbed a spare length of 2" PVC pipe which had a perfectly-cut 90-degree end (leftover from cutting my actual tube with a miter saw). I then aligned the lowest portion of the panel with the edge of the pipe and taped it all together like crazy with painters tape. I did not want the panel to shift at all, lest it cause uneven sanding. I then used 220 and 320 grit sandpaper on a flat surface, and the same fashion as with the end caps, to attain a straight, smooth edge. With one end complete it was time to re-measure and re-mark the width of the panel. You may recall that at the beginning of this process I had marked both edges with painters tape, but repeated sanding on one end resulted in me needing to shift the other end, and I simultaneously decided to change from a 4.75 inches (120.65mm) in width to 122mm. I used a ruler to measure and mark the new 122mm width, and then used PVC pipe again as a "straight"-edge. The first photo below shows this concept, but I actually used an un-chamfered pipe, rather than the one shown. Once I had the line drawn I followed the same process as before with lexan scissors and PVC pipe sanding. With the two ends smooth and straight I returned back to the issue of the long edges needing to be re-trimmed to cut off some remaining outward curvature. As has been used many times in my build, sandpaper (320 grit) on a flat table did the trick. I sanded until the curvature on both sides was consistent, and my panel arc length is now closer to 185 188mm. I am very pleased with the end results, shown below. As was the case with the end caps, my goal was to have perfectly straight and perpendicular lines with the control panel, and all the edges were left raw with 320 grit sanding except for a little edge-smoothing on the outer-facing long edges at the top and the bottom of the panel. The chamfering on those two corners is barely noticeable and is simply to prevent snags on any fabric the panel may come in contact with. Tube This was the first time I had the opportunity to bust out some power tools on my build, but alas I only needed my miter saw for all of a single three-second cut. Since there are documented thermal detonators measuring between 7.25 and 7.5 inches (184-190mm), I opted to cut my pipe to 7.25 inches and planned on the end caps to make up the difference and finish with a 7.5-inch long TD. As with everything on the TD, I'm using the largest possible measurements which can later be trimmed down if necessary. Once I had the pipe cut I began sanding the entire surface with 320 grit sandpaper in order to prep it for spray painting. I should mention that I'm using white PVC pipe rather than grey electrical conduit since I had purchased an extra 24-inch length for my HWT build. Per Tony's own TD paint job post, I will be using Model Master Custom Spray Enamel 1923 Gunship Gray FS 36118. EDIT: Later in my build I discovered that Model Master 1923 Gunship Gray is too dark for the Thermal Detonator, and more appropriate sprays are Testors 1237 Semi-Gloss Primer or Testors 1238 Gloss Gray. This single image below is simply meant to show how ATA's control panel section fits onto a standard 2-inch (50.8mm) PVC pipe. When simply resting on the pipe, you can observe that the ABS panel was pulled with a very slightly smaller radius than the PVC, which means that, when pressed onto the pipe and glued properly, it will sit tightly and there won't be a risk of the long edges pulling up from the pipe. Excellent design, and hopefully not unique to ATA. Moving ahead, despite the fact that I designed and cut the pipe to be 1/4-inch shorter than what the finished product will be with the end caps, I decided to chamfer the outer edges to further minimize any fitting issues with the caps. I know the interior edges of the caps are curved so I wanted to give them space to fit on the pipe properly. I believe I measured roughly half a cm from the edge and used my clamp/pencil technique to draw a straight line around the outside of the tube. I also drew a line on the ends which split the thickness of the pipe, and my goal with the dremel off a straight angle between those two lines as shown in the third and fourth photos below. Of course it didn't need to be perfect, just approximate. With the edge rough chamfered I wanted to do some sanding on the ends to clean it up a bit, plus I had heard that ATA end caps are typically very tight. I tested them out, and sure enough, it was a tight fit indeed. So much so, in fact, that I was afraid of getting them stuck on their or splitting the plastic on the caps. I decided to do some extensive sanding on the ends so I measured and marked an area which I knew would eventually be covered by the caps. I covered the rest of the tube in blue tape (not sure why I covered the middle) and proceeded to sand the exposed white areas. At first I opted to use my 320 grit paper but after several rounds of sanding and fit testing, it became apparent that I needed to shave off much more PVC. After all, not only did I need to make room for the caps to slide on comfortably, but I also needed to account for the layer(s) of enamel spray paint that I would be applying. I removed all the painters tape, wrapped 220 grit paper around half the tube at a time, and repeatedly twisted it in my hand. I added increased pressure and extra twists towards the ends where the caps would sit in order to wear those areas down a bit more than the rest of the tube, and eventually finished it back up with 320 grit paper. The end results of my cutting and sanding can be seen below. Those initially-angled dremel chamfer cuts smoothed out quite well, and in the third photo below you can see how I reduced the material at the ends more than the middle of the tube in order to accommodate the end caps. Pre-Paint Preview Here is a rough "fitting" of the parts along with the TD clips pressed somewhat loosely onto the tube. From what I can tell the proportions looks about right, but perhaps more experienced eyes can provide confirmation. The left clip shown in the first photo below will settle a little further towards the cap, and it wasn't flush with the tube anyway in the photo. When it's all assembled the screw-holes should be perfectly lined up with the ends of the control panel. These last two photos show the alterations I'm going to have to make to Tony's TD clips in order to get them to properly cradle my 2-inch (50.8mm) pipe. Tony constructs his clips with universal sizing in order to fit both 2-inch and 68mm (screen-accurate) pipe, and after inquiring he sent me his recommendation on how to adjust them to fit my TD. Consider this a teaser for what will be included in Part 2 of my TD build. If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me. It seems that many build threads just gloss over, or skip altogether, thermal detonator assembly, so hopefully the documentation of mine will be useful for other builders in the future! Printable/downloadable PDF of my entire build thread to this point: NOW AVAILABLE HERE

Oh man. Two new EI apps this evening... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good morning, Eric! Have you tried searching for the GarageBoss 12.5 oil can? It's actually the exact same one as the Wedco 83150, just under a different name, and it's the one I purchased through Walmart. Below is a link to my HWT build thread, which has a TON of purchase links for components for the backpack. I was a little obsessed with documenting my process. Additionally, here are some direct links I quickly found for the pan you asked about. I'm not sure what shipping would be like to Canada. https://www.zoro.com/garageboss-oil-recycle-drain-pan-125-qt-gb150g/i/G6591299/ ---------- Hope this helps!

You’ll likely find that there would be more “storage” room inside your chest or back plates than in your TD. Some Troopers Mount their speaker system in their chest, and others also hang a pouch with a lanyard from their neck. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Y’all need to get an OZ DO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk