Newbie

[Lugria]

Hello!
My name is Natasha and I have been very interested in joining the 501st for a long time. I fell in love with Sandtroopers the moment I saw them. Eventually I would like to have a Stormtrooper costume as well. I’ve read a bunch on the 501 forums and now I have a million questions. I figured I would start asking them to people near me.
Questions:
Sand vs Storm for first costume? My thought process is: This is my first costume and there will definitely be a learning curve during my first build/buy and will know more for my second costume. So which do I start with?

ANH or ESB? And would you recommend one over the other? I have been leaning towards ANH because of the Sandtroopers.

Kit or buy a completed costume? I looked at completed costumes because I am nervous about getting a kit and messing it up (I am -5 to dexterity and have a reputation). If I was to have supervision of a veteran I’m sure I would be able to eventually put together something that will pass the 501 inspection.
   
Do you have any recommendations on where to buy completed builds and/or kits? FISD doesn't recommend only lists armor makers. What are your experiences?

ABS vs HIPs vs PVC?
I have read too much on this and am conflicted.

Thanks in advance! :dancechewie:

[CJ49er]

Welcome Natasha!

[RainTrooper]

Hi Natasha! Welcome to the forum! Good choice going with the white (or dirty) armor.

For stormies and sandys, the base armor is identical, minus a few small details in parts and paint. Going with a sandtrooper would just mean buying a few extra parts (pauldron, ammo pouches, possibly a backpack), and a bit more work (weathering). I say go with your gut.. whichever one you like the best, or whichever fits your budget. 

FISD doesn't recommend one armor maker over another for a few reasons, but mainly because there isn't one ideal armor that's best for everyone. It all depends on your budget and body type. Some armor kits are suited for smaller body frames, others for larger/taller frames. Helmet size also varies slightly with different armor makers.

I would recommend going with a build-it-yourself kit as opposed to a pre-made suit. Sometimes they don't get the fitting right, and you can end up having to make somewhat difficult adjustments. Plus, the build is half the fun! Not to mention pre-made kits are way more expensive, and may not always save you from doing all the work in the long run.

Go with ABS plastic. All the way. It's easier to work with than HIPS plastic which is much thinner, brittle, and prone to cracking. RS props out of the UK is the only maker that offers PVC as an option. I've never used it so I don't know much about it. I do know that RS is the most accurate kit out there, but it's also the most expensive.         

If you go with a TK stormtrooper, the only differences between ANH and ESB are the different hand guards, a different holster configuration, and slightly different paint on the helmet (grey frown vs. black frown). 

We do have very-occasional build parties, usually at the organizers home. Another may pop-up this Spring or Summer. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions! And again, welcome! 

 

[james.p.moser]

Welcome Natasha! We have a lot of great and helpful folks. One of the first things you'll want to do is check out the FISD site if your looking for a standard TK. http://bit.ly/GettingStartedFISD or the MEPD for "sandy" http://www.mepd.net and start reading! I am an Imperial Attaché for the FISD and can help with any questions you have regarding the "clean troopers". As Jason said there are many to choose from but I would highly encourage you to consider a kit. Thousands of troopers have bought and built their own kits at all skill levels. We're here to help you get through this and will have you trooping in no time! Keep in mind, the more work you put into it the cheaper it will be. Expect to spend a least $1000 minimum.  Usually folks decide which armor they want first and while they are waiting for that they gather the "accessories" that you buy separate. (Boots, belt, holster, gloves, under suit, bits and bobbles for putting it all together) Most kits come with the parts to make the basic armor either a regular TK or a TD. If your kit doesn't come with the "sandy bits" I have a set that I didn't use that you can have that came with my kit! 

Good luck and if you have any questions ask away!


Jim - TK50899

[Lugria]

Thanks everyone! Very excited to start!

[Pixelito]

Sorry for the super late response here!
Jason and Jim gave you basically the best information possible but I figured I'd chime in too!

I'll start with the Sandtrooper vs Stormtrooper bit... WHICH I TOTALLY HAVE NO BIASED OPINION ON...
No really, I don't. I opted for the middle ground of Heavy Weapons Trooper. Most people use this as an addon to their Stormtrooper, but you can totally make it your primary costume too! Going HWT or TD doesn't necessarily require any additional skill, just a bit more time and money to buy the extra bits. So really, it's more down to your preferences. I've seen many people that start building their Stormtrooper and mess something up while cutting and decided to finish the kit as a Sandtrooper or HWT so they can hide their mistake. I played all my screw ups off as "battle damage" 

Now kit vs completed. Go with a kit for sure! It can be frustrating going through the build process, but it can be more frustrating to tear apart a completed kit to make it actually fit you. Plus, it's super rewarding being able to say "I built this all myself" when people ask where you got your armor! On top of that, you'll know the ins and outs of your armor so repairs are super easy.

I totally get being nervous about screwing up your kit. This was the first costume I ever made and I have (had?) ZERO artistic ability. I doubted that I'd even be able to get my armor finished, but here I am approved and having just reached Centurion level. If you take your time, plan ahead, work carefully and have a little ingenuity, you'll get through it just fine and you'll be able to fix any mistake you might make. It might take you a little longer to get things done, but the end result will be worth it.

As far as kits go, like Jason said, it's hard to suggest one over another. My kit is Anovos based but I had to make some hardcore modifications to make it fit me (I'm way too tall/fat for their kit). Make sure to take a look at FISDs list of approved armor sellers (It's somewhere in there). The only wrong choice, really, is to get something sketchy, stolen or subpar.

I wouldn't worry too much about ABS vs HIPS vs PVC. ABS is definitely easier to work with in my opinion, but you should probably choose a kit based on other factors.

I know I really didn't answer anything that wasn't already said, huh? 

[bigguynextdoor]

Welcome aboard!!

[Jabbasdead]

Hey Natasha, you might consider coming to one of our events that has both signed up as a spotter. You can see the differences in person and check out the backpack.