Chaos

I used a belt and loop at first and moved to using suspenders now. I only use the two straps and placed the snaps on the upper inside front of the thighs. I have Jim's kit and it works good for me. Also strictly a personal preference but I would go with heavy duty elastic for the down straps. It flexes with your leg movements and pulls the thighs right back into place. Belt Suspenders

Chris, I think your question was answered. Currently the only "official trooping" weapons are listed in the CRL. If you go to a non-official event you can carry whatever you want. Until someone petitions/works on (this could be you) a change to the CRL with the required 3 references the current CRL applies. I get what you are saying about Spec Ops and various weapons, but when we troop "Official" events we must represent what the general public sees in movies, books, comics etc., the CRL was built based upon what was published at the time. Like it was mentioned earlier Battlefront 2 may provide more weapons for Shadow Troopers to use, but until the references are made and the CRL updated we are stuck with what we have.

Agreed on he bunching. Some people have turned their shirts inside out and sew a seam along the existing seam to tighten up the fit. Looking good!

Awesome job Dylan. I too went with Jim's kit. Sent you a PM

Start an Imgur account its free and easy to use here

Jim Tripon on Facebook or jimmiroquai on this Forum. He also has his build thread in the Death Trooper sub-forums.

Great news about your progress! Slow and steady when you start painting follow the instructions and give it time to cure.

Stay with it. Glad to hear that there is progress.

Congrats, looks great!

I know Tom Campbell posted some videos on Facebook. Look in the https://www.facebook.com/groups/DeathTroopersBG/ Also look in the Death Trooper section of this forum. There are a lot of WIP topics.

Glad to hear you are making progress

Same here. I have Jim's under-suit and armor kit. I love it!

Congrats on your approval! Looks great.

Steve you know how people are. There is a "discussion going on over on one of the FB pages about the scheme. Wish they would understand that this CRL is still in it's infant stage and was made for "basic approval" so we could get out there and "do good things in the name of the Empire!" Level 2 and "screen accurate" details will trickle out in due time. Patience is a virtue.

I would think that the "metallic black" asymmetric coloring would be a Level 2 detail as the screen armor was painted that way to provide "theatrical/lighting definition" for the details in the armor, just like Vader's face piece. If that is the case then "yes" there should be a schematic posted. I have seen some people painting their "asymmetric panels" on their helmets and body pieces Matte Black. There is no mention in the CRL of Matte Black, only of Matte Silver in the groves of the body and limb pieces.

I'm thinking about making a few more of these and curious what folks think a reasonable price would be?

Made some more progress today. I managed to finish up the rig's strapping and the grenade straps. (I'll post the grenade straps after the strapping later tonight if I can.)

I decided to go ahead and at least start posting my steps. As you can see from the above pictures I have already sewn the pouches and just need to add/attach the straps and buckles etc., if I have missed a step or you have a question about something I will try and answer it as soon as I can. Death Trooper Specialist Chest Rig Materials List: NOTE/DISCLAIMER: hyper-links are not an endorsement or sole source of supply for each item. I only included the link as a visual reference. Check your local Hardware/Craft stores for availability. If I missed an item I will add it to the list and make a note as I complete this project 2 yards of rhino canvas (black) or similar fabric https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Canvas-Black-Fabric-Yard/dp/B003HANA4I 4x 1x 1/2†metal rectangular loops (black) http://www.strapworks.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ML&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnubLBRC_ARIsAASsNNnKNE4g1aC494bBUKVvYgucaPZFZPVjYJQHeBbRN5GQCXmy-4OP1-caAtkNEALw_wcB 2x US Army military web belt and buckles https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/wip03/item/10008184/ 4 feet of 1†heavy-duty black elastic http://www.joann.com/stretchrite-braided-elastic-black/1187715.html#prefn1=size&prefv1=1''&start=1 or nylon webbing http://www.strapworks.com/ProductDetails.asp? ProductCode=MFNW1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwevLBRCGARIsAKnAJvefaLDVVblrVf-__gBA0DSdLm3TxwsUXf8FZebNc1Aq3LcvLP-SFz8aAsdhEALw_wcB 1 slide clip http://www.strapworks.com/Plastic_Slides_p/ps.htm://www.strapworks.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SRBDA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwevLBRCGARIsAKnAJvfvi8tDwGLcdBaGmMqchrljxnkjcKxIo0GRbJfS-xDGXcXQShtmswIaAsvlEALw_wcB 3 yards of 2†Velcro hook and loop (non-adhesive type) https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-14560/Hook-&-Loop-Tape/Sew-on-Strips-Loop-Black-2-x-75?pricode=WB0743&gadtype=pla&id=S-14560&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwevLBRCGARIsAKnAJvf4nxzwETqCb6yaEO0oDzKB0MRq4Huf5NChWg1NQU-UG8-0ZUKq1DYaAs9JEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 1 can of Dupli-Color Fabric and Vinyl Spray Paint https://duplicolor.com/product/vinyl-and-fabric-coating 1 spool of industrial/heavy-duty black nylon or cotton sewing thread. Sewing machine / straight pins Patience And any other thing you think you might need. To mark my cut and seam lines I use a Silver Sharpie and once finished I'll give the chest rig 2-3 light coats to cover up any remaining markings. You can skip this step and not spray the rig if you use a small piece of a used dried bar of soap. This is a work in progress and I will post additional steps as I complete them. You can use the original post photo as reference. More to follow.

