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Seth Any chance he could make them slightly larger than your typical pauldron? I am actually thinking of getting a black one for a gunner chest plate, but the standard BMX ones look like baby bibs on me. How much more would it be to get one made say 25% bigger?

I would love to do this. Is there an online catalog of Dragon bodies/heads so that I can figure out which one looks most like me?

I'm with you bro I was pursuing a TD when a great deal for Vader parts landed in my lap. However due to several circumstances, I have now turned my TD parts into a Dengar, and my Vader is still sitting in a box about 80% completed My guess is you'll be back eventually. Feel free to stick around and help out.

Seth asked for people's opinions, and I completely got lost somewhere between page 2 and 3 but I would like to chime in. First of all, I am 501st, but do not have, nor do I have plans in the near future, to create a TD costume. I initially stumbled on this site, due to the closed-minded individuals in charge of the Blizzard Force Detachment, since I was in the process of assembling a TS costume. However due to the ugly double standard at the time (since rectified, yay!) I was unable to get information from fellow snowtroopers. Fortunately for me, I was not completely driven away from the 501st, because I found a very helpful crew of characters here who gave me advice and did not judge me because I wasn't assembling the latest TE armor. And I have come back many times for hints on weathering and accessories. Right now I am the dirtiest snowtrooper in the Legion I do not participate much here anymore, but I am active in the Legion and on other detachment boards. I will provide opinions to the newbies on weathering, etc. And I felt like I needed to add my comments here, perhaps from a slightly different standpoint. P.S. - I believe that only TD's should be permitted to wear pauldrons.

The one problem with Caboots are if you have big feet (distance between your heel and top of your foot), you will have a heck of a time getting the boots on. The upper portion of the boot only stretches so much. I could not get mine on, and had to resort to taking them to a cobbler to have zippers installed in the backs. What questions were you trying to ask caboots?

Radio Shack sells a tie-clip microphone that is powered. It's about $24 and I just bought one 2 months ago. Hands-Free Tie-Clip Omnidirectional Electret $24.99 Model: 33-3013 They have it online too.

As Yoda would say "To Tony and Chris you listen to...." If you are going for a unique effect on your armor, you are well on your way. However if you are looking to replicate the dirt and debris shown on the Stormtroopers on Tattooine, I'm afraid that is not going to cut it. Your paintjob does not look like dirt, it looks like you were going for a psychedelic effect and you kicked your bucket down the stairs. Either acrylic or tempera paints are the way to go, mix up with different earth tones to get some depth. Go as dirty or clean as you want, but put the spray paint away.

You've got the real things in Germany......

The battery boxes must've fallen off the back of the turnip truck Here's mine. I still have 2 or 3 more pieces to attach (excuse the messy shed/workshop in the background)

Are there any specific requirements for what should go into a Sandtrooper backpack. I've seen many variations on the homebuilt ones, and I was wondering if there was a list of "must-have" components in order to have a qualifying backpack. I guess this would go towards the Legion Costuming Requirements as well. Does the Detachment propose to itemize a list of what is required to make an acceptable TD/MEPD backpack? Is a radio box required? Is a "mortar tube" required? Are the two different colors (black and grayish/blue) required? These seem to be the most obvious components apart from the main boxes. How much leeway does one have? For instance, I am envisioning an antenna on the left side of mine, and would ultimately like to wire a strobe or LED light at the top of it for nighttime operations. Is this cool, or am I getting into the "expanded universe"/ non-canon territory?

I agree. It looks too "crisp". The edges shouldn't be so sharp. Try rubbing and buffing some areas with fine sandpaper to mix it up a bit. Everything but the rust colored paint looks OK, those streaks of brownish-red look like spraypaint and not dirt. I would consider using a different medium (paint) if I were you and I wouldn't worry so much about it rubbing off. Once you get the hang of it, it's quick and easy to touch up any worn off areas.

