Capt Cardinal Build Thread - Sally

[astrosally[IPM]]

Another fool takes the plunge! 

 

I bought heartstopper85's kit and am attempting to take it through to to CRL completion. 

First step is inventory, next step is sizing checks - I'm 2 inches shorter than him so will likely need to trim and/or print a few new pieces. 

Then lots of sanding! I'm planning to repaint it all with Duplicolor Cardinal Red. 

 

 

And my trusty sidekick: 

 

Edited July 23, 2025 by astrosally

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking forward to seeing the progress, good luck

[JBar[TK]]

Nice! Looking forward to the build

[Doggydoc[Staff]]

Welcome Sally. Looking forward to following your build

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

Good luck with your build

[astrosally[IPM]]

Since posting last year, I pivoted and replaced ~90% of the armor with printed parts!

I'll be updating this WIP thread with all of the details (spoiler alert: SO MUCH sanding), but in the meantime, I started a separate thread for discussing the Captain Cardinal CRL: 

 

[jsilvius[Staff]]

@astrosally Who's files did you use for the printed parts?

[astrosally[IPM]]

On 1/21/2026 at 12:25 PM, jsilvius said:

@astrosally Who's files did you use for the printed parts?

Hi James! I used the FOTK files from https://www.etsy.com/shop/Die3DSchmiede.

And thanks for the reminder to update my WIP! :) 

[astrosally[IPM]]

CRL (2025): https://crls.501st.com/fisd/captain-cardinal 

CRL thread (2025): https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/57907-captain-cardinal-crl-2025 

 

First step: lots of research and note-taking! 

 

 

Part 1: What did *not* work 

 

This project was a labor of love. 

 

I started with a used Jim Trippon V1 kit that was made of a flexible fiberglass cast. It had been painted up like Cardinal by heartstopper85, but he also bought it used from someone else, so it had years of use and plenty of wear and tear. 

 

After many, many hours of sanding off the many, many layers of paint, I started building it back up with lots of primer and bondo. But as I was progressing through my layers of sandable primer, red primer, and then red gloss, the new paint was frequently cracking. I spent some time trying to stiffen the fiberglass pieces by reinforcing with Epsilon Pro. This was not successful. After a few rounds and attempts, I decided to give up on those pieces with cracking paint and replace them with 3D-printed parts. …this evolved into replacing almost the entire Jim fiberglass kit with a new 3D printed kit. 

 

Sanding the original parts: 

 

Repair attempts: 

 

It became a TON of work, but it was the best choice for longevity and shininess of the armor, plus better sizing for my proportions (these armor kits are just not intended for 5’3” female stormtroopers). 
 

Part 2: What *did* work 

 

Files printed: 

• FOTK files from https://www.etsy.com/shop/Die3DSchmiede
• Printed in black PETG

 

New hotness: 

     

 

Paints and clear coat used: 

1. Upol Expert Sandable Filler Primer (AutoZone) 
2. Transtar 2in1 Primer: Red Oxide 4623 (JB Tools) 
3. Dupli-Color Perfect Match Cardinal Red (AutoZone)
4. USC SprayMax 2K Glamour High Gloss (Amazon)

 

The chest and back were printed in multiple pieces (due to print volume size), so I needed to first weld them together. The process I used: 

1. Clean printed surfaces with IPA so that the tape will stick
2. Tape the two pieces together (painter’s tape is fine) 
3. Weld with stapler: heat, insert, and then twist 
4. Clip off the leads after everything has cooled 
5. Reinforce the back of the armor with Epsilon Pro 
6. Sand the front to knock down the edges at the seam 
7. Use poly filler to fill in the front seam 

 

Reused parts from the previous kit: 

• Abdomen section 
• Spats - two sets: KB (the lighter ones) and Dino (the heavier ones) 
• Boots: Gio boots (KeepTrooping also sells them) 
• Cape from Geeky Pink: https://www.facebook.com/GeekyPinksPhantasticGaskets/
• Gaskets from Geeky Pink: https://www.facebook.com/GeekyPinksPhantasticGaskets/
• Gloves from: ? (originally white and had been painted as red before I got them) 

New things: 

• Newly printed and painted: helmet, chest plate, back/yoke, thermal detonator, shoulder bells, biceps, forearms, handplates, codpiece, posterior armor, thighs, knee plates, shins, 
• Neck seal handmade by @royal.blue.retta

 

1 year later of printing, sanding, and painting... and ta-da - a new CRL! 

