03 - Resources and Supplies

November 8, 2019


Your armor has arrived.

You laid it out on the table or floor . . . you've stared at it . . . dreamed about it . . . but at some point you're going to have to Go To Work!

The most valuable resource for me has been the First Order Stormtroopers Facebook page.



With members around the world who are knowledgeable and kind, you can post a question, issue or problem (with photos is always best) and often get answers in a very short period of time from people who've been there and dealt with that before.



As for supplies, there's so much that goes into assembling your armor than the paint.

Reef took me to our local Ace Hardware and JoAnn's for our initial supply run.



Devcon 5-Minute Epoxy - great for attaching stuff (like snaps) that you don't want to ever move

Rare Earth Magnets - for stuff that you'll need to pop on and off, but don't want to separate easily (I'll mostly be using these for putting my Chest Plate over my Yoke)

Industrial Strength Velcro - I got the 48" x 2" strips in white and black.  I'll used them for thinks like my Shin Guards, and attaching the Boxes, Cod Piece, and Posterior Plate to my belt

Buckles - a 2" one for the belt, smaller ones (not pictured - Reef had a ton of them left over from his first build) for the harness

Straps - for making the harness and connecting things that don't need to flex

Snaps - for attaching nearly everything to nearly everything else

Elastic - for connecting the things that do need to flex

Bondo Automotive Filler - for filling in imperfections, cracks and general repairs

Small Screws - to attach the Holster to the Right Thigh (apparently all Stormtroopers are Right handed)

Sandpaper - 80 and 120 grit for knocking down excess Bondo, 240 and 320 grit for smoothing things out

Paint - Rustoleum (fingers crossed!)
- Primer - Gray
- Gloss White
- Flat Black


Other things you may want to get that are not pictured:




Clamps.  Spring-loaded and with soft "teeth".
Reef got these at Wal-mart and they have worked very well.















Dremel Tool.  Reef already had a good one, and my kit didn't really need trimming to fit me, but if you don't have one or have access to one, you'll want to go out and pick one up.  We recommend a corded one over the cordless.   $70 at Home Depot, Lowe's, or just about anywhere.













Popsicle Sticks - great for mixing Bondo and Fiberglass Resin (I found this cool kit at Amazon.com that has sticks and little containers for mixing Epoxy or Resin.)

My armor came with all of the "white" pieces I need, including the helmet (not all kits include the "bucket", btw), a raw belt, gloves, and the shoulder, elbow and knee gaskets, but there was still A LOT of parts I needed to buy, including:




- Balaclava (not required, but personally I think seeing skin or hair is a no-no; and if you think about the angles that kids have when looking up at us in costume . . . ).  I got mine on Amazon.com
(Amazon is also an affordable resource for belts, buckles, and snaps if you have time to wait for them to be shipped.)






- Belt Pouches (I bought mine on etsy from the same person that made my Neck Seal) - these ARE required.  You need the big pouch to hid the buckle of the belt.








- Blaster - Not Required, but I couldn't imagine Trooping without one.  Saw a post for the one I bought on First Order Stormtroopers and bought it from him through etsy.












- Boots - got mine from Imperial Boots out of the UK.  $99 US plus $35 shipping.  Once I placed my order they came in about 2 weeks, but the way they work is that they open their on line store for orders for just a couple days, then once they have enough orders they stop taking them for a while.  Once those orders are filled they start up again.  You have to keep checking back.














- Neck Seal - absolutely required (bought mine on etsy)

- Under Clothing - I got mine from the local Walmart in the workout clothes section.  It needs to be black, no logos showing, and I highly recommend long sleeves and pants.  (Fiberglass can be itchy, kids!)  Some people like stuff with spandex in it, but I went with a mostly cotton blend.  Shirt $8.  Pants $17.  I bought two of each . . . because that's how I roll.


Note:  Most of these vendors Do Not take credit cards directly.  You'll want to open a PayPal account if you don't already have one.  You can like PayPal to your bank account OR to a credit card.  I think the second option is best, especially if you need to dispute a purchase that did not come as promised . . . or did not arrive at all.

If you need Gaskets, Geeky Pink is a great resource.


There are other cool items and upgrades you can order.  I'll cover those in another post.



One of the Most Important Resources, especially if you're hoping for 501st Approval (and I certain am) is their website:  501st.com.






Specifically you'll want to look at the pages they have that break down each approve-able costume, part by part, and describe what you'll need and what it should look like.


THIS IS THE LINK FOR A TFA FO TK.











One last thing I will add:  I mentioned that these items are expensive, and that can be true, but it's also true that the Trustworthy people who are making these items because they love being a part of this community deliver truly top notch product.  Very high quality stuff.