Greetings - Need help modifying

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meekerscott
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Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Hello.
The new Rubies (I know it's a bad word) armor isn't so bad. The helmet has to go and the chest piece does not sit high enough and the back piece does not sit low enough. This thing will do to hold me over until I get something more accurate. I have an EFX helmet on the way, and will be replacing the weird green lenses. I bought the neck piece, boots, and have a holster on the way. I also made a lot of adjustments to the inner strapping to make it fit better.

My question is this: Is it impossible to modify this to be 501st acceptable? If it can be modified, it would be a labor of love. I don't mind a lot of hard work.
mine2.jpg
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Chills
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Chills »

Hi Scott, welcome to the board!

This is the first Rubies TK I've seen. "Rubies" is a bit of a taboo word, lol, and one doesn't see them too often.

I'm not a TK expert, but I do see a few things that would have to be changed just from your picture. I think you'd want to post pics that show all sides of the suit and some detail.

However, your best bet is to head to whitearmor dot net (FISD) and check what they say over there. The folks on that site will be able to tell you what you'll need to do to make your armor 501st approvable.

That being said, I checked the 501st site and they say this about Rubies:
Is the Rubies stormtrooper/Vader/Boba Fett acceptable for membership?

Unfortunately no, at least not without a LOT of work. In most cases you will spend more money upgrading the costumes than you would have building your own suit. Definitely check with the relevant detachment before you buy!

The Rubies Darth Vader can be made into a workable ROTS Vader with a lot of work. Visit the Sith Lords Detachment to find out more.

Similarly the Rubies Stormtrooper can be made to work as a Return of the Jedi style stormtrooper. There's a lot to do, but the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment can show you how.
Best of luck to you!

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

AB_PLATE_INVERSION.jpg
Thanks. I know I have to flip the ab-plate, which is ABS and I have to cut it out, invert it and re-glue. Asked at Whitearmor, but not getting any replies really. I don't want to do a "hack job" I want it looking seamless, but I can't get any answers there on how to work with the ABS plastic.
At first, the biggest problem was my 15 lbs of fat gut that I had to get rid of before this could fit tight enough on the sides and back. The armor really doesn't suck, and I am fascinated with hard work to make it 501st acceptable. It has been done by some and they've been approved. I'll post more pics as I progress. Hope to have it all done before I do my 4 hours as a Salvation Army Stormtroopper Bellriger over the holiday.
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meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Current_state.jpg
Also, more pictures of how it looks now. I can pick out many things I will change, such as:

-Rivets in the shoulder strap removed
-the AB Plate buttons need inversion
-more work to make the chest piece sit higher and the back plate lower to meet up more with the butt-plate
-hand guards need trimming
-Thigh pieces need trimming
-all elastic must be replaced with better material and adjusted properly
-A new helmet is on the way
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meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Actually, the Ab-Plate buttons are not consistent in this screenshot from STAR WARS Episode IV, so I no longer worry about this one.

Image

hitman
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by hitman »

meekerscott wrote:Actually, the Ab-Plate buttons are not consistent in this screenshot from STAR WARS Episode IV, so I no longer worry about this one.

Image
That screen shot is from ep V. And you were lucky enough to find the Jedi prototype armor!!!

If you are going for ANH or ESB it has to look like the pics in the CRL. Most of the inconsistent in the armor is due to it falling apart or prop department mistakes.

Chills
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Chills »

Hitman is correct, you'll still need to fix your ab buttons to match the CRL.

Other things I notice on your armor from your pics:

-Chest - You can't make the chest any higher, because it has to overlap the ab plate; however it should be higher. It looks like the piece isn't large enough.
-Back - You can't make the back go any lower, because it is too low already. The upper parts need to be on your shoulders. This piece also looks too small.
-Shoulder bridges - these are too high up on the chest, they need to be moved down; however doing so could leave a gap on the back. Also, the back plate needs more overlap with the bridges. Again, the back and chest are too small to do this properly
-Shoulder bells - These are oddly shaped. They look like they flare out at the bottom, like a gumdrop. They should be shaped like the ones in the example pic you posted and taper to the arm. They also don't overlap the biceps enough.
-Arms - your biceps and forearms need to be rotated towards your body 90 degrees. Those U-shaped sections on top need to be against your torso. These look ok, but the tops need some trimming so they are even.
Hands - these look like they could be ROTJ, but they are definitely not ANH.
Ab - the buttons are wrong, as noted. Also, the gap between the kidney and ab needs to be seen. It looks pretty large.
Kidney - I don't see the ridges along the middle like there should be.
Thermal Detonator - hangs too low off the belt, it is also upside down
Belt - looks like the corners aren't cut at the right angle, need more close ups
Thighs - your left thigh is too low, needs to be brought up. Also the cover strip tops need to be trimmed and made even with the pieces
Shin/Calves - these look like they are too big on you, there's a decent gap at the bottom. They need to be resized.
Holster - you're missing a holster
Helmet - not sure what Rubies is going for here, but it looks off. The eyes aren't the right shape, the proportions of things like ears, traps, tears, and tubes are also not in line with what I've seen in ANH helmets.
Boots - would have to see them up close
Armor overall - looks like you'd need to trim the edges down on a lot of pieces. Like the bottom of the cod and the sides of the chest.

