Aradun

Sewing machine is the way to go. The learning curve is pretty easy and as mentioned, you’ll quickly recoup your investment in the machine and then some by doing it yourself. I have both the red cap and the kolossus undersuit and if I had to recommend one, I’d go with the kolossus hands down. It’s light weight and the upper potion has a little more room making it easier to get on and off, at least for me.

Look at this way…come Tuesday it will be full steam ahead! You’re making great progress. The only problem I see is that I wasn’t invited to share in that pulled pork. Dang that looks good!!!

I didn’t apply any glue near the laces, and keep in mind that the dog bone will cover most of the lacing anyway.

I can tell you I used two 1” pieces of wood for the stock and body. I added wood block where needed with bondo to shape the pieces. Not sure of the exact weight but it has some serious heft to it.

Lol. Velcro bro. Velcro.

Hey Scot. Nice pics and what a difference from where you started. Well done! One thing that wasn’t noted in your own evaluation of your recent kit up was the undersuit peeking through between your belt and bund. It’s a common problem. When you do submit for reelz. Make sure that bund is sitting snug on top of that belt so no black shows through. Outstanding job. You should be proud bud!

It was pretty much a sure thing. You had a great build Chris; blood, sweat, tears and all. Congrats brother. Well done and we’ll deserved! Welcome to the ranks!

You won’t be disappointed! Great choice.

Mike has provided some really sound advice and tips, and he’s speaking from recent experience as someone who is new to the Legion. Address your GML’s concerns so you can get approved and out there trooping because that’s where it’s at and the real fun begins. You’ll quickly realize the journey you took to get here, as frustrating as it may have been at times, was soooo worth it. Then when you’re ready, give some thought to Lancer.

Dude that’s great news on the boots! What a save! I’m happy things worked out for ya. These little adjustments you’re making look great!

Chris you put together a really tight looking build. Well done brother!

When you send your photos make sure to include one that captures the side profile of your boots. You have some shots of the sides, but it’s more of an above shot looking down. I suspect if your GML had issues with your first go he’s gonna want to see how those dog bones look from the side. Better to be safe than sorry and have your approval held up because you have to submit additional photos. Sample shot: Good luck Scot. [emoji1696][emoji1696][emoji1696]

Dude! You are the man!

Great job on your build! You look great. I only see a few dressing issues. Check the strapping on your left drop box. It appears to be hanging lower than the right. Keep an eye on the position of your bicep and forearm armor when you do your photos to make sure they are positioned correctly. When you do your submission photos make sure you have someone who can look you over between shots and make adjustment as needed. You’ll be surprised how much things move about as your fussing to take photos. I’ll leave the finer details to the expertise of the armorers.

Your timing is excellent. Bikerchick is a very reputable vendor for the armor you’re looking for and she just posted that she still has sets available: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/topic/10944-kashyyyk-armor-for-sale/page/6/#comments

Congrats Steve! Well done and welcome to the ranks!

Here’s the Sateen from Joann Fabrics that I used for my Lancer app. https://www.joann.com/sateen-solids/5970074.html

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.