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Brattie's AP Build and Journey to The 501st


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Hi A-Aron...

 

Don't get me wrong.. I don't mind teasing about things... Laugh... I have an older brother.. that should say it all..

 

I constantly worry about doing things wrong. Something wrong could lead to not being accepted into the 501st. That is what I find scary!

I would say it could lead to the dark side.. but I'm a Stormtrooper.. so .. moot point.

There's nothing that can't be fixed unless you say...

 

"Heat Gun!"

 

http://youtu.be/i5ktzF0s19Y

 

I love that

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I feel your anxiety Anj, I'm the same way that's why we listen to FISD old guard! Take your time, research and be patient. 

 

Also listen to the advice below lol, I can attest to this first hand.  :56pullhair:

 

 

 

There's nothing that can't be fixed unless you say...

"Heat Gun!"



I love that
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Alright.. catching up a little bit here as I was busy the past few days..

 

Side note.. the fund raising dinner we held for our Relay for Life team went well on the weekend. We raised over a thousand extra dollars for this great cause..

Was a blast that didn't get me back in the door until almost 2 AM. Laugh.

 

I am still waiting for news from ECHO regarding the fan set up. I hope he is alright as not many have heard from him in a while.  I think I'll have to wait for it or figure something out before I complete my AAS set up in my bucket.

 

There was a suggestion about putting the mics for the AAS into the frown.. but I'm thinking that might be too directional towards the front. Then again, it makes me pause at the thought of putting holes in the ears to place the mics there.. sigh.. too many choices!!!

 

I know so many are changing their tune on the painted interior of the bucket.

 

I want the bucket to look like a real helmet and I think the white inside gives the bucket a plastic toy look to it. Like the toys you get that are painted all nice on the outside but then you find that the manufacturer didn't take the time to detail the inside as well... 

 

It has nothing to do with reflections or people looking up inside it.. it's more for me and what I'd like as long as it doesn't interfere with my acceptance into the 501st. I think new people get really nervous about doing what they think will be cool or interesting as they fear they won't get into the group because of these small items. To start with, it is a lot of money with no absolute guarantee that you will be able to join this great group. That is a lot of pressure on people. Then you add the stress of the build, trying to make the armor fit right, matching movie standards (CRLs / Canon), and lastly your own expectations.

 

So when I think about if I'd like to paint the inside of my bucket I look at it this way... The only person that is going to see the inside of my bucket on a regular basis is ME. As long as painting the inside of the bucket will not interfere with acceptance into the 501st.. then it's a no brainer. I'm going to put just as much effort into the inside of my bucket as I will on the outside. 

 

When I look at my helmet / bucket  .. I want to be proud of it... I don't want to feel like when I was younger. I will never forget when I opened a toy I was sooooooo excited to get. It was highly detailed, shiny and so pretty on the outside, but then when I looked inside there was nothing. There wasn't any detail, no care or time had been taken to complete the inside and make it look like the outside. It was just plain old beige plastic! I was so disappointed and sad. :( I spent weeks trying to carefully take it a part and paint the inside but it just ended up in a corner gathering dust until later it was taken by my brother and blown up with a firecracker.

 

I am going to do the best I can with all my armor inside and out and hope to be "accepted" but I want to be happy with what I do as well.

 

This brings me to the mesh frown thing. I have seen only two valid comment so far that would make any sense as to why someone would or wouldn't put mesh on the frown.

  1. It's not Canon <-- very big valid comment - but Real life isn't the movies in this case and the bug prevention does sound more pleasant. :D
  2. It can reduce ventilation. Now thinking mesh could prevent ventilation may seem stupid to some.. but then I think back to camping and being in a hot tent in the middle of the summer under the sun with the mesh windows open hoping they'll let in enough air to breath. Those mesh windows don't allow a lot of air!

So I will consider carefully the words from more experienced builders about screening the frown. I may just have to make a removable screen.  Screen it up on outside troops, and remove it for inside troops or when Ken is around. Laugh

 

Lastly...

 

I plan on going back to home depot this weekend to look for the fix-it-stick

 

Questions:

  1. how long does a tube of that stuff last?
  2. Does it harden into a solid paintable state?

 

 

 

Again from experience if you keep the stuff in its tube it lasts a very long time

 

and secondly yes it hardens in about 5-10 minutes after kneading, and applying into a rock hard state. It can definitely be painted.

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I had my first troop this past weekend and my fans died on me half way through the troop. Mesh does interfere with ventilation some and it's not cannon. I like to look of it so I have it installed in my bucket. I do not have the inside painted black (also not cannon) nor do I wear a baklava. I am naturally warm so that would kill me. Even with anti-fog, my lenses fogged up and I could hardly see. Took me a while to make my way back to the changing rooms due to being stopped 10-15 times for photos but a quick battery change and I was back in the troop. You should make your kit to how you like it. I was the only guy at my troop who had my forearm elastic glued to the bicep for example. 

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Hi Jason.. thank you for sharing..

 

Here's a funny lip reading clip I found..

