TR-8R! (Jimm's FOTK build)

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

I've been slowly getting together my stuff for a First Order Stormtrooper, and today I received the piece de resistance: the BBB from Jimmiraquois!

 

http://i.imgur.com/YbgKkOA.jpg

 

I made a video showing myself unloading everything. It's mostly an information video for new members who don't really know what to expect from these kinds of kits.

 

 

Afterwards, I sanded and washed down everything, then left it all out to dry in the Texas sun.

 

http://i.imgur.com/G97XnNq.jpg

 

And finally, the last thing for today - trying everything on!

 

http://i.imgur.com/bC8gQCA.jpg

 

Things worth mentioning:

I am specifically building FN-2199, otherwise known as TR-8R. The Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens who fights Finn at Maz Kanata's castle. Luckily this will be easy enough to do, since there's nothing that sets him apart from the other Stormtroopers except using a riot baton instead of a blaster.

 

I am still missing the riot baton, belt kit, and pouch. I may or may not be missing the holster; I am having a hard time figuring out if it was included with this kit. (Odds are, it's not, and what I think might be the holster is just another part of the belt.) I will also eventually get accurate boots, but for now, my TK Boots work just fine for approval.

 

The parts I have: this kit (courtesy of Jimm), the helmet (Anovos standard), neck seal (re-using my ANH neck seal made by Darmen here on the forums), gloves (Endor Finders) and gaskets (FN Armory). If I am still in need of something, please feel free to let me know.

 

Anyway, this is it for now. I hope to document as much of this build as possible. Any and all feedback is appreciated! Thanks for your time!

 

~~Skul

Edited May 20, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[dejango[TK]]

Looks awesome so far! I always hear great things about Jim's work. 

[JAFO[TK]]

Great start Jack! 

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Well, I practically finished trimming my armor to fit me within the same day. It helps that I'm basically the same build as John Boyega, who Jimm based this armor off of. So it was mostly a matter of getting the legs to fit correctly, then cutting out the appropriate chest pieces, and then wait for my paint to arrive.

 

That happened today. I got the paint and primer that I've seen a lot of people recommend here on the forums (Rustoleum 2-in-1). I decided to experiment with how many layers of each were needed, using my handguards since they're small and mostly resin.

 

Below, you can see the pictures I took during the process. First picture: Both with one layer of primer.

 

Second image: Top handguard with a second primer coat, bottom with one primer and one coat of paint.

 

Next up, both with a new coat of paint. Top: 2 primer 1 paint, bottom 1 primer 2 paint.

 

Finally, I put another coat of paint on the top one. Anovos helmet for comparison.

 

After comparing the two, I think the 1-primer-2-paint handguard is the winner! They're both really close, though. Found out that adding a third coat of paint to the handguard with 2 coats of primer yielded an identical result. I'd rather save myself the extra time and coats by just doing the 1-2 approach.

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

So, short update. I just ran out of my can of primer, so this is as far as I can go until more arrives.

 

I've managed to paint the handguards, both elbows, the two halves of the left shin, one of the ankles, both knees, the cod piece, the yolk/back, and the chest. So I still need to paint the other shin, the other ankle, both thighs, both biceps, both forearms, the belt pieces, and eventually the holster when that arrives. I'm also tempted to paint my helmet as well, just to make 100% sure the colors match.

 

While I wait for the new can of primer to arrive (which will probably take a week or more; for some reason Amazon is rather slow with these), I'm going to begin strapping my pieces together. I've already decided that most of this will be held together with velcro and magnets, but SOME of it will use snaps. I'm specifically thinking of the shoulder connections to the yolk, the cod to the ab, and the thighs to the ab. Time to get to work hammering new snap plates.

 

EDIT: May as well add, yes, there are a LOT of very small holes on several pieces. Actually, most of them. I think the handguards themselves are the only pieces where there aren't any holes - and that's because they're resin, not fiberglass. I know a lot of people who fixed this problem by using bondo pre-primer, but either I'm blind or Jimm's getting better at making these, because I can't see the holes until after the primer's down. In most cases, not even until after I put the paint on.

 

My solution to this will be to use some CA glue to fill in the holes after the paint is dry (the can says 48 hours, I'll wait 72 just to be sure), sand it down to the correct size, and then apply a third coat of paint on everything. This should not only fix the hole issue, but also make my armor extra-shiny. This will also be a cheaper, quicker alternative to using bondo. Yes, I do realize that CA glue isn't the sturdiest of things, but luckily I'm only filling in very tiny holes where it is of little consequence.

Edited September 28, 2016 by SkulShurtugalTCG

[JAFO[TK]]

How does the paint hold up on the handguards with a little flex? Any cracking?

