justjoseph63

Just pull it up as close as you can and still be comfortable in the "lower area". Walk around a bit, and if it's too tight (or your voice goes up an octave ) you can loosen it up. If the cod is too snug it will cause armor bite (chafing or pinching). Not all troopers are the same height, so a gap is fine. I hope you will be aiming for Centurion with this build (you are WELL on your way), so just a quick heads-up- The small ab-button plate should be be trimmed. There should be no return edge, and ideally the corners should be squared off as seen below: Screen used Example of AP build Keep it up, sir, you're doing great!

Didn't have a lot of time today, but I got some of the detail work completed. The plate that fits into the "bolt" opening got a coat of filling primer and some sanding as well as 2 coats of silver paint**. **Silver paint out of the can is really shiny, and has a bit of a texture. Since the bolt is (in theory) is constantly being used (and oiled) it should not have a sheen, per se. Bryan's design has an actual serial number printed into it (COOL). The photo above is a little out of focus, but the actual plate shows the numbers quite clearly. After the last coat of silver dried I ran my thumb across the paint for a few minutes to get rid of the shine. I used some charcoal dust to fill in the numbers to make them pop and then hit it with a clear coat of matte to seal it. Added the wires that go from the central fuses to the edge of the mounting plate and the capacitors that sit below the rear of the power cylinders. I will add the red cloth covered wire at the end of the power cylinders toward the end of the build. Some references state that the red wires behind the power cylinders were not seen on-screen, but in at least 2 scenes they were (photos 1-2). The first shows a Stunt TK holding his weapon with it present, and the second is from a photo where Luke is holding it, but I believe this to be the same exact weapon.

A bit of an issue here, but I shall persevere.. Since I will be adding in a coiled wire spring, I had to remove the area in the cocking channel. I caaaaarefully used a Dremel with a thin grinding attachment, and it came out OK. Lots of sanding to be done on the inside of the channel to get it flat and smooth still to come. The issue is that this is one of Bryan's "heavy duty" prints. Awesomely super thick to withstand years of trooping, but it had a PVC pipe glued in (pic 1) for even more strength. This obviously narrows the interior, but I though I could drill out the pipe without damaging the printed outside using a 1" drill bit (2). This way, the wire coil would be the correct width. Here's a hint: Don't try this. It worked well the first inch or so (3) but then started to bind up. I stopped there, as I got the feeling it was going to crack. 1 2 3 I will have to make adjustments and do the best I can with this once that time comes. Suggestion: If you do add an interior PVC pipe for added strength, when installing it I would only use it in the center part and stop at the end of the bolt. This will allow you to add a full size spring.

In order to better get to some of the areas of the grip assembly for sanding (blue arrows) I removed the "screw" (yellow arrow) and thankfully they came apart perfectly! Yes, I finished the grip already, lol. This will also help for painting, as I will be using 3 different ones- flat black, gloss black and silver. Still a little sanding to do, but I'm a lot closer. Dry fit The magazine can be difficult to get smooth because of all the tiny crevices, especially those around the clip on the side. I used a cotton swab to apply the Bondo in the ridges and an exacto knife to apply it around the sides, The curved area will get a different treatment to get rid of the print lines.

Oops. should have researched that a little more! Thanks for the heads-up, and it has been changed.

Quick back-story- I saw Kevin's @kmwilson343 3D E-11 sales thread a while back, and having some down time thought it was time for another project. Since I already own an E-11, I figured I could build it and after completion offer it up for auction here** with the proceeds donated to the JDRF (the FISD official charity) on behalf of the FISD. I got in touch and asked if he had a B-grade for sale (I like a challenge) and he said that he had one that was partially built and would be happy to donate it for the cause and send it my way... and he did! (THANKS)! As mentioned, keep in mind that it was partially built and was a work in progress that was interrupted by me, lol, so I am only carrying it forward. I will be adding a few of my own touches, of course. I will not be posting a ton of photos as there are already many great build threads here, but I will be touching on a few areas that can be a pain when working on a 3D build so please feel free to ask any questions or add any comments. ** Once complete, I have Andrew's permission to do this and will be starting a separate thread for the auction. Unfortunately, due to postal regulations I will not be able to send it outside the U.S. All that being said, time to get started! Looking things over As seen in the pic below Kevin has done a lot of the work ahead of time, and since it was designed by Bryan @trooper96 the details and accuracy are phenomenal! It begins I removed the front sight guard, folding stock and end cap/clip and selector switch for better access to the main body. After some extensive sanding, I thought it best to hit it with a coat of fillable primer. Looks pretty good, right? Well, this is why using the primer helps. Although areas can look and even feel smooth, having everything all one color brings out all those little details that may not be visible otherwise. Time for more Bondo spot glazing. To be continued!

