SAND DEVIL

Dieter, Get use to Al brother, he has a wicked sense of humor. Love that man. Might have a 'man crush' on him. He is a good egg. Like you MEPD trade card too.

Neil, Forgot, LOVE the icom. Doesn't that make you sound like the man? Awesome.

@Al, dude, that is funny because I thought of the same thing. It has to be his mic. Funny though. @ Neil, nice build out of the gate brother! Mike (DO) will be with you soon to give you proper feedback. I thought the neckseal was huge too, but once your bucket is on, you look screen accurate to me. I wish mine was big, it might be more comfortable. What are your boots though? They look like the wrong type for deployment. Might cause you an issue. Either way, Mike's opinion is what is important brother. And either way, DANG YOU LOOK GOOD! Welcome to the pit.

Awesome David! Like Smally said, PICS, PICS, PICS. And Chris is right, we are all here to help. Don't just sit and stare at the armor and computer, ask questions. Good luck brother, we are rooting for you.

Congratulations on SWAT Brian! Well deserved brother.

Dieter, Beautiful build sir. Great job. Michael will give you some great perspectives on your build, not that I see any, but that's why he is the DO. Wow, right out of the park brother. BTW, thanks for your service too. Sand Devil

Well don't 'think about it' Nick, just decide you need one......hehehe. Details soon sir. Thanks for the interest.

OK Brad, I hear you. I am finishing up the 10 I already committed to make for the 66ers and some private ones, then I will do a run interest. I need to create a better order form to make them user friendly to order. More information soon brother.

Created a custom figure for Steve (TD-8359) and dedicated it to his son for Christmas. I got permission from Steve to share the pictures. Hope he is proud of his dad, my first TD brother on the MEPD.

Oh My Gosh! Just got my new iCom, Aker Amp and Wireless Mic for my bucket. Wife got it for me for Christmas. Let me tell you, THIS is the wife I was looking for! Love this woman who puts up with my crazy obsession. Oh, and the system from TK Products is way more than I could have hopped. Sound is so loud (Aker MR1506), I have to keep it on level 2. Nice fit in the armor. Great sound. Great static burst. Just wow!. Here is how I am mounting. Keeps my chest plate down too. This is just tapped in, because I just had to try it out. Much more professional things to come when done...Thank you Jim (TK-6294) for helping your brothers and sisters out with such a great item. Only critique I have is that I hope you figure out a way to adjust the static burst as it compares to the voice. Bursts are loud compared to my voice. But it is not a hinderance at all. Seriously an awesome accessory if you can afford one, you have to get one. I can now take my bucket off and still be ready to go without a bunch of wires to play with. And the PTT (Push to Talk) cable is amazing too. Fits in the glove and when I get armor bite, and yell things kids don't want/need to hear, nobody hears me. And for the record, I have no affiliation with Kim or TK Products, just a love of the man's ingenuity.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year troops!

That is AWESOME Rob! Thanks for sharing. Love the dance brother.

OK, so my son's Boba Fett is done now. Custom head made and bucket in hand:

Thanks team. The TKs had E-11s in their holsters. I tried to go cannon and didn't have a holster. I had my E-11 in my armor tote, but at the last second the GL decided we had to have them holstered or leave in the change room. So no big guns or E-11 for this Sandtrooper. . So far I have been told on two troops that I can't take my E-11, due to public concern (one before that horrible day last Friday in Connecticut, and one after). Getting worried it will sit in the stand forever. Mike, that is an awesome idea about the rod and binoculars. Any now I have two new projects to build. Thanks for the idea. I will have to look at Rick the boss man's post on how he did his (sweet). Thanks about the armor comments. It was interesting to be the newest member and only one anywhere near cannon. Interesting to hear my garrison brothers talk about not liking cannon, and gaff tape and missing bucket teeth screens, and, and, and.... But that's what my brothers and sisters here at the MEPD are for. They understand me. The clown was trying to pay us to do some gigs for his company, so we arrested him. Anyway, it was about the kids and not me showing off armor or an E-11.

