LTCAlex

Nothing too exciting to report but I have been sanding the main body of my helmet SO MUCH, and now my shoulder hurts, but the manufacture line should be almost gone now, along with other minor imperfections. Will be starting the blast shield/s next, and then after that, attaching shin guard details. Messaged my neckseal/undershirt vendor but haven't heard back from them yet. Hoping all is well with them, as I will admit to my impatience beginning to build, even though I completely sympathize with Darth Real Life being evil right now. Hopefully will be able to get a move on with the rest of it soon enough?

I can just sit it a bit lower on my hips. Hopefully it'll still be hidden by the belt (when that happens, which is not yet because I am still lacking my neck seal/undershirt) when that time comes. Unfortunately my access to my sewing machine has been temporarily cut off due to my current situation so I'm unable to alter things myself. Thanks! I think they're both even. I'll take a picture later and post it. I know my pants are a bit poofy so I think that alters my stature somewhat. I guess I'll have to fiddle around with it a bit. Or something? 🤷‍♀️ Ooh, never would've thought of cutting a notch - that's a great idea! Yeah, in their videos the 850AW guys suggest just attaching it straight to the top of the shin guard with a little block of wood (or foam, as suggested here) for a screw to attach to to keep it firm. Also - HELMET. I'M A STAR WARS.

In other news, opened up the bottom of the helmet! OMG SO MUCH DUST. ALL OF THE DUST BUT I DID IT. Visor not opened yet nor dust washed out but that's for tomorrow when I'll have family help.

Fit test the second. Hopefully they're low enough now? I messed up on the side picture and didn't move the kama aside for a better view but I'm including it here anyway for whatever it's worth. If you squint you can still see the side view of the shin detail thingies. Also, while I'm here, this area I've selected with a green square. For the top detail, am I supposed to cut off the rest of the plate so I can add on the sniper thingy? There's no specific mention of it and, having watched 850AW's videos, they suggest I don't, but looking at approved shores, it looks like just about everyone has. What do?

For accountability: trimmed shin next to untrimmed shin. Note: still needs a butt ton of sanding. Gonna wait for Dremel to cool down a bit, trim the other shin, and then sand them both at the same time. Step by step (🎶ooh baby, I'm gonna get to you giiiiiiiiirl!🎶 Oof, dating myself there. 10 pts to Gryffindor if you know who I'm referencing there.)

Update: just got word that my blaster's ready! Unfortunately my Garrison-mate who did it lives pretty far away and thus the blaster is not in my possession yet but he sent me this pic! Woot! So excited!! There are many other blasters like it but this is mine!!

For accountability: taped off the section on the other shin I'm gonna trim and, on both, sketched the curves out to make sure I preserve the shape.

Woot woot helmet kit just arrived! Shout outs to Imperial Surplus for quick shipping and quality product! Can't wait to figure out how to do this helmet up! Haven't trimmed my shins yet but will get to it as soon as I have the energy. I've had a bit of a wibbly-wobbly week so I'm off-kilter some, but hope to resume my balance enough to do more work soon.

Thank you so much! ❤️ I'll do the same on the right shin and cut then! Oof, I can only imagine the fixing needed after making a mistake like that! You have my sympathies! Also, looks like my helmet kit's on the way - just got the notification. Woohoo!!

Progress has been slow, as my upper-half is still paused until I get my undershirt/neckseal, and the rough combo of depression kicking my ass and other IRL stuff happening to distract me. I wanted to do SOMETHING, though, so I did this. I taped up the half-inch on the bottom of my left shin that I think I need to trim so that you guys could tell me if I should continue with the right shin as well. It's also exactly half an inch at the bottom. Here's pics: (Cleaner bottle just to prop up the shin.) Distance shot. Do pardon the ugly carpet (blech, I hate this stupid carpet.) Zoom-in for detail.

Checked in with my undershirt/neckseal vendor and she's a bit delayed at the moment due to Darth Real Life so not sure when I'll be getting that stuff. That said, since I do have my pants, I'll focus on getting my shins in good shape, since I should have my undershirt to do chest/back/biceps/shoulders/forearms. ...jeez, that's a lot of it. >_> Ah well, nothing to be done I guess.

Oh! Okay! Gotcha. Thanks. Guess I'll wait for my undershirt to get here then!

Oh! Okay, cool. Good to know. Thanks. Think I'll still go the velcro route though, just for comfort's sake.