It's just the name brand.. they don't contain any actual bleach. Anything that kills germs will work!

Excellent point, Glen. This is also helpful when submitting for EI and Centurion.

Hi Jonatan, and thank you for your submission for ANH Stunt EI! You have been added to the queue and we will be with you as soon as possible!

Here are the measurements for the rivets: Lowe's and Home Depot do not carry these, but you may be able to find them for sale individually at an ACE hardware store if there is one near you. If you don't want to spend $13.40 on Amazon for 90 of them I sell the entire hardware kits for 8 bucks (my cost) which includes tracked shipping. Link here

Really nice job on this, Michael! Are you going for Stunt or Hero? The reason I ask is that this will determine what color the inside if the Hovi tips should be. For Stunt, the interior should be white and is a requirement for Level 2, and the Hero interiors should be black (as it is now) for Level 3. The screens can also be black for Hero. Painting the rims white is a requirement for Level 2 for both costumes. This should take you all of 2 minutes! Stunt Hero Keep those photos rolling in!

Many (if not most) of the items we offer can only be seen once you get your Basic 501st approval (official TK #) and request Legion access here on the FISD. Runs of various merch vary throughout the year, but as Glen said we are limited to the number of items we can offer. Trading cards are indeed a thing and we can help with that when the time comes. These are nice to have to hand out to kids and such during troops. This is the current standard template Or you can design your own

Added to the list (#18) and THANKS!

Thank you for your submission, Christine! One of us will be with ya' as soon as possible.

Yep. Since you have sufficient overlap of the bridge over the back plate tabs I would trim off the large one, which is screen accurate. The elastic strips should hold them down nicely, but it may help to add a bit more of a curve to the bridge to help it lay flatter against the tabs.

Hindsight is 20/20 they say, and I am living proof. Before I knew about the FISD I bought my first kit on ebay. Terrible. Not even passable for Basic, so I ordered one from one of the "vetted" vendors here. I guess you know by now that Mr. Ainsworth did not in fact do any of the designing of the screen used armor, despite what his site says or implies. To bring one up to Basic 501st standards will take some work, but we can help! My advice is to start a build thread and post up all the images and ask all the questions you can. This is especially important to do before cutting or gluing anything. Speaking of which, I'm not sure about others but I cannot view the images using the links you provided above. My suggestion is to post them up using imgur. I have a thread here which will help. Lastly, know that we do not judge, no matter who makes the kit. You are on the right path by asking questions, and we are here to assist you however we can to give you the best looking TK armor possible!

It probably couldn't hurt to drop them a line, but in the last 8 years I have never heard of any complaints about them. Since they do their runs in "waves" they probably get inundated with orders in a small time frame, so bear that in mind. In my dealings with them I have had nothing but top notch service, so hang in there! Give it a few days, and if you still haven't heard anything back just PM me (I have a few contacts there).

Way to go, Joe! No matter how many troops you do in the future, you will never forget the first time you put on that bucket and stepped out into public.. Awesome set of armor there, by the way! If I remember correctly, you said back in July of last year that you would be submitting for EI.. I'm going to hold you to that! (Hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge).

