Some questions from a new guy.

[BradleyPhillips]

Hello. I've had this idea in my head for a while now of getting a quality suit of TK armor and I've been reading the forums here and looking around the internet a bit for the past few weeks trying to figure out what I would need to do.

 

I see there's a thread for bigger troopers, but I've had less luck finding information for someone who is perhaps a little short for a stormtrooper (about 5' 3"). Would I have a hard time making most of the suits work? I've heard a lot of praise for RSPropMasters, but I think I read somewhere that they are made for taller guys. I think they would be great if I knew I could make it work. I also looked at Anovos but it seems like no one really knows what to expect from them as of yet. They are definitely a cheaper option at the moment with their pre-order sale going until July.

 

I was also wondering if suits/helmets usually come painted or not. Do they come in white or are they grey and you need to paint them yourself? I'm pretty good at assembling and working on things, but I'm not super confident in my painting abilities.

 

Also, I live in Boise, Idaho and am wondering if there is an active group in the area.

 

I would greatly appreciate any advice given and I'm very excited to get started with this project. 

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Welcome to the FISD, Bradley!  I can help with a few of the questions, but the ones concerning which armor will fit best I will leave to the experts on here.  First, the armor is normally white ABS or PVC plastic, so no need for painting....  There are some areas that will require paint, though, like the buttons on the ab plate, and small sections of the helmet, and since you can paint, you should have this nailed!

 

It looks as if you have been reviewing the "Getting started...." section, which is the best place to start your TK journey.  Lots and lots of information on here, like different armor makers, and who to avoid, ( like anything on ebay).  Just remember that sometimes the kit can take a while, ("Big Brown Box day"), so in the mean time I would suggest getting all your supplies together, and maybe ordering and then working on your blaster to help the time go by quicker.  Don't forget to check out the EIB and Centurion requirements when you get the chance.  Much to learn!  Don't be shy about asking questions, and I wish you the best of luck!

[BradleyPhillips]

Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. Once I figure out the best fitting armor, getting the supplies ready and working on the blaster sounds like a great idea.

[Sly11[Admin]]

Hi Bradley, welcome aboard.

Armors to consider, well most can me modified?trimmed to suit, but yes some are definitely for the larger trooper.

AP (Authentic Props) is one of the smaller in size, so worth checking out. You can certainly shorten the shin and thigh pieces down, and the armour suits a 32-34" waist . No reason why you cant do the same thing to an RS kit either.

The more you research the more this will all make sense.

Good luck on your journey

[Tolo[TK]]

Hello and welcome aboard. Check out AP too for a smaller trooper.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

[Snaps[TK]]

Hey Bradley, welcome to the FISD

[Khazid[TK]]

Ata and mtk can also fit thise on the short side. Most of the parts can be trimmed to fit. Mostly for the trunk if the cod plate and ab are one piece you might need to seperate them. Extra material could then be removed from the cod plate to shorten the overall section, which is covered by the belt.

 

Whatever you choose the community here will help you through the build to get just the right fit for you.

 

Good luck!

[wingnut65[Staff]]

Like they have suggested, start hitting the pinned threads in the "Getting Started - Read This First!" section.

 

Since the armor is made out of plastic, it is very possible to make things smaller, larger, wider, more curvy, less curvy, etc.

 

A quick search of the 501's Members list shows that there are at least 10 members of the Timberline Garrison located in Boise. The search is on www.501st.com, under 'Members'

 

Welcome. Good Luck and Have Fun!

[BradleyPhillips]

Thanks to everyone for the help and greetings! I spent a good part of the day reading and learning (so much to absorb!). I think I'm leaning towards RS Prop Masters the most out of all the makes you guys mentioned but I'm going to keep researching for at least another week or so before I decide.

 

I checked out the Timberline garrison and I'll go say hello there tomorrow, thank you for pointing them out to me. A funny thing, one of my friends apparently does events with them here as an X-Wing pilot. Had no idea!

 

I was just checking out the ROMFX voice amplifier before I went to bed and was curious if many of you have used it or something like it? The idea seems really cool and I never even considered a voice amplifying device. I'm sure it's more something to worry about when I actually have the armor but are they difficult to install and do they work well?

 

Thanks again!

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

I think you find that any sort of voice amplifying system will be a great help, Bradley.  The bucket muffles your voice, and makes it a bit difficult to be understood, especially in louder areas.  I just ordered the hovi-mic tip speaker/amp system from ukswrath to replace the one I bought online from a different vendor, (too much feedback).  Personally I prefer the type that are contained completely within the helmet, and no wires to deal with.