troopermaster

Nice to see you started a build thread, Daniel. Let's see some new photos of your progress

You're welcome I use enamel paints. I'm not sure how well acrylic paint holds up. I believe it is water-based and enamel is oil-based, so the acrylic would seem a weaker paint to me, but I have never used them so I cannot comment on how durable acrylic paint is.

I use Humbrol #221 on my screen accurate builds but use #14 for most of the 501st builds. A decent modelling paint brush with long, thin hairs are best for the pin stripes and tube stripes. I can check to see which size I use but as with most brushes I buy, I usually trim them down a bit. All the armour in the LFL archives will have been touched up at some point in time. They would have been used on many occasions in the late 70's/early 80's and repairs and repainting would have done to the armour. You can see on some of the original helmets that are in the archives that they have the paint touched up, and they would have done the same thing with the buttons too.

Matt or satin blue on the tube stripes, definitely not gloss. Gloss grey and black everywhere else. Mic tips are matt black.

Any black marks are probably just that - marks. Here you can see Mark Hamill's buttons. They clearly have not been repainted or touched up, and have the correct gloss grey and matt blue paint, same as on the helmet.

I don't think the ANH buttons were ever painted black. I think what you see in the photo is the buttons have been repainted/touched up, so either a different shade of blue and grey or just fresh paint. I like your attention to detail though

Hi Andrew, No paint on any of the visible snaps. Paint is applied to the rivets on the left hip (kidney-abdomen) and the rivets holding the knee ammo strap to the thighs. I use gloss white but any white will do really. Only use elastic for the straps inside your armour - not webbing as it does not stretch and can pop snaps, not to mention make the armour uncomfortable to wear. I don't think you ordered a strapping kit, did you?

Another 501st oddity I would have to disagree with but I don't make the rules up. I find it really strange that rivets are required on the left hand side of the abdomen and kidney because they are part of the original strapping, yet it's okay to ignore all the screws in the torso that are also part of the original strapping. Either go original or go snaps.

I don't know what the rules are for TD levels but the screws are not required for TK Centurion. The screws are part of the original strapping system so in my opinion, if they are required for the chest plate then they should be all over the torso to match.

Here are a couple of photos from behind the scenes of the Special Edition that might be of interest to you guys.

If your kidney plate doesn't protrude past your butt plate, don't cut the notch out. The idea of the notch that is moulded into the original armour is so it lines up with your butt plate. Cutting the notch into a kidney plate that is the length size as your butt plate just looks odd.

I have a close up photo of the boots used and they were the original ANH 'Stuart' boots with black soles. The photo is on my old hard drive, unfortunately, and I have no idea where it is at the moment. Also, I don't think the armour used was original ROTJ. I would guess they were suits made after ROTJ with the flexible shoulder straps riveted on. The main reason I don't think they are ROTJ (but definitely ROTJ based tour suits) is one of the left thighs has the distinctive ANH shape = something I have never seen on any ROTJ based armour. Look at the guy 2nd from left. Regarding the ab buttons, it looks as though just the middle buttons were painted.

How can that be possible? None of the ANH armour was used in the making of the SE. I would love to see proof of this if you have it?

That's true, but they are regular ANH troopers whichever way you look at it. Everyone knows that when you refer to a Special Edition Sandtrooper, you mean the newly added troopers that wear ROTJ armour. There should be no discussion about using regular ANH armour in my opinion.

Special Edition troopers wear ROTJ armour. If you are replicating this version of trooper then you should wear ROTJ armour. It's pretty simple really. There is no point going SE otherwise, just stay ANH.

If you guys need ROTJ armour to make the SE troopers, just let me know

Hi Roger, I pop in from time to time. I like to see what my sandy brothers are up to

I have more accurate knee plates available for less.

I would say the main top flap is simply pulled over the pocket not cut off. If the top half of the pack is empty the flap will pull down. I have one of these packs and know it can be done.

You need three longer brackets for the chest to overlap the abdomen. I personally would get the proper brackets from Mr. No Stripes or fabricate your own.

Guys, I am having issues with my Facebook account again so please use the forums or my email - troopermaster421@gmail.com if you want to get in touch about anything. Thanks, Paul.

Put the screws through the face of the armour if you do not have any or little return edge to fix the brackets to. This is very common on the movie suits.

The glue is applied to the lower half of the diamond and that's it. I think I know what you mean now but there is no need to go to that extent, in my opinion.

Of all the Sandtrooper kits I have built over the years I simply glued the plate directly to the shin. Is this 'wedge' a 501st thing?

Is this the helmet you are trying to emulate?