Chef

Look's ok... price is a bit mental. I'm sure there are others out there which are cheaper. With all GRP lids, it's not about the outside that's the issue, it's about how it's been laid up on the inside. How thick, what materials? If they've not done a couple of Gel coats, skinned it with tissue then done at least a 2oz lay-up, then it's not worth buying because it will be too fragile.

Yeah, carriage bolts are the same thing. Yes, you do need to grind the heads flat to take off that dome ( couple of minutes with the flappy disc!) And yes, you do need to cut them down in the shank. (Again about a minute with the cutting disc) So a bit of work, but a tenth of the price of the proper screen used parts.

It's coming together alright buddy. Certainly not the worst I've seen and judging by the issues some people have been having with the KS lid, I think you've done a stirling job. If you're not happy with the colour difference between the back/top, it may well be better to paint the entire bucket. And if you're going to do that, you're probably better off using bondo for the seam. It's just faster/easier than the paste method. The bolts might be a bit big, you want something that's about 22mm across. I find 10mm Coach (square cup) bolts are just about spot on, but you do need to grind the heads flat. There is always the 3M original bolts though, but they are a bit pricey. I'm sure it'll pass muster, although I have to say I'm not overly keen on the level of detail on the KS pull.

Some more shots of the latest work... Nearly there. Had a bit of a nightmare with the masking so I'm going to need to re-do the snout area. No biggie though. I have gone about this in a bit of a funny fashion. I should have already cut the ears out, and I should have put the lens in by now..... But you know how these things are! I'm waiting on the decals from Mike, and I need to get some more glue sticks to put the visor in. So short of those arriving, and sorting the snout area out. I'm there. Antonio, I couldn't possibly say there are any for sale..... not in light of recent events and this being an open forum!

In short.... yes and yes... For comforts sake, I'd increase the girth around the chest. The sleeves do need to be a bit more form fitting, but the length isn't too bad. You could probably loose an inch, or just drop the bells down a bit. Tough one. Vests are a real pain to get right unless you've got the recipient standing in front of you when doing the measurements.

What is the difference between a Biker scout and a Lancer? Is it the costume or the title? Lancer is basically a designation for a costume deemed to have a higher level of accuracy closer to the screen used Scout, beyond the basic 501st requirements. Flight suit - One piece or two pieces for 501st approval. Either. Both are Acceptable, but a 1 piece suit is more screen accurate. Boots - How comfortable are the ones sold? Very... Just like wearing regular shoes (because that's what they are with a skin on the outside). Gloves - Does everyone makes theirs own or can I just find some to buy? Because, to be honest.... I am not that skilled in that area. Up until recently, there was a superb maker called Sith Armour. They are no longer available or very hard to come by. So alternatives are currently having to be sourced/made. Helmet - Fiberglass or other material? Which would you suggest? Either, your choice. GRP is heavier (slightly) but gets better detail and can be more robust depending on construction. Plastic is more screen accurate, but some construction methods can be a bit tricky and the detail can be a little weak depending on the make. Hope this helps. Rob.

Progress has been slow on this due to other projects in the works... but here's a bit more. Main bucket flatted and given a coat of primer. Needs a tiny bit more work, but it's about 95% there. Face-plate being secured in place to the visor shroud. A bit of plastic putty added in around the edge to reinforce the glue. I'll be doing this around the entire edge when I get the clamps off. From the front. It all lines up quite nicely. I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

I've thought about getting a large (ish) circular rare earth magnet and recessing it in that little button bit that sits on the pistol grip. You can then add in a strip of metal or another magnet behind the holster where matching the two together. Thus keeping the look of the pistol and having a hidden magnet on the armour. But fortunately for me, my pistol is such a tight fit, it doesn't fall out.

Well until people start complaining, sending items back and demanding a better pull or their money back, this situation is just going to continue. If you think that it's not good enough, then the likelihood is that it isn't. It's a sad fact that the more people keep saying, oh, that's just how the KS is, you'll have to deal with it, the more it becomes acceptable and the more that people will be paying over the odds for something that is not fit for purpose. I don't know how much the KS bucket is, but I suspect it's over $100. And for something that you have to do a stack of remedial work to once you get it, isn't really acceptable in my eyes. So this is about an attitude change within the community. It's about not putting up with stuff that you think is sub-standard, and not telling others that they should put up with the things they think are sub-standard. Having seen the pictures, there is nothing more that can be said about it other than it is a bad pull. There isn't much wrong with the visor buck, but where it has ballooned over the edge of the shroud is where it hasn't pulled properly. It just hasn't vacc'ed down over that edge. The bit in the ear does seem to be a damaged buck.

Chris... drop boxes will give you a headache all week! You'll get them looking right in the mirror and they won't sit right when you take a picture.... Measure them all the same and they won't sit right when you put it on.... Get them right on a Monday, and they'll be out on the Tuesday.... You do need a helper, even if they are just a set of eyes at waist level when you strap them up. The pouches... You'll have done the same thing as I did at first.... used the 7x7x2 inch templates for the pouches. In my opinion, they are just too big. I think a better size is 7x6x1.5. It does give a better spacing and stops them ballooning out. But you work with what you've got. They'll be fine, just try not to fully pad them out. Looking good.

