Aradun

The flare on your gloves looks fine. As Chopper said, the originals were flared as well. As to weathering the gloves, that too will happen over time. The leather will dull over time and will get scuffed a bit while you troop. I wouldn’t recommend weathering them by wearing them during the winter as you may end up overdoing it and damaging the leather, especially if subject to snow, salt, and rain.

Hit me up if you have any questions.

It’s definitely a little slimmer but you should be okay so long as you remove the print lines and finish it properly. I can see the weathering, but I can’t tell by your photos if it was painted black or if it is unpainted black filament. Regardless, keep in mind the following: The butt and grip should be semi gloss black. The original grip was actually Bakelite, so there shouldn’t be any weathering on the grip itself. It looks like you have some that will need to be painted over. The rest of the blaster should be flat black. Once dry, apply a little graphite powder to blaster, rubbing it into the flat black and it’ll take on a gun metal finish. Then seal it with a clear coat. The cooling fins on the barrel shroud were rubber, so they too should be free of weathering. There is also a fine wire that wraps around the ends of the cooling fins that you will need to add. You’ll likely need to create a small notch in the fin with a file. Here’s a photo of what it should look like: For those tough to sand pieces, consider using XTC-3D. It’ll be a huge time saver. I applied it to my entire blaster and it cut down sanding by at least 85%. It’s self leveling so it really fills in the lines and gives you a pretty smooth surface to work with.

Congrats Dan! Welcome to the ranks! Great build brother.

Congratulations Trooper! Well done!

The scaling looks okay. Your barrel shroud looks a bit off from what I can see in your first photo. How does it look when looking down on the top. That’s where I find some of the Etsy models to be thinner. For comparison:

Hey Rusty! The build is coming along, but I just wanted to note that your bund looks to be too long. Over all the bund should be about 8 or 9 inches in height. Your belt should be worn just below your naval and the bottom of the bund should rest on top of it. The top of the bund should sit under your chest armor (about 2”). What is the height of your bund currently?

Here are two posts that will help you get image posting sorted: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/22990-sharing-photos-with-dropbox/#comment-215704 http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/23053-faq-how-do-i-post-images/ You can also use the free Tapatalk app to upload images right from you phone into your post that are higher res.

I see MrPoopie has you sorted on where you can get the JFO specific armor parts for 3D printing on your other post. As for armor, check out the armor comparison thread for how current vendor’s stack up against the original. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/17774-the-ultimate-armor-comparison-thread/ If you’re looking to 3D print your scout armor too, make sure to vet the files you’re considering with the armory team. There are a lot of issues with many 3D prints especially those available for free or on Etsy. Seeing as how you’ll be tackling the soft parts yourself, check out the cummerbund tutorial - just remember that you’ll need to adjust the number of ribs to match the JFO CRL, but the build is the same. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/22433-cummerbund-tutorial-sort-of/ And the boot tutorial… http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/19708-biker-scout-boots-tutorial/ Nice thing about this build is you don’t have to construct pouches or flak vest or add riding patches and mud flap to the undersuit. For an undersuit, the Kolossus suit or something similar works great. A little tapering in the leg, removal of a few pockets, and the addition of some Velcro to secure the bund and cod and you’re good to go. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BK87DYM Let’s us know if you have any other questions. We’re happy to help.

THAT IS AWESOME!!!! Congratulations Alex! And thank you for documenting your journey with all it’s ups and downs. I’m certain it will be a source of inspiration for future scouts. You should be darn proud of your accomplishment! We’ll done trooper! Now get out there, troop that con and get a trooping log started once the Detachment grants you full access!

It’s all good Alex. We’re here to support you and everyone else through the process. Good luck!

Anyone who has undertaken a build has been there Alex. I know this con was the goal for you to have everything ready to go, but keep in mind that that con will hopefully be just one of many. You’re joining the Legion to troop, bring smiles to kids faces, and to do good in the community. If you can’t make it to this con, then finish up your approval process, get approved and troop the next one. It’s all good! Keep in mind too that you can still attend the con in your costume, although you would not be able to represent yourself as a Legion member. You’d probably need to buy a ticket, and then you’d just be a Star Wars fan attending in costume. However, you should talk with your GML, perhaps he can allow you to take the costume for a test run at the con, so that you can iron out the kinks. He might even be able to help you with any needed adjustments for approval, and there would be plenty of people on hand to take approval pics. Just keep in mind that cons tend to keep everyone hopping so your GML might not be available to do that if he’ll be busy running and coordinating things during the con itself. Good luck!

