Darth Emphatic

Side straps are the quick and dirty way. The better way, as my armor is and I believe Jim's is too, is to connect the chest armor to the ab armor so it keeps it down and in place. The back can float.

On the eastbay subject, I was looking to replace my undersuit and went this route. They do a two for one sale all the time (right now I believe) so you can get out the door for top and pants for $30.

Looking good! Using hot glue for the snap plates? I am also a fan of webbing snap plates for tighter areas as it will conform more. Actually, I use webbing snap plates all over my armor, but that is just how I like to do it.

It is an interesting pauldron too. Just a bit different.

As long as he announces, "Autobots, roll out!" before he leaves for work then no problem

That is so pretty. I really want some of that tape for other uses.

I like the silver and black look, but those green highlights came out pretty awesome. Great work so far!

Permanently attaching the shoulder straps to the front armor would alleviate the issue with the velcro showing. That is how mine is. ABS glued in the front, float/snap in the back. You have to be careful with ABS glue though, tricky stuff and it fuses whatever plastic you put together there. The straps could probably come done a little bit more on the front chest armor if needed. This ANH Stunt, but you can see where the shoulder straps sit on the chest armor: Do you have straps on the sides connecting the chest to the back armor?

Make sure to watch for logo placement and how it is attached to the undersuit. If it will be covered by your armor, no big deal, but anything that might show will need to be removed and some methods those companies use are easier to remove than others.

ABS Cement is great stuff if you do not ever want the pieces coming apart...it literally fuses the two pieces of plastic together. I have used it in certain places, but very sparingly. E-6000 is absolutely your friend because you can get it off any plastic pieces with a little work and if you need to separate a piece later, an razor will do the job. I have never had a melting problem and I have trooped it in 105 degree weather (not recommended). As for the forearm to bicep, as Todd indicated, it will blend to your under suit.

Looking forward to it and congrats on the DL position. DL has to be one of the worst position in the legion...wait, to Jim hear that?

I rock a suspender rig, but you can also use the wedding to create a garter system for thighs. That keeps the weight off the other armor pieces.

Also, just checking on this, but make sure you are using industrial strength velcro. Your average velcro is much more likely to separate.

I have an AK helmet and for your question concerning padding, I would not worry about it. The padding is modular so you can cut out specific sections if you need room for something. I actually had to cut out certain sections to fit the shape of my head just right.

Definitely some work to be done, but a great start. I commented on your SCG thread.

Can't find one. I will see if I can dig my chest plate out of my case this weekend and take a pic. Whole thing needs to be polished anyway.

Great explanation, Chef.

Could be the type of inverter used cannot handle the serial (I am assuming you were doing a serial line) connection for the lights. How many battery packs were you using when in serial?

I have performed the return edge on my FX armor, in more then one place. It's a scary step to take as you need to trim first, make sure your trim is symmetrical, and then use a hobby iron to add the return edge, sand the return edge even and smooth since it is very difficult to get something perfectly even with the hobby iron. What I did to alleviate the lack of shine that everyone is talking about is to use some of the testor semi-gloss black paint and just paint the return edge. Looking at my armor you would never know and it maintains the same shine as the armor. I will see if I can dig up a picture of my chest armor return edge.

Same

Got to love the shiny, very nice work!

I love the work on the bucket, top notch!

Have this bucket. It is top notch. I wish he did his shrink wrap a little different, but the fact that he protects the bucket that way for shipping is just top notch.

That is one of the best 501st photo's I have seen!

I spit some water out at that one