I'd say you need a new chest, back, shoulder bells; maybe ab/cod, maybe kidney, hand plates, maybe helmet. Need some better close ups of the arms and legs, belt, and TD.

Where did you post over on FISD? I don't recall seeing your thread.

I know this sounds like a lot, but that's what the folks at the 501st mean by it'll take a lot of work to make a Rubies costume acceptable.

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Thanks for the awesome feedback, much appreciated.
One of my posts was here:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/32532-greetings/

I can't find the other one now.

I'm definitely ditching the helmet, I just really don't like it and I ordered a new one. I totally agree on all of the mods, but I think I'll go back to FISD, and see if anyone can help me find a midsection (Chest plate-belt/cod-piece & all back parts) for an ANH setup. That's my most economically feasible option. I just have to make all my purchases a covert operation. If the wife sees any more boxes coming to me, I'm dead meat. :)

Chills
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Chills »

Gotcha, can't let the wife be mad at ya! I checked your post, and you put it in the Newbie forum. That's probably why you didn't get too many suggestions. If you post it under Hard Armor and post a LOT of pics, like the ones here, you'll get a lot more suggestions. Likely a few that I missed, too.

If your main goal is affordability, then I would suggest contacting ATA. He can send over replacement armor, however being the most affordable TK armor out there means there's a bit of a waiting list.

So basically you're looking to replace everything but the biceps/forearms and legs. I'd need some more closeups of them to tell you if they would pass, though. Since you're going for ANH you'll have to get new hand plates, too.

If you're ok with waiting may I suggest looking into Anovos armor? It's even less than ATA, and you can get a whole suit.

BTW, after I read my post it kinda sounded like I was tearing your armor apart; I hoped you didn't take it that way.

I'm sure you've looked through a lot of the build threads, but here's my Centurion application thread as a reference. :thumbs:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/3 ... ntry421805

hitman
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by hitman »

Like Chills, I hope my post didn't come off as harsh. If it did please accept my most sincere apologies. :oops:

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

No I really don't think anyone came across harsh at all, I was hoping that I'd get nit-picking feedback on this armor in detail, so the feedback was truly awesome.
I'm a huge Stormtrooper/STARWARS nut and a perfectionist, so I'm naturally driven to take your direction on that. The Rubies is workable but after seeing some of these others that are so awesome, I see where they fall short.
I'll contact ANOVOS because they look about the best I've seen and see if they can just send me a midsection kit. I really think I can make mods on the arms and legs to make them work, but I'll post pics here and there of those parts I have left and see. I'm going to just use this armor has a "tide me over" until I can something more legit.

I'm ordering this helmet tomorrow, does it look good?

http://www.amazon.com/EFX-Star-Stormtro ... B005J35PG2

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

WOAH! Just got a closer look at ANOVOS!
http://www.anovos.com/products/star-war ... -pre-order


Thanks for the reference.
If it's still around $1,600 for THAT whole ensemble, I'm gonna get that when I get my tax returns, see if I can have it shipped to work and then slip it in under the wire. The wife will never know and I can sell off this Rubies or just take my time an keep modding for an ROTJ. ANOVOS looks ten times more awesome than the Rubies could hope to be. It's totally ANH all, the way, top notch. I'll sell one of my Gibson Les Pauls if I have to. Life is short and I want THAT one.

Thanks again. You guys rock.

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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by hitman »

meekerscott wrote:WOAH! Just got a closer look at ANOVOS!
http://www.anovos.com/products/star-war ... -pre-order


Thanks for the reference.
If it's still around $1,600 for THAT whole ensemble, I'm gonna get that when I get my tax returns, see if I can have it shipped to work and then slip it in under the wire. The wife will never know and I can sell off this Rubies or just take my time an keep modding for an ROTJ. ANOVOS looks ten times more awesome than the Rubies could hope to be. It's totally ANH all, the way, top notch. I'll sell one of my Gibson Les Pauls if I have to. Life is short and I want THAT one.

Thanks again. You guys rock.
The $1600 if for a fully assembled kit. It is a lot cheaper for the tk in kit form with assembled helmet.

