CountCunning

Thanks for the tips and the resources! While I was getting suited up I wasn't sure of whether or not the cod would fit between the belt and the barrel, but taking a look at it from the underside there's a large enough gap that I should be able to slide the cod into the gap no problem. I'll do another test fitting with the cod in between the barrel and belt at some point soon when I've got an extra set of hands to help out. Have you got any tips on doing solo test fittings? I live pretty far away from other 501st folks and my schedule doesn't always allow for me to attend armour parties, but I want to get more work done on this build than just filing out the frown in my bucket.

I've added the photos to a Google Drive. Here's hoping that they show up bigger! ( https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AT3XqZmrRlGdSQ_cz3OWjyPlZ6JY5FUj?usp=sharing ) I've lost a substantial amount of weight since receiving this armour and there's a pretty massive gap in between my thighs and the armour, which might be contributing to the cod and thighs hitting one another. Another reason they might be touching is because I'm lacking suspenders to hold the abdomen and cod up. I'll try adding suspenders to the abdomen and I'll see how everything is sitting. In case that won't be enough to separate the cod and thighs, is there anything you'd recommend I try? I was going to pad out the thighs a bit because of the aforementioned gap, but I'm not sure which kind of foam to use. Would a harder (e.g. EVA) foam be better for that, or a softer foam? Thanks for the feedback!

I had an opportunity to attend an armour party last Saturday and I was actually able to make a LOT of progress with the help of @GilesWoodward and the other lovely Badlands folks who were in attendance. We were able to accomplish a rough test fit of the armour and I was relieved to find that the armour needs little (if any) modification to fit me. The biggest issue we encountered was that the black extension pieces that connect the chest and back weren't sitting flush with the top of the abdomen (see photos below). Has anyone else encountered this issue? If so, is there a best way to go about fixing it? I realize that my armour is going to fit slightly differently because I was missing the rectangular back plate that sits under the belt behind the TD, so I'll probably need to do another test fitting of the torso armour, plus I haven't got a set of suspenders or straps to hold my ab armour up, so I was constantly needing to support it with my hands. With those things in mind, is there anything that sticks out as needing fixing/adjusting/alteration?

What is your process for sanding after priming? How do you determine what needs filling and cleaning up? This has always been a part of the build process that's confused me. Are there any YouTube videos or build threads out there that you'd recommend watching or reading for an in-depth/step-by-step guide on how this all works? Thanks in advance!

I was able to drop by a local fabric store and I picked up about 15 feet of 1" wide black webbing. I've been toying with the idea of using it as a strapping system, particularly to hold up my abdomen section, but I was wondering if the lack of elasticity in the webbing would be a drawback when trooping.

I'll give a small amount of mine a try and I'll see how that goes, otherwise I'll be on the lookout for some of this blade putty. Thanks for the recommendation!

This build thread has been getting pretty dusty, so I figured I'd get back into the swing of things now that the weather is warming up. I've been very slowly chipping away at making the helmet and armour wearable (photos incoming soon, I promise). Thanks to everyone who's given advice so far; it's been really helpful and I've definitely been putting it to good use. As I've been working on my helmet I've noticed that there are some small pits along the frown line and other places with sharp lines. I feel like using Bondo on a couple of millimetre diameter pits is overkill, so on my last trip to the local hardware store I picked up this "putty pencil" that's used for filling drill holes in wood, panelling, and the like. I asked an employee if it would work on resin and plastic and was told that it should because they use one in the store to cover up holes in plastic panelling all the time. Has anyone had experience using one of these on armour? Do they apply well, or am I better off just spot applying Bondo in really small amounts?

Hey all, I'll be getting back to working on my armour over the Easter long weekend and I was wondering what size/kind of shock cord folks have been using to hold their forearms and biceps together. Is this the best option for holding things together on long troops, or are elastic/velcro better options? Thanks in advance!

Which Dremel bits are those? I've been meaning to replace my old, dead Dremel with a new one this year and (if they don't come with an included accessory kit) I'd not mind shelling out for a couple of extra bits to make this and future projects easier.

Hey! Sorry about dropping off there for a bit. I've just been readjusting to working full-time after taking the summer off to relax and get unpacked from my cross-country move. Since starting the job I've not been able to get in as much exercise time as I'd like, but I'm on my feet all day so I'm definitely getting my steps in. I'm about 29lbs from my goal weight and it looks like I may be on track to reach it by February if I'm lucky. I'll be sure to try and find some more time to post updates now that my work schedule seems to finally be figured out. Keep up the great work, everyone!

The endocrinologist has given me some lab work requisition forms, but agrees that I probably shouldn't be taking the dose that caused my weight gain. Until I'm able to get that done I'll be continuing my exercise regimen. As of Monday, this week, I weighed 179. I've made a bunch of progress toward my goal and I'm very proud of that. Thanks again to everyone for all of the encouragement!

