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JTninja

501st Stormtrooper[TK]
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Posts posted by JTninja

    Hello from Washington coast

    in New Member Introductions Archive

    Posted

    Welcome Chris!

     

    If you in WA state, your local garrison is Garrison Titan. While you are unable to officially join the garrison without a costume, you can still become involved with the garrison until you're ready to join with your costume. You can come out to our monthly meet-and-greet, which is at Round Table Pizza in Renton. If you're unable to make it to a meet and greet, you can still come out to events we're at as a spotter. Spotters are invaluable and key to a successful troop, and you don't have to be a member to be one of our spotters. It will get you an up close look at not only the costumes you want to build, but also the process of putting it on, moving in it, and interacting with the crowds. Any questions you have about certain parts can be viewed and answered in person. 

     

    ATA is a fantastic kit, it was my first kit and I loved it. It assembles nearly identical to most other kits, so as the others have mentioned, check out build threads on this forum, preferable ones that are sticky'd to the top, as they're great builds and full of info and photos. What I also like to do is check out the subforum where members apply for Level 2 and Level 3 TKs, Expert Infantrymen and Centurion. You see their submission photos showing kits of the highest quality, as well as specific comments on where to improve a part if it doesn't meet the standards. 

    Introduction - Linus

    in New Member Introductions Archive

    Posted

    Hi Dave, glad you made it over here.

     

    Great to hear you're looking at getting some armor. We already have several members in our Garrison that are similar in size to you running different kits, lots of good stuff out there and very much doable. The main thing is to take your time, and when in doubt, ask questions. We're all here to help you.

     

    Hope to see you at April's meet and greet!

    Tryed getting approved.

    in New Member Introductions Archive

    Posted

    Ok, im going to be completely honest and straight with you here, but you have a lot of work to do. With good motivation, which Im sure you have, and help from us, we can get you approved.

     

    Take a deep breath. We'll start from the top and work our way down. 

     

     

     

     

    Helmet

    • Its hard to tell, but is this a black series helmet? Im not sure its approveable, Id have to have close up pictures. 

    Shoulder Bells

    • Your shoulder bells are flaring forward. You can really see this in your 3rd and 4th picture. These need to be pulled back so they're even. This suggest re positioning of the straps holding the bells
    • Your left shoulder bell needs to be trimmed better. You can see the jagged and saw-like edge. Take a piece of tape (like blue painters tape) to create a smooth line, and cut along it.

    Biceps

    • Looks like the Biceps need to be pulled up a bit higher, as they seem to be resting near the arm joint. They should fit comfortably where your biceps are.
    • Your left Bicep cover strip (on the inside) needs to be trimmed. It should end at the end of the bicep, and not go past it. 
    • I highly recommend the Butt joint method. You take a cover strip on the inside as well as the outside, to provide a secure point of contact. 
    • in the 3rd photo, your left Bicep us upside down. Also looks like it needs a bit more trimming in the cut down part. 

    Forearms

    • Same butt joint method on the forearms. It looks like your right side forearm has a odd cover strip issue, if the cover strip is there. They need to be 15mm wide. 

    Chest Plate

    • Right side of the chest plate looks decently trimmed, but the left side needs a bit more
    • Bottom of the plate, the curve should start to flare back out, instead of keep going down at a sharp angle.

    Shoulder Straps

    • Shoulder straps should be free floating in the back, not glued down. You can technically get passed off with them glued, but I feel you need to raise the chest plate a little higher on your body, closer to your neck, which would require the end of the shoulder straps going farther back. If you can, Id recommend moving the front of the straps forward an inch or so (See your final picture)

    Back Plate (Upper back)

    • Your back plate looks pretty good. You'd got a good connection with the Kidney plate below it (little to no gap)

    Kidney Plate (Middle back)

    • Looks like your kidney plate is upside down, judging by your first picture. I like that you did the cut out notches, but they need to be on the bottom of the kidney plate, not the top. I think you just placed it upside down. 

