I'm an Imperial cadet and I only have a helmet.

[BlasianStormtrooper]

I am a noob. I wanna know how to make the helmet and armor. I'm in the academy (university) and don't have many funds. So I wanna be able to construct everything. Or at least get the molds so I can recreate the armor and helmets. To simplify I need some help getting armor. 

[Pretzel]

Hey Jonathan!

 

Welcome to the FISD. Many members receive their armor on vetted armor makers. A list of those makers can be found here.

 

Take your time, and do your research. What area/garrison are you part of?

[Alay[TK]]

Welcome aboard!  Check out Preston's link above it's a great start

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Welcome to FISD Jonathan !! 

[Sly11[Admin]]

Welcome aboard Jonathon, check out the link and ask plenty of questions, it's how we all got started.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Hello and welcome aboard, research is the key, good luck

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Hey Jonathan welcome to the FISD 

[Fives-Niner[TK]]

Hey cadet!

Unfortunately armor doesn’t come cheap in most cases. Depending on who you buy from and what materials you already own (snaps, tools etc.) you may spend anywhere from $600 to over a thousand. It’s a big investment but well worth it, probably the best purchase I’ve ever made in my life 

Do some forum trawling to get started, find who you can trust and who you can’t. Look at supply lists people have put together and check how much you own versus what you need. Ask lots of questions and finally, order the kit! We’ll be here to help the whole way! 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

23 hours ago, BlasianStormtrooper said:

I am a noob. I wanna know how to make the helmet and armor. I'm in the academy (university) and don't have many funds. So I wanna be able to construct everything. Or at least get the molds so I can recreate the armor and helmets. To simplify I need some help getting armor. 

Hey Johnathan,

 

I'll be pretty straightforward - odds are that unless you are an experienced prop maker and very proficient with vacuum forming already, you will not be able to "construct everything". The overwhelming majority of us purchased raw, pre-formed "kits" from vetted makers, then trimmed and assembled them custom to ourselves. Quality molds/bucks are few and far between and the people who have them don't just give them out. Often, they have spent dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of hours sculpting them. It's not something you can just make your own of or find for cheap. Please look around in here and check out some of the links to find a maker that's right for you. 

 

Your very best bet will be to do a lot of research while you save - like Michael said, $600USD is about the bare minimum for getting into an ANH-S suit, and they go up from there pending quality/options/different costumes. The good news is - you're in the right place. You've found some of the people that will be HAPPY to help guide you along this journey. But let's set some reasonable expectations right out of the gate. Please post any questions you have up in here - we'll all do our best to help. Welcome!

[Frank75139[501st]]

Welcome. Let me just add on that what’s everyone is saying is true this can get expensive but when well maintained you’ll get years of use and kids smiles out of it. So look at it more as an investment. Save up and do it right, it doesn’t have to be done right away.


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[Thumpy~[501st]]

Welcome Jonathan!

 

This is not an inexpensive hobby.  In addition to armor/bucket, you’ll be spending on other materials and accessories as well.

 

check out the PX/Commissary when you can periodically.  Forum members sometimes need to get rid of stuff in a hurry.  You might get lucky.

[Freduster[TK]]

Hi Jonathan! I'm in the same position as you, currently studying, but also part-time trooping. I was lucky to have an armor maker offer a May 4th deal with 20% off, that and a couple of extra shifts at my minijob helped me to get the funds I needed to buy the armor. Still quite a bunch of money, but I'm getting close to celebrating my 1 Year anniversary in the 501st and I have never regretted anything

[Fives-Niner[TK]]

14 hours ago, Freduster said:

Hi Jonathan! I'm in the same position as you, currently studying, but also part-time trooping. I was lucky to have an armor maker offer a May 4th deal with 20% off, that and a couple of extra shifts at my minijob helped me to get the funds I needed to buy the armor. Still quite a bunch of money, but I'm getting close to celebrating my 1 Year anniversary in the 501st and I have never regretted anything

I also got mine in a May 4th sale! What a coincidence  seems like around the release of new movies or especially May 4th would be the best time to buy.

[mjrose927[TK]]

Welcome, Jonathan.  

 

I read that you said you have a helmet.  Do you know who made the helmet?  I do not want to discourage you, but if it is not from one of the vetted vendors, it may be difficult to get approved with that helmet.  I have an older armor kit and the helmet that came with mine had to be replaced by an updated helmet because of inaccuracies.  Again, I do not want to discourage you on your journey.  I want to make sure that you understand as everyone is saying this is not a cheap hobby and getting something that is not from an approved vendor may be possible, but it will be scrutinized much more than vetted vendor.

 

Good luck.  We are all here to help with questions.

 

 

[Triple D[TK]]

Hey Jonathan, Welcome to FISD

[BlasianStormtrooper]

Okay, so I looked at all the information everyone gave me and it was a big help. I got a lot of saving. Another thing I was thinking, what if I 3D print the armor? Does anyone have any experience in it? Also, my cousin wears glasses. How do those of you who wear glasses see out of your helmet? Do you get custom lenses for the frames of your helmet or what? 

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

20 hours ago, BlasianStormtrooper said:

Okay, so I looked at all the information everyone gave me and it was a big help. I got a lot of saving. Another thing I was thinking, what if I 3D print the armor? Does anyone have any experience in it? Also, my cousin wears glasses. How do those of you who wear glasses see out of your helmet? Do you get custom lenses for the frames of your helmet or what? 

3D printing is an option, but honestly not a good one for Stormtroopers. It's easier for some other costumes, but the suits were originally vacu-formed, and look best when that construction technique is followed. It would be a LOT of work and hundreds of hours of printing, sanding, and painting, and just not worth any cost savings you MIGHT get (probably not even). We do have a 3D printing section here on the forums you can check out, but it just isn't really practical for doing a whole suit.

Custom lenses would be extremely expensive and probably not even work due to how they're positioned in the helmet. Visibility is never great anyways, but some guys can cram glasses in there. The best answer is contacts.

[BlasianStormtrooper]

3 hours ago, TheRascalKing said:

3D printing is an option, but honestly not a good one for Stormtroopers. It's easier for some other costumes, but the suits were originally vacu-formed, and look best when that construction technique is followed. It would be a LOT of work and hundreds of hours of printing, sanding, and painting, and just not worth any cost savings you MIGHT get (probably not even). We do have a 3D printing section here on the forums you can check out, but it just isn't really practical for doing a whole suit.

Custom lenses would be extremely expensive and probably not even work due to how they're positioned in the helmet. Visibility is never great anyways, but some guys can cram glasses in there. The best answer is contacts.

Okay, I'll tell him to look into that. I might make a helmet and try to incorporate some type of AR in it, but that's another project. Just to look and get more info on 3D printing though do you have any links for it? I saw one guy in YouTube make one and it looked good. I would add like that thin cushion that you get on headphones for padding. *if I can when I make it* but overall it looked good and looks like at least a somewhat solid start. You know?