 

 

I am sure there are many that have blunders and issues.. I will ensure I add - Extra batteries - to my list for kit items. :)

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Oh NO! .. Very lucky! so far my AAS doesn't have a cover for the batteries.. but I might make a flap for them with Velcro or such.. I just haven't sorted where I'm mounting them yet so will have to sort that out after..

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I constantly worry about doing things wrong. Something wrong could lead to not being accepted into the 501st. That is what I find scary!

 

Anything that could go wrong with the build CAN be fixed! E6000 is a great product for exactly this reason - very simple to pull back apart, and holds great if you don't need to mess with it. Cuts can be mended, parts can be replaced. With the research you have done, you are going to ROCK this build!
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Oh NO! .. Very lucky! so far my AAS doesn't have a cover for the batteries.. but I might make a flap for them with Velcro or such.. I just haven't sorted where I'm mounting them yet so will have to sort that out after..

I just followed ukswrath's method and mounted the mics behind the ears and drilled a few small holes in the black ear stripe. 

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(Just for the record my forearms have been pulled apart 4 times, shins twice, and thighs twice as well - but I'm OCD with this stuff - X-army dress and deportment thing lol)

Edited by Pyrates
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Anything that could go wrong with the build CAN be fixed! E6000 is a great product for exactly this reason - very simple to pull back apart, and holds great if you don't need to mess with it. Cuts can be mended, parts can be replaced. With the research you have done, you are going to ROCK this build!

Thanks.. it's just really scary. Fingers crossed all will be fine.

 

I just followed ukswrath's method and mounted the mics behind the ears and drilled a few small holes in the black ear stripe. 

I have read ukswrath's method. A Garrison member mentioned putting them in the frown which doesn't require drilling or putting holes in the bucket.. that sounded good as well.. so I'm between the two right now. I like the idea of the ears.. being like ears. At the same time I dislike the idea of adding holes to the bucket. Then again I don't like the idea of the mics being pointed in a forward direction. Due to limited vision within the helmet it makes sense to have them placed in areas to the sides. BAH!!! I could go on for hours on this.. I just don't know which I want.

 

(Just for the record my forearms have been pulled apart 4 times, shins twice, and thighs twice as well - but I'm OCD with this stuff - X-army dress and deportment thing lol)

Army is cool.. thanks for all you did! :) I think all military people are great. I wanted to be a helicopter pilot years ago and join the military but it just never worked out that way in my life. Maybe in the next one...

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Next question.. for the Audio System.. where does everyone mount the batteries and "mother board" for lack of a better word for this unit? Would the back of the helmet be a good idea or do people recommend the side?

Edited by Brattie
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I have the board dead center right below the tube contour and have it's batter tray in the contour portion. Hoping if I ever get the echo fan it I can hide the battery tray. I would advice you not to put the mics near the mouth. You're going to have your fans blowing very close to that area plus if you use a mic it'll be there too. You'll have fan noise plus feedback. The inside of my helmet looks like Swiss cheese from re positioning my ears and face plate. It only matters how it looks on the outside! And A-a-ron is jealous he never got to put his knees in the breeze!

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hurm.. good idea.. yeah.. If I go with a mic that could be a problem. I was hoping to have everything when the bucket was here so I could figure it all out in one shot.. however.. I think I'll make the holes in the ears.. sighs.. it's scary but I think the best option.. that also clears the bucket for any other inside noise... I don't however want my bucket to look like Swiss cheese. I have tubing to use to hide wires as well.

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I have the board dead center right below the tube contour and have it's batter tray in the contour portion. Hoping if I ever get the echo fan it I can hide the battery tray. I would advice you not to put the mics near the mouth. You're going to have your fans blowing very close to that area plus if you use a mic it'll be there too. You'll have fan noise plus feedback. The inside of my helmet looks like Swiss cheese from re positioning my ears and face plate. It only matters how it looks on the outside! And A-a-ron is jealous he never got to put his knees in the breeze!

Envious yes - jealous no - grateful that I will be able to walk when I'm older and no scars from snow shoes puncturing through my leg like what happened to my friend lol

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Ouch.. I sense in the force a story coming... I like stories..

No ouch - Jason is my commanding 2 I/C - he keeps me grounded- no pun intended Jason

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Dan is my recruit Captain and Jason is the 2nd "In Command" and reminds me of my old Corporal 2 I/C that squares you away and gets you back on track when things start to go crazy.

 

And the coolest Sandy I know

Edited by Pyrates
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Very cool.. I'm not sure who's who for me yet.. but I'm sure once I get my build going and stuff I'll sort all that stuff out. Laugh

 

I think I have Clamps for something :P

Edited by Brattie
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As for your trooper story: A good friend of mine was doing a winter night jump - they jumped at too low of altitude with heavy wind. Needless to say 10 out of 30 hit the drop zone and the rest had to be medi-vac'd to the hospital. My friend was lucky that the tail of the snow shoe missed the artery in his thigh but he also made me dislike shush kabobs. Gruesome but he made a full recovery.

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I gave them their appointed titles as they have been with me since the beginning and I listen to them with unquestioned loyalty.

Edited by Pyrates
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