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

This is true. I'm thinking that $1000 cheaper (total around $700), would be sweet. But then I'm stuck with the kits which might be molded sheets with all the cutting needed. And don't get me wrong, I'd much rather learn the ropes and build from a kit, because that $1000 extra to Anovos is to build something for me, and that's a lot of $$$ for that effort. . SO if it's a bunch of molded sheets, I may not be able to explain that to the boss (wife). She's already ticked at me for buying the Rubies, and then with me being unsatisfied with it.
You see how crazy I have to spend to keep myself out of trouble? I know it sounds like I'm a "yes-dear putz."

By the way, check out this Japanese pressing I bought at a rummage sale for Empire Strikes back. The Japanese characters translate as "STAR WARS - EMPIRE COUNTERSTRIKE."
ESB_JAPANESE.jpg
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Chills
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Chills »

I would steer clear of that EFX helmet on Amazon. If you put it up next to an AP or TM helmet you'll see where if falls short.

I totally understand you wanting to balance keeping the wife happy but also having a nice suit of TK armor. However, I think you have to do the "pull the band-aid quickly" thing here. Buy a good, full suit, and try to sell the Rubies on eBay. Admit to making a mistake with the Rubies (being contrite usually helps with an angry spouse) then deal with your cranky wife for a short time, and then she'll get past it. :oops: :evil: :cry: :thumbs:

If you are a TK fan you'll want to have true TK armor. You don't want to half-@ss it. If you do, then every time you put on your Frankenstein armor you'll sigh and wish you had a really good set. This is especially true if you end up trooper with us (which I'm sure you will). There are some really great looking sets of armor in this Garrison.

As for the $1k difference, I would highly recommend getting the unassembled kit and building it yourself. There's nothing like the satisfaction of making a set of TK armor. Plus, it'll fit better to your body this way; and when you need to make repairs you'll know the armor intimately. There are plenty of us around who will be happy to help you with advice and tips. Plus you save a ton of money.

meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Thanks Chills, that's the best advice I have gotten so far.
I'm taking it. I'm going to get the Anovos kit and work with it. I agree, that's the only way to get it to form-fit the best.

Also, you're right, she'll get over it, but I better take her somewhere nice for dinner and a movie first before I tell her what I have planned.
That Anovos gear has me seriously drooling.

Also, just got done looking at a youtube video where the review on that EFX helmet wasn't so great. I have to pull back from the "I want it now" syndrome, take a few steps back and go for the REAL quality.

Chills
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Chills »

No problem, I'm glad I could help out. Believe it or not everyone here starts where you are now; none of us started with a full set of perfect armor that fit us. ;) This is a great Garrison and the folks are always willing to help each other out.

I think you're making the right decision, in the long run. You'll be using that armor for years and years, so once you get past the initial investment things get easier (one thing to tell the wifey).

Dinner/movie is a good idea; maybe some earrings, too. But not Star Wars earrings. LOL

One of the hardest parts of starting out in this hobby is the waiting; for the armor, the soft parts, the blaster, etc. I know you really want the Anovos set right now, but since you're going this route check out ATA and AP armor. The wait might be shorter.

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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by Sakic Jade »

Welcome sir. I'm glad to see that you are making the choice to go Anovos. You will be happy with the results. We look forward to Meeting you and trooping with you soon
"The choices of one shape the futures of all."

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meekerscott
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Re: Greetings - Need help modifying

Post by meekerscott »

Thanks guys. I was going to go TM, [extremely impressive work!!!!] but was too expensive to get "permission for" and the ANOVOS completed helmet and kit is really looking like it'll get me in. Besides, The ANOVOS didn't cost me any new money. I sold my Rubies Darth Vader costume, two Star Trek Landing Party costumes and props, and a boatload of what I think is "worthless" Star Wars junk....it's out there.
You're right too, it's hard to wait, but with my keeping the Rubies armor (literally gave the helmet away), I can practice with adhesives, trimming...ect. I gotta show you my progress, it's actually taking a lot of work, but it is shaping up.
Besides, John Q. Public will love it for Halloween.

I did go with the EFX (not "FX") helmet just to hold me over until I the ANOVOS arrives this Winter. I painted my modified armor to match it and now it looks tons better.

I'm going to enjoy doing charity work for Salvation Army and United Way with the "junker," but it's true, the ANOVOS will be the best, and my Armor for life.

That EFX helmet has a very tiny (but fixable) assembly line right at the snout connection, but it's almost negligible. I'm super-impressed. The Rubies helmet next to it looks like a white balloon that someone blew up and painted a Stormtrooper face on. I donated it to my best friend's art gallery. :)

Thanks again guys, you continue to rock.

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