Dart

Velcro is just fine. You might want to reinforce the sideburns as they're typically very thin. You can use the magnet closure if you want. Just stick a magnet on the inside of the sideburn and put a bit of metal where it would touch on the other side. Play around with it until you find what works for you.

I believe that the heel is more important. You can carve the entire sole, but as long as you have the vertical notches, leaving a horizontal line around the circumference (see photos in gallery), you should be good.

I use the white rivets. Easier than painting them.

I just picked up a pair of XL gloves (not Esprit, but the knock offs at the time - exactly the same, btw) and they fit snugly. I'll probably remove the liner at some point.

The bund seems a bit short on the sides. Is that just the way you're wearing it? Also, what's goin' on with the paint on the biceps? Also, you might consider upgrading your belt/hip boxes in the future. [/GML mode off]

As stated previously, less is more. Weathering's fine, but don't go too nuts. We're not Sandtroopers.

If you find the RedKap coveralls to be warm, you can always get some mesh fabric/sport cloth from the fabric store, cut some holes in the chest and sew the mesh in. I've got something like that for both my jumpsuit and my vest and it makes life so much easier in the heat.

Out of curiosity, what fabric did you use? Have you tried on your new 'bund with some chest armour? Just asking, because it looks like it could be just a bit too tall. Also, if you're going for a more accurate look, you might consider going to 6 stitched ribs instead of the 7 that you've put in this one.

Nice scout. That cod piece... it's a bit interesting. What's the deal with the bottom little chevron? Where did you get your soft gear?

Dat's what the "Costumes" book says. Polished Cotton is basically some cotton with a glaze (or something) that gives it a sheen. It was very popular in the '80's but not so much nowadays. That said, I think I've got a line on some vintage PC and I'll see what it looks like. I know that some have reported that it's cotton canvas (Gino) and that would lead me to believe that it's a heavier weave cotton. I've also done mine using a heavy dull satin, but I put the duller side facing out. Seems to look close, but it doesn't have that woven texture that the original stuff had.

Some folks like the Skydex pads (or similar tac helmet padding). Best thing to do is wait until you get your helmet before you buy anything. If you've got a large head, you won't need much padding. Did you order the helmet as a kit or pre-assembled?

As far as avoiding the dreaded "camel-toe" or "moose-knuckle", it's simple: Don't have the cod tucking in between the legs. The original wasn't designed to do that, as seen in the image in this post - http://forum.bikersc...ndpost&p=115255 As it hangs, without being strapped down, the cod should really stop at the bottom of the crotch without wrapping between the legs. Even then, the elastic strap shouldn't be really tight but just snug enough to keep the cod from flapping around. Once secured, if it's done right, it should bend right on the chevron. I redid my 'bund last year (still gonna do another version as I'm not totally satisfied), and I made mine similarly. I actually put a piece of Kydex with a bit of a bend in it in the bottom part and I get a similar effect as we see on screen. I probably won't put the plastic in again, but with the thicker padding, it gives the same look. If you check out the photo in the following linky, you'll see what I mean. ( http://forum.bikersc...ndpost&p=113444 ) I'm the scout on the left. The other two scouts have a more usual pattern and you can see the result. Another thing I've noticed is that some 'bunds are just too thin. When making these things, use the super thick padding. It's a bit of a pain to work with, but it really gives it all a much nicer look.

Those actually look pretty good. The sole has a good colour and shape and the boot itself is nicely shaped. Good find.

http://forum.bikersc...llery&image=747 That's a link to the gallery page that shows a screen-used helmet. All the bars should be the same length.

This one looks like it's based off the Kenner blaster, making it a bit on the large side. It's not the best looking version out there.

That's a Star Fortress helmet. Just... save your money for something actually good. That helmet is all sorts of completely wrong. Plus, that guy is known to be shady and sells extremely poor quality stuff. Just search for Star Fortress and you'll see why it's crap.

MCL is in your knee, I believe. I'm sure you meant MLC. Then there's also SC and LW.

Considering it's cast directly from a production-made bucket, it'll be be at least as large as the KS.

Be sure to peruse the gallery. Pay close attention to how far to the middle the riding patch comes. You can see it in the MoM exhibit pics.

I'd have to agree with Philipp in regards to the assembly of it all. It's deceptively complicated to get the right materials/patterns so you have a nice suit. There's no single place that sells everything (like a TK) so there's more on the costumer to figure out where to get or how to make the soft parts.

I actually just have some white craft foam hot glued in. That way, my blaster kinda wedges itself into place. To remove it, I've gotta give it a good tug, so I can also feel if any rugrats are trying to mess around.

It should go as low as the top of your knee. Put yer coveralls on and mark the leg just above the knee. That should be fine. Use the template we've got floating around, open it in Paint and stretch it out as needed to fit your thigh. Make a paper copy first and see how that looks.

I picked up a 2-pack of Lexan scissors at my local hobby shop. If you've got somewhere near you that deals with remote controlled toys, they'd likely carry them there. They've come in handy when trimming plastic when I can't use my Dremel or when I need finer cuts.

Look at the galleries and check out what others have done. It's not as complicated as you might think. http://whatthecraft....photo-tutorial/ http://onceuponasewi...an-tee-pattern/ The only modifications to either of the above designs is to pad (slightly) the sleeves and do the quilting and make the back in 2 pieces (add 1" either side to account for the 2" velcro closure.)

To echo Rob's words, it's not as big a task. Just think of it as a nice, juicy 72 oz steak. Now, you can't eat it all at once, but if you just nibble away at it, it'll eventually be gone.