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.

One last questions before I start to look, how wide is the elastic on the top straps in back? I don’t think the CRL has the width. From the pics I’ve seen it looks like 1/4”, but it could be 1/2” I suppose. If I don’t find it myself, let me know where to look. Thanks all!

Thanks for the encouragement. I HATE my thermal detonator. It ruins the look of the back for me. Anyone have any leads on where I can buy an ROTJ TD? Thanks.

Time for an update on one of the longest TK-approval posts likely in the history of whitearmor. I applied 5 years ago as above and got denied. Had to change a couple things. I never got around to changing them. Until now. I get to be a TK on stage with Weird Al in June. So, I guess, I’ll have to have an approved suit to do the troop. More to come.

I now believe this is 100% correct. With the snap just below the left side of the \_/ undercut. I poured through starwarsscreencaps for an hour and found a couple of definitive captures. First this strap is snapped up in this pic. Same location as the TM template. Second, same location in this running through Endor scene. In conclusion, I think the TM template is either correct, or VERY nearly correct for ROTJ. I’ll be taking the other snap off for re-submittal. Thanks for the help!!

Thanks for the help. My GML conglomerate is just going by the CRL, I’m sure. This is the CRL pic: With the snap on the right side. Like you, I can’t find any ROTJ-specific pictures to show that location for the snap. Mine has the snap on the right, across the \_/ part. And I added a snap on the left to actually keep the blaster in the holster as it is holstered backwards for ROTJ. If I don’t find any actual ROTJ references, should I pull BOTH of the snaps and put ONE snap where the CRL pic shows? Thanks for all the help!!!

Hello! I’m back in the correct section with updated pics. No more photobucket stuff. Anyway, after asking the above questions back in April (and not getting a response), I applied for approval. I’ve been rejected as I didn’t have a TD in any of the pics and also my boots are too white and I have an extra snap on my holster. Does anyone have any correct ROTJ holster snap pics besides the CRL? I’d love to see them. My holster came with a snap, but I couldn’t snap my E11 in place so I put another one in. Can I just cover the other one with some black tape and take some pics for approval? I think the “correct” snap is in the wrong place for usefulness. I have since painted and weathered the boots to match the armor. This, as you can tell, is an outdoor Endor moon variant. Since my last post I helped film a movie for Make a Wish in my TK armor. So if any of my scenes make it into the movie, my armor will, technically, be “screen accurate”. So I’m really trying to get it approved. Here are a couple of pics. On set. Outdoors on set. Thanks for any help.

Okay. The other day I submitted for approval. They came back and said they want some other pics. Front, back, sides. Here they are. Does anyone see anything that would limit basic approval? Thanks.

My goodness has it been over 3 years? Does anyone look at ROTJ anymore? As before, I have to get this approved. Worse, I have to get it finished by next Friday as I’ve volunteered/been cast in a fan film for Make a Wish. I guess they must need as many TKs as they can muster, so I’ve been enlisted. Here’s where I am now. These pics were shot today: Since I’m going with an endor-themed ROTJ TK, I need to weather the boots some more. They are WAY too white. Also, the bottoms are black and I’ve always had to change that. So today, I changed them to white. What should I use to weather the boots to match the duller/yellower color of the armor and use? Also, anything glaring about the full suitup? I have other shots to look at, sides/back, if need be. Thanks for any help. If I can get this approved, it’ll be quite the achievement for me. This was my first costume in 2009. It’s been 12 years and I have 3 other approved costumes, but not this TK. Time to step on it.

Any chance of getting this updated moving the pics to imgur or the like? Stupid Photobucket ruining great tutorials.

Since the Photobucket change in July, I haven’t updated this. Worse, PB has stolen most of my pictures. I’ll have to take some new pics,if I can remember what the pics were, and update the posts. I also need to finish this eventually. Now that winter is here, I hope to do this sooner than later. Damn you Photobucket.