The best way to adjust the belt is on the drop boxes. Get the backs in place so they sit underneath your thermal det (as you have done). Then adjust the height of the boxes by shortening or lengthening the straps around the buckles. When they are in the right place, glue or stitch them. If you punch the cable ties through the belt, and then pull them tight, that should be more than sufficient. If you can't fix it with cable ties or gaffa tape, you've really broken it! Looking good.

Yeah, they are called 'reflex' type sights and are primarily used for Close Quarter Battle situations. They still exist, although they are more recognisable as the Aim-Point type sights and are still incredibly popular. Odd to use at first, but when you get used to it, they are like 2nd nature. They are called reflex sights, because you just pull the weapon up to shoulder in a reflex action without having to take your eyes off your target, or adjust your focal position like you would looking down a set of iron sights or a scope.

can't see anything wrong there buddy... Don't be so hard on yourself.

no, that's plenty.

Cool, as long as you've got it covered. Would hate you to put in a large stack of effort only to find yourself stuck later on down the line.

Crack on there buddy. I used Pep for a slightly different build, and once you get your head round the numbers, cutting and folding, it's actually a really good thing to use. Depending on how you're planning on progressing after the paper stage.... I'd probably consider something a bit studier than paper. I used paper for my bucks, and in essence I ended up covering the inside with a large amount of Fibreglass, and the outside with a large amount of bondo. It did end up particularly heavy! Something to consider... I think a lot of people use Sintra as their base material because it is sturdy and accepts a resin such as GRP resin without the need for adding glass.

That buckle thing looks like a sewn in velcro patch if you ask me. Nothing more. Doesn't even have to be Velcro... just a sewn in detail bit on the end of a strap. Only said velcro because it aids sticking one bit to another.

Well, I've finally had a bit of a eureka moment and got the bucks sorted. Was definitely that rear indent keeping it firmly in place. I've shallowed them out, which hasn't resulted too great a loss of a detail. It's still there... just not as deep. I ended up making a new more solid buck to deal with the extra issues that this side has.... But such is life. Here's a few pics of the build so far. This is using the one that cracked earlier. If anyone else uses this style of build then I suggest getting some really strong rare earth magnets to use when joining the two halves. I didn't have any to hand, and ended up using screws, which is only going to result in more residual work in the long run... Hey ho! All held together with tape (apart from the main bucket, which is all glued, ready for filling, sanding and finishing. It's not lining up too bad to be honest. There's a couple of bits that will need tweaking into place mainly on the visor shroud. But nothing too serious. In terms of build difficulty... I'd rate it as above average, say 7 out of 10. There is a lot of time, patience and complexity in getting the halves to match up right, trimming sanding etc. Then there is glueing the bits together, making sure they all line up with each other... Then there will be filling, sanding, painting.... and final detailing. So a lot of skills required to complete this style of bucket. Certainly not for the feint hearted. Overall, I'm pleased thus far. I'll post up more as I get further down the line.

You needn't have said anything more..... At this point, in my eyes at least, you should get what you're expecting and in a timely fashion. If you're getting a discount on a 2nd's piece then fine, that's great. But to pay top dollar for something that should be classed as a 2nd, then that just isn't cricket.

has that dude had his Readi-Brek?

I think a lot of this will boil down to the customer not being happy with the product they receive. If they don't like it, they should complain, send it back and demand a replacement or refund. Only when this sort of thing starts to occur will the suppliers of these take note and change their methods. I do agree.... some of the things that have come out lately have been a bit shocking..... But people have just put up with it and to their credit tried to remedy it.

I just have my straps glued on the rears (rough the plastic up with some sandpaper and either hot glue (carefully) or E6000 the strap in place. The front part then just has some velcro on. Just feed it through the hole and press it on the velcro. The friction of it going through the hole and the velcro means it never comes loose. Sorry I haven't got any pictures. You just pull the chest up, and press the velcro in place. The elastic pings it back where it should be!

If you need any of this material, I've got some left from my build. Nate, I'll grab you on FB and arrange to post it up to you.

For what it's worth chaps... I put a post in the general thread to point out this "oatmeal" colour that I used for my Snow Scout. It's a suede material (as per the scout CRL... not leather... but leather based). It's not TAN, and it's not GREY... it's somewhere in between. I like it. Here's a pic: I got it from eBay. Here's the link, although it's UK based. So not sure if you chaps over the pond can get hold of a similar material. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blackout-Faux-Suede-Curtain-Lining-Fabric-13-colours-/160918792220?pt=UK_Crafts_Fabric&var=460133244636&hash=item257781e81c You'll need to scroll over to the oatmeal colour. Hope this helps.

They'll do just the job...