Chopper

I had a fun time. Thanks to everyone who joined us.

@CatfoodRob -- based on the instagram photo from earlier, do you know if RS doing gloss paint on the Scout lids nowadays, or sticking with matte?

This photo was posted on the RS instagram not too long ago. My RS scout helmet is also more on the matte side, but the helmets in the IG photo certainly look to be gloss. Maybe they changed it up? https://www.instagram.com/p/CIPyKZSgVc3/

Congrats Mike

Hi Catherine and welcome aboard. It's deceptive, but the biker scout costume is mostly a soft parts costume with some armor bits thrown into the mix, so I think you'll find that it's actually easier to get the kit to fit your body than you think. Looks like you have the older version of the Studio Creations armor. There are two threads that come to mind, which I think will be helpful for you -- 1) Jen0fArc's build -- she was on the smaller side and adapted the same SC to fit her better 2) Pandatrooper's build -- this one is from a few years ago, so check what he did against the CRL, but Panda did a fair amount of cutting and resizing as well. I recommend that you give both those threads a read through before starting on your own kit. With some trimming, we'll have you up and ready in no time. In the meantime, yes you could start with tailoring your undersuit.

You want it to be close to the color of the decals on your helmet and snout, so it would depend on what those look like. I'm not talking about an exact pantone match, but it should be in the same ballpark.

If you're doing the 4x rank, then yes, 1/4" is about right. Yes you can paint the red stripe on, the CRL only says "red line detail", so either would be fine. The CRL does not call specifically for the red stripes to be on all sides, but the screen costumes did it that way.

These are some images of various Lucasfilm production scout helmets. How much is painted black can vary, depending on the helmet. Most will have the black going to the edge of the divot, or just over the edge. You can see in the example photos below:

That's what I did as well.

In the upper right of the web version of the forum, where you see your username, there is a dropdown menu. Select "Account Settings" On the screen that opens up, click "Change" next to Display Name. You are allowed 3 changes every 30 days. Just remember that your Display Name is the name you use to login with, so you'll need to use your updated username the next time you log in.

Please keep in mind that the Level 2 review is done by multiple armorers, who then come to a consensus on any changes needed. Speaking generally I'd say you might want to consider the following three refinements: 1) Your drop boxes are tilted forwards and should be approximately centered on the sides of your body. 2) The legs on your flight suit are baggy and should be tailored to a better fit 3) Your chest armor and back armor seem low on your torso. You may want to trim the shoulder bridges a bit, so you can bring the collar a bit closer to your neck (see the CRL model). I am not certain how much more space you have with your bund height, b/c your arms are blocking the sides, but if the chest and back armor can come up, it should. Regardless, I would put in for basic clearance now, then worry about the Level 2 stuff after you get your approval. Nice work.

The cuts themselves look good. I'd go in now with an emory board, or a piece of sandpaper to smooth out the edges a bit -- that'll also help even out that little bump on your right ear hole.

Actually, your butt flap looks just fine to me. Nothing really stands out from what I can see that would prevent you from getting basic clearance. Nice work, Mike!

This for a recent MonCal kit and the new rotocast helmet + ABS visor that he released in the last year or so? I know that MonCal used to have some issues with his ABS supply yellowing abnormally fast. I had heard that he found a new supplier and this wasn't as much of an issue anymore. Regardless, it's unfortunate to hear about your experience. You should be happy with the Cf0/LoneWolf helmet -- it's one of the better ones out there.

The best way to start is to sketch out the area you'd like to cut with a pencil and then post up some photos for us to take a look. To give you an idea of what to shoot for, here's some photos of one of the screen used helmets:

Hi Jill, the team will take a look at your application and get back to you.

The color looks good!

This is the rivet gun I've used for years: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009XAQ8Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hey Mike, the butt flap does look a little bit wide, though the length is harder to judge without the belt. Generally speaking, I think the length is about in the right ballpark. I would bring the sides in a bit. Here's an approximate mock up, based on your photo.

Many add those tabs at the top of the boot velcro because they were on the scout featured in the magic of the myth exhibit. However, they are not required for approval at either the basic or lancer level.

I reallllly hate being the bad guy here, but I don't want to lead you astray. I still think that it's gonna be pretty tough to work those boots to a point where they'd be Level 2 approveable. With the shoe goo or caulk, it's going to be really hard to cover those threads. The fix would have to look decent while remaining durable and not cracking and flaking off -- very difficult with something that flexes and moves a lot, like a pair of boots or shoes. I'm not convinced that wrapping an extra strip will cover the threads adequately either -- remember that the CRL for Level 2 states: "Boots that are constructed too wrinkled (i.e not stretched/fitted correctly prior to gluing) or poor in appearance will be refused." Again, Level 1 approval should not be an issue and I imagine that you should clear basic approval soon.

Looks great. Excellent work!

I've never seen anyone try something like that before. Shoe goo can be pretty gloppy and tough to control, so I imagine that it wouldn't result in a very even look. Do they make white shoe goo? White caulk tends to yellow significantly over time and also I'm uncertain that the final look would be satisfactory. I hate when I have to say things like this but the hard truth is that, due to the construction, it may be pretty difficult to make your current boots Level 2 compliant. I know that's maybe not the best news, but I'm hopeful that you'll still work towards a Level 2 App, once you get your basic clearance.

Welcome Phil. Let us know if you have any questions about vendors. Fly Army.

Have you already looked at this thread? There's a WTF helmet build here that might be helpful for you: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/20405-tb-80225-wtf-helmet-build/&tab=comments#comment-18553