SandtrooperScout Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 So, I've come to that pivotal decision that many of us here make. Whether to continue "correcting" my FX kit, or upgrade to a new set. Well, believe it or not, the decision was helped along by the ol' wifey. She's all for me upgrading, since she'll take over my FX kit and join the ranks of the sandies herself. (Yeah, I've trained her well! ) The question now becomes this....which way do I go? AP? TE2? TM? I really dont have a clue. I have FX armor with an AP bucket, but beyond that, I'm armor clueless. So if anyone would feel like chiming in, or if any of these makers happen to be here, I'd love to hear from you, especially PM's regarding credits and such. I have the info on TM's armor, and of course I've heard nothing but good things about it. But I want to make sure I cover all the options you know. So what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyranus Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 First, can we work on a way to clone your wife? That's awesome. My wife hates SW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 First, can we work on a way to clone your wife? That's awesome. My wife hates SW. you should ask yourself the major question first! how much do you want to spend on just a helmet? there is a major price difference between TE and AP! i don´t know about the TM helmet, but don´t hesitate and ask him! my personal favorite is the TE2 (because of its screenused origin) followed by TM (last pictures posted here are looking absolutly great) and last the AP (at least when not thinking about money) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burt Landcaster Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 First, can we work on a way to clone your wife? That's awesome. My wife hates SW. you should ask yourself the major question first! how much do you want to spend on just a helmet? there is a major price difference between TE and AP! i don´t know about the TM helmet, but don´t hesitate and ask him! my personal favorite is the TE2 (because of its screenused origin) followed by TM (last pictures posted here are looking absolutly great) and last the AP (at least when not thinking about money) Last i talked to TM his price for a finished helmet was Great about the same price you would pay for a TE2 helmet kit. I would go with TM far sharper pulls then TE2, and it;s about ready just add stickers or paint! but if you want to put together your own helmet then go with TE2 but if you havent put together many TE helmets you might mess up a few times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I'd recommend TM 100%, but your size might be a factor. By most accounts, TE2 and AP are about 10-12% smaller than TM because of their lineage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noodle3 Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Now I'm only very new to all this, so please take that into account All. That said, there is a TE over at therpf thats just had a price drop, as an option! no other English brands have been mentioned which is good, because if you have a farm, you would have to sell it My money however is on TM all the way If your having any difficulty in choosing, Try Using the force & lastly does your wife have a sister thats single & similar in nature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Heh...firstly, yes she has a sister who however happens to be married. But, before you begin to mourn....she isnt of the same nature. Guess I've snagged me one of the good ones. And she can sew! Plus she likes to sew SW costumes, so I've got me a Jedi, an Imp officer...etc...but I digress. $750 for a TE suit is a crazy good deal, and if I had the money now , without having to rob it from my C4 fund, my decision would be sealed. However, sigh, this is something thats going to have to wait till after Celebration. But I figured I could do my "window shopping" now, and get a "brand" picked out. I've got the info on TM and AP now. It seems people think TM is the way to go, while AP is probably the most wallet friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4935 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 TE2 and AP are about 10-12% smaller than TM because of their lineage. Is it really that much? wouldn't that make TM about FX size? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 For sandtrooper I certainly like TE2. I'm not sure why it's considered "less" than TM. For myself it would be like comparing apples and oranges. Both are healthy and nutritious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Could someone PM me the info on TE2, or how to get in touch with them? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 TE2 and AP are about 10-12% smaller than TM because of their lineage. Is it really that much? wouldn't that make TM about FX size? Nowhere close to FX size, but closest to the original ANH suits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4935 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 i knew there was shrinkage in size of TE and AP from the original but i was under the impression that an FX lid was roughly 10% bigger than most ANH accurate lids on the market ergo if TM suits are roughly 10% bigger than TE2 or AP suits that would make it FX size. although to be honest alot of parts on an FX kit are well out of proportion anyway i.e. the legs are shorter and wider and the forearms and shins seem smaller. just wondering anyhow, no biggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gino Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Actually, the whole size degredation is way overrated. Usually by people who don't have a true understanding of materials and processes. Of all the suits out there, Paul's armor is the LEAST closest to the originals from an accuracy standpoint simply because it was scratch built. Whether or not certain ANH specific details are present or not is inconsequential. Nothing scratch built can be as close to a film used original as something that was taken directly from it. And yes, jedi armor comes from ANH with only slight mods to some areas. Way less than most people think. Accuracy is not always in the details. Shape, size, proportion, but most importantly, the inherent sculptural nuances (waves, warps, etc..) that are present in the original film used pieces, can