Movie FX Armor build

[R2trooper]

Hi everyone!! Well, I am finally starting to finish up my TK build. Starting to finish... Anyway, first off I would like to throw out a thank you from the guys I have bought from here. TKittell for my canvas belt; Veedox for the neck seal, and TK Boots, for the, uh, boots. Everything is amazing!! Now to the armor. I bought it from Movie FX here in Germany. I live like 30 minutes from him. Now I have seen armor up close, and even this brand up close, but after watching it being made (formed) I think some of the magic was lost. He insists it is from original ANH armor. I will just say, I would like to get a second set of armor, but I will not buy from there again. Right now, I want to finish up the build to 501st approval before CE II this summer. It is two hours away from me!! Hope to see some of you there, first beer is on me. I do really want to get to Centurion level though. The only parts I have left to get are the thermal detonator, gloves, holster and blaster. I need to finish painting the helmet, add the screen and take off the ridiculous “belt†that is plastic and attach the canvas belt. I will add the strapping system to the armor as well. I am taking a few parts to him to clean up/redo like one of the shins, and I am getting new ab panels. Here are pictures for you all.

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG]http://i1307.photobu...zpse38249d5.jpg[/img]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Minuteman]

Hi Dan!

 

Have fun with your build, sorry to see that the armor is already built together by Guidon..... it would have been really fun to do that yourself, plus now the armor is glued together with hot glue, E-6000 would have been stronger and better removable.... but thats how it is.

 

Your helmet is.... strange. The 3 teeth indicate a hero , but three screws per ear indicate a stunt helmet (And have you got flat lenses or bubble lenses?). You got a hermaphrodite there

I would think about cutting the 4 th teeth and painting it too, so that you got a full stunt helmet.

And please get yourself a new set of mic tips, those are horrible

Handpainting the helmet is a great idea

The connection if the shoulder bells is not pretty accurate, I would recommend searching for some reference on this forum, look into other build threads and you will find better alternatives.

What about the ab buttons? Are they all black? Here is how they should be painted: http://www.whitearmo...eference-guide/

Also your armor was build using the overlap method..... again not pretty accurate, using the butt-join-method would have been better, look here ( example here: the thighs): http://www.whitearmo...h-cover-strips/

Are you able to remove the hot glue residue at the right shin? If not ask for a new shin.

 

I´ll keep watching this thread, good luck with the armor

Edited January 2, 2013 by Minuteman

[Minuteman]

Also your thigh ammo belt is riveted in the wrong place, which is a shame, cause there is a impression at the right spot, see here:

 

[R2trooper]

Minuteman, thanks for the info. As much as I have seen all the helmets, and as much as I have looked at this one, I never noticed it being a weird hybrid. It is funny, no matter how much you read up on stuff, you are still always learning. As far as Guidon putting the armor together, you are correct. I don't have the tools, or the work area for something like this. I thought it be be a safe thing to have an " expert" put this together, who has a full work shop and does it pretty often. I was way, way wrong I guess. Yes, the glue is showing on one shin and has yellowed. Also, most of the joints or edge stripping is coming apart, or has fallen off. This is a year old armor, and has been in a cool, dark storage area the whole time. Military schedules can be hard on the free time. So, yeah, I am pretty unhappy about this whole deal. Insert Lando quote here... His web site says he has a two year warranty on his stuff, this will be getting fixed! Any other abnormalities that anyone can spot, please let me know. From what you guys can tell, is it worth trying to get fixed, or should I try working a refund? Thanks for the info and advice.

Dan

[Minuteman]

The substance of the armor is not bad.

I would keep it, but get yourself a new right shin.

If things are coming apart now, I would use E 6000 to glue them together.

Do you have the three cover buttons for the belt?

You suggested, that you want to paint the helmet details, which is good.

Before you do so, cut out the fourth teeth and paint it.

Make sure that you got flat lenses in it.

--->

(stunt right, hero left)

In fact you don´t need a full work shop to build your armor all alone.... just E-6000, clamps, a hobby knife, painters tape, paint, maybe lexan scissors, elastic and press buttons.

