kman
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Posts posted by kman
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1 hour ago, Iro said:
Well, mine were absolutely not staying on, so some kind of experiment is definitely happening. Are there any photos close enough to see whether the ribbing on them is still visible on the prop? Wrap would smooth them out a lot.
Sadly no good briefcase closeups that I've uncovered.
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1 hour ago, ImperialStarpathUnit said:
Thanks again - really appreciate it. I have joined my local garrison forum actually, but thought to join this one too as I know that there aren’t a lot of Aussie vendors and if worse comes to worst, I’d have to order internationally for the vast majority of my build, and I know I can find plenty of sources and advice on here.
The IOC forums is the BEST resource when it comes to information about Officer uniforms. But sometimes local groups have a better handle on specific vendors that are most suitable (or popular) locally, which the more Euro- and US-centric people here may not be aware of.
That said, we have someone on staff who is in the Australian garrison, so I can ask for his input, too.
Yo, @Sharpshooter got any vendor advice for your fellow Aussie?
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I've never seen that blue one before, so that's pretty intriguing. Honestly, though, it's a little odd that they'd bother with something they need to change in the first place, but who knows. You're definitely right that that blue one would be pretty trivial to wrap, and then it would be bang on. That said, absent slightly bulky corners I think the one we have is going to be just fine. And I'm not eager to drop a bundle of coin on a third Rimowa, for this quest. LOL
I actually thought about having the greeblie made and offering them for sale at the shop, but I realized the market for something that would probably be all of... maybe 10 people nuts enough to buy the legit case, worldwide, so probably not worth trying for that low a number.
Side note, the little rubber ribbed bands surrounding the aluminum center trim thingie, around the opening (both halves)? Pretty sure those will wrap just fine, too. No need to remove them or do anything heroic.
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To be fair, I didn't come up with the vinyl wrap process, Dino Ignacio did it first. We've been chatting back and forth for a while. I bought everything I needed to do the wrap, and then a critical bit failed to come by the weekend that I actually had time to do it, a couple weeks ago.
Some of the proportions are a little off on the greeblie. It's usable as is, to be fair, but it can be better. And some of the details need tweaking. So I'm not doing anything in final just yet. Once the model is finalized, I may actually have a friend print it in resin. Although I'm also a bit tempted to see about a metal print...
I actually have been thinking the show may have used a silver one and wrapped it, just as we did. I've done a pretty stupid about of digging on these, and have never seen a black Topas. It really does look more like a weird cross between the Limbo (which does have a black plastic version, which I own) and the Topas. And in perfect shape, which is part of why I suspect the wrap. The corners are tough, because only the plastic cases (like the Limbo) seem to lack corner protectors... all the metal ones have that. And yet seems dumb (read: unlikely) for the show to spend the time removing them and filling holes, etc.
Dino actually wrapped right over the corner protectors, and honestly I don't think it looks bad. It's not exactly like the show, to be fair, but I kinda prefer that to seriously doing irreversible mods to this beautiful case.
Here's the same greeblie on my Limbo (which has a lot of scratches and needs refinishing... or wrapping):
Given how easily the real plastic scratches, that's sort of why I'm leaning towards the show prop people either wrapping their own cases, or at least painting them, to get that perfect finish. From a real world standpoint the wrap feels like it would hold up a LOT better than painted aluminum. And be easier to fix if it did get damaged.
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I've heard of OSOP, but I don't know if they're still around or not. Oz is sort of a special case, geographically speaking. It might not be a bad idea to reach out to others in your garrison (have you signed up with your local garrison?) to see what resources they recommend the most, given the high shipping costs for importing from the US or Europe.
For US-based sources, I generally recommend DarmansProps and BarkersTrains for the belt. (be sure to get the one with the edge grooves for this costume) I'm not sure what the best source is in Europe. (Let alone Australia)
For the code cylinders, in Europe I usually recommend PhiloProps and in the US Bailey Builds is usually the go-to recommendation. (full disclosure I'm running BB now but that's not a reason to choose it, I readily recommend other sources when they make more sense). Be sure to get the silver clips for this costume.
There are a few sources based in Asia that might be popular for some accessories, like KeepTrooping. But not everything they carry has the highest recommendations (or the best price). I don't think much they sell would not be approvable, however.
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31 minutes ago, ImperialStarpathUnit said:
Thanks so much for the detailed response! I probably won’t be going for that Etsy shop as it does seem way too suspicious
My best bet is version 2 for now anyway as the trousers and boots should be fairly straightforward to sort out.