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

The handguards aren't flexible, but on other pieces (like the knees), I tried some flex and the paint seemed to hold up absolutely fine. The biggest pieces to worry about are the ab piece and the back/yolk, since those sit on the body in a flexed position. On those, I flexed them into around the right place, and used some temporary velcro to keep them there (and an old wooden chair to set them on) when I painted them. Before the paint had completely dried I took them off and brought them back inside to dry in their "usual" position. I think that was the key to making it work, because there are NO cracks or or anything in the paint.

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Okay, another quick update:

 

I decided to patch the holes in my knee plates to see if my method will work as well as I thought.

 

I completely forgot to take pictures of the knees before putting in the glue and sanding it down, but I think you can see the holes pretty well in the first picture. The second is what the knee as a whole looked like after I was done sanding it smooth, but before I put on the last coat of paint. (Please pardon the quality of the pictures; for some reason they are VERY clear on my phone but here they are blurry. Hopefully it's clear enough for you)

 

 

And then the final product. It's not 100% perfect but, luckily, it's the knee and very few people will notice. I'd rather have some extra bumps in white, than very visible holes in black. Overall I'm VERY happy with this and will use the lessons learned here on the rest of my armor pieces! ... Later.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Here's is where I got my riot control baton from:

 

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Unfortunately he doesn't seem to be selling them anymore - and I've heard a few cases of people who bought one but have yet to receive it.

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Quick update:

 

Turns out Jimm included a holster with the kit. I oversaw it due to a hereditary condition called stupidity. Luckily that saves me from having to dish out another $65+ for a new one. I also ordered my belt kit and belt pouches, and once those arrive, I have everything I need.

 

I've been working nonstop all week priming, painting, CA-gluing, sanding, and final painting all my pieces. I haven't started strapping yet but I already have a good idea of what I'll do when I get to it. I'll probably order a few heavy-duty magnets from Amazon a few days to take care of my thermal det; does anyone have any particular recommendations?

 

All in all, this build is flying by, and I realistically think I can be done within the next 2 weeks. Perhaps even less as long as my belt and pouches arrive on time. I can't believe how much fun I'm having! 

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

As far as I can tell, painting is done. I even had enough paint and primer leftover to work on my bucket - which I decided to document.

 

First pictures: The standard Anovos plastic helmet, all taped up.

 

Primer layer done. Sorry for the darkness and the spotty lighting. I worked in the shade of the trees in my front yard. Because it's Texas and I don't want to die.

 

Two layers of paint later, it's done.

 

Comparing it with a shoulder piece that I finished a few days ago. It's a 100% perfect match. (I know it LOOKS gray, but again, that's just the lighting. It's really, really white)

 

And finally, after taking the tape off. It's a brilliant piece of work!

 

It's not absolutely flawless, as you can tell in this bottom picture, but I'm happy with the result and I think it was a good decision to paint this. Now to just let it dry for a few days.

 

I believe tomorrow I will begin strapping my armor together. I'm still waiting on my belt kit and pouches to arrive, so I can only do so much. I also have to glue some pieces together (my shin halves, holster to thigh, etc) and that should keep me occupied until they arrive. Otherwise, I'm done with the part I was most worried about. Time to move on to the final stages! (And I would still welcome recommendations on specific magnets to order off Amazon for my thermal detonator)

[JAFO[TK]]

I used 40mm x 20mm x 2mm magnets. I've also added a little firm elastic and Velcro as a safety.

 

Belt kit shouldn't be far off. I sent another the same day as yours - to Kansas with tracking - and it arrived Saturday.

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

The belt kit did indeed arrive on Monday. I spent all that day working on it. I decided to use the "screw plate" idea I saw on a few other threads; where I put one end of the Chicago screws through a piece of nylon webbing, and glued that to the underside of each of the belt boxes. I let that dry overnight, then yesterday secured them onto the appropriate places on the belt. I'm still waiting on my belt pouches from Trooperbay (which should be here tomorrow). I also decided to permanently glue my cod piece to the belt, since I'll never need to put it anywhere else, and this gives me a good reference point on where to put the belt on my body whenever I put my armor on. The final product currently looks like this.

 

 

I'm currently waiting more velcro from Amazon, which should also arrive tomorrow. I'll use that to secure my butt plate to the belt. I've decided to use velcro for that instead of permanent nylon straps like my cod. I figure it will make it easier to put the belt on and off, and easier to store the belt overall.

 

In the past few days, what I've mostly done is rig the bungee system for my ab piece. It's just two very long nylon straps that cross in the back. They're permanently glued on, instead of using snaps, because if a snap comes off during a troop then the entire costume will fall apart. This way, that won't happen. Didn't feel the need to take a picture because it's pretty self-explanatory.