 

As the armor is built at the moment, plus the suggested changes, you will probably get approved, although you might need to do some changes to get EIB or Centurion status.

The last instance there is your GMO, you will join the German Garrison, I think?

[R2trooper]

For 501st approval, it won't take much. To get anything higher, I will have to replace some serious parts. But, yes once a member, i am wanting to join the German Garrison. I met some of them at lego land before, nice guys.

 

[TK-50101 Blue Snaggletooth[TK]]

I see a curious mix of Movie FX ANH-parts and mfx-parts?

Can you tell us something about your body size and weight?

 

Because of the dark buttons the armor must be round about 2 years.

What`s happend between buying and now?

[R2trooper]

I bought the armor one year ago, December 16 2011. The time span of getting the armor and now has been a six month deployment. So between getting ready for that, and getting back, the whole project had been put on hiatus. I had bought the armor, and within a couple weeks, the whole set up had to get packed away. I did do some soft part buying when I could. I am fluctuating in body size at the moment. I am close in size as to when I got the armor, 5'10 220 lbs, 35 inch waist. I did get down to under 200, 32-33 inch waist, which is what the armor is made for, but a little too much revalry upon return has put me back in the 220, 35 inch waist range. I will get back to the 32 inch waist before CE II. I do have to say I do not regret buying this armor, but when one has paid a lot of money for something, then finding out some of the flaws in it can be a little disconcerting. But please, I don't want anyone here thinking that I am bashing on anyone, but yes, I am less than happy. When I bought the armor, I found a crack in the inside area from a drill hole. The screw had broken through it. I had contacted Guidion, and he was quick to repair it. I also had mentioned to him recently about the ab parts, and he agreed to replace them. I will be buying the Movie FX thermal detonator from him as well. I am sure that we will be able to come together on this and get everything fixed. Right now I know the helmet needs to be converted to either a hero, or stunt, not my current "he-runt". The left chest abdomen has the three rivets, not the right side, I would like to see what I can do about that, the knee ammo container is riveted in the wrong spot, the shin with yellow glue that seeped through joint. I will ask him to remove the rivets from the belt as well. Movie FX has been easy to work with, and I'm sure that this will be positive experience for the whole community to see another supplier-customer working together to make the best possible TK!

Edited January 3, 2013 by R2trooper

[TK-50101 Blue Snaggletooth[TK]]

I think he will adjust most of the mistakes very quick.

 

You need to go forward to a Hero helmet with this one.

New ears with only 2 screws per side and bubble lenses are necessary.

 

To reach centurion with this armor will need a lot of more work, but is possible

[Front-a-Little]

Am I reading this correctly, the armor is riveted at the right side and opens on the left ? To be honest, if you want to go for Centurion I'd recommend to get/request/demand a new Torso and Kidney plate. Even if you can remove the rivets from the right side you'll have 3 holes there when you only need one for the top snap. And filling the unneeded holes with putty and painting it is not the kinda quality you want to work with.

Also, again talking about Centurion, don't let him use the pop rivets. The thigh ammo belt was afixed with cap rivets, the sides of the torso with split rivets.

Call me petty, but I've been where you are now and went to fix my MFX armor to EIB status. It was horrible.

[R2trooper]

You reading that correctly Patrick. I have contacted Movie FX about this and it seems I can get most, if not everything corrected. I expect people here to be petty, and I appreciate it. We don't spend hundreds to thousands of dollars, and countless hours on a hobby not to be petty. I do not think it is a bad thing. I have read and re-read as much as I can about this all this, and consider myself pretty knowledgable about it all, but that is why we share it with a community, to get opinions and feedback, and expert advice. Guidion has seemed agreeable to help me out in getting the flaws fixed, as to a Centurion build, we will see. So far my dealings with the company have been really good, now I want the product as good as the relations. I guess my expectation going into this was something really epic, and when it was less than that, I was disappointed. If we can work together to make this epic, both in the experience and in the product, what a business card that could be to hand out at Celebration Europe II!! I have every confidence that Movie FX and I can get this armor where it needs to be, and where I would like it to be. It does seem like it could be hard to get ahold of bubble lenses, so I am thinking of just having a stunt helmet. I will have to see what all it will entail for that as well. Again, thanks everyone for looking and helping out with facts, thoughts, and opinions. Please keep them coming.