Are there any sellers that you would recommend for hats and the code cylinders + belt? I see many Etsy listings claiming to make 501st approved accessories but once again, I want to sus it out before leaping towards a purchase.
Thank you and really appreciate the help once again!!I can make recommendations (so can others), but it helps do know what region of the world you're in. There are a number of solid vendors, but if you're in Italy or Singapore, recommending US-based vendors just adds unnecessarily to your cost, and vice versa if you're in the US.
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Funny you bring this up. It's on my active project list, too, I just haven't had time to sit down with a heat gun and start vinyl wrapping. I had been on the fence about trying to paint it for a long time, but wrapping seems like the way to go to me, too.
And yes, I also believe Parts of SW was wrong about the Limbo. It's a Topas case. Once we can get into the CRLs again, that's on the list to update.
I have two Rimowas between late night drunk eBaying and bad life choices. The larger Limbo, which actually does work quite nicely, athough I need to make some accuracy modifications if I'm going to try to make it more like Dedras (on the fence, tbh). And a Topas, like yours, although mine's in nice shape.
Here's a shot of the Topas (obviously not yet wrapped) with an early draft of the case greeblie model. That's not final, it needs some scaling still. Jeannette's needs some tweaks to be accurate, too, honestly. (This is just a raw low res print with zero sanding and a quick spritz of Rustoleum aluminum, not intended to be final so don't judge.). I wasn't ready to share this year, but since you started it... LOL
Note we have some screenshots in the Gallery here, too, although I have not uploaded my full collection. Your Imgur album has most of the important stuff, regardless.
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I am also suspicious of that cheap Cosplay company. FWIW "400g twill" doesn't mean much other than the weight of the fabric. Gabardine is a twill, too, and perfectly fine. It's not Cavalry Twill but an acceptable alternative, given how difficult it is to get Cavalry Twill.
But they do not show any 360 views of their products and, as others noted, mostly only show stolen artwork from the internet as representations of their work. If you have the funds to gamble, I'd be curious to see what they produce, but I would NOT count on getting something approvable from them. There are a number of other Cosplay shops that sell similar things (many of which use the same stolen images LOL) such as WhimseyCosplay who have been known to deliver costume pieces that do not meet our requirements (such as incorrect seams on the back, etc), despite their claims to the contrary.
Jim's hats are... not great. They're usually approvable, but not always. His tunics are fine, however (barring fitting errors and construction errors, both of which do happen sometimes), and his jodphur pants are ok. I don't love the jodphurs, tbh, as the flaps aren't quite right (not sure why vendors have such a hard time with those) but they're at least a little better than CosplaySky's stuff, and they're custom sized, using matching fabric). The straight legged pants are fine, not that those are in any way challenging. Just read the CRL closely if you go that way, with regard to pressing.
Those boots are definitely pushing the limits. That's not "decoration", per se, but rather a very large stretch panel. A stretch panel is permitted, on the inside of the boot (like that), but usually they are only a few inches at the top, not nearly 2/3 of the length of the boot. It's up to your local GML to decide on basic approval for those, but I'm not sure I'd approve those, as a GML in my garrison.
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I'll move this thread to Withdrawn for the time being, but feel free to revive it by posting (and I'll move it back), or start a new thread, as you wish.
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I'll move this thread to Withdrawn for now, but when you choose to resubmit, you can either post back in this thread again, or start a new one, as you wish.
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1 hour ago, ChrisDp said:
@kman thanks for your advice… After getting my replica today, I immediately knew what you‘re talking about - it‘s more suited to be a stunning display piece.
For the moment I‘ll take measurements from the Denix to get the size of the greeblies right.
My first project will be building the resin printed 3D-PROPS version with the enhanced parts.
I‘ll post about the building process once I‘ve finished the pre-work. Even if the model isn‘t 100% accurate I‘m pretty sure, that the final model will be very close to screen-appearance (and definitely a lot lighter than the Denix).
I'd give serious consideration to the simple plastic airsoft Mausers. They're very cheap, readily available,and require a lot less finishing work than something fully 3D printed.
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2 hours ago, EdenSanders said:
OH SHEEVS... that is a store that needs to be shut down. I bought from him once.
In my case, my order was delivered about 9 months later than it was supposed to, but with recent customers, he's been ignoring them completely. DO NOT buy from Sheev's Emporium at all! A lucky handful of people have received their orders from him (even though they were all obnoxiously late), but he's been screwing over everyone else. A Patrol Trooper friend of mine was robbed of $400 from him because so much time passed that he couldn't dispute his order or get a refund, and because of that specific incident Sheev's Etsy store got suspended.