 

I DID decide to use snaps for my shoulder bells. I tried using velcro but I couldn't find a good secure point for some reason (you can see the remains of that idea on the left shoulder bell; your right). 

 

 

In that picture you can also see velcro strips on the bottom of the yolk. Those are to secure the chest piece. The way this works, as I'm sure many of you know, is that the yolk has to clamp inside (against its will/design), and the chest secures onto that. I decided that velcro would be a cheap, simple solution, which allows for flexibility and also lets the yolk relax when I'm not wearing it. The main problem with this idea is that there's no place on the inside of the chest piece to put velcro; the chest is simply recessed too far in for the yolk to catch hold. My solution to this was to build a bridge on the inside of the chest piece, and secure the velcro to that. (I used a leftover chin-cup from my Snow Scout helmet to make these bridges.) I basically had to get the bridges close enough to flush, then bathe both of them in glue overnight. The end result works perfectly; it's easy now to get the chest on and off, even by myself and the limited range my arms have with their gaskets.

 

 

Finally, the last thing I can do for now is start working on the magnets for my thermal detonator. I looked into buying rectangular magnets like was suggested, but they're either unavailable on Amazon (like most items I need, surprisingly) or are way too expensive. These magnets I went with are 20mm in diameter and are rated N32, which is insanely strong. I decided to go with a four-point secure system. They're gluing to my thermal detonator now, and when the glue dries enough, I'll use this as a reference on where to put the magnets on the inside of my ab piece.

 

 

Tomorrow, the rest of my velcro arrives. I'll use that to secure my butt to my belt, secure my gaskets to the inside of my armor pieces (mostly thighs; the shins just clamp down on them), and add my belt pouches. At that point, I'm done with my build and I'll be submitting my pictures to the GML for approval. I'll be sure to share my pictures with you guys here! I haven't put everything on yet, but from the pieces I HAVE put on, it looks amazing, feels amazing, and makes me proud of doing all this on my own!

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

So, final update:

 

The velcro and belt pouches arrived today. I got everything done within an hour, then put it on (with a LOT of help from my amazing wife) and took my submission pictures.

 

 

Afterwards I had to make a few changes (the biggest one is adding a few straps between the belt and the ab so the belt doesn't sag like in the pictures; we'll see if the GML thinks it's worth a retake, but if so then it will be ready). The gaskets are nice and secure thanks to the velcro, and I'm MOST surprised by the fact that I have a great range of mobility. I'll probably be able to troop in this even longer than my original TK!

 

To those who helped me make it this far, thank you! To those who came to this thread looking for guidance, I hope I provided at least a tiny bit of help. And if Finn reads this - TRAITOR!

[JAFO[TK]]

Congrats a fast and most excellent build! Just one thing, you need to switch your forearms. The black square on the Comms pad should be on the bottom.

Edited October 6, 2016 by JAFO

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Good to know. I should have looked at the CRL but I was too excited.

 

Yeah, this WAS a fast build - a new record for me and possibly a record for any Force Awakens trooper. 15 days from BBB day to completion. My previous record was a Shadowtrooper, which took 20. In the future I will NOT be going this fast for my builds (since all my costumes I have planned will require multiple BBBs instead of just one like these have).

[JAFO[TK]]

I saw a Phasma done in four days! Insane effort.

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Just received word from my GML that my costume has been APPROVED!

 

Tomorrow I'm going to dress up and do a private photo shoot to get some nicer pictures of me in my suit. Between submitting the pictures and getting approved, I've redone some of the strapping, and from what I've seen it's MUCH easier to move around in now. Looking forward to standing out among the crowd of shinies!

 

Special thanks to everyone who helped me get here! Jimm's armor is AMAZING; if you're on the fence about it, just get it. JAFO's belt is perfect, with absolutely no complaints. The FN Armor gaskets are flexible and cool, and the Anovos helmet is light. If you go the FN route, you're going to have a lot of fun!

 

Now, where's my whappity stick?

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

This will be my last update for this thread. I took my pictures today for my 501st profile, and decided to turn it into a mini-photo shoot.

 

First the two pictures for the profile: With and without helmet.

 

^You know Finn? He is a TRAITOR!^

 

^Figured I would do something unique for my profile picture, rather than just looking straight at the camera^

 

Now on to the fun pictures!

 

^You think just because I don't have a blaster I can't look cool? Think again, traitor.^

 

^Ready to whack some traitors^

 

^Look at all the traitors I can whack. Look at them, Anakin.^

 

^Insert blaster bolt, shot by a traitor^

 

That does it for this thread! Thanks everyone for watching!