A few quick notes if I may, Greg.. I know you are building this yourself but note that the model armor shown on their site has quite a few issues.. one being overlap construction (blue arrows) on the rear of the thighs, which was not used until ROTJ. Overlap is fine for Basic and EI, but for Centurion they will require the butt-join method with cover strips as seen in ANH/ESB. Did they send you enough ABS to make these? You have probably figured this out by now, but when building, be sure not to emulate the model they show, which has a myriad of issues. Note the shape of the thigh ammo pack rear, the screws in the sniper knee plate and the fact that the calf closures are facing the wrong direction. Reference images Also, if I'm not much mistaken the blue buttons on the ab-button plates are separate on SDS armor. Again, this is something that is not screen accurate but is OK for Basic and Level 2. For Level 3 the buttons must be the same size and integrated into the plate(s). Reference image I would highly suggest starting a build thread here so that we can help guide you and answer any questions you may have. Posting photos (and lots of em') in it will help a great deal. Posting pics is especially important when you have an issue, so it's better to ask ahead of time (before cutting/gluing). Looking forward to seeing your progress, and keep those questions rolling in!!

Welcome to the forums, Brad.. glad to have you aboard. Sincerely sorry to hear about your loss... I have been in your scenario and it really takes the wind out you to say the least. Just know that we are here to help you make your dream of becoming a shiny white spaceman come true, so in addition to collecting action figures, you can now become one! The first time you don your armor and step out on your first troop will be a memory you will never forget. I have trooped with many members of the Carolina Garrison, so you are in great company there. SO many new friends to make! You are more than welcome (and encouraged) to ask all the questions you want to.

