Brattie's AP Build and Journey to The 501st

[Brattie[TK]]

Sure thing Dan I'll let ya know when we have all the information.. I'm sure it will be closer to June. our Team will be doing little fund raising events too.. so if you want I'll let you know when we are doing those okay?

[TK 2759[501st]]

Sure thing Dan I'll let ya know when we have all the information.. I'm sure it will be closer to June. our Team will be doing little fund raising events too.. so if you want I'll let you know when we are doing those okay?

Would be good to know. Thanks for keeping me posted!

[Brattie[TK]]

I think I'll look into the magnets if I can find a Home Hardware in my area and spring stuff for my blaster this weekend. I'm kinda bummed right now because I'm running out of things to do and I know I still have a wait.

[Brattie[TK]]

Hahha.. if you haven't seen this thread on FISD.. be sure to check it out guys.. it's good!

 

Scary as hell.. but good!!

[Brattie[TK]]

Noting the Holster Conversion thread for later requirements...

[Brattie[TK]]

I wonder how hard it's going to be once I finish this build to find and build the TFA Snowtrooper Armor. I think the new style of snowtrooper is pretty neat. I want to finish my TK first though.. love the old stuff.. but think the new would be fun after that.. How hard is it to get your hands on the new armor? I know a few people have the sets.

[Brattie[TK]]

Just having a little fun with my Black Series.. chuckles

 

[ComradeDave[TK]]

I wonder how hard it's going to be once I finish this build to find and build the TFA Snowtrooper Armor. I think the new style of snowtrooper is pretty neat. I want to finish my TK first though.. love the old stuff.. but think the new would be fun after that.. How hard is it to get your hands on the new armor? I know a few people have the sets.

I'm with you on this I really want to build either a Biker scout or the new TFA TIE pilot, the TIE guy is so cool

[Brattie[TK]]

Hiya Dave.. yeah.. I love the original TK but I think doing a snowtrooper next from TFA would be so neat after.. but probably cost a fortune.. so will have to save a bit for it. I don't even see the new TFA TK kits from Av-whatever for any of the troopers either but hear of people with them.

[TK 2759[501st]]

TFA armour is pretty hard to find... The 501st were offered kits exclusively, before the release of TFA... So we could have some TFA TKs at the various screenings...

[Brattie[TK]]

Wow Dan.. that's like AWESOME..  Laugh.. great to see the pictures of the guys in it and the Canadian Garrison Representing! ♥

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[TK 2759[501st]]

Wow Dan.. that's like AWESOME.. did you guys get any TFA SNOWTROOPER KITS? Laugh.. great to see the pictures of the guys in it and the Canadian Garrison Representing! ♥

No snow trooper, just TK armour... And apparently it's a lot harder to build then OT troopers...

[Pyrates[TK]]

You know it's a difficult build when even the vetted builders say it's hard. I'm gonna wait to hopefully get mine from the licensed vendor after all the vet's work out the kinks.

[Brattie[TK]]

Making a note of a Great reference page

This is for my TK build

 

I'm worried about some of the issues my fellow newb builders are having with their armor and straps and such. It's really scary when I think of the build I am faced with soon.

 

I just hope my stuff fits.. sighs

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[Brattie[TK]]

sooo.. when I get worried about the build ahead and being accepted into the 501st.. I try to bring some laughs to my life...

 

 

It sometimes helps.. honestly though, I love the work the 501st does.. not sure what I'll do if I get my armor built and it's not accepted..

So far the 501st members I have met seem really nice, mostly. I am sure there are tons of people that say they want to join but don't want to put in the effort.

 

Deep Thought Alert!!! (I know I know.. I tend to ramble sometimes!!)

 

This is all a big commitment.. like any volunteer work. I understand this as I volunteer my time for other things. I have only missed 5 days total in the 2.5 years I have been helping to teach youth judo. I understand commitment to a cause and to a team.

 

It all seems rather silly in some ways to worry so much about being accepted into a group.. but it will mean so much to be able to say.. I am a member of the 501st Canadian Garrison and talk about all the things "we" as a group do to help those in need and such.  It will mean so much that my armor.. will meet the 501st requirements. (hopefully).

 

** My friends all think I'm crazy. **

 

 I have spent a lot of my life helping others and putting others before myself.  I haven't had much luck either...  I Purchased my first home 9 years ago, then in a bad storm it flooded, then it had mold, then we started to have more "spirit" activity (it was haunted), then my other half was in a horrible accident.. then I lost my home, then we moved into a condo, then we lost the condo because of all the other medical crap.. then we broke up, etc, etc, etc. Blah.. I hate sob stories and this one was mine.. Laugh..  I now live with a couple friends trying to pay off the debt that was built up trying to survive. -- Laugh.. yeah.. I can laugh about it now ---. I won't get into my whole life story as I am not here for pity or anything like that.. the point is that I'm use to challenges and I am a survivor (won't get into that either).

 

So this year (2016) I decided that I would do something that I wanted to do.