Dan

[Minuteman]

Man, bubble lenses are not that difficult to get ahold of: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/14126-fs-hero-upgrade-kit-18/

Although Guidon might have them too.

You need to decide which version you want to do. A good idea is to go to http://starwarshelmets.com/original-stormtrooper-helmets-sub-submenu.htm and choose

[TK-50101 Blue Snaggletooth[TK]]

Any new photos from the workshop?

[R2trooper]

Hey everyone. Well Guidon was very cool about helping me out, not only fixing the things that were wrong, but I now have 90% new armor. I got an all new chest piece, AB, kidney, butt, back, helmet, belt and both upper arms and both forearms. He did charge me a small amount for the strapping system, but did not include labor, or new parts. I feel the price was more than fair! To be honest, I feel he got cheated a little. But I did buy my thermal detonator and E-11 kit from him as well. Once again I thought he was easy to work with and I am very happy with my product! I do have photos of his work shop, I will ask him before I post, but I have photos of the armor as it is being worked on. I should have no problem getting Centurion certified. I have a small amount of work left on it, then I will hand paint the helmet, which is full hero now, with correct grill, ears, and green bubble lenses. I just need to get the s strips for the bottom of the helmet, gloves with latex hand guards, and a holster, then I'm done! Oh, and a new undersuit, I have a one piece that zips in the back... I will get pictures posted up tomorrow. If any one has holster recommendtaions, please let me know. prices vary wildly out there. All in all I am very happy with the work, the product, and Movie FX. Like I said earlier, I never had a problem with the company, just the product, but Movie FX stands by their work and merchandise, and will make sure the customer is happy. And thanks to everyone out there for replying, giving advice and feed back, and being petty! Please keep it coming, I want to have one epic suit, and it is just about there I think!

Dan

[Minuteman]

That really sounds like good costumer service

Can´t wait to see the new pics

[TK-50101 Blue Snaggletooth[TK]]

Quick service. So it has to be.

[Dday[501st]]

Dan,

 

since talking to you today and finding that we are so close, we should get together. I'm by far not an expert in the field but I've learned a thing or two from talking to those much more experienced them me here on the forums and beyond. We can talk a look over your new suit after the exchanges, talk about everything and see where to go from there!

 

I can bring my TrooperMaster suit and you can look at what another suit looks like close up, make some comparisons and such.

 

I'm always excited to geek out some.

[R2trooper]

Hey everyone!! Been super busy, and super lazy lately. Well, I have a geek room that houses some of my collection, and I have finally cleaned it up and making it into my "work Shop". I just got in some supplies from trooperbay, and so now I am starting to paint my MFX bucket. Holy crap don't touch that Humbrol paint!!! Here is a little pic of my room. I will have more progress later. Ciao.

Dan

Edited February 3, 2013 by R2trooper

[Minuteman]

Looks fine, hope you got a steady hand for that painting

Keep it coming!

[R2trooper]

Not really any advice on how to keep the grey paint straight over the black?

[Minuteman]

Nothing except practice, practice, practice

[R2trooper]

Is there any good way to remove the paint? I am using the Humbrol set from Trooperbay. Just normal paint thinner?

 

[Dday[501st]]

Yeah, if it's to messed up, just use some basic thinner on a piece of tissue paper and wipe it away.

[R2trooper]

OK, so here is my Movie FX E-11 kit so far. I do have the other parts, just forgot to lay them on the table... And no iPad pictures this time. Please let me know what you guys know about this kit, I am not exactly sure what it is derived from. Enjoy.

Dan

[Dday[501st]]