Thanks for the info! I can't exactly tell based on the expo photos of the FOTK, but are those soles the same thickness as the Crowprops boots? I've had some reservations about getting them based on how thick they are, but if that's how they're supposed to be I'm happy to go for them.

Hello all, I've recently come into a bit of a windfall and though that I'd buy my boots while waiting on my replacement P100 filter cartridges to ship. I was wondering what the general consensus on the boots from Imperial Boots is versus the boots from Crow Props. I've ordered from Crow Props in the past and was satisfied with the product, but I've also heard good things about Imperial Boots. Aside from price, is there a major difference between the two? Do they both fit the same? Is one more comfortable than the other? Is one more sturdy? Is there a third maker out there who's making R1 boots that isn't as widely talked about, but is just as quality as the other two? I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences and getting your feedback on who I should go with. Thanks all! - Daniel

Weekly update! Starting weight: 191 lbs Goal weight: 150 lbs Current weight: 182 lbs I'll be seeing an endocrinologist on Thursday to hopefully get things figured out once and for all!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks thanks to a massive hail storm and the cleanup afterwards. It's time for my (sorely belated) weekly update! Starting weight: 191 Goal weight: 150 Current weight: On 01 AUG it was 184. As of 08 AUG, it was 181. I've spoken to my family doctor about the medication dosage that caused the initial spike in my weight and he gave me the OK to lower the dose back to what it was before the major weight gain until I can see a specialist. I've got an appointment with the specialist on the 25th of this month, so here's hoping we can get all of this stuff figured out. Until then I'll be continuing with my regular exercise plan, plus some expanded dumbbell workouts. Thanks again, everyone, for the recommendations and the support. Keep up the great work!

Weekly update time! Start weight: 191 lbs Goal weight: 150 lbs Current weight: 184 lbs (gained 2 lbs since last week) Last week really killed me when it came to exercise, so I've decided to cut back my elliptical and recumbent cycle distances from 15km to 10, but I've upped the resistance on each machine, so I'm (theoretically?) doing more work. My garden has been going nuts, so I've been eating a lot of fresh produce which has been nice. I'm looking for more exercises to do with a set of dumbbells besides bicep curls, so if any of you folks have recommendations for dumbbell routines I'd appreciate them! Thanks again for all your encouragement, and keep up the great work, troopers!

Hi all, I've been waiting for the summer heat to ease up a bit before backing my Jimmi kit with something to prevent itching caused by loose fibreglass fibres. I'm most likely going to be using vinylester resin, but in my search for Canadian vendors I've discovered that something called Gelcoat that appears to have been designed to top coat fibreglass. I was wondering if anyone has any experience in using it, and whether it would be better to use it over vinylester resin. Additionally, I noticed that the vendor I'm intending to purchase from sells a Gelcoat applicator gun, so I'm wondering if I'd need that to apply Gelcoat or if I could get away with using cheap paintbrushes as my applicators.

Keep up the great work! Who built the DLT-19? I'd love to have an all-metal E-11 myself, eventually

We had a pretty heavy storm yesterday that knocked out power and internet for a bit, so here's my day-late update. Weight at start: 191 lbs Goal weight: 150 lbs Current weight (18 July): 182 lbs I've not made any major changes in my diet or exercise routine in the last week, so I'm going to chalk those 2 gained pounds up to muscle that I've been building. Here's my updated exercise plan since I've gotten used to the original 10km bike and elliptical sessions: 15km on recumbent bike and elliptical 4 sets of 25 bicep curls using 7 lb weights Lane swimming (I'll probably be starting that up in August because the local pool keeps switching its lane swimming session times for unspecified reasons). Keep up the great work, everyone!

Weekly update time! Weight at start: 191 lbs Goal weight: 150 lbs Current weight (11 July): 180 lbs I'm well on my way (weigh? Puns? Are those allowed here?) to meeting my goal and I'm glad I've got you folks for support. I should be able to start swimming in the next couple weeks, which I'm excited for because I haven't been swimming since last year.

Thanks to everyone for the continued encouragement and advice. The FISD really is a great family to be part of

Alright, it's a day late, but here's my weekly update! Starting weight: 191 Goal weight: 150 Weight as of yesterday (04 July): 184 I was frankly pretty shocked at how much weight I'd lost in the week since starting my exercise plan. I haven't made very drastic changes to my lifestyle aside from now regularly exercising, and I'm pretty sure that I didn't bungle my weigh-in because I've always weighed myself at the same time of day wearing the same clothes each time. I'm considering bringing this up with my doctor because I'm not entirely sure if it's healthy to lose this much weight in such a short time period. If anyone has any advice, I'd very much appreciate it. I'm proud to have stuck to my plan, though, because forming new habits is difficult for me.

Thanks for the recommendation! What sort of filters do you recommend for the respirator? Will P100 filters work, or is there a different kind I should use?

Thanks very much for the encouragement!