    Butt Plate (lower back)

    • Looks like you might have trimmed too much off the bottom part of the butt plate (where it starts to go under and towards the crotch). You'd have to ask your local garrison if this is okay for basic approval

    AB Plate

    • As others have mentioned, the paint is off. Good news, this is an easy fix.
    • Trim looks a bit odd near the crotch. Id ask your local garrison if its approveable

    Belt

    • Front of the belt looks pretty good (plastic part), though Id raise it a bit more and make it level. Bring it up the bottom of the larger button box. To keep mine level, I put 2 snaps on the AB plate, which you snap into the belt to keep it secure and level.
    • Id highly recommend a thicker belt. It looks like yours is very thin, and having a hard time staying up. Make sure it stays level and doesn't bunch up (3rd photo)

    Thermal Detonator

    • Hard to tell, but your Thermal Detonator (TD) is too long. Should be 7.5 inches in length with end caps on. 
    • The end caps and the attached control panel part remain white, but the cylinder they're placed on needs to be grey. 
    • TD is attached via 2 curved metal clips

    Holster

    • Holster needs to be on your left side, not the right. Its hard to tell, but I think you might need to replace the holster, as it looks incorrect.

    Thigh Armor

    • This will be difficult. The back looks to be trimmed too much at the bottom. Might be ok with your local garrison
    • The small ammo belt on your right thigh might need to be trimmed more at the ends. After the last box on each side, you should have a curve cut out, whereas yours is very diagonal. 
    • Your left thigh should probably be replace. It looks like like you cut out a tab at the front similar to the back, and that shouldn't be there. Its possible to lay a piece of plastic behind it and fill the gap, but that would be difficult. I recommend getting new pieces to replace it. It looks like you made this cut out so the sniper plate below can travel in there? The sniper plate will stick out infront of the thigh. 
    • I think the cover strips are too large, should be 20mm front and back. 

    Lower Leg Armor

    • Lower legs look decent, the cuts in the gap might need a little work to have a clean look. Sniper plate is in the correct position. Hard to tell the width of the cover strips, front should be 20mm wide, the backs are 25mm. 

    Boots

    • Unfortunately, the boots need to be replaced, as they are not accurate. 

     

    Also, remove the cuffs and holder for submission photos.

     

     

    Firstly, your best friend is the CRL for your stormtrooper. Not only does it have all the requirements on it (except width of cover strips for some reason), but it has pictures, excellent examples of what each part should look like. Im pretty sure you're doing the stunt version from A New Hope, and your CRL is here

    http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:TK_anh_stunt

     

     

    Next, search this forum for build threads. Any that are sticky'd (or kept at the top), are most likely finished with plenty of photos and good info. As posted above Uswraths build thread is an excellent place to see how each part looks and is placed in the costume.

     

    What is the make of your armor? Are you able to purchase replacement parts? You might need to replace a few things, and worse case, you might have to use parts from a different make of armor. 

     

    Have a specific problem, like the butt joint cover strip method? Search these glorious forums! Every question you have has been asked at least 3 times by other people

     

    Lastly, contact your local Garrison! Join their website (if you're still in Florida) - https://fl501st.com/

     

    Find out when their next meet-and-greet. Make sure to go to it and ask questions from those other stormtroopers for help. See if there are any upcoming build parties, and if there are, take your armor there, they will help you finish it! Also, sign up as a spotter at one of their events. This is a fantastic way to not only help your future Garrison, but to get an in person look at accurate and already approved costumes. Notice the differences in what they wear and your armor. 

     

    • Like 2

  21. IMPERIAL BOOTS

    in Build Threads Requireing Maintenance

    Posted

    I have enquired via the Contact section of the website and heard nothing back as yet on how to order .

     

    When I got my boots last month, I found I had to send 2-3 emails for every one replied to. Like when I asked for payment received verification, it took a few emails before I got a reply. Also, received conflicting emails (as in "your boots were shipped yesterday", and then a day later "your boots are going out today").

     

    However, the quality is fantastic, and despite the ok service, Im glad I ordered them. I ordered a 1/2 size up, and found them a bit narrow in the front, and glad I upsized. I look forward to all the trooping I'll get out of them

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