Hi Mirko, and THANKS for your submission for ANH Stunt EI! CRL and EIB Application Requirements: All required photos have been submitted, and on behalf of the entire D.O. staff we are pleased to welcome you to the rank of Expert Infantry. Congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly; In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor, and please keep in mind that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. First, my apologies for the delay, sir, and before we begin, please don't be alarmed at the number of issues noted. Many are fairly easy fixes, and we have complete confidence that you can address them for Centurion. Some may take time, but we are here to help every step of the way! All that being said, let's get going! Note that the items in this section are only "highly suggested" items, not requirements. Starting at the top, we noticed that your brow is sitting pretty low. As a general rule Stunt TKs' trim sits higher, as opposed to Hero, so we are suggesting that you raise it a bit. Reference images Hero As seen in the reference images, the brow trim should be cut back a little to where it is even with the rear of the trap above it. Easy fix! Reference images Your shoulder bells are positioned kind of high in proximity to the shoulder bridges. Ideally the tops should sit evenly with them (or even a little below). Adjusting the strapping to change this will also help cover more of the biceps. Reference image A simple strapping issue here- your left bicep should come up at least 2 cm to be level with the right one. Adjusting this will also ensure that it doesn't pop out under the shoulder bell (as seen in the reference pic). When suiting up, be sure that both shoulder bridges are outside of the back tabs. We also noticed that the alignment is somewhat off, and it may be worth checking the strapping to see if it is straight. Reference images Looks like your under-suit has bunched up at the sleeves and is peeking out of the wrist opening! Putting your gloves on before the forearms (over the under-suit) will take care of that. Your left drop box should sit below the ABS belt, so your strap may need some adjusting. The TD is sitting slightly crooked, and I think this is due to the right side not being pushed all the way down. Not a big deal, but when someone attaches it for you make sure they put it on snugly. Though not a deal breaker, we are HIGHLY suggesting that you reposition the rivets on your thigh ammo pack. Being that close to the edge, if one gets snagged or caught on something it could tear it off of the thigh ridge. Reference images When suiting up, for a clean/crisp look it's important to make sure the tops and bottom of the calves line up evenly. Reference images You may need to add some Velcro or tighten the clasps... Reference image You have a really nice looking E-11 there, Mirko! Just a suggestion that you reduce the number of coils, though. Those were really only seen in publicity shots (they do look cool, though) and not in the film. Cutting back to 8 or 9 as seen in the pics might look better. It won't affect approval at any level, though. It looks like the tip of the cocking lever has broken off. We are suggesting that you use some Bondo (or something similar) to bring it back to it's original shape. Centurion Requirements: In this section we prepare you for our highest tier of approval. Because Centurion photos must show more detail than EIB, items pertaining to Level 3 might be seen there and not here and additional photos may be required. We try to point out all that we can from what we are able to clearly see, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Items listed in red are from the CRL. Ideally, the tube stripes are positioned approximately a standard pencil width away from the cheek. This is actually a requirement for Level 2, but since yours are somewhat close we are allowing this for Level 2 and moving it to Centurion. They will need to be re-positioned, though. Reference images "The plastic shoulder straps need to be held down via a white elastic band..." We realize that you don't have a lot of overlap, but this is a requirement. Some white cloth elastic about 5 mm wide is what you need. Reference images The ABS belt should sit "at or just above..." the bottom of the ab-button panels. Raising it even 4 or 5 mm would look MUCH better! Although not specifically mentioned in the CRL, the screw heads need to be painted white. Another item not mentioned in the CRL is the placement of the "Han" snap. We do allow a bit of leeway in some cases, but yours has been placed way too far from the corner. We realize that there is a return edge, so you obviously can't place it on a curved surface, but it can be attached right at the edge. Taking off a bit of return edge on the ab plate would look even better, and the hole will need to be filled with ABS paste. Reference images A couple of items about your rivets here, brother- 1. As per the CRL for Level 3, they are "...placed about 10 mm from the edge (of the plates). Note in the last image (diagram) that it's the center of the rivet that is meant. In addition to moving them in, you will need to move them up quite a bit as well, and each set (top/bottom/middle) should match up horizontally with it's counterpart on the opposite plate. This can be a tough fix, but we can help guide you through it! 2. Rivets are painted white, so yours will need a touch-up. ** Another easy fix! **Hint: Before putting the new rivets in, sand down the heads. This will allow for better paint adhesion. Reference images Abdominal and kidney plate align horizontally at the top- In looking at your connections, this can be easily remedied by adding some additional strapping inside on the right interior. It doesn't have to be perfect, but definitely a lot closer. Reference images As shown with the arrows, the areas between the drop boxes/cod are much different. The reason for this is because the ABS belt is not centered. Moving it in to where the center button cover is lined up with the center ridge would line it up perfectly and give you a more symmetrical look. Reference images "Canvas belt must be firm/sturdy in appearance, with no creasing..." (yellow arrow). Most belts have a plastic insert that stays rigid, which is especially important when your E-11 is holstered. We also suggest a slight haircut. Drop boxes are vertically aligned with the end of the (ABS) belt. Moving the rear straps out a touch and applying some E-6000 behind the strap will keep these little devils in place! Reference images The corners of the plastic ammo belt shall be trimmed at a 45° angle that meets the outer edges of the cloth belt- You may be able to get away with trimming the ends of the ABS belt, as long as the cut doesn't go into the square button covers on the ends. Lower thigh ridge joins.. shall butt up flush against each other. Any gaps must be backed with ABS paste or filled as not to be noticeable. I have a thread (link here) which will help! Reference image Last up, there appear to be some red marks on your grip. A quick session with some gloss black paint and you are golden! And that's it. We know you have some work to do, but we have faith that you can take some time and get these items sorted out! Keep in mind that there are a lot of great folks in the German Garrison, and I'm sure if you reach out to them you can find an experienced TK that can assist you on a personal level. Don't forget that we at the FISD are here to help as well! We wish you all the best in your endeavor, and look forward to seeing your submission for Centurion soon!

Working on your review now, Mirko, but we need a favor. Can you post up some close-up side views of your sniper knee plate as seen below? THANKS!

This is my thinking: When suited up and out in public I have no need for my wallet, and if I needed to use my phone that would require removing my bucket (which I don't do in view of the public) so I would need to go back to the changing area where my bin is stored. I keep my wallet/phone inside the bin. After 7 years of trooping I have discovered one thing.. as long as the bins are stored in a private changing area I have never felt the need to even lock mine save on a very few occasions when the area was not secure from the public, so on those occasions I just locked it and kept the key on a rubber band around my wrist (under my glove) for easy access. We tend to be a very honest bunch and look out for other's things as if they were our own, and on many troops there is always someone (handlers/fellow 501st folks) in the changing area. I may be a little naïve in my thinking/method, but I've never had an issue.

That gap is fine, Alex. Plus, consider that it will be partially covered by the belt and drop boxes. Not a requirement at any level, but you may want to trim some more off of the tops. I would wait until you have the front and rear seams connected first, though.. Can you post up a close up pic of the ab button plates? Thanks!