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REQUEST FOR: customizing the "Supreme"


Michael

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"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?

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Here is a thread that may help you out.

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You'll also need to fit the armor to your body as well. It's the most time consuming mod.

Edited by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020
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SuperTrooper said:
Here is a thread that may help you out.

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You'll also need to fit the armor to your body as well. It's the most time consuming mod.

 

Here's the other thread with some info as well.

 

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Edited by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020
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Just posting a bump to remind us admins to create a sticky for this information.

 

Remember also that this has not yet met with the LMO approval process, so what we offer up are what we believe to be the mods necessary for approval.

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i also have the rubies, first thing is dump the helmet and get the mrce it is well worth the $100, next is start trimming back the openings on the pieces so they don't cut into your skin when you are trying to mov, you will need to cut off elastic and addvelcro, webbing, and snaps in places, worst part about this set is there is no left right on the arms you get 2 rights, the chest and back look small, and the legs are huge, it is like they didn't copy 1 sized set of armor they just grabbed a bunch of pieces from a pile and copied em, legs are for a big person chest for a small person abs and arms for an average person, i took mine to a ner build and we worked on it some but i still need to do more they took pics for comparison but don't know if they ever got posted, i might end up having to buy another armor eventualy :angry:

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The ROTJ armor which is what the Rubies is based on had a smaller chest, but it sits higher on the body. As far as the legs, at least you can always trim them down.

 

Also the FX armor uses doubles of everything for the left and right except the thighs so this isn't anything new in the armor world.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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?

 

EwsDUZM.jpg

 

XxHWor3.jpg

 

dkU7ndG.jpg

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Looks like a solid dilemma you've got yourself there Michael. I'm sure one of our plastic wizards will be along to help with that. Good luck with the build, sir! :)

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this might be a very noob question/comment, especially from someone who doesn't even have his own armor... but, it seems like the current dilemma you're having is losing this "back strip", well, why not cut off about an inch and a half of the part that doesn't have the strip, and also maybe a half an inch of the strip side... I'm basing these ideas purely on your pictures so I don't really know what your working with. But if that helps, let me know, maybe sometimes it's the simple answers? I don't know. Like i said, I haven't even built my own yet :P

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Michael,

 

I am TOTALLY in the same boat in a lot of this.

 

In so far as the shins, you have to ask yourself if you are going to sell the costume in the future as "same as factory" or if you are just going to work on it, customize it, and keep it.

 

If you plan on keeping the armor and just fitting it to yourself, then cutting and glueing etc. is in order. If you are on the fence, industrial velcro goes a LONG way. :D

 

In your new post, on your bottom pic, that is how I currently have my oversize forearms. This stuff is very flexible and tough, so you CAN just overlap as you have and industrial velcro it in place. That calf on the right, with the knee plate, looks SOOOOOO much better than the left. Now I am thinking I will need to mod mine.

 

So if you are planning on keeping it and wearing it, don't be afraid to mod it. It's YOUR armor, make it fit YOU.

 

Besides, if you can get the armor 501st compliant, which it most certainly IS NOT out of the box, if you eventually decide to resell, having 501st compliant armor the buyer can step into has to be a positive selling point.

 

Also, hot glue really holds foam to the armor. Almost too good.

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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: :D , have a cup of coffee and chant "Chthulhu ftagn!"

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  • 2 weeks later...

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 :o into :lol: 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:

 

6NRiett.jpg

 

 

Then I sanded the edge (caution: be careful not to scratch the shins):

 

0H7A128.jpg

 

 

Then I pulled off the original velcro:

 

jw1D3E1.jpg

 

 

And finally I put on the self-adhesive extra strong velcro (I couldn't find it in white):

 

PmRb4vt.jpg

 

 

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:

 

0Y5kv1g.jpg

 

 

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. ;)

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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? :)

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