I’m sorry to hear this. Not sure what you can do about a refund given the length of time that has passed. Imperial Arms has had some noted issues with quality and timely delivery as noted in several posts above. I also know of a garrison mate who ordered a DLT19X from them and while it matches the original MG34 in its length it is noticeably undersized in its thickness, which I suspect is done to save on materials and speed up print time. IMO it appears toy-like when held next to an accurately 3D printed version. Thanks for alerting others to the issues you are experiencing. Hopefully it will save someone else from having to deal with similar issues. Hope things get resolved favorably for you.

I’ll have to ask around in my garrison. May take some time to coordinate a meet up if there is someone, but I’m happy to check.

The Endor Finder Espirit replica biker scout gloves are a new entry in the options for scout gloves. EF debuted these gloves stating that they were “made precisely like the original spirits without the need for removing a strap and dying the suede patches.” One thing unique to their construction, when compared to competitors, is the inclusion of the zipper for the gauntlet. According to EF, the zipper is included to ensure that the gloves maintain the form of the originals. The zipper will need to be removed for Basic Clearance, which I’ll address further on, but first I’ll share some initial impressions, and then provide a comparison to Wampa Wear’s scout glove. Why Wampa? Simply because that’s what I currently own, and they are probably the most popular option for Scouts. Lastly, I talk about the removal of the gauntlet zipper. Let’s get to it! Right out of the delivery bag these gloves felt light and the leather soft and supple. The softness of the leather was evident in the impression that the thumb made on the palm of the leather from the way it was folded, which can be seen in the photo below. I’m fairly certain that the impressions made from the stitching and thumb itself will fade away with use and time. The construction of the gloves is solid and appears true to the originals when compared to photos of the vintage Espirits. I ordered a size large based on the sizing chart and found the fit true to size and very comfortable. These are quality gloves. Comparing them to my size large Wampas is where the differences become really apparent. The EF gloves are indeed lighter, softer, and more supple than the Wampas. I found them to be much more comfortable than the Wampas too. A contributing factor to their overall comfort is that the liner used in the EF gloves is much lighter and thinner than that used in the Wampas, which gives the EF glove a much less stiff and snug feel in comparison. I think it will provide adequate warmth in cold weather troops, but for those hot climates or summer troops, I think the EF glove will be far more comfortable to wear than my Wampas. I don’t see any need to remove the liner like some do with the gloves of other competitors. SIDE BY SIDE (Wampa on the left / EF on the right) There are different qualities when it comes to leather, and I’m no expert on those qualities or what makes one type of leather better or worse than another. That being said, the leather used for the EF glove has different characteristics to that of the Wampa. It has a finer grain pattern, making it much smoother and, IMO, nicer in appearance when compared to the coarser grain pattern of the Wampas. The EF leather is also a lighter weight leather. It is slightly thinner than the leather used for the Wampas, which I imagine is a contributing factor to the glove’s overall lighter feel, suppleness, and comfort. I’m looking forward to these gloves developing a nice wear with use and age. As for price, Wampa can’t be beat with its $60 price point, but EF’s current pricing of $95 puts it on par with the pricing of other quality competitors like KeepTrooping and Crowprop. I feel that the price is worth it, especially given that it offers a more accurate and true to form construction in comparison to its rivals. The EF gloves do include the hidden zipper on the underside of the glove like the originals and the Wampas. My only quip is with the pull used for this zipper. It’s not your standard zipper pull. As you can see from the photo below the pull is attached to a link which is then attached to the zipper. My concern is that the shiny silver pull will be popping out from under the leather concealment and dangling around whenever I’m waiving. It’s certainly no deal breaker and if it is an issue, it is easily addressed by removing the pull from the link, and just using the link itself as the pull. Speaking of zippers, how about that gauntlet zipper? This is what sets the EF glove apart from its competitors. Most scout glove options currently available don’t have this feature and instead have a faux flare where the zipper would be. The inclusion of the zipper in the EF glove does indeed ensure that the glove is true to form and is a really nice touch for those who are all about accuracy, but just can’t get their hands on an original vintage pair from 40 years ago! But that zipper has to be removed in order to achieve even Basic Clearance. So, what is the best way to remove it? I was going to use an x-acto knife to carefully cut the zipper out, but there is very limited real estate between the leather seam and the teeth of the zipper. I was really leery about having the knife scoring the leather, or worse, slice through it, if it slipped. Scissors weren’t an option either, as the blades proved to be too thick to make a cut in the limit space available. Removing the zip was easy enough, as you just need to pop it off of the teeth with a screw driver, but for the teeth of the zipper, I used a very small flat head screw driver, as wide as a single tooth, which I inserted under the edge of the tooth to pop it off of the nylon. The teeth snapped off without issue, and what was left behind was the finished edge of the nylon to which they were mounted. What’s nice about this removal process is that there won’t be any issue of the nylon fraying like there would be if it was cut. The most challenging part of the removal was the zipper stop. Luckily, the stop was molded plastic and not metal. Here, I did resort to using an x-acto with a large chisel blade, and carefully pressed on the stop, snapping off small portions at a time until it was free from the nylon. Worked like a charm and any threat of damaging the leather during the process was removed. Sorry, I didn’t think of capturing photos of the removal process. Bottom line, I find the Endor Finder’s replica biker scout gloves to be a great addition to the options currently available, and personally, I like them much more than my Wampa Wear gloves, which will now be relegated for use with my JFO Scout. These gloves won’t disappoint with their solid construction and excellent quality from a well-known and trusted vendor. A shout out to [mention=53781]plagu3is[/mention]  for making these available. I’m not sure what EF’s plan is for future production (i.e., made to order, stock item, or production in runs), but if it’s in your budget, I highly recommend grabbing a pair when they are available.