 

This is the first time in 15+ years I've put any time or money into something I want to do.

 

When I say this the common reaction (for people that know me) is to ask "What about Judo?".  I have spent years in martial arts from 9 yrs old until around 24 years old when I moved to a new area. When my niece wanted to try judo but was too afraid. I offered to join up with the local dojo to help her feel more comfortable.  She is now an orange belt and I in turn enjoy teaching and get to exercise more with 1 class every Thursday and 2 classes every Saturday morning -

 

Overall I would say I have done well considering the challenges I've faced and I am staying afloat and getting back "on top" of every thing in my life. I'm wiser, smarter, and more aware. I hate to say it but I'm older too!! ***BLAH and SHHHH!!!** 

I am also happily single with no other "complications" in my life and no desire to have a "complication" any time soon. LAUGH

 

I lost two very special people to me in the past two years.. one close friend that died of bone cancer in Dec 2014 after being diagnosed at the end of October that same year and then another that died suddenly of a heart attack in Dec 2015. Losing them has made me re-evaluate a lot about what I'd like in my life.

 

So I bit the "bullet" so to speak and started the large investment into my dream of having TK Armor and being a part of something special.

 

My family thinks it's great as they know I am mixing what I love with helping others.  So between my Family that thinks it's great and my friends that think I'm nuts... it balances out.  I find the comments about an early mid-life crisis funny as hell!! Laugh.. Yeah approaching the Big 4-0 this year... BLAH!

 

So I try to live by: "Today is tomorrow's yesterday - Learn each day, grow each day, move forward each day and do what makes me happy.. no regrets."

 

I don't want to have regrets about this journey. I will admit that this is the first time I have been nervous and unsure about something I'm passionate about.

 

Anyway.. End of Ramble.. Back to our regularly scheduled Journey!

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[Brattie[TK]]

Plan for Saturday:

1. JUDO
2. Find MAGNETS (Princess Auto / Home Hardware)
3. If found - ATTACH MAGNETS TO BINDERS
4. TAKE PICTURES for FISD to see progress
5. PAINT BINDERS (if it's warm enough outside to spray paint)
6. Play Battlefront / Metal Gear Solid while Binders Dry
7. HOT TUB to relax from driving around looking for magnets, sanding, painting, etc,

Plan for Sunday:

1. VEG - Laugh -

[Brattie[TK]]

Another good one for a laugh

 

Funny Video!!

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[Sentry71[TK]]

It sometimes helps.. honestly though, I love the work the 501st does.. not sure what I'll do if I get my armor built and it's not accepted..

 

You will get help and encouragement to make it acceptable. Seeing your work on the blaster, I really don't think you have to worry about not being accepted - you have the eye for detail already.

 

Thanks for sharing your story with us!

[Brattie[TK]]

Thanks Gary..I try...

 

I have decals coming from Trooperbay for the blaster.. for the scope and the counter.. and I am looking at the wiring.. though some of the Garrison I have spoken too tried the wiring and it was mega issues with it

 

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[ComradeDave[TK]]

Really like watching your thread Angie, your blaster looks amazing! Is it a quest?

[Brattie[TK]]

Thank you Dave.. I just try to keep it real. It's hard in my situation to have a lot of space to do things, but I am trying every day. Thank you for the blaster comment. I ordered it actually on recommendation from Mark of AP through a guy in northern Ontario named Brett.

 

I went to an Art school in high school and then some time at Sheridan as well. So some of the techniques of weathering items aren't alien to me.

The realistic way is to think of how an item is handled and what it might encounter and then what the unit is made of and work it from there.

I have also fixed and weathered plaster statues for friends to make them look bronze or brass.

 

I am rather nervous about the build ahead. So far all of the 501st people I have spoken too are very supportive and that's great.. it's still a huge deal! Laughs.

 

I am mostly trying to stay busy while I wait for my Armor.

 

I am going to be applying some high gloss paint probably to the handle in the coming weeks and then redo some of the weathering there. This will be according to recommendations to make it more screen accurate. I used a bit of mod podge on it already to see if I could get it to shine up a bit more.. Not sure if it's enough though.. Feel welcome to share thoughts on any of my stuff.. I welcome others views

Edited February 4, 2016 by Brattie

[ComradeDave[TK]]

Yeah Mark recommended Brett's blaster to me as well. He calls his company quest designs.

[Brattie[TK]]

then yes it was Quest Designs! Laugh.. Thanks.. I forgot

[Pyrates[TK]]

It's normal to be nervous! What I like to remind myself with is the memory of first walking into the FISD and the information overload. Seeing our legends of the FISD making these amazing tutorials, reading up on what seemed like a limitless amount of details.

Yes it's hard to digest at first but as with all things when you work at them, you then begin to get more comfortable and confident.

Just think of all the troopers before the FISD existed.

 

We can and will do this -

Feel the power of the FISD!

[TK 2759[501st]]

Just take your time, work at your own pace, and no rush...