Zinfer

Not to mention the gasp for air after bucket removal.. Thanks buddy.

Yea, but to do it properly, you'd need to slice and remove the left hinge elastics (3 of them). FIND, buy and replace the uhm..rivets (Can't remember their name) and put shims equally on both sides for it to be accurate and good appearance, not just a single side. Then undo all of that when you reach your target weight. Or am I wrong? Pretty sure I'm right.

Yea let me get closer to my weight goal. I do not like the way the butt plate looked. I will need to probably cut the elastic and bring that in and under. All the offsets I see including the shoulder bell is due to the clamshell not closing. I'm not aware of side shims being easy to install or remove. I just think I need to do it right the old fashioned way. Sweat blood and tears my way back 20 or 30 pounds. :D. I didn't even ATTEMPT to snap the right closure.

Only way I could do a photo shoot is with a spotter and photographer, so I'mma need someone else to shoot the application photos when I actually apply. Tried doing this by myself - a big NOPE! Video was the best way to display the first full fitting attempt.

First FULL FIT balaclava, neck seal, gloves the whole bit. Don't judge too harshly. Just a first full fitting. I brushed my belt which unsnapped one. Couldn't get it resnapped. Really needed a spotter. Unable to get the detonator on back. Just a trial full fit. Helmet padding needed. Clamshell unable to close, no side snaps engaged. In order to fix these things I need to stop eating entirely and cardio biking all summer long. Unable to take photos as gloves were blocking and unable to see. Got pretty steamy inside the bucket. Was easier to take a video than to timer snap photos. Video upcoming via Youtube. Wore my butt out! Sweaty experience. I was patrolling the arcade for some Droids I was looking for. All perceived flaws were due to the clamshell not fully closing on the right. SO Yea I have ALOT of work to do with my body.

Does it really work to slice that off, put some brackets and loops on that to sit down properly?

Huh! Just noticed that bottom crotch line is off from the rest of the costume.

Doing another trial fit this weekend after this last cure session on the belt. Probably tomorrow night. Full suit up. I know the torso's gonna look trash with my waist size in the high 40's. But peeps wanna see overall the entire thing and it's fit. The only thing that sucks is no spotter. All on my own putting all this on for a photo shoot of timer photography with a cheap camera on a cheap tripod. I'll run a walking video as well.

Thinking this has got it. Checking with Garrison and Legion. Looks like I may need a popsickle stick to get rid of some of that glue residue under the button panel. It's hidden by the belt anyways, but I know it's there.

Oh I know buddy. Yea you know I've been hunting high and low for a Doopy kit or something otherwise affordable. I wouldn't dare submit with that prop. I was looking at Quest but I guess they don't have the magazine box. I'm searching for a worthy prop E11 but Im really not in a financial position to spend multiple hundreds for a single prop.

You're right. I didn't notice this. I'll go up a bit higher with some E6000. Just took care of it. Glued, clamped for overnight cure.

Wrapped up the rework of the Belt last night. All the snaps replaced with Line 24 snaps. Alot of drilling out of original snaps. Tested and it appears to be holding well. Haven't test fitted again yet as it's not really time, no changes in weight. But the snaps ARE holding. I think I found my issue in that the main Torso Belt snaps appear to be VERY close tolerance distance and that was leading to the original snaps failing. Too tight. I'll let it fly for now. Still need to have some velcro sewn on the inside for the inside center of it to hold it up and in place. Going to run to JoAnn fabrics today and find some velcro without the stickyback for fabric sewing. At least now I can remove the belt and have it cleaned if it ever needs to be. It is pure white, so you know.

It's about time to get just a little work done on the E-11 prop. I need more parts yet for my cheapo blaster prop.

Considering some more work on the Helmet. I really hate doing this as it means tearing the helmet back down again. But the results do look kinda cool.

I am so very excited. Nearing the end of my build. Finish this belt off. Get the chest plate bracket loops sized right and I am all over weight loss to get that approval. I can't wait to be a part and participate in my Garrison, meet new people and newfound friends. It's gonna be a blast. It's been a long haul from someone that's never had any experience in this kind of costume building and accuracy to actually beginning to LOOK LIKE a Movie StormTrooper. Thanks guys for helping me get to just this point. Bit of a ways to go yet - mainly my own problem in body shaping.

I mean if I used a hot iron to poke a hole that left a mark on the torso that'd do. Just wondering who has actually cleaned or washed (and I imagine wash would be dry cleaners due to all the fray on both edges) their belt. Mine is bright white, not a cream color.

Pulled the original button snaps off the torso using a drill. Replaced button snaps with Heavy Duty beefier Line 24 male snaps. Now for the canvas belt work of replacing all the snaps. I'm really feeling like placing velcro in the center of the torso rather than installing a 3rd snap. Check me if I'm right, but I'm thinking this is better than a misaligned snap. Now for the canvas belt itself and plastic ammo section.

Well I can wait a day or two on the 24's. I ordered those too. Also, I never considered washing the canvas belt. Not sure how badly it'd fray considering the edges are a complete mess of stringiness. I would think 24's would have a firmer grip but really not sure. As I alluded to earlier, I'm thinking best approach is to drill the previous snaps out.

Ok so snaps arrived today. Line 20's. Do you prefer 20's over 24's? So the idea behind your build is installing 5 snaps on the canvas belt. Then an additional 3 on the plastic ammo to snap the plastic ammo to the belt, then install 2 additional on the torso to install the canvas belt itself to the torso? That's alot of snaps. Isn't that kind of increasing the likelihood of a popped snap? Or is it evening out the bend at the two torso snaps? Lot of physics going on there. On my build I'm going straight through the plastic ammo and canvas without snaps to the belt, basically riveting the plastic to the belt. Then securing the canvas belt to the torso with the original button snaps.

How often does Doopy Doo sell? Out of Stock since last October. Are they still around? I don't have a 3d printer. I'd have liked a full kit or at least a conversion of the Hasbro from Doopy. I need to get to work on my weapon while trying to drop a few pounds to fit in the TK I've built. I mean I did pick up the Hasbro with the hopes of the conversion, but now after I look at it the trigger is all off, can't put a spring in it, it won't even fit in my holster right. :D.

I feel I need to redo my straps on the chest. Too tight. I mean it's kind of a double wammy with being overweight, but I made my chest straps so small it's pulling the chest up. It'd be nice if there were a place that actually makes the loops that are the correct size because I don't trust myself in getting them the correct size. Maybe I'm jumping the gun in that, it's my weight that's doing this? Maybe it doesn't need 'fixed'. But I'm looking at that chest and codpiece and it sure does look like it needs to come down and overlap significantly.

So, this is the real reveal. I've got a lot bigger fish to fry than accuracy. I've got about real time 30 pounds weight loss with cardio bike riding before I'm anywhere near submitting. Just being real with all of you. Lot of work ahead. Belt buttons first, then chest plate loosening/replacement of the loops again. Just to allow my helmet to move freely and not be choked. I got a literal TON of work to do with myself and my own body. I'm sure alot of us coming out of this Covid are going to need alot of Cardio this summer. Just speaking for myself though. I kinda look like the TRON guy....ugh

Squeeks in the armor sound about right?

So I'm thinking the legs are done finally. Camera lost focus towards the tail end unfortunately. Bit of a sharp edge on the left cheek. Will have to remedy that.

Yea, I think I'm down to going back and tidying things up now, get the wrinkles worked out. Belt and Chest plate.