Please avoid that shop at all costs! Spread the word.
Exactly. Except he posted a great looking prototype Andor poncho on FB, and actually delivered one or two. (which is normal for him, to get others to spread the good word) Then took a buuuuunch of orders for more. And then the usual shenanigans. 😡
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Fair warning: The Denix is great, and looks wonderful. But it's pretty miserable to troop with. It's REALLY heavy to hang on a belt.
That's why I ended up switching to the plastic version, as shown in my thread above.
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3 hours ago, Raxus said:
Could you pm me the name of this vendor who is running away with peoples money so I may avoid them for future purchases?
It's not much of a secret as there have been threads here and all over FB discussing the issues. Sheev's Emporium (or something like that)
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23 hours ago, Iro said:
Hey! Sorry to jump into such an old thread. Does anyone happen to have more precise dimensions for the EAO 31 push buttons? The datasheet says 15.3mm x 21.5mm, but searching threads around here, I see 15mm x 21mm flat.
I've got buttons (and new batteries for my calipers) coming in the mail, but I'm curious now and thought it might be worth asking.
I would trust the datasheet. They're not going to get that wrong, for something used in nuclear reactors.
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4 hours ago, brandonease said:
Brandon "Brandonease" Nease, requesting an advisor in the Orange County, CA area for help with an ISB (non-saga) costume.
Hey Brandon: I'm LA Squad leader (and one of your GMLs). Feel free to hit me up and I can assist.
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4 hours ago, EdenSanders said:
Ahhhh, I see it now! WHOOPS. I was wondering why I was having a hard time finding it. Thanks!
This is the poncho that I'm ordering. I'm pretty sure it's the Andor version:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4320440405/poncho-inspired-by-imperial-officer?ref=yr_purchases
That's the standard Rogue One pattern poncho, not the Andor version. There are a number of vendors who sell those, as the pattern is fairly simple.
I only know of 2 confirmed vendors for the Andor version. One is crazy expensive, and one has a nasty habit of never delivering and running with people's money, definitely not recommended.
There's a third vendor in Polish garrison who is working on a pattern, but they have not yet completed one, let alone started selling them yet.
If there are any others, we have not heard about them yet.
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Oh nevermind... elsewhere someone had said the 11" didn't perfectly fit and you could see the edge of the bezel, like in the photo you posted, that window on the silver part is not all screen, but mostly screen and a little black bezel at the edge. But now I see in the show screenshots that that window is not supposed to be there anyway, it gets covered by a plate.
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Very curious to see the 13" version mounted. That sliver on the left side would bug me.
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Got a pic with the iPad inside? Also, which specific model iPad, in which version of the datapad STL?
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42 minutes ago, ChrisDp said:
@kman Where can I find the most accurate STLs for the Mauser C96 addons?
Greetings from Germany
Chris
It's been a little while since I looked into it. There may be newer stuff out there. But my old build thread has information on where the parts I used came from, if that helps:
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9 hours ago, Iro said:
Jeanette has access on her Patreon. (Not sure whether I’m allowed to link? But you can find it in the linktree in her profile)
Looks like you need to join at $6.50/mo to get access to the digital files. The final datapad she made no longer fits an iPad, it would seem. That's a shame.
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14 hours ago, Reapwind said:
I'm working against ANH Staff officer and hoping to know if what I have is usable in troops so I can keep using the kit please.
Not that ANH Staff Officer, no... the tunic pattern for that very unique costume is quite different from the standard pattern which is what you have. (See the Special Notes at the top: https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:ID_anh_staff_officer )
You have a mix of OT and Non-Saga parts, there. OT belt (no grooves), OT rank bar sizing (small buttons spaced farther apart). The sleeves are a bit long as well, but that would be up to your GML as to whether they would require an alteration. I could see that go either way. I think the boots and pants are ok, but the lighting in the photos makes that pretty hard to tell for sure. I can't tell the detail on your hat to see if it's OT (notched) or not (no notch).
You'll want to trim the excess tongue from your belt.
The CRL you would be submitting this costume under is this one:
https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:Temp-Imperial-Staff-Officer_(Non_Saga)
Or this one, if you want OT with no rank bar, although the belt is not quite right it would pass for basic, I think:
https://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:ID_imperial_officer_black_nco
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Great! At that rate, looks like you'll be set for years, even once the first set wears out.