justjoseph63

Despite my use of adult undergarments (just kidding.... seriously) the yellowing is mainly on the inside of the chest/ab and posterior plates. I knew going in that Anovos was famous for cracks, so I reinforced those areas during the build.

I looked at several options online, and that particular product seems to only be sold in 4 oz. (113 grams) bottles for $15.00 or so. Since I will need a lot more for my Anovos armor I Googled "Stabilized 40 volume cream developer" and ordered a gallon of the product (albeit a different brand) for less than $17.00 on Amazon (link here). Strange thing is that on the Anovos armor the majority of the yellowing is on the INSIDE. As soon as it arrives I will be testing it out (inside first) and will post up here with results.

If you are willing to put in the work, I would HIGHLY suggest having one 3D printed. The link to the one Glen provided (Bryan's free files) is without a doubt the most accurate I have seen available online, down to the smallest details. I had one printed out and the end results speak for themselves.. (link here).

I've done one or two..

A little late in jumping in here, but if needed you can trim the tops of the thighs to raise them up if needed. It looks to be sitting pretty close to your... uhh. "nether regions", which is something you want to avoid. The reason being is that if they sit snug, you will get chafing. The side view looks like you have a fantastic fit, but remember that the circumference will change if you trim the tops so keep that in mind. Note in the reference images how much room there is between the cod and thigh tops. If the thighs are too high you will get clicking noises when you walk from the cod being too close. Also note that extra room should be allowed in the rear as well (last photo). Personally, I would wait on trimming the tops until you get the ab plate fitted and figure out what the final position of the cod will be and adjust from there.

Hi Shayan, and welcome to the forums! I'm a little late joining the party here, but I can help with a few of your queries: ESB TKs generally seem wonkier than the ANH ones, especially when looking at the biceps and shoulders. Is approval with these things more relaxed than say ANH troopers? Not really. The armor from ANH was re-used for ESB, and although I agree that many parts looked a bit "off", I mark this down to the set costumers. Although some Detachments like the MEPD insist for higher levels that a particular character be copied down to the minute detail, for Expert Infantry and Centurion here at the FISD we look for "ideal" trooper... think along the lines of 'fresh out of training and ready for inspection by Lord Vader'. In many shots of ESB, the rear part of the shoulder straps seem to be glued down or even riveted(!) in place. The CRL requires the straps to be free float and held with a fabric band, but looking at the film, I see no visible fabric bands and only sometimes free floating shoulders. Unfortunately close-up screen shots for ESB are rare, making it difficult to see small details like this. Did they use rivets or glue the straps down on some shoulder straps? Possibly in a few cases: But, for consistency among the ranks we insist for higher levels that the CRLs be followed. There is also some of the troopers with their shoulder bells sitting super high up, as if padded ROTJ style. When submitting for approval, can these requirements from the CRL be "overturned", as long as matching evidence is provided? When it comes to inconsistencies, there were a LOT on all of the OT films. Missing armor pieces, wonky biceps, missing tube stripes, well the list is endless, but we have to have standards. The CRLs are based on what was seen on the majority of the costumes used onscreen, not just a few or the one-off, and these are what we go by. They are not set in stone and are ever-evolving when new evidence comes to light, but unless strong proof (screen captures) is put forth they are followed pretty much to the letter. In saying that, we do allow certain amount of leeway for individual circumstances. Not all troopers here are the exact same height/weight. Some need shims to extend certain areas, some need to cut pieces down to fit correctly. I have seen troopers that are 5 foot 3 as well as those that are well over 300 lbs. end up with spectacular looking armor. No matter what issues anyone may have, as long as they are willing to put the extra effort (if needed) in we are here to help every step of the way to make sure the costume can pass at every level! The thighs are super uncomfortable, as I had feared. However, I have not trimmed them at all. Is return edge on the top of the thigh armor required? I'm pretty confident that I would fit no problem if I got rid of the return edge or at least the majority of it. As you may have already read in my thread, I am not a fan of return edges, lol, (especially on the thigh tops) so I would get rid of them completely. Looking forward to watching your progress, and if I can offer some advice it would be: Ask questions. Lots of them. When in doubt, always ask before cutting or gluing, and be sure to add photos (as many as you like) of the area in question. A picture really is worth a thousand words, and this will help us when it comes to offering advice. Best of luck on your white armor journey!!

Ugh.. I think I just wasted 10 bucks. On my first build I set my snaps in nylon strips and attached those to my armor with CA glue after sanding and cleaning the areas beforehand. It may have been the Florida heat, but within a few weeks the glue became so brittle many of the the nylon strips started to pop off. On my very first troop my shoulder bell connection came apart because of this. I ended up removing ALL of the connections, completely re-made the straps and used E-6000 to attach them. No problems since then. CA glue is a fast method, but not always the best.