Maybe we should take this in a different direction. Encourage EVERYONE to wear a pauldron with their costume. I know it would look snappy with my snowtrooper (actually I considered it....). Rank is rank right? And to heck with what's shown on the screen....we wouldn't want to exclude anyone right? I guess my point is, there must be a reason that Sandtroopers were issued pauldrons, and that no other TK's in the OT wore them. Maybe the TD's on Tattoine were the last holdovers from the Clone Wars and they are a variation of the Clonetrooper/ARC Trooper pauldrons we saw in ROTS. It would be nice to go back to 1976 and see what Lucas was going for in his mind. Maybe it has NOTHING to do with rank. What is it is a solar collector to power their gear, or a water storage pouch mounted in an interesting location? All of these would look silly placed on a TK on the Death Star or roaming around Endor. For now all we have is speculation, and a lot of ret-conning by various sources, visual dictionaries, etc. trying to attach a nice cozy explanation to everything we see in the movies.

I thought spinners were so 2002 anyway. I hate it when your wheels cost more than the s-box car you put them on Agreed!!!

I think you are confusing two issues. Rubies costumes and helmets are being made and sold by a licensed Lucasfilm vendor. This has nothing to do whether these items are acceptable to wear as a member of the 501st costuming group as we/they set their own standards of acceptability. The fact something says LFL Approved does not give it carte blanche to be accepted here and 99% of the time it is not. The issue of TK's wearing pauldrons is not a licensing issue. It is merely a backdoor attempt to circumvent the standards set forth in the 501st Charter, namely that all costumes must be screen accurate. Since no one can provide a movie still from any of the 6 movies showing a TK (on the Death Star, Star Destroyer, Bespin or Endor) wearing a pauldron, the proponents are going to Step B, which is the basis for non-movie costumes, and seeking out other visual references to support their claim. If it can be shown in comics, books, etc. that standard stormtroopers also wore pauldrons on duty, then there would be sufficient basis to permit it. I agree it's a slippery slope, but it's also fair to other 501st/prospective members who wish to make an approved Darth Revan or Mara Jade costume, for example. Personally I think it looks silly to slap a pauldron on a clean TK. Kind of like putting spinner wheels on your car, I guess.

I lined it up with the screws first, but after I got all the pieces lined up (including the dome) I reinforced all the seams with "superglue" hot glue. I think screws alone will be a little weak to survive the abuse of trooping.

For the helmet start by attaching the front and back pieces with the ear covers. You may also want to attach the lenses. Put the dome on last.

MEPD - Speak Softly and Carry a Big Effin Gun MEPD - Short Native Creatures are mere target practice MEPD - We don't need to see YOUR identification Try to think of more later

I will try putting in some foam. I wear glasses too, but it ain't happening in this helmet. I must have a really big head or something. I can't imagine fitting into an ANH or TE helmet.

Hardhat liner I need to turn it sideways to fit over my melon, and once it's on the front of the bucket is almost touching the bridge of my nose.

I just finished putting my FX bucket together. Is it bad if my head barely fits in it?

How about on the pauldron? Or you can have an informal patch pauldron and keep one for formal events. I would like to see a TD Marksman patch, maybe with a silhouetted Jawa with his arms raised and a target on his chest.

That would be an accurate statement!! I need to put the "mouth grill", aerators and brow trim on so I am hoping that's why it looks goofy to me right now.

I painted up my new FX bucket today (instead of using the decals). Something doesn't look right however. Is the frown supposed to be the same grey as the teardrops and trapezoidal sections? I used a "medium grey" which is a little lighter grey than the decals, and I think it looks fine everywhere but the frown. Should I use a darker gray or even black? Also anyone have any tips on installing the mic tips? I have about 10 pieces here and I have no idea how they are supposed to go together.

What's a recommended donation, and is it a one-time thing, or will you need to cover recurring costs?

Has anyone weathered their armor using this method? What ratios of paint/water did you use? Were you pleased with the results? There was a post on RPF describing this method, but no details were given. I am ready to weather and need some help this way....