Michael

Now there's a problem. It seems like you're in need of some expert trooper advice. Maybe you could trim your legs! Cut off a few inches of flesh and then sand your skin to give it a more smooth finish and you might be able to fit in, eh?

Today I decided to narrow the shins. Some of the following pictures may seem superfluous, especially for the skilled trooper, but I decided to include them anyhow in case there are other n00bs out there, who don't know where to start. Afterall, this hobby can seem a bit overwhelming at first. Anything that can turn somebody from looking into makes a happy trooper. First I trimmed the back line/stripe so it wouldn't seem to far out of place as I would need to sqeeze the shins together in order to make them more narrow (om nom nom, says the tin shears). In the end I settled for the hobbyknife, though: Then I sanded the edge (caution: be careful not to scratch the shins): Then I pulled off the original velcro: And finally I put on the self-adhesive extra strong velcro (I couldn't find it in white): And here's the result (the mod'ed left shin with the knee guard compared to the original right shin). An altogehter very easy and quick mod: There are, however, still a few things that need to be done. I'd like to use a modelling iron to give the line/stripe a more rounded finish, especially in the areas where the shin pieces are skewed away from eachother. As I wrote above, I'd thought of using stukatrooper's tutorial to make some snap plates, but after seeing the extra strong velcro in action, I don't think this will be necessary. The stuff is incredibly strong. I need to use determined strength to pull it apart; it doesn't accidentally come apart like the shucksty Rubies' velcro. Actually, I'm a little worried that the two strips will pull eachother off the plastic if I rip them apart. Then, when the right shin is also done, I'll finally be able to have that cup of Cthulhu waste product that is the privilege of victorious troopers, who have bled upon the field of valor. And no, I don't have a workbench. That's is why I'm using my floor as a working space.

Hey guys, Thanks again for the thoughts and comments After doing some pondering and visualization, this is what I'm going to do: 1. Buy some white industrial velcro and glue it in place. 2. Trim half the back "line/stripe" of the shin so it won't appear too far out of place. 3. Using stukatrooper's (hee, hee) tutorial on making snap plates I'll place a snap button at the top and bottom of the back of the shin. This, together with the velcro, should keep the shin in place. Then, if everything turns out fine, I'll look like this: , have a cup of coffee and chant "Chthulhu ftagn!"

Thanks a lot everyone, both for comments as well as links. It has been very instructive and the pictures by tuskentrooper, JSmails and Navajo Bro have been good reference material. Today I went shopping and came home with the following: a new hobby knife, tin shears, straps, sandpaper, glue and a sheet of foam. The only thing I need now is some white industrial velcro strips and I'm ready to begin my saga. Since starting this thread I've also bought a Master Replicas helmet and the Caboots. I've decided to begin with the lower legs. Afterall, when building a house you don't start building the 1st floor. As can be seen from the pictures below, I'll greatly need to reduce the width of the lower legs. Ideally, they should be as narrow as the lower left leg (held together with rubber bands to show the size desired). What is bugging me the most are the ankles which are way too wide. I am, however, a bit unsure how to proceed. If I trim the lower legs by using the hobby knife or tin shears, I'll loose the back "strip/line" on the lower legs as I'll need to cut off around 2''. The other option I've considered is simply to glue on a new strip of velcro in the new place where the two parts should meet. I am worried, however, if they'll connect properly as the lower legs will then have been narrowed "out of shape". Comments? Suggestions?

"Aren't you a little...weird...for a stormtrooper?" "What? Oh, the uniform. It's Rubies "Stormtrooper Supreme". I'm here to rescue you." As will be evident from the above lines, I'm the not-so-lucky owner of a so-called "Stormtrooper Supreme". Instead of depositing it at the nearest dumpster however, I would like to customize it in order to meet 501st standards. Or, failing that, at least making it wearable (I hate, repeat: hate, that #¤%&"=! velcro). What do I need to do? I have made an initial list of things that need fixing: 1. getting a thermal detonator canister 2. replacing the velcro 3. getting a new helmet What further modifications will need to get done?