In the interests of remaining accountable, minor update: - Dremeled a bit on the forearms and decided that I'm gonna glue only one side and velcro the other, because I tried slipping my gloved hand through the front and it barely fit, which doesn't lend itself to sliding on and off. I'm surprised, really, but eh, that's how the cookie crumbles I guess! - Gonna carefully measure out and trace the amount of trimming I have to do on the shin armour. Measure 10 times cut once - just like sewing! (I'm out of practice, heh, but hope to pick it up again sometime soon...) Thinking I might go by half an inch? Or should I only do a quarter?

It was a great pleasure to meet everyone today and put faces to names, and thanks to everyone who offered hints, tricks, and advice, and answered my questions! ❤️

Minor update: just ordered Montana Gold Mt. Everest, as recommended in the virtual armour party to me, for the blue.

I've been accused of being too nice many times in my life. I just don't like creating bad blood if I don't have to.

Okay, so, bit of an update. 1. Helmet arrived and it was a) unwearably small, b) missing the critical detail between helmet and blast shield, and c) missing the black under the visor. So I'mma try to sell it to recoup at least some of the cost and I ordered an Imperial Surplus helmet kit instead, which I'm waiting for right now. I left a review on the dude's Etsy page. (Pic for having pic in post.) 2. I rediscovered my father's dremel and it's gonna go a LONG way to helping me trim off flash from the plates and probably significantly shorten my build. Currently working on that right now. It's not as exciting but omg it feels so much better to be doing than any hand sanding. I hate the noise though! Blech. Will take pictures once that's all done and good for and do another fit-test as well. Maybe something'll change? 🤷‍♀️ I dunno! Guess we'll see. I still hate sanding though - the dremel makes such a nasty noise but man I'm getting it all done faster now.

I got in with TIE Reserve myself, got a Staff Officer, upgraded my TIE to an armoured, am working on a Clone Trooper, and now slowly working on an 850AW Shoretrooper myself, and both my clone and my shore kits I got from a fellow Garrison officer. Heh. You'll get there eventually, trust me. Take it slow, go at whatever pace you feel comfortable, and it'll come.

That's very true, it does cover my whole knee! I can probably trim off at least half to three quarters of an inch at the bottom of both shins and have it look better? I won't do any trimming until I get some more confirmation from you guys though? Plus all my stuff arrived! Only...I just noticed that where the shoulder straps end on the back plate - that little enclosure thingy - isn't on my plate and isn't in the box so I'll have to make it? I dunno. 😮 Another wrinkle in this armour, BLAH.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/dupli-color-perfect-match-paint-light-blue-metallic-21-wa7470-0472707p.html#srp For the blue paint, since I can't seem to find any of the suggestions on the forum for the blue, do you guys think this would work?

They're resting on my boots, they just don't really look it. I was planning on using foam a bit down the line though, mostly at the top, but I'll put some at the bottom as well if need be. I tried prying the front off but unfortunately it doesn't seem like I'll be able to without damaging the detail. I'm not aiming for any level above basic however, so I don't really care if it wouldn't pass any higher. I'll be honest, I just wanna be a shiny plastic spaceman with a pew pew blaster and awesome helmet/armour. I'll need to buy a couple more tubes of it then, as the one I was using was almost empty. I just hope that it'll decide to work for me? I'd really like it to. I don't like the notion of making mistakes and not being able to fix them, it's just that it wasn't working for me earlier after multiple attempts and I gave up on it because superglue actually does work. Bleeeeeeh.

@TKZombie I was using the exact one you linked to, and I did plenty of sanding, but I dunno? Maybe I just did it all wrong. It's very likely, I'm good at that. I did a dry test-fit of my pants, kama, boots, gloves, and taped-together leg armour, just to see if maybe I don't need to pry my leg armour apart anyway? From the front the bottom of the front-plate does indeed meet the bottom of the main armour. I was wrong before. It looks like, with everything on and taped up at the back, things look better? I wanted to see if I still need to fix anything?

850 Armor Works has assembly videos on Youtube that I've been watching and following as well as any advice and pics posted here. I've also been studying the CRL as I go. I didn't use E6000 but that's only because it wasn't working for me. I switched to a superglue/accelerant I found at Canadian Tire that's done wonders for me, but hopefully I should be able to pry them off and try again. Seriously though - thanks for the advice. I will definitely keep what you said in mind. [Edit: So it looks like I can pry the plates right off. I'll do that tomorrow and start over again! Guess I'll have to figure out how to trim them so they fit better around the bottom though? Will happily take any advice on how to do that.]

@KOtrooper I glued the front plates on already - I guess I can try prying them off? And yes, they're pretty wide/loose on me. I was planning on filling the space with foam. Do I have to make them smaller to be approvable? @Minimo Awesome, thanks for all the reference pictures! I've got the cover strips coming in the mail right now and I'll be sure to keep that in mind. With possibly moving