justjoseph63

AWESOME! And her first troop is at a Weird Al concert, no less... outstanding job!

You have some really good advice here, Michael.. Like Steve said, use the longer bristle brushes, as seen in his photo. I found that cutting the very tip off the bristles will help you get a more flat look to the top and bottom of the lines, but like Steve and Chris said, draw the lines in pencil first, and practice a bit beforehand. The good thing is, if you are not pleased with the outcome, it's only paint. You can hit the area with gray again and start over!

Looking SHARP, Greg, and congrats on joining the ranks of HWTs!! Hopefully you will be adding HWT EIB and HWT Centurion to your signature soon!

Very cool offer, Peter! I already sent her a "care package", and would be happy to put it in another package and forward it to her if you like, (and take care of the postage). Just PM me for my info., and I'll get that out to her as soon as I get it. I am sure she will appreciate it...it looks like you will be a great addition to your Garrison once you get your TK number. All the best on your TK journey!

Some poor S.O.B. just paid over a thousand dollars for this..

I applied the Plasti-dip after cutting the holes, Stein. I masked everything up with blue painter's tape, and applied 3 coats, allowing 30 minutes of drying time between each one. I would HIGHLY recommend sanding down the inside first, give it a thorough cleaning, and using a primer made for plastic, as it gives the Plasti-dip something to stick to. If you don't, it can peel off, especially if you are planning to use Velcro inside to attach fans, speakers, etc. It comes in two forms, either spray or brush-on. Some use the brush-on type, and alternate that with layers of strips of cotton gauze to make it more "heavy duty". It just depends on your taste.

While I am sure these would get you initial TK approval, there are a couple of things you might want to consider... If you are planning on going for EIB or Centurion, (which I hope you are), the seam on the front will be a problem. Also, the listing says that they are made from "white Polyurethane". This can also be a future problem. Polyurethane does not "breathe" like leather does, and, when the bottom of your calf armor rubs against it, (and it will), you may find that the outer Poly covering will fray, peel off, and look awful. Yes, leather boots are a bit more expensive, (try Imperialboots.com), but are well worth it in the long run.

AWESOME idea, Craig! I like the idea of it fitting right to your head, as I have some trouble when trooping as a HWT because the bucket seems to hang up on the pack a bit. Plus, it gives me a chance to play with my belt sander! Thanks for the post!

Looking AWESOME, Richard!!

Great advice from Ken, Sam. Drilling the hole at the seams will make it much less likely for the ABS to split or crack there. And, like he also stated, leave more rather than less. You can always remove more later!

Way to go, Phil!!! One step closer to your Centurion badge, sir!

In a word, Russell, SPECTACULAR! Also, outstanding paint job on your bucket and abs, and incredible job on that blaster! You obviously put a lot of hard work and care into this build, and it shows. I am thinking this will be an easy pass, no doubt. See you in ranks soon!

Looks like you are going to be a GREAT member of your Garrison, Alex!

Peter, I would suggest getting in touch with Evilboy for the TD clips. I believe he has a thread under the Ongoing items for sale thread.

My apologies for the missing photo... I accidentally deleted it from Photobucket. Am working on making a new one, and thanks for the heads-up!

I am going to ask him to PM you, Tony... I got the website wrong, but it is updated and works now. To err is human...

You need to be patient, Liam.. Just because you don't get an immediate response does not mean you have been forgotten. Like Mathias said, you need to keep everything on one thread, which actually makes it easier for people to keep up with your topic, and answer your questions accordingly. The more threads you start, the less likely people will answer them...

In the mail today! "Troopers helping Troopers"... (Even tiny ones)! Still awaiting my Garrison patches, but for anyone else that has one to spare, I think it might be a nice gesture to send her one, and show our support.

If you are leaning towards Dooydoos, Nick, I would seriously advise that you order it now, (if they are in stock). The reasons are that shipping can take over a month, and it seems that lately they are out of stock a lot. On their website, (if it is out of stock), you can have them email you when it is available. When you get the email, do not delay. They can (and mostly do) sell out quickly... often in a matter of minutes.

The foam you can use for your armor is call L 200. It is available online in different thicknesses, colors, and sheet sizes, and is used a lot by people who make movie costumes. It is fairly inexpensive if you order it online from a dealer. You could try Googling L200 craft foam, or go to a site like www.foamart.com. Hope this helps!

Would it be OK to send her an FISD patch?

I know that people have done it both ways, Brian. Many major hotels will accept packages for incoming guests, but either way, be SURE to pack it well using as much foam and/or bubble wrap as you possibly can. Airline baggage handlers and the various shippers (I'm not going to mention any names, that would be indiscreet... USPS, UPS FEDEX) are not known for handling parcels with a soft touch. And be sure to INSURE it!!

Unfortunately, Liam, it will cost a LOT more than $500.00 to put together a "proper" set of TK armor. The armor alone will set you back from $500.00 to $1200.00 +, depending on the maker. Then, you will have to purchase all the accessories, i.e. boots, neck seal, E-11 blaster, undersuit, canvas belt, holster, etc., not to mention the supplies needed to put it together. I would say the least you could get away with is around the $900.00 mark, and even that is low... I don't mean to discourage you by any means, but once you have it done, you could think about joining the 501st as a stormtrooper, and use it many, many times at the various charity appearances we do. Plus, you will get to meet a lot of great people in our community!

Wow, Kyle! First, thanks for posting these incredible photos... what a turnout for your first troop, and as a Centurion, no less!!! Buckets off to you and the Great Lakes Garrison for a job well done..

I think you will find that there are hundreds, if not thousands, that troop with full resin E-11s, (myself included). You just have to be selective about who you let hold it. I try my best to be obliging, but on occasion I have had to say nicely "I'm sorry, but it's against Imperial regulations" if I think it may hit the ground at some point. You can also go for a Hyperfirm, like the ones slavefive makes,which will just bounce! Also, if you are shooting for Centurion level, the Hasbro conversions are not allowed.