Just completed a great troop (my first official) with the Neon City Garrison last night. Ever see a bunch of middle age men, not in shape, in under armor in one room? Some things you just can't unsee. Burned into my brain. However, when we were suited up, we looked good. I was the only TD, easy to see. These kids put everything into perspective. Life can always be more challenging than you think. One kid grabbed my chest plate with both hands and pulled me down to ask, "where is Commander Rex?". "He is on special assignment on the new Death Star" I said. He was content after a picture. Another boy asked which trooper I was and wished me a merry Christmas, all in Spanish. I was excited I could talk to him and he was too. Feliz Navidad little man. Made my night. Rosetta Stone, here I come, for a re-fresher. Wow, I never realized how incredible these kids are. They were the stars in my opinion. I have a lot of pictures that will make it into my personal collection, the two boys and high five of a beautiful little girl, but to respect the kids, I did not post them here. Today I feel VERY humbled to be a part of such a great organization...

Scott, Welcome to the sand pit brother. Great build and glad to have you part of the team. New guy gets to clean the bantha stalls! Yes, maybe the boss will take me off it now. Seriously, welcome aboard. What a great Christmas present.

Scott, Keep up the good work and let us know if you have any questions, we are all here to help. Steps closer to deployment sir.

Vince, That is awesome! My parents and their two Yorkies are visiting for Christmas. Just showed them this and they can't stop laughing. And they thought we were all hard plastic...

Al, Congrats brother. Let's get a drink in the cantina now. Great job and glad you are done with this long road. Nice build too. Talk soon brother. Let's go get some Jawas now...

OK, so here is my son's Christmas present. Wants to be Boba Fett for 501st when he turns 18. I will have to update when the custom head I had done of him is done (before Christmas). But I was so excited about the card and coin, I had to share. He keeps asking me if I am ever going to do a Fett....Hehehe, little does he know. Overall, not glued. Helmet in hand. Bounty Hunter Guild black coin. Notice the reflection in his helmet? Han Solo in carbonite (or is it carbonate?). Not my artwork, just my Photoshop. Used his DOB and Christmas date since he is not 501st yet.

Classic! Thanks for sharing Brian. Well done.

R&R? Not sure if that is good or bad....Boba Fett (son for Christmas) almost done, and it looks better than mine. Pics very soon.

Nice job. I paint mine and put dirt on them. I like your idea of the sand paper. Thanks for sharing.

@ Gordonator & Juan, of course I had to take off the rebels and add our command staff brother. @ Juan, would love to do them, but don't want to take over Walt's project. @ Jason, I purchased a figure and used the card for thickness when I attached my photo paper. I also used the bubble because they are custom molded to the figure. It takes some time to get the glue off, but when done and glued the hazy look disappears. I will post more pics of that. The one above was not glues yet, it is now. I use E6000 because it clears up the old bubble and dries clear. I will see if I can locate Walt's video. It is on Youtube. If I can relocate, I will post it here.

Walt didn't make it, I did. I used his idea and post to help. Idea and assistance on 'how to' belong to Walt. I took apart a 30th and clean TD, cut off belt boxes and E-11 holster, painted, weathered, added pauldron sticker spot, and chest blast. Then scanned the card (front and back) into the computer, used Photoshop to clean up and add my details. I very carefully cut the gold 'Star Wars' off a card and re-glued it to mine. Used photo paper to print cards, front back and bottom bubble. I used the coin it came with and then did the same Photoshop work on an MEPD coin picture from 501st. I had to glue it on the plastic one. Tried to locate a real one, but couldn't. Now that the whole thing is put together and in a protective Star Wars bubble.......IT IS AWESOME! Hanging in my son's room with the other 30th figures (over a hundred). The Photoshop and bubble removal took the longest, literally about 16 hours. Next ones will be easier now that I have templates and can just change pictures, background etc. Next project is a custom head I had made of my son (very detailed and looks just like him) and adding it to a Fett one for him. I will have it with bucket off and holding in his hands. He wants to be a Fett (trying to convince him TD is better). I will add pics soon. It is for Christmas, so it has to be done soon. I reached out to Walt to see if I could help do a run, but haven't gotten a response yet. I know he is swamped and he had some sick family too. Don't want to step on toes. Just having fun with it.