1) What was your first 501st build project? I built a Shadow Stormtrooper (Blackhole Trooper) 2) What specific aspect(s) of the build posed unexpected difficulties? Due to funding and sizing issues, I bought pieces and parts from various vendors. Most were brand new, but there were some pieces that were used and in need of repair. In hind sight, this helped me in future builds. I went thru a “trial and error†phase when building and repairing pieces for the build which made future repairs to my armor less stressful and more successful. Bondo, E6K, and sandpaper were my best friends. At some points during my build I had to fabricate a few parts to meet CRL requirements. All in all, it was the perfect environment to learn a lot about fabrication/modifications and painting techniques as I had to paint my entire armor to ensure that I had that matching high gloss black shine necessary for a Shadow Trooper. 3) Who/what were your most valuable sources of information utilized during your build? I used this forum, the 501st forum and several Facebook Groups (do a search in Facebook for Death Trooper and it will bring up all the groups. Google and YouTube will also be great tools for your toolbox. 4) What are some common pitfalls that newcomers such as myself often fall prey to when beginning their first build? Most people don't do enough research before starting and during their build. It is imperative that you thoroughly know the CRL (as Andrew mentioned) and what type of material you are working with. Biggest mistake after the research is that people get in a hurry. Take your time and be patient! Measure twice three times, cut once! Never Give Up! There is always someone who is where you are at in a build and will have ideas and advice to help with your issues. 5) What would you do differently about your first build, knowing what you know now? I probably would have saved longer and did more research before I pulled the trigger on buying my armor and helmet and bought my kit and helmet from a single vendor. Like I said earlier, in hind sight, my path actually helped me out, but it was frustrating at times. 6) (Optional) Anything in particular about a R1 DT build that I should cognizant of in terms of complexity, fabrication, acquisition, etc? Since I have nothing to compare it to, I have no idea if this is a challenging first build or not. There are three or four (maybe more) DT vendors, each one's kits have their advantages and disadvantages. For instance, some of the 3D print vendors can tailor your pieces to your body size. Others have a more flexible material which withstands more abuse and is very forgiving if you make a mistake with a cut etc. Same with the helmet, soft parts, weapons etc. Do your research of these vendors, almost all meet CRL requirements but as with the armor each have minor differences. Price ranges vary as some charge more for their pieces because initially there were very few suppliers. As more people began supplying pieces and parts, prices became more reasonable. So, it's best to research and find the best product that meets your needs for the best price. I am handy at fabrication, so I ended up making/modifying a few of my accessories simply because of the high prices or unavailability of parts. I don't get into the debate over whose stuff is better because unless I had one of each vendor's kits to compare, it would be stupid for me to make that kind of statement. But I will tell you that I am happy with who/where I got my pieces and parts from and am very happy with my end results. Here is the info for my build: Armor and helmet – Jim Tripon Helmet electronics – Disney DT Voice changer mask (the larger one) and fans I made from Radio Shack bought components. Under suit and boot spats – Jim Tripon Specialist add on (covers for chest rig) – Jim Tripon Boots – Doc Martens Talib Gloves – Local outdoor/shooting supply store with modifications Weapons – Jerry Budde Weapons electronics – from a Hasbro blaster Specialist chest rig – I am making right now and will post my patterns and material list for others to use soon. Specialist MP 40 ammo pouch – I made/modified from a pattern I found on TK1336.com Welcome to Spec Ops and best of luck with your build.

The details on the sides are exactly 1.12 mm less in depth than the actual metal HK G3 magazines so I am not concerned about "softer" lines and the minor differences. As with helmets and armor with the DT minor differences are in every maker's kits. They actually weigh less than a 3D print by about 3 ounces once I pulled the internal springs out. For what they are intended for I'd say they are perfect for people who; have trouble getting real ones shipped due to local regulations, don't have access to a 3D printer, or refuse to pay ridiculous prices for a piece of plastic on top of shipping charges.

Sweet! Denis does a good job of packing, your kit should be good to go! Enjoy the snow!

I'll post up the patterns and supplies I used and how I put the pieces together. I don't think I'd have the time to make them to sell. I'll see how it goes. I should be able to post them up by the end of this weekend.

Mahalo

Been kinda busy and haven't worked much on my Specialist accessories. Working on the chest rig right now. They look pretty good. I need to sand down and fill the pellet fill holes.

Thanks. Its called rhino canvas. Pretty sturdy and easy to work with.