justjoseph63

I think you would be safe with a quality acrylic spray paint, Richard. I definitely recommend sanding it down first with 80 grit and then 120 grit paper or sanding sponges. After that, clean it really well, let it dry completely, and then use a primer specially made for plastic, like Krylon. You can use blue painter's tape to mask off any areas you don't want painted, and then apply several thin coats of the desired color, letting it dry thoroughly between each one, (important). You may want to use a razor knife to cut the edges of the blue tape before peeling it off, as it can sometimes bond with the paint overspray, causing the paint to peel off with the tape. I would also highly suggest letting the paint "cure" for a few days before using the bin. Hope this helps, and looking forward to the photos of your finished product!

These are photos from tube of genuine E-6000, in which you will notice major differences. The batch number is imprinted on the bottom, the printing is razor sharp, (as opposed to being blurry), the place of manufacture is listed, the website is correct, (e-6000 not E-6000), the company website is listed, (eclecticproducts.com), and the information on the bottom of the back is much more detailed. Plus, it will ALWAYS come with a cardboard backer. I can guarantee you that the one Chris bought is unfortunately a bootleg. -----------------

Glad to hear that it provided the motivation, Tyler!

Those measurements are indeed correct. Like Riddeth said, you really shouldn't have to bend the belt..., and I will second what Tolo stated.. TKittel makes awesome belts... custom fitted at a great price. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/19803-fs-white-canvas-belts/

Great turnout, and cool photos.. Thanks for sharing! Love the little Princess Leia...cute as a button!

I got the exact same ones from that seller, Amanda, but I used spray paint. Best deal around!

I also have Ty's (Pencap510) thigh garter system. LOVE it!

Great link from Mark, and Stein is spot-on. Looks like you are set!

You also might want to think about sewing a thin strip of plastic inside the entire length of the belt to help keep it's stiffness and shape. It will also provide some support for the weight of your holster/blaster.

I'm sure that if it comes from Trooperbay that you are 100% safe, Sergiu.

In the first article, the person said she contacted the company directly and they gave her a list of all UK suppliers, so you could try that route. The company also states that they do not supply distributors in China or Hong Kong, so you can pretty much count on anything from sellers there to be a fake. I appreciate you starting this thread, and am going to add this information on my "Suppy List.." thread.

I love the smell of E-6000 in the morning... smells like... tetramethyldec-5-yne-4,7-diol.. I did a little research on this, Chris, and discovered a few things.... You were sharp in noticing that the printing is a bit dodgy, a dead giveaway. It should also give both the companies' websites, one of which is e-6000.com, not E-6000.com, as well as eclecticproducts.com, and the place of manufacture. The problem is that even though we know that yes, it can cause problems if used incorrectly, you have no idea what sort of chemicals/carcinogens are used in knock-offs, or if the product will even hold up in the long-run or perhaps damage your armor. I think your best bet at this point would be to hold off on using this and get in touch with someone in the UK Garrison and find out where they got their supply, or get in touch with the manufacturer. Hope this helps. (Side note, yes, the pic is a bit blurry, but the printing is razor sharp, and sorry for the bad "Apocalypse now" reference). Here are 2 articles that may help, especially the first one.. -----------

Not a stupid question at all, Chris... I lined the inside of my bin by gluing in 1 inch thick foam sheets on the sides and bottom. To keep my armor from getting scratched up, I picked up a set of inexpensive sheets and cut them up to make individual slip-cover bags for each piece. I used the iron-on tape available at Joanne fabric (or Wal-Mart) to seal the 3 edges as I can't sew. I slip each one into it's own cloth bag and stack them inside as normal. Cost me about 12 bucks and an hour's work.

The only thing I could suggest Paul is a product called SUGRU, available in the paint section at Lowe's or online. It is a kneadable glue, similar to Play-Doh, but sets up nicely after 24 hours to a rubber-like consistency. You could take a small amount, roll it into a ball, press it onto the screw, and flatten out the edges. It sticks really well after drying, but can be removed if needed. Hope this helps!

You should be able to get most everything into one that size, John. The only problem you may encounter is that your bucket may not fit, in which case you could get a helmet bag from Trooperbay for about $18.00. I love mine! -------

Good decision, Connor! The first thing you have to do is choose your armorer from the vetted list in the "Getting Started..." section. While you are waiting, you can gather the needed supplies for the build, as well as your "soft parts", (boots, undersuit, holster, etc.). You can also check on getting your E-11. Feel free to ask any questions!

I'm also interested in who is making this $375. armor/$200.00 bucket. Sounds like a recast for that price, so I would steer clear of it (at least for now) Kanya, as I doubt it would be 501st approvable, Got any pics you could share?

Done deal... Glad to help out!

Some really good advice from Scott there, Connor. Yes, you can have someone build it for you, but I think you'll find it's a LOT less than if you built it yourself, even after purchasing all the needed tools/supplies. Does it take some time? Yes. Is it difficult? Not overly. The benefits of doing it yourself are that you know it will fit you perfectly, and what you learn while doing it will help you down the road if when it needs repairs. My suggestion would be to start reading up on the various build threads here, and then start your own when you receive your kit. This way, you can ask all of your questions in one place, keep track of your progress easily, post photos of any problem areas, (we LOVE photos), and show off your build! Also, like Scott suggested, stay in touch with your local Garrison or Squad. Many of them have "armor parties" that are designed to help with builds.

If you Google Mouse Droid Plans there are a ton of them, including a whole Youtube series.

Good call, Jeff... I forgot about the holster!

I suppose in theory it could be done, Adam, but to be honest, it would probably be more trouble than it is worth. You would have to seal the edges of the cut strips to keep them from fraying, and I am not certain what this would do to the integrity of the elastic. You can pick up the 1 inch wide elastic at any craft store, such as Michael's, Joanne Fabrics, or even Wal-Mart for fairly cheap, as you are not going to need a lot of it. I would seriously recommend the soldering/wood burning gun I listed on the post to put the holes in it, though. It not only seals the edges of the holes, but makes them wide enough to put the snap centers through. Hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, just let me know. As for any left-overs, you can always offer them up to others on here who may need some... "Troopers helping Troopers".

Way to go, Richard.. This has got to be some sort of record, going from basic to Centurion in less than a week! Great job!

Good call, Scott. To remove the existing snap, you could use a drill with a metal cutting (Titanium or carbide) bit and drill out the center, but you would have be VERY careful doing this so as not to split or crack the ABS, then pry the rest off from the inside with a pair of needle-nose pliers (from the inside, to prevent scratches on the outside) ... Probably best to actually attach a snap to a spare piece of ABS and practice on that first. The only problem is that the hole may then be too large for a normal split rivet, but hopefully not.

For soft parts, the main things you will need are boots, (available at TKboots.com or Imperialboots.com), a 2 piece black compression suit, (Amazon, etc.), neck seal, (several sellers on here), gloves, white canvas belt, (several sellers on here). Here is the link to the For Sale thread: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/forum/16-ongoing-sales-project-orders/