Aradun

Chris, it’s a little more work and effort, but I second the “buy a DIY kit.” Not only will it save you some cash, but it’ll be waaay easier to sand and properly finish than a “finished kit.” Grab yourself some XTC-3D to smooth out the print lines and it will cut down on sanding immensely. Of course if you can get some mates in your Garrison to print one out for you and pay them for material and time, you might be able to save even more. https://smile.amazon.com/XTC-3D-High-Performance-Print-Coating/dp/B01BKSLI9M/ Here’s the free DLT19X files I used from Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3940279 It include the bipod for the DLT19, but if your going for the 19X then you just want to make sure you print out the barrel piece that does NOT have the bipod mount, as there is no bipod on the 19X. Here’s photos of my DLT19X. You can see how smooth you can get the finish to look when you use XTC-3D. EDIT: 2023/03/26 The creator of the STL files pulled them from Thingiverse sometime last year and now has them posted for a very nominal fee on Cults3D. Absolutely worth way more than the $4.34 he charges now. https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/star-wars-dlt-19x-blaster-mg-34

If the boots are easier to wear without laces but feel better then tied a bit, consider picking up some No Tie Laces from Amazon or somewhere. They'll lay flat and you can undo one side to slip your foot in and out of your boot and when secure, it should give you the feel of having it tied. You might only need one or two at the top of the boot to get the feel you desire. https://www.amazon.com/HYFAM-Shoelaces-Waterproof-Stretchy-Silicone/dp/B08LYNY2TG/ref=slsr_d_dpds_fsdp4star_fa_5/132-9298521-3745627?pd_rd_w=Et3RG&pf_rd_p=ebb97b90-ccc7-469d-b5d0-c826e19bfdc2&pf_rd_r=N44RH2TAPZKM7ZBJZMEE&pd_rd_r=93b2b67c-1184-4bf9-980b-b95bb9875909&pd_rd_wg=QVPk7&pd_rd_i=B08LYNY2TG&psc=1 Fantastic job on the boots btw!

This tutorial might help. Your machine might be set up a little different topside but the principle is the same for winding the bobbin and setting the bobbin in the housing beneath the needle.

If you do upsize your boots, you can easily sell those 9.5 boots to recoup some of your expenses. As Retrofire said, you did a bang up job on them. Great job!

Ditto what Chopper said Nate! I guarantee it doesn’t look that bright in person.

Hey Gus, KOTrooper made a template that you can print and adjust to fit. The direct link is here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pqjowsiwert12sq/bikerScout_bone.svg?dl=0 And her build thread is here: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/22421-kotroopers-biker-scout-build/page/4/&tab=comments#comment-209950 You’ll just need to play with the print ratio, increasing or decreasing the print size until it gives you the fit you need.

Ditto on what BikerScout007 said about the sewing machine. It’s worth the investment if you plan on staying in this hobby for a while. There’s a little learning curve but you’ll save lots of money over the long run. As a dad with a 17 year old son, I would advise waiting on buying boots from a vendor. You may have a bit more growth left in those feet and you don’t want to put out +$100 for boots only to out grow them in a year or so. Pick up a pair of Kingshow work boots and make your own following Cheesewhoopy’s tutorial: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/19708-biker-scout-boots-tutorial/ It’ll be a bit cheaper, help you get some experience making a costume, and if you out grow them you can either make a new pair or buy a set from a vender.

Bummer. What white spray are you using? Post it up here so that the armorers can chime in on whether or not it may cause issues. I only ask because some sprays may not hold up to the flex of the leather and may crack. Angelus Leather Paint is a great product and it's what I used to paint a pair of black leather boots white for my TK. It doesn't go on too thick, so applying it with a sponge and layering it on may help you to better blend it into the existing boot and then the weathering would hide/cover up any imperfections.

Looks good Andy! This is just a tip for when you go to do your actual submission photos...If you look at your cummerbund sits on your belt there's a little gap of about an 1" where the cod piece is peeking through. It's an easy fix and a simple dressing issue. In fact, I have this issue a lot when I suit up for a troop and don't catch it until I see photos after the event. When you're ready to do your official photos, make sure you check each photo after its taken to see if there's anything that needs to be tweaked or adjusted and if so then make the adjustment and retake the photo. It might not matter much for basic clearance if everything isn't just right, but if you intend to pursue Lancer it'll make things easier in the long run because you won't have to get suited up again to retake photos to address common dressing issues. It helps if whoever is doing the photos is somewhat familiar with how things should look and line up. My son took my photos and he learned the scout inside and out during my build. I also went over with him what to look for and showed him photos of what things were supposed to look like and how things lined up. He handled me like a pro during the photo shoot, rotating shoulder bells and armor pieces prior to every shot because he was very familiar with how it was supposed to look.

Been there and done that Mike. I put a 501st Pathfinder vinyl decal on the back window of my SUV and forgot to remove the protective film once applied. At least you caught your faux pas right away. I drove around for over a month before the protective film began to peel away on its own due to weathering, at which point I realized that it was in fact protective film and that it was supposed to be removed. Live and learn. 😉

Andy, have you checked with any local leather workers or even a leather workers forum? It's tough to tell from the photo you posted, but it looks like there is a) some minor damage to the leather on the toecap, which can likely be filled, and b) that the rough part where the dogbone meets the toecap is remnant of the dogbone that wasn't removed, more so than a torn up toecap. A leather worker might be able to offer some suggestions or techniques for repairing the surface and removing the torn up remainder of the dogbone that glued to the toecap. If you have a local Tandy Shop, they may be able to offer some suggestions, as some of their employees are also leather working hobbyists and professionals.