In a perfect world the button covers on the ABS belt should be centered as Mario mentioned, but I would have no issues passing this at Level 3. AWESOME job, sir! The eye openings look much better. What I would suggest at this point is to tape the lenses behind them to see what sort of look you have. That will give you a better idea of how much (if any) more you need to trim. As I'm sure you are aware, the teeth openings could use a bit of "sandpaper love" to smooth out the sides and corners (first photo). The cutouts look great, they just need a some refining, and an easy way to do this is to use a plastic straw with a single layer of fine-grit sandpaper wrapped around it. While sanding, be sure to use an up and down motion rather than back and forth one. The reason being is that if you go back and forth you can create notches on the sides/top of the tooth. Since the straw is flexible, you can do the corners as well. This works on the eye openings too!. (Sorry for the awful graphics, lol) Reference image As seen in the reference pic above they don't have to be perfect. Part of the charm of the original buckets is that no two were 100% exactly the same. You are learning fast, Nick, and I look forward to seeing your progress!

I wasn't even aware that this type of product existed, Daniel, but I have ordered some and will post up here on Thursday with some results.

HAHA... you beat me by literally a few seconds, Mario! Great minds really do think alike!

It may seem like a pain in the posterior plate, but I have a solution: The canvas belt is mounted kind of low and needs to come up a bit (like 3 mm or so) and the end trimmed down the same amount. This would reduce the length of the 45 degree cut, but that is fine and will meet the requirements. The drop box position (touching the ABS belt) is spot-on, but it would need to be moved over. I know this seems like a small detail and one that no one would ever notice, but it's these kind of things that will set you apart when you reach Centurion!

The TD looks spot-on, Nick... nice job! I would raise the drop boxes slightly to where the top touches the bottom of the ABS belt. It also needs to be moved out as seen below. As per the CRL for Centurion, the outside edge of the box needs to align with the outside edge of the ABS belt. PERFECT placement on the square ABS button covers, by the way! The eyes may need a bit more trimming. You are definitely on the right path, but the top center looks a little "sleepy"(blue line). The outside corners can be more pointed or round (yellow arrow).. that's up to you. Once you get the opening to where you like it, some sandpaper wrapped around a pencil will smooth the edges down. Keep up the fantastic work!

Couldn't have said it better, Eric! I have trooped many times with the fine folks in the GA Garrison (as recently as a few weeks ago) and you won't find a nicer group of people.. (well, except for here at the FISD, of course).

Welcome to the FISD, Jonathan! Lots of great info. given so far, and know that we are here to assist you every step of the way so never be shy about asking us anything. I know what you mean about the OCD thing.. believe me. It took me 3 months to build my first set of armor, but as someone very wise reminded me way back when "It's a marathon, not a sprint". Purchasing a set of commissioned armor is fine and dandy for many, but often there are little nuances that need to be fixed/adjusted. We can help, of course. Building your own takes time and patience, but in the end you will have a custom tailored costume that fits you to a tee. Plus, if there are ever any issues you know how to fix/repair them! Best of luck on your white armor journey!

Looking good so far, Nick! Fantastic to know that you are aiming for Centurion, and we are here to help every step of the way, sir. You are doing the perfect thing by posting up photos and asking questions, so keep it up! If I could make a few suggestions, they would be: It could be the angle, but it looks like you may need to remove a bit more from the eye openings. Note the ridges (blue arrows). If you could post up a direct front pic that would be great! When painting the teeth, remember not to carry the paint too high or low. When trimming the ABS belt ends, make sure that the outer edge of the canvas one meets up with the lower edge of the 45° angle. Last up, can you post up a pic of the TD as it would be seen when wearing the belt? Again, it may be the angle of the photo and the reason I ask is because the CRL for Centurion was recently changed to "The raised rib section faces the rear..." and yours looks a tad high. Not the biggest of deals, and if it needs adjusting we can give you some suggestions! When in doubt about anything, it's always best to ask before cutting, drilling or gluing. We are at your disposal, sir... keep those questions and photos coming and we will make sure you have a top-notch looking set of armor!

I speak with Dave on a regular basis, and he has had issues sourcing ABS. At first he was an agent for AM, but he ended up purchasing the whole operation from Dale (the original owner) years ago and pulls everything himself. I've heard nothing but 100% positive comments on both his communication and armor. Yep.. all by his own hand. He does a lot of commission builds as well.

Looks like they have gone back to ANH holsters- What looks like a baton is a side view.. as they walk it shows it's width. It's fantastic to see OT troopers, but did anyone notice the cover strips? They look pretty darned thick to me. Among other things it looks like they are using thick soled boots as well... more like FOTK style. And so it begins... the birth of another CRL.

