kaabous WIP first build

[furiosa[TX]]

Congrats Larry welcome to the 501st

[kaabous[TX]]

Well, I have my first few troops in and I have learned a lot. I have significantly changed how I secure much of the soft armor and I have tightened up my build quite a bit. I actually feel like I can move around and not be worried about things being out of place!

 

I also added a weapon a bit more fitting a Spec Ops trooper!

 

 

Next up is some more comfort related upgrades and improved pouches.

 

One question. The TB in that pic has an MC bucket. Seeing it up close it is clear how superior it is to the SC. I have been talking to Spike about his helmet as well. Have any of you seen both of them in person (MC and Altmann)? What are pros and cons of each? I am leaning toward going with Spike's, but I want to be sure because this the last money I want to drop on this kit for a while (too many other projects going right now...).

 

I know Chef does a great bucket too, but I am looking for a pre-assembled bucket at this point because my time is going into my next kit:)

[retrofire[501st]]

Obtaining a MC helmet is iffy at best. MC has a bad reputation for taking forever to deliver and sometimes not at all. There's an ongoing thread over on the 501st forum about that. I would go with either an Altmann's or a Chef. I have both and quite frankly I love them both. Spikes comes fully assembled and for extra cost Chef can assemble yours as well. It all comes down to checking the costs and delivery time but you can't go wrong with either.

[kaabous[TX]]

Thanks Peter. Being new I am still learning as lot. Even though I knew the SC kit was more of a budget kit, good quality but on the lower end, I surprised how much better the MC helmet is. I knew there have been problems with getting MC gear and I think the helmet I saw was purchased second hand. If Chef or Spike are even close to that I will be more than happy. Plus theirs are ABS versus fiberglass, which I imagine will match better to my ABS armor. If I am going to spend the money to upgrade the helmet, I just want it to be "worth it" since my current one is fine for trooping.

 

Are there any major differences between Chef's and an Altmann? My head isn't that big, around 24.5", so the SC just fits but I don't need a melon bucket either. How is the closure on Chef's? That was one of the big upgrades I saw in the MC (other than the general quality of the sculpt and tight fit tolerances), the faceplate snaps into place securely, but still has free movement to go up. My SC faceplate can shift a bit if I move a lot. I have been considering adding magnets to keep it closed.

[retrofire[501st]]

Either lid will work fine. The Chef lid is a bit tighter than my ALT but not by much. You can raise the visors on both but I rarely, if ever, do. Being here in Phoenix it's just cooler to remove my lid instead of raising the visor. There are rare times during troops when I'll raise it if a kid is upset at the armor so they see it's a person. If that's your intent then I would recommend putting a little extra work in to the visor bolts (lockwashers, washers, and good nuts) on the front end to help with a smooth opening and keeping it raised. Both face plates sit fine and I have Velcro on the inside edges to keep them closed. I think both sculpts look good and I'm happy with them. A good basis of comparison would be to check out RS Props. They did a very short run of LFL accurate Scout buckets so that's the closest you'll get to the real thing other than screen caps or images from the costume books.

 

If you have someone in your Garrison that has a MC give it a try and see how it fits on you. If you like it and can find one second hand that would be the way to go but beware of ordering one. Both Chef and Steve are active in the forums and have good customer service so if something goes wrong you have alternatives.

 

I'm still in the middle of assembling my Chef helmet so I don't have any good pics of it to share yet but here is my ALT Scout.

 

I've replaced the Snout with one from a maker on Pathfinder.net as it was more accurate. Steve has since updated his sculpt to match the accuracy. The decals above the snout and fishhook were also replaced with a set from Trooperbay as I felt they fit better. Both makers are responsive to feedback and adjust their products according to it.

 

Hope this helps some. We have a whole sub-forum dedicated to the scout lid over at the Pathfinder forums might be worth checking out if you are still on the fence.