 

 

 

 

 

Next on my list: 

• Printing and resizing a few armor pieces (you learn a lot from the first 5 troops) 
  • My friend Megan combined the 3D Schmiede front and back thigh files into a single STL for printing. This made it SO much easier to finish the parts cleanly, because I didn’t have to deal with heat-shaping the front and back edges for perfect alignment, which introduced bubbling that was difficult to smooth out. The front and back edges are also not a perfect match, so it took hours of finangling to get the seam even. With the combined file, it was a piece of cake! 
• Adding an F11D Heavy blaster to the CRL 

Edited Monday at 02:07 PM by astrosally

[astrosally[IPM]]

BONUS: hidden beetle 

 

 

[astrosally[IPM]]

BONUS: electroprod - good for troops where blasters aren't allowed, but big sticks are acceptable :) 

 

All 3D-printed parts over a PVC pipe core. I debuted the electroprod after flying to MegaCon: packed all of the pieces into a checked bag, then made a trip to Home Depot after we landed to buy a piece of PVC. Just take a pipe cutter tool with you on the trip, and voila! 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 02:00 PM by astrosally

[jsilvius[Staff]]

I want to thank you so much for taking the time to do this build. 

I've been wanting to do this since I read the books. And no that you've got the CRL approved, I'm working on my build.

I am a bit worried, because as you said, I don't think these kits are made for 6'2" 250lbs male stormtroopers either. I currently have two 850 Armor works kits and an Anovos TFA hemet enroute to me. I don't know if the kits will work for my size, as it was suggested to get a KB Props kit, but those are getting harder to find.

I printed both my SE-44C and my F11D Heavy Blaster and I'm currently working on finishing them while waiting for the armor parts to arrive.

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

Hey sally, 

 

Is there lore of the prod in use? We have the figure with the SE-44C and F-11D but I've not read the book so wouldn't know if we could make this a CRL option or not.

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

On a less formal note:

The prod looks really cool, what was your source for it? I sort of want one for my first order now.

[astrosally[IPM]]

@themaninthesuitcase Unfortunately, I don't think there's any lore to support adding the electorprod to Cardinal's CRL (they don't appear on screen until Rise of Skywalker). But if anyone knows differently, let me know!  

 

The print files for the prod came from Empire3Dau on Etsy (modified for a better PVC inner diameter size by @zediyeti) but I think that Etsy shop is closed. You might have luck if you reach out to him through his website: https://empire3d.net/

 

Edited Monday at 08:55 PM by astrosally

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

Seems the Etsy is dead, but found their Cults. Thank you!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work trooper

[Sly11[Admin]]

12 hours ago, astrosally said:

BONUS: electroprod - good for troops where blasters aren't allowed, but big sticks are acceptable :) 

 

All 3D-printed parts over a PVC pipe core. I debuted the electroprod after flying to MegaCon: packed all of the pieces into a checked bag, then made a trip to Home Depot after we landed to buy a piece of PVC. Just take a pipe cutter tool with you on the trip, and voila! 

 

 

 

This is an awesome photo, great work. Regardless of lore or not, that prod looks very cool too.

[TikiTechie[TK]]

I can attest. This looks amazing in person.  A fine job!  You are way more patient than I am!

[jsilvius[Staff]]

5 hours ago, TikiTechie said:

You are way more patient than I am!

This is my biggest concern, if I'm going to have the patience to finish mine.