JREED1701's FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER BUILD (Jimmiroquai)

[jreed1701]

Hello All! This is my first ever build of any sort of costume.  I'm not much a forum user, but I thought I should have a build thread like most people do. Passively I have just been reading what others have been doing and doing my best to incorporate their “lessons learned” and “techniques” into my build.

 

 

To start off, I want to thank all the people I pestered with questions getting to this point, and those that have built before me from whom I've learned a lot watching and reading your threads. I do not want to come off as copy catting somebody’s build thread, so I will straight up say I got a lot of my ideas from Cookie Monster’s , JAFO’s and Stemboatphan’s threads (no particular order or preference). Thank you guys for awesome details so newbies like me can figure things out.  If you’re wondering what I used for glue/paint, it’s very likely I went with the same stuff they did. If anyone has specifics, please PM me and I’ll be happy to tell you what I used.

 

 

I actually got my kit a number of months ago, but since things cost money and I’m on a budget I am just now getting around to putting things together.  Something about being a full time employee and keeping up with an entire house on my own kinda kills your free time…

 

 

I am building one of Jim's Kit. I believe mine is a Version 4 of his armor kit. 

 

Here's a link: http://www.therpf.co...light=TFA armor

 

 

Other Items purchased:

 

Anovos Standard Line Helmet

 

Trooperbay pouches (AKA MTK)

 

Trooperbay belt

 

Trooperbay "Jimmiraquois Decals"

 

Imperial Boots and Gloves

 

Extreme Racing Undersuit (stormtrooperundersuit.com)

 

Extreme Racing Neckseal (stormtrooperundersuit.com)

 

FN Armor Gaskets (before I learned the truth!)

 

Custom Greeblies

 

 

Things I eventually want to get:

 

Blaster (not yet decided on where to buy or if I’m going to 3D print it myself)

 

Ukswrath's Wireless Audio system

 

Ukswrath's Fan system

 

 

I also compiled a wish list of things that I needed to get; supplies etc… If you stick to Jim’s materials list you’re going to be in good shape, but ultimately get what you prefer to work with. I’m happy to share my amazon wishlist with anybody that wants it; just be sure to review it if you ask.

 

 

So far, I have already done the following:

 

 

An initial rough sanding of the armor (220 Grit inside, 400 outside)

 

Fixed some cracks on the armor with Apoxie Sculpt.

 

First prime coat with an automotive primer filler, and hand sanded with 400 grit paper.

 

I have also repeated a second coat on almost all of the armor.

 

I painted the

 

Began making the belt.

 

Made some snap plates.

 

Rigged most of the amor to my body.

 

 

The next few posts will be details of work I’ve already done with pictures and whatnot. 

Edited October 8, 2016 by jreed1701

[jreed1701]

Here's the kit with a first coat of primer using Rustoleum Automotive Primer Filler... Most of it I've hit with a second coat too.  I'm leaving the legs alone for that second until I get them trimmed and fitted. Sanded with 400 grit sandpaper. each time. Prep work to prime was sanding with 220/400 grit each.  Inside the armor, I used 220. 

 

Also, I wiped down with a wet cloth each time I sanded. Mostly because it's good practice, and if you don't wipe down the inside 1) you'll wish you had because of the itch, and 2) your clothes thank you in advance...

 

 

And, the breast plate... I'd put a pic of the others too, but it looks the same.

Edited October 8, 2016 by jreed1701

[jreed1701]

Snaps! Okay, first... don't be a bozo like me and get the wrong size setter. Amazon fails at the suggested items. I ended up with a size 20 setter and size 24 tandy snaps.  Also, get the anvil... it's worth it! 

 

I made something like 25-35 snaps overall.. I drew out the kit (which I won't share because I'm not an artist) ... Later on I'll post pictures of where I glued them in. 

 

 

 

I also started working on the belt. For the belt, I got my ideal from Evin’s build thread and JAFO’s belt kit. I bought one off of Trooperbay. I ended up cutting up an old foam workout mat and sandwiching that between the nylon and plastic parts.

 

 

On one end, I sewed on the female part of the latch. Then I measured around my waise with the tmale end not yet sewed.  You definitely want to put the codpiece and butt plate behind the belt and make sure you have enough slack that it fits over.  After I did that I sewed up the male end.

 

Next step, using E6000 glue, I glued the nylon to the foam, let that sit. Reinforced with CA glue. Repeat for the ribbed plastic part. 

 

 

And after all that hard work, it's a little too small... Trust me... save yourself the anguish. Wait until you've rigged the armor to size.  I did read Steamboatphans warning and tried to compensate by sandwiching the codpiece and buttplate between the belt and my body when sizing, but it still wasn't the right way to go about that.  Now I'm going to have to cut one end and extend it by 4-6 inches. You live and learn... 

 

I've also taken FN Amors Gaskets and sized them.  For the arm pieces, I sewed them together and then sized them.  Turn the pieces inside out, pin them together, and sew... Afterward, also inside out. Take the pins and pin up the slack, then sew. 

 

 

Pinned... The part that goes on your body, not your arm. Pull that inside out, slide in the arm piece (not folded inside out) then pin. Afterward, sew together. Once I was happy with the sewing, I also cut off the elastic bit because it felt strange against my skin when I wore it.

 

All done! the arms got taken in later, but the process is the same, pin up the slack, sew...

 

Leg pieces are the same process.

 

Also, fun fact, if you are like me and haven't sewed in ages slash never have, use a single stitch first... that way, if you take too much in or you mess up then you can take a blade and cut it back out with relatively less pain. 

[Cookie Nomster]

I still have to do the belt for my kit.  Dreading it.  Ordered JAFO's kit, should arrive by next week.  Hopefully I don't screw it up!

[SkulShurtugalTCG[501st]]

Don't worry, the belt isn't that hard. JAFO does a great job at giving simple instructions he includes with the kit, and if that's not enough, there are a few detailed builds here on the forums.

 

Joshua, you're doing a great job on your kit so far! It's obvious you're putting a lot of care and attention into building it. The reason you haven't had any replies yet, is because nobody has any suggestions on how to improve what you're doing. From my experience, the strapping system is the most complex part of the build, and it looks like you already know what to do with that. So all that being said, I feel you're going to get this done in no time at all! Hope to see it completed soon!

[jreed1701]

Don't worry, the belt isn't that hard. JAFO does a great job at giving simple instructions he includes with the kit, and if that's not enough, there are a few detailed builds here on the forums.

 

Joshua, you're doing a great job on your kit so far! It's obvious you're putting a lot of care and attention into building it. The reason you haven't had any replies yet, is because nobody has any suggestions on how to improve what you're doing. From my experience, the strapping system is the most complex part of the build, and it looks like you already know what to do with that. So all that being said, I feel you're going to get this done in no time at all! Hope to see it completed soon!

 

Thanks! I'm kinda just going for it so I can get this bad boy done by Halloween... I've been taking pictures along the way and I'm just going to do a big post at the end. I really don't see the need to do the same thing that others have already done. At this point, the build thread is mostly to "document" my work.