Don’t panic brother! You’ve got a lot of real estate at the top of the dog bone and I suspect that you might be able to remove the DB completely and slide it down to cover the damage. Don’t do anything until [Mention]Chopper[/Mention] or [Mention]Retrofire[/Mention] chime in though.

Gus, the forum has very limited photo storage allotted to each member. I think it’s around 1000 KB so that gets eaten up real fast. The best thing to do is to either use an image hosting service like Imgur and post links to your photos or get the Tapatalk app for you phone, which allows you access the forum and post photos directly from the app. The app is free and has a pretty generous but limited number of photos you can post in a month. You can get a subscription for $1.00 per month with unlimited photo uploads but you’ll probably be fine with the free version.

Welcome Simon! It sounds like you have all of bases covered and are off to a solid start. Be sure to ask any and all questions. You’ll find plenty of help here and the knowledge of our armorers is unsurpassable. You’re in good hands brother. Looking forward to seeing your build.

I’ll second that! Great job bud!

If you’re looking for detail on how things are assembled there’s a wealth of up close photos in each Lancer submission. Photos are required of everything for submission purposes so that would be a great place to start. http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/forum/51-lancer-deployment-request/

Yep, I’m on it. I’ll need a new bund too, and neck seal but I’m kinda glad there’s no flak vest. One less layer to to add to the sweat factory. As to trooper or Captain? Not sure yet.

Great work Chris. These look fantastic. [emoji106]

Interesting Pete. I was just assuming there wouldn’t be an issue given that so many swap out parts from a costume like the TIE Reserve for Bridge Crew, etc. all the time. I’ll definitely run it by my GML to see if there’s any issue. Solid advice and thanks for the tip.

Awesome! That’s what I was hoping to hear. I’ll see how it goes. I like the clean look of Justin’s CRL photos. I already have Velcro on those pieces save the bells so I just might tuck the straps into the armor and try it with Velcro. I’ll reach out to my GML and see what he thinks. I have some ideas in case it’s an issue. Thanks Mickey! I knew you’d have a suggestion Corey! Thanks for that! I’ll give that a go when the time comes to see if I can blend it in a bit. Although I don’t think it will be all that noticeable in the grand scheme of things. We’ll see.

Hey Armorers and fellow Pathfinders, Having just played through JFO and following Jennyruth and Ammonites builds, I've got the bug to take on this build and am in the midst of researching everything I need to get started. Thank you MrPoopie for the image files and 3D files you've posted! You, sir, are without a doubt an incredible asset to the detachment! I'm going into print mode this weekend! I'm trying to get a sense of whether and how much of my ROTJ armor can be modified so that it's interchangeable with JFO and have some questions: Shoulder Armor - I don't see any strapping around the upper arm. Is Velcro or magnets used to hold them in place? Biceps - there's no strapping again, so I'm guessing that Velcro or magnets are used? Back Armor - I'm trying to work out a way that I can make my ROTJ tank topper removable so that I can swap it out with the JFO topper. I'm thinking of using that sheet magnet stuff that they use for fridge magnets. It's thin and could be cut to match the shape of the topper and then a second one could be glued to the underside of the top of the tank. Thoughts? Knee Armor - The ROTJ has two straps, one of which is riveted in place. The knee armor description for ROTJ basic clearance and JFO are identical. My question here is would the rivets be an issue with clearance? TD - I have to flip the TD box and rotate the rectangular greeblie to meet the requirements for JFO, which should pose no issue for ROTJ with the recently updated description of the TD in the ROTJ CRL. There's no question here, but if I'm miss reading this let me know. The only thing that I foresee at this stage that won't be interchangeable is the belt. I don't see anyway to use or modify the ROTJ belt to make it interchangeable between costumes. I know I can get one from SC, but it's going to take some trial and error to get the color to match my RS armor. SC is very white ABS compared to RS. I know some scouts have SC armor with an RS bucket, but I'm presuming they just repainted the bucket to match. Any ideas on how to get the armor to match in color would be welcome! I've got extra material from my ROTJ bund to make a JFO bund and plan to use the same Cod. So aside from a new undersuit and neck seal, I've got the soft parts covered. If I'm missing or overlooking anything let me know and thanks for the assist!

Phil, a heartfelt congratulations to a well deserved accomplishment! Yours was an incredible journey to become a Pathfinder. I know there were many times when you were ready to call it quits, and yet you persevered. Your perseverance in overcoming the setbacks and challenges you faced along the way was and is an inspiration to your fellow Pathfinders as evidenced by the fact that you have one of the highest most viewed ROTJ WIPs in the detachment. You exemplify a Pathfinder leading the way. I am so very happy for you. You should be extremely proud of your accomplishment, I know I certainly am. Well done Pathfinder and welcome to the ranks brother! Tip of the Lance!

Awesome Mike! I’m stoked! Looking forward to seeing your build. We’re here to help you succeed, so be sure to ask any questions you have along the way.

You look REALLY good! It’s coming along nicely. Some dressing suggestions to keep in mind that will help you tighten up the look for when you suit up again: Raise your bund up a bit so that it sits under your chest armor. That may raise your cod too, if it’s attached, and prevent it from being pulled down between your legs. Loosening the strap in the back a bit may help with the cod. Consider raising your drop boxes. If you look a Justin’s (MrPoopie) CRL photo, you can see he has them set more like a traditional ROTJ scout, about 1.5 inches below the belt. There’s no specific written mention in the JFO CRL for this, but an image is worth a thousand words right? It would make a difference in overall appearance and really tighten up the look. You’re making awesome progress and have given me the bug to pursue this build as well. Following closely!

Be sure to check out some of the Lancer applications http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/forum/51-lancer-deployment-request/ You can see how some of the Scouts cut their Kingshow boots to get an idea on how to lay out the pattern.