That turned out really nice! Thanks for letting us know!

Congrats Caleb!!!

Excellent job on the bund Gloria! Things are really taking shape nicely. If you have seen it yet, the post below contains pointers on where to strategically place velcro to keep things in place while trooping. It will help with your bund and pouch shifting. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/w18894-some-tips-for-keeping-your-scout-costume-together-while-trooping/

Wow Alex! The time and effort put into sanding those pieces really paid off. Everything looks amazing. Well done. For the TD clips search on Amazon for belt clips. You’re looking for something similar to this: https://www.amazon.ca/Bluemoona-Sets-54x25mm-Holster-Sheath/dp/B07MR3CQCC/

Things look good Tyler! Very clean and well done! You should be proud of the job you’ve done thus far! Two notes, one that needs to be addressed, the other is optional. First, the item that needs to be corrected. In the rear view photo, it appears as though you ran the elastic over the buckles between your drop boxes and belt rather than behind the buckles. They should be set up the same as your front buckles with the strap running behind the buckle. That needs to be adjusted for clearance. The following is merely a suggestion. Seeing as how you have to adjust those buckles, consider raising your drop boxes so that they sit about an inch below your belt. It’s a Lancer/Level 2 requirement and not necessary for basic clearance, but you’d be surprised the difference it makes in the overall appearance. It really does tighten up the look, but like I said, it’s not necessary for basic clearance.

Welcome to the ranks Frank! You had an excellent build from start to finish. Well done and well deserved!

That’s great to hear Tyler and you’re definitely in the right spot should you desire any feedback. If you want feedback on any of the armor pieces you’ve completed, feel free to post some pics here and the armory team will be happy to look them over. Likewise, once you have your soft goods in hand. When the time comes, this is also the place to post pics of you all suited up so you can fine tune things for your submission. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.

Fitting the tank is the most challenging part aside from the helmet. I would not recommend starting your cuts along your pencil lines. Trim small bits off at a time checking the fit against the back armor each time, and slowly work you way up to the pencil line. Remember, it’s easy to trim the piece, little by little, but if you cut too much off at once, you can’t add it back. As you get closer to where it should be, post some picks and the armorers can help you dial it in. @Chopper can tell you if there’s any issue with your current lines. He’s got an eagle eye for that stuff. Wait for him to check in before taking the scissors to it.

It is not approvable as is. See the following thread for details. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/topic/23685-hasbro-scout-trooper-helmet/

Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re undertaking a challenging build with a lot of moving parts and you’re doing well. It looks like your strap is twisted coming from the front of the belt into both boxes. There should not be any viewable twist in the strapping. You can make a twist inside the drop box itself. That helps reduce the box sliding around on the strap. The same for the strap exiting the box and going to the back of the belt. No twist there either. Once corrected, if it is still giving you trouble post up a pick while wearing it around your waist and we’ll be able to see what the issue may be.