Aradun

Hey Cat! Great to see you back at it! You can check out Crowprops for boots too as well as Chrisx909x here in the forums. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/topic/23318-rotj-biker-scout-soft-goods-ongoing/#comment-219611

Excellent work!

John, it’s great to see you back at it brother! There are a few scouts who have used magnets, perhaps [mention=83045]Chopper[/mention] recalls who they are. Their names elude me at the moment. Check out this thread for some ideas on how to keep your kit nice and tight while trooping: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/w18894-some-tips-for-keeping-your-scout-costume-together-while-trooping/ As for the helmet issue, I think you can get away with weathering it. You’ve got the dirty version anyway so lightly sanding the edges with 400-600 grit so that no more paint peels away and misting the area with some black spray paint, and you should be good. Chopper may have others suggestions so stay tuned!

Unless you have a TIE suit that you’re not using for another kit, it’s not the best option, as this CRL requires any visible pockets, zippers, labels and logos to be removed. You’d definitely need to removed the leg pockets, and some of the arm pockets, as this version doesn’t have a flak vest which would hide some of the pockets around the shoulder area. To be honest, you’re better off getting plain coveralls. I’d recommend a Kolossus suit. They have a little more room, are lighter weight and would require very little modification. Maybe remove rear pockets if equipped, and the traditional long “carpenter’s pocket” on the side and you’re good to go.

Awesome! Finish line in sight!

If your referring to the Velcro closure in the back of the boot, then no fold is needed. Vinyl will not fray like many traditional fabrics. The fold at the top of the boot is to give it a “finished and clean” look.

Congratulations Scout! Welcome to the Pathfinders. Don’t forget to request full Pathfinder access so you can have full access to the Detachment forum! http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/forum/162-access-requests/ Once you have full access, create a trooping log so you can earn forum badges and cool rocker patches as you knock out those troops! http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/forum/141-pathfinder-trooping-awards/ Looking forward to seeing those pics! Congrats again brother! Well done!

So worth the wait brother! You look great! Congrats Chris! Well done and well deserved!

You don’t need to remove the chest pockets as they won’t be visible under the armor. Just those noted by the Duke above. As for the suede. You’re actually ahead of the game because you don’t need to create any pattern. Just carefully seam rip the patches and butt flap from your original suit. To attach them to your new suit, you’ll need to seam rip the outside leg so that you can run the suit through the sewing machine. Make sure to have the patches pinned to the suit so that everything lays the way you want and don’t forget to add your 2” thigh straps! You’d be surprised how often builders forget and the have to do a little seam ripping to add the straps later. Once the patches are attached, turn the suit inside out and stitch the leg closed. Here’s where you can taper the leg too. Grab a pair of jeans, lay them flat, and measure the opening for your foot. If you’re using skinny jeans add an inch. Then use that measurement for the leg opening on your suit. I used chalk and a yard stick to run a line from from the end of the opening (seam ripped side) up to the waist, pinned it, and then stitched it closed. This is also a good time to add an elastic strap to the bottom of the opening for your foot so that your pant legs don’t ride up when you put on your boots.

Sweet!

Well, after 10 years, all that time researching has certainly paid off. Great choice in gear so far! Kudos! Once you have stuff in hand and start your build feel free to hit the armory team up with your questions. We’d love nothing more than to get you across the finish line so you can start trooping!

Great work. For the bund, I also added a small Velcro tab to the bottom of my bund with hook on one side and loop on the other. That tab gets sandwiched between the Velcro of the belt strap. The end result is that it helps keep the belt from sliding down in the rear especially with the added weight of the TD. You can see the tab in the photo below.

Therapy you say? Give me your address and I’ll shoot you a whole bunch of 3D prints sitting on my work bench waiting for processing. Just kidding lol! Seriously though, The Duke gave you the same info I would have given you. Good recommendations there! As for sewing, I was a novice when I started my journey to become a scout. You’ll be fine, especially with the detailed resources available here. Hit us up with any questions you may have. We’re happy to help. Kudos on your ambition too! Shore, Scout, and Swamp! Huzzah!

Congrats David! Excellent build and well deserved recognition! Welcome to the ranks brother!

Good luck with your approval! You look fantastic!

They really came out great! Nicely done!

Great work on tailoring the flight suit! Looks great. Adjust the patches as noted by Chopper and you should be good to go.

Nicely done!

Great job! Chopper’s got you covered with the tweaks for your approval pics, with regard to your question on the bunching you’re experiencing in the back with your bund… You can attach a piece of Velcro to the outside back of your vest and another piece to the inside of your bund. That will keep it from sliding down and bunching up under your back armor. Chopper put together a great post a few years back on how to keep things nice a tight while trooping so you look sharp from start to finish. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/w18894-some-tips-for-keeping-your-scout-costume-together-while-trooping/ Give it a read, and then after you get a few troops under your belt you’ll have a better sense of what tweaks are needed to keep stuff in place. Good luck with your approval!

Great job on the suit and the patches. You’ve got mad skills with sewing.

Personally, I find the open collar with a gaiter to be more comfortable than using a neck seal with open collar or opting for the mandarin collar. I feel that heat dissipates a bit better with that option.

Nice! I was just catching up on this and was going to recommend using a chisel blade for a smoother cut, but I see you got thing squared away with great results. Keep up the great work!

When using the rattle can test on some cardboard or something to get your distance and technique down before applying to your kit. Always start the spray off to the side of the piece you are spraying and move quickly across it. Starting the spray over the piece may create more of blaster burn look, which should be done sparingly if at all.

The new color for the soles of your boot looks great! The spacing between the belt and your back and chest armor looks about right. It’s not a lot of real estate, as a general rule there’s only about 6” of bund that actually shows with about another 2” tucked under the chest armor. Things are really starting to come together. Keep up the great work!

Excellent work Mickey! This will be great for new builders. Still waiting for @Chopper to unbox his RS kit [emoji1787].