never be replicated by hand. Not even by the most talented sculptors on the planet. People don't seem to understand that. I believe that is mostly because they are not artisans. Regardless, it is true. In regard to Paul's armor, great if you want something idealized. But to talk about it in terms of being the most accurate out there is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Someone put it to me this way: If you want as close to possible to what was used on screen, get TE2. If you want as close to possible to what the ideally the armor should have been (idealized), get TM. Would that be an accurate statement? It seems to jibe with what Gino is saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 i knew there was shrinkage in size of TE and AP from the original but i was under the impression that an FX lid was roughly 10% bigger than most ANH accurate lids on the market ergo if TM suits are roughly 10% bigger than TE2 or AP suits that would make it FX size. although to be honest alot of parts on an FX kit are well out of proportion anyway i.e. the legs are shorter and wider and the forearms and shins seem smaller. just wondering anyhow, no biggy If TE and AP armour is 10% smaller than original then another way of saying this is its 90% of the full size. FX is Therefor is 110% of the full size (being 10% bigger) And TM falls nicely in the middle at 100%. Hope this helps make it easier to understand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4510 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 For the money I would go AP, or TE2 AP is nice and needs no paint, but you have to trim it. TE2 needs paint but he pretrims his and assembles the helmet...That alone would be a deciding factor for me. That saves alot of time. Both AP and TE2 are limited for guys weighing less than oh, say 185 lbs. You could sqeeze into it if you have to, but shimming kinda sucks. I think Gino is correct about the shrinkage issue. I think TM is awesome. from what I understand his kits come preassembled. If your a bigger guy this may be your best option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burt Landcaster Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 TE2 and AP are about 10-12% smaller than TM because of their lineage. Is it really that much? wouldn't that make TM about FX size? Thats right an FX helmet is 10 to 15%(or so i am told) bigger then an accurate size helmet. and i also doubt there would be that much shrink on a 2nd Gen TE helmet. with a frist gen being a sceen used helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burt Landcaster Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 i knew there was shrinkage in size of TE and AP from the original but i was under the impression that an FX lid was roughly 10% bigger than most ANH accurate lids on the market ergo if TM suits are roughly 10% bigger than TE2 or AP suits that would make it FX size. although to be honest alot of parts on an FX kit are well out of proportion anyway i.e. the legs are shorter and wider and the forearms and shins seem smaller. just wondering anyhow, no biggy If TE and AP armour is 10% smaller than original then another way of saying this is its 90% of the full size. FX is Therefor is 110% of the full size (being 10% bigger) And TM falls nicely in the middle at 100%. Hope this helps make it easier to understand Now if we all know a FX is 10% to15% from what i am told but since 10% seems to be the marker point size for the FX so be it, now by your math the FX is 20% bigger then a TE helmet.... and the TM is just right. Dont get me worng TM has been great to me and a huge help But i have yet to see a TM and TE next to each other to show this huge differences in size Also with out proof of an Screen used helmet next to a TE and a TM this idea falls flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I haven't actually seen a TM or TE, AP in person only the FX. I was just going off all the info posted by others. All the figures could be way wrong I was just showing the principle of how the math should be worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Percentages mentioned here are actually just a rough (albeit convenient) way of referring to scale issues. When speaking of scale, you have to evaluate everything in relation to a common reference point, in this case an ANH helmet that would be the 1:1 reference. When I state "10% smaller" I'm speaking in terms of overall perception of size. This is based on much more than scale and is truly a subjective statement. So sue me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Both AP and TE2 are limited for guys weighing less than oh, say 185 lbs. You could sqeeze into it if you have to, but shimming kinda sucks. Drat! That whats I used to weigh but no longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4510 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I am 185 now I gained 10 pounds. I had to shim the ab plate on my AP 1" or so each side. It doesnt look too bad. Also if your arms are bigger than 15 inch biceps you made need to look at shimming them too. If you have big thighs the line in the back of your thigh armor will be skewed a bit as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Also if your arms are bigger than 15 inch biceps you made need to look at shimming them too. If you have big thighs the line in the back of your thigh armor will be skewed a bit as well. Yeah, just a bit over 15". And thats one of the reasons I was looking to upgrade. I sized my FX for where I was 2 years ago. Ive put on weight and muscle since then, so the forearms, biceps, thighs, calves all are bit tight now, and of course the belt has expanded a bit too. Almost sounds like I should just go with another FX kit, just so I have something that will fit me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4510 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 If you are having trouble with an FX, forget AP or TE2. MAYBE, maybe the TM. Its so new though I dont know if anyone could say for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted March 14, 2007 Author Share Posted March 14, 2007 Well I'm not having trouble per se. I just built it so its not something I can resize. If that wasnt the case, I could easily make it fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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