EXCELLENT work on that paint job, brother! Looking forward to having another HWT in the ranks, but If I could make a couple of suggestions they would be: 1. As per the CRL, ideally the slant on the front of the tube stripes should face forward and they should be about a "pencil width" from the cheek as well as of a similar shape/size. 2. Can you post up side views of the ear position(s)? In a perfect world the screw heads should line up with the rear angle of the trap.

Hi Dan, and thank you for your submission for ANH Stunt Centurion! CRL and CENTURION 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 Centurion # 510. 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. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. First, I appreciate your patience, brother. Mostly, though, GREAT job on those fixes from your EI submssion! If I could add one final suggestion it would be to try to get a better arc on your shoulder straps with a hot water bath. Doing this would allow them to ride closer to the back plate so they won't protrude out as much, put less strain on the thin elastic strap and allow you to remove the large tabs on the rear sections (the large tabs were not present in the films). Reference images Again, a big CONGRATS sir, so now it's time to get out and show off that armor as the Midwest Garrison's newest Centurion!

This is a conundrum of sorts, Garrett. The original ones definitely look to have 5 lobes (points) and appear to be 5 point Torx screws, very similar to the ones you showed. BUT, those are Pentalobe (security) screws because of the small post in the center and didn't come into use until many years after ESB. I used the 6 point Torx type as I could not find the 5 point version in the right size. If you do, please let me know! In the grand scheme of things, I highly doubt anyone will notice either version, lol. Torx Pentalobe

I don't want to derail John's build thread, and I would love nothing more than to see one of the sets you designed get approved, but I would appreciate the chance to go over a few concerns with you. Nothing too crazy, lol, but I would like to PM you this evening if that's OK. Thanks!!

Hi Dan, and thanks for following up on this! Not a lot going on in the D.O. dept. right now so I will get working on this ASAP.

Be aware that there have been some recent CRL updates to certain items: Thermal Detonator- ANH Stunt/Hero and ESB (Basic 501st approval) The raised ribbed section of the white control panel faces the rear, with the round washer detail closest to the right end cap. Vertical (straight) sections of clips do not extend past the bottom of the canvas belt. End caps shall be approximately 20 mm in width. Thigh ridges- ANH Stunt/Hero and ESB (Centurion) Lower thigh ridge joins (front and rear) shall butt-up flush against each other. Any gaps must be backed with ABS or filled as not to be noticeable. Any mobility cuts on the back do not extend beyond the top of the raised ridges. Large ab button plate- ANH, ESB and ROTJ (Centurion) The large Ab plate detail shall be a separate piece attached to the raised center mounting area. Plate does not overlap the edges of this area and should show a definite straight cut edge around all sides. Ear placement- ANH and ESB (Centurion) Ideally, placement of ears (and screws) should closely follow the rear angle of trap above them. ESB hand plates (Centurion) Curve at front of hand plates shall be positioned to sit directly over the knuckles. If silk or satin gloves are worn, the hand plates have the correct visible stitching with a 5 point/star pattern, equally spread out with 2 on each side and 1 in the middle front, double stitched with 2 holes at each point and sewn to the glove at each one using black thread E-11 blaster - (Centurion) T-tracks and grip shall be black with no silver/metallic weathering allowed.

When adding padding to the interior, it's important to figure out how much (if any) you want in the top. Many times we see troopers with pads that are too thick, causing the helmet to sit too high (as seen in the first image below). Our field of vision is not the best to begin with, and you may find yourself constantly tilting the bucket forward just to be able to see. Not just inconvenient, but potentially dangerous- as you can trip. Note in the second photo how low it sits on the chest plate . If I could suggest one more thing it would be to use pads that are removable. Even if you have a fan system (recommended) it gets hot, so during a troop we sweat. Sometimes a LOT. Being able to take them out and wash them as needed will prevent a smelly bucket.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but just in looking over some of the ab-plate details alone you may have some issues. I may be mistaken, and it could very well be the image supplied on the site but both ab-button panels may be too different for even Basic approval. Some GMLs could very well pass this as is, but some may scrutinize it more. 1. The right indented vertical panel looks awfully deep, and the rectangle inside it should ideally have rounded edges (not squared) and should sit higher (in line with the second button from the top). 2. The raised area that the large button plate sits on looks to be a separate piece instead of being molded into the chest plate. 3. The small ab-button plate appears to be set too deep, and the top gray button on it should be aligned with the top gray button the large one. Again, I don't mean to rain on your parade but these are just few things that jump out at me. Would the general public notice these crazy small details? Never, lol, but it's just a heads-up, and hopefully you may be able to alter the 3D designs before printing them if you want a set of armor that more closely matches those seen onscreen. Although the site states that "You will not find a more accurate set of files" (which may be true) it does in no way guarantee 501st approval.