jedi5150

Done!

After getting fed-up with the old "CPU fans behind the frown" setup, I decided I wanted to figure out a better way to install fans in my helmet, and get some decent airflow in. I don't really recall seeing anyone else install fans this way, so I thought I'd share. I've done this on a MRCE bucket, and now on my CAP-W. It's great, because the fan gets some pretty decent airflow through the MIC tip. Forgive me if this is repetitive info. First, I removed the MIC tip, and dremeled out an area behind it (but smaller than it is) for the air to flow through: I then install a squirrel-cage style fan behind the hole. This way, the fan will pull cool air from outside the helmet directly in. I had an extra MIC tip kicking around so I used it (in case I destroyed it). I drilled it out so it's hollow, leaving a slight ridge to glue the screen to - like such: After painting the MIC tip and installing the screen, I glue it back into the helmet, making sure to not get any glue into the fan: Now, the fan can pull cool air through the MIC tip and into the helmet. I get a LOT more airflow this way, and there's more room for the fan in this location anyway>

That's a helluva vacform setup he's got there. Must be nice... Is it just me, or did the plastic he vacformed the helmet out of seem REALLY thin?

definately interested in this topic! My 17 year old son has one of these helmets that he wants to mod out like this!

"Old School" bands like Pearl Jam??? Man, if they're Old School, then I'm ancient!

Sure thing! I used the Woodland Scenics "Earth Blend" turf. I bought it at my local hobbytown USA. http://www.hobbytown.com/Shop/vegetation/blended-turf-earth One bag looks like plenty to do a full set of armor. One thing, I noticed a hint of green particles in it, you may want to go with just "earth" instead of "earth blend", although my local shop didn't have a large bag of it. I just dusted it on where I wanted it (it's a ground foam type product) then "glued" it to my armor with hair spray. I thought it looked too wide as well. It's what came with the kit. Anybody have a link to the accurate stuff?

Thanks guys! The weathering is a combination of craft paint and model railroad "dirt". First time I've used the model railroad dirt for this (I used to dabble in model railroading so I've used it there)... I must say I like the result. Now to add it to the rest of my armor!

Nope, warped the helmet plastic, thus the slight "baggy" look under the left eye. Yeah, I'm actually going to have my wife do the black line around the ear piece, she has a much steadier hand than I do. And I'm not happy with the vocoder area, gonna try to clean it up. Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming!

Got this kit in a trade, just finished weathering it and installing fans and padding tonight. It's now troop-ready! I screwed up when I glued the left lense in (right as looking at the helmet), the glue was too hot and warped the plastic. Anyway, I think it's a great upgrade from my MRCE lid!

Total child of the 80's here. Def Leppard, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi are my favorites, with Queensryche, Boston, Great White, Whitesnake, etc. I also have an afinity for Huey Lewis and the News. I also really enjoy listening to the Star Wars soundtracks (as well as other Williams works), and LOVE Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well.

Hey gang! I was on "costumes and props" duty in the 501st room when y'all came and did the pics in there. I whipped out the camera and snapped a few: Everybody looked great!

I'll be sure to get lots of pics at CV. That is... if I can keep from vomiting long enough to take them! That thing just looks terrible!

I've tried to use cafepress.com for shirts before, and every time, I get an email saying that my products have been "suspended" until I can prove I have the right to use the copyrighted / trademarked items in the designs (IE Vader, Stormtroopers, etc). I even emailed them and explained who we are and what we do, and included a copy of our LFL disclaimer... no dice. I'm looking into a place called shirtmagic.com. They'll do digital printing with no minimum order, and no per-color charges. A bit more money, but it'd be nice to be able to order shirts on a onesie-twosie basis. They also do traditional screen-printing as well as embroidery.

I'll be there! Still debating on taking armor, I either have to ship it from Idaho or check it on the plane... neither option fills me with excitement.

Hi all, So I decided I'm going for deployment this year. I need to do the canvas belt and shoulder straps, and 3 buttons on the ab plate. But I'm wondering what upgrades I need to do to my pack for it to be deployment-worthy. Here are a couple pics: The main boxes are some actual seed trays I found locally. My wife got the radio for me for Christmas. The hamburger stackers are real, and the radar dish is a resin-cast of a real tupperware lid. It's a PVC frame I built following the tutorial here. Wet-wipes bottles and small plastic dollar-store bowls make up the canisters. Thanks for your input!

I'll check "the shack" for the knobs. I'll have to dig around to see if I can find some switches. My awesome wife had someone build a radio for me as a Christmas gift, and it's TONS better than my previous scratch-built attempt. I'd just like to upgrade it with more accurate switches and knobs. Thanks Mike! -Doug

Has anybody located a source for these? Or does someone provide them in resin? I'd prefer working switches if possible.... Thanks! -Doug

Is anyone else having trouble viewing the gallery with Firefox? IE works fine, but with firefox I don't see any galleries.

I thought I had this before. Oh well... TD-1430 requesting access

I've been working on modifying my MR CE bucket. Here's what I've done so far: -Darkened lenses (used automotive tint on the inside) -Replaced tube stripes -Repainted teardrops and rear trapezoids -Dirt I still need to add the screws to the ears and replace the screen in the frown.

That pic doesn't look like a hasbro. It looks like they've changed their E-11, because I KNOW it used to be a vacuform of a Hasbro. You know... I have a cushman MG-34, and for what it is (and what I paid) I'm happy. IIRC they're designed to be "shells" for paintball guns, not museum-quality replicas. But I troop with mine because it looks pretty good (especially from a distance IE in a parade) and it's lighter than my E-11!

I've been eyeballing those things for years... I'd swear they've got to be a type of wirewound or ceramic resistor. On the mouse droid, the larger, shorter cylinders look like vacuum tube sockets. That's where the vacuum tubes (glass parts) would have been removed from. Grasping at what I remember of my analog/amplifier electronics training, it makes sense that there'd be a resistor alongside each tube. Here are a couple example pics of similar-looking resistors:

Thanks for the welcome and the compliments! Picked up the faucet cover for my bee stinger, then I'll move on to the knee and ab plate mods. Alas, kids' Halloween costumes take priority...

Howdy! Doug Atwood (TK1430) signing in here. I've been a TK with the Alpine Garrison (Mustafar Squad, S.E. Idaho) for 3 years and I've started the conversion process. I'm finishing up a scratch-built pack (waiting for some glue to dry as we speak), got the pauldron, ANH-style helmet, flat lenses, no lines, accurate pouches, no drop boxes, MG-34, dirt, etc etc. Just gotta do the ab plate mod and knee plate. I've been lurking for a few weeks gleaning pack info, and I thought it was time I introduced myself. Thanks for all the great info here, I'm so excited to complete my journey to the dirty side! Here's a (crappy) recent pic, before I changed the canisters out for accurately-sized ones and finished the pack. I didn't even realize I'd forgotten to put my neckseal on until I'd uploaded the pic (d'oh!): -Doug