JSmails

I’ve already been approved with the costume. Just trying to make it look “better”, and make it easier to suit up. A costume is never truly finished. :)

Looking at references, the thigh and shin should just about be touching. I doubt I’ll ever get it that close as I’m limited by the shin having to sit atop the boot. I tried lowering the thigh, but my elastic thigh belt would only let them go down so far. So, I E6000’d some new snaps inside the thigh about 3” up from the previous snap. That should let the thigh go down a bit. I’ll see how that looks tomorrow. If the thigh goes down, that’ll open up black space at the hips. Somewhere on this costume is going to have more black showing than it should. Which area of black showing is the least obtrusive? I’ve already seen what having too much black at the knees looks like, and I hated it. Is it better to show more black up by the helmet, at the hips, or at the knees? Thanks.

Thanks for all the help! I should note that I’ve done a LOT of work on the costume since my photos posted on May19th. I tried to do all the mods suggested by @gmrhodes13 I was able to flip everything so that the seams face toward my body, except the fronts of the thighs. I’ve tightened the calves significantly, so I was pretty bummed when they slid down in costume. Before I had velcro sewn to the suit, I use a one piece suit, on the shins then velcro inside the shins to match and keep them in place. I’ll have to experiment with foam or something. Looking at reference photos, the shins are supposed to be up high enough to be touching or almost touching the thighs. I suppose I could drop the thighs a little bit. But the less black the better. I never thought to snap the crotch snap first then put the shell on like pants, then a shirt. I’ll try that for sure before I mod it further. Does anyone have a link to the “poppers” we should be using? I only have line24 snaps and have never used poppers. I’ll have to put up some more recent photos suited up. These aren’t the clearest but were taken at the show. This one is on stage and I clearly have too much black at the knee. Especially when shot from below. Thanks for all the help!

Yours are permanently attached to each other? I would guess you put on the bell, bicep, and forearm all at once like a sleeve then have someone help you attach the bell to the shoulder strap. Is that correct? Or is there another way? Is there somewhere around the forum here that tells the best “this is the way” for construction etc.? Thanks.

Okay, I had my Weird Al troop and it was awesome. With trooping comes having to fix stuff. Any help is appreciated. My shins kept sliding down. Is there a way to get them to stay? Previously I had sewn velcro onto my suit on my shins, then put velcro on the inside of the shin armor and that held it in place. Is that the best method? Magnets? Something else? Almost the same question as above…my forearm armor keeps sliding down. How do I get it to stay in place? Elastic into the bicep would help, I suppose, but how would that get put on by oneself? If the elastic is so stretchy I could just pull it long and insert my hand, it won’t stay up by the bicep, and I doubt I could tie the elastic down into the bicep in costume. Maybe I can? I don’t know. The snap at the crotch absolutely will not snap together. Out of costume I can barely get it. In costume, no chance. In all my rehearsals, I can get dressed in everything in about 10 minutes, then I have to mess with the crotch snap for at least 10 minutes before giving up. Is there a better way? Does it have to be a snap or can I do magnets or a giant piece of velcro or something? That’s it for now. Thanks for any help!

On June 4th I was notified that my long journey to approval has ended, and my new journey as an approved TK has begun. I started my WIP here at the FISD in February 2009 looking for answers on how to make a better TK out of the Rubies armor I purchased on eBay. 17 years later, I’m approved in that armor. My WIP is here if anyone wanted to check it out. The ROTJ TK CRL changed more than a few times during those years. I’d adjust and get ready to submit, then it’d fall to the back burner. I tried to submit again in 2021 when I was filming a make a wish Star Wars movie in the armor, The Legend of Lex Zander, but was denied with more changes. Back burner again. A few months ago I got selected to do the Weird Al show as a TK this Friday, but I’d need to get my armor approved. Off the burner and back into the shop it went. Great help in my WIP, and a look at the CRL, and I finally got approved this month, just in time for Weird Al. I love the FISD. Everyone here has been so helpful. Even pulling my WIP out of the archived posts a few times over the years as I SLOWLY made changes. Looking at my WIP is like a time capsule of many folks over the years that helped me get here now. I am truly, truly grateful for all the help, and I’m happy to finally be an approved TK!

Enable me for 501st and detachment access please. https://www.501st.com/member/38421/ TKID: 38421 UserID: 18098 Thanks!

I got the word from my GML that my costume was approved today! Is this the longest WIP between start and approval in FISD history? I started the journey in February 2009 and was approved today. Over 17 years. Since my last post I’ve been making all the changes @gmrhodes13 (Glen) suggested. Little by little getting more accurate. I doubt I’ll ever make it to centurion or anything above basic approval, but I’m absolutely happy and grateful for all the help I’ve received here at the FISD on this costume over the (MANY) years. Thanks everyone for the help in getting this costume approved. While I have other costumes (I’m the ROTJ Vader in the CRL pics), stormtroopers have always been my favorite costume ever since I was little watching A New Hope for the first time in May of 1977. I never call a costume “finished”. There is always room for improvement. I am so happy to finally get to call myself TK-38421 and join the ranks of TK’s all around the world. Time to get back to work. Approval is only one point in the quest for accuracy. :)

OMG. Thanks for ALL the help. I can get the backs of the legs etc. reversed from out to in. That won’t be hard. I don’t think I can do the fronts of the legs and others. If I ripped the seams apart, they are certainly fastened with Stelmax or some other PVC glue, I am quite unlikely to find a cover strip etc. that will match the armor if I try to butt join the sides. Thanks for looking at it. If you have any suggestions on how to “flip” the fronts of the thighs and greaves I’m certainly open to any advice. Thanks very much for the time you spent helping. You’re the best! Time to do some searching and “hopefully” wait for an approval.

I got suited up today. Let me know if I need any changes for ROTJ TK. Thanks.

My rubies armor isn’t exactly white. So in order to get the TD to semi-match the armor, I had to weather it. I think I got it pretty close. It’s certainly not white-white anymore. Closer and closer to submittal.

Interesting. Here is the ROTJ TD reference I have: Is that not correct?

I did some reading and googling and it seems a good paint for TKs and FOTK is Painters Touch gloss white. Probably too white for my Rubies, but I’ll weather it closer once it’s done. Here it is after the white paint was applied. And here it is after the tape is taken off. I have a gloss coat to do to lock in the grey so it doesn’t scratch. But those caps are now 20mm. Should be compliant.

Working on the TD. The CRL has changed (since I started working on this) and the end caps have to be 2CM. Mine were like 3/8” and I didn’t like the look anyway. So I measured and cut some plastic out to make it appear 2CM. And I glued that in place on both ends. Then I had to fill and sand, fill and sand. Here is part of the process. I’m going to have to paint. What color should I use for the grey tube? Is primer filler good enough? How about the white? Any white or is there a specific white? I think TKs with painted sets use appliance white or something. Any help/advice is appreciated!

Thank you sir! I’ll definitely have a read through that post.