Polymer Armory

I am having troubles getting my RC done. I heard about these PA guys and saw pics of their work. I would totally be up for buying a nice RC setup, but they are not answering e-mails. Does anyone know if they still make stuff or who does?

I also heard that on the 501st forum people sell RC stuff, but being the elitist that they are, you cannot even read the forums unless you are a certified 501st troop. Which is difficult, like which comes first - chicken or egg...hard to become a 501st when you cannot use their resources and networking.

You can however use the detachment forums such as the clone trooper forum. Please do some research before you put down the 501st.

http://forum.clonetroopers.net/index.php

Well don't take it as a personal insult to ANY 501st co-members we have here. I have just seen from meeting plenty of 501st members in person and talking online as well how the superiority complex is in full effect with alot of people. Also, what all I have experienced alot was that they didn't want to share knowledge or help others get in. Hording resources and information is not a good way to promote you club. I am aware though, that I may have only encountered the exception to the rule, but hey that's what I have seen.

Maybe I am just spoiled my here and the Mando Mercs who share resources. I just don't like the idea of only having two options on Ebay to buy Stormtrooper armor and HOPING they let me in, just to try to network to make all my costumes better.

erm - the detachment forums actually let you contact members with the 501 freely.
they do want u to do ur basic research and respect their posting rules though (mostly ot protect the prop makers)

in fact - they do openly tell you NOT to buy off ebay.

I have issues with the 501st as well, but to be fair to them - you can get lots of help and useful info on their detachent boards like it is here. Its a community on there like it is here. Prob doesnt help if you already start out with such a one-sided and presumptuous opinion of em.

Please do some research before you put down the 501st.

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I would agree - esp.ly as if you have; any 501 detachment board member would have told you within a few posts that buying off ebay is NOT a good idea.

polymer armory are a good lot. I would ask on the clone trooper.net forums - but remember that like other 501 detachment boards WTB threads are a no no and naming makers by name is not allowed. Also - pming RC guys helps; as lots of the info is shared via pms to protect the makers.

Nate

Wow, that's quite a sense of entitlement you have there gymbeau.

You need to realise that most prop makers doing this kind of stuff, do it as a hobby on the side of their busy lives. Drop your attitude and realise it is a privilege for you to deal with these artists, not a right. This isn't wall-mart and there is no customer service representative waiting on the phone, to listen to you bleat about how you had to write 2 whole emails to get some hand crafted art work that very few people in the world own.

I'm aware of this...I know it's not Armor-mart. I do not need an education about real life taking priority & how these guys are not mass producers. I'm a 32 year old Army combat veteran, don't talk down to me like I am spoiled kid who wants armor on a whim. I'll view it as strongly felt criticism, so that's fine by me. I think alot of you that replied, though, are really taking my comments too much to heart.

I looked on the 501st site and didn't see any way of seeing any forums. In fact it explicitly says "Members only" I didn't know detachments had separate forums, which is why I posted here, so I can learn these things. Remember guys, this stuff is not world-level common knowledge. I don't think it's fair to flame me just cause I step on some 501st toes. I just said how they have always came off to me personally. I love the idea of the 501st... please have someone 501st talk to me that is nice! Yet to happen for me.

I did find the PA site and wrote them, but no answer, but I heard they drop off the map for months sometimes. I would totally scratch build a suit, like my Mando, but I am sure it would not pass 501st standards.

Ok, so since we are talking detachment forums, anyone have a favorite? Googling isn't pulling too many resources for me, maybe I'm typing in a screwy search query.

www.clonetroopers.net is the Official 501st Clone Detachment. Sign up there and begin your research and over time folks will get you squared away. It's just like anything else, it will take time to network with folks but you will ultimately achive your goal. Alot of people blow in and out of this hobby pretty fast, so alot veteran members are slow to warm up. I was a moderator there myself, for a couple of years, and I was not a 501st member technically, and I am still not. The Detachments are responsible to the variant, and they guide you from newbie to full membership, hence the open forum. You will acclamate. There are alot of military veterans like yourself involved. I will do little homework for ya too, see if I can help source out a RC Kit. Welcome to the TDH sir!

you're right that it isn't really common knowledge and i think a lot of us that are really deep in the hobby don't see that.

the 501st legion forum isn't really of any use to non members. it's a lot of talk about costume standards, rules, charter amendments, etc... there isn't much that would help you join, since all the posts there are geared toward folks that are already members.

for potential members, the typical / recommended approach is to hook up with your local garrison (you can find them on 501st.com, right off of the home page) and / or the relevant detachment (the garrison can point you there).

most garrisons have a forum / mailing list / something that is open to recruits. that's where you go to figure out where to get stuff, how to build it etc...

in my opinion, the 501st is too large to be able to do anything useful with the hundreds of new registrations a week that would come in, so dividing it up by region works really well.

Where ya from gymbeau2000? I've been a member of the 501st for about 3 1/2 years now, I am The Executive Officer and Garrison Membership Liaison for my local Garrison as well as our "Academy Commandant" Which basically means I help all the new folks from my region wishing to join our garrison and the legion. Most of the garrisons and outposts offer some sort of help to perspective members, be it in the form of an Academy or just a couple threads to try and help answer recruits questions.

The guys from PA drop on and off the radar from time to time but you can find them on the 501st clone detachment forums which are open to the public. Usually there is one guy who handles most of the inquires so poke around in the RC section and you will find him.

How big of a guy are you? The RC armor is geared toward the bigger trooper. When I ordered mine I was 6' and weighed around 275 then I started working on mine and while working on it I lost a bunch of weight to get down to about 210 I am not sure how much thinner you could be and still pull the costume off.


That is my Sev and it is made from the PA kit. There are not many other RC Kits out there currently.

This is a good look at how different body sizes fit into the armor.


Hope some of that info helps, if there is anything else I can help you answer please feel free to launch me a PM.

We're still here...

Yeah. Sometimes my real life gets way too much in the way of my costuming and we've had some family obligations/issues recently, but with the new year comes a new resolve to get RCs in the hands of those that want them.

gymbeau2000 - I found you on the list (check your email inbox). This means that we did respond, provide info, and you asked to be put on the list. I am a little offended by your original post statement:

I am having troubles getting my RC done. I heard about these PA guys and saw pics of their work. I would totally be up for buying a nice RC setup, but they are not answering e-mails. Does anyone know if they still make stuff or who does?

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I have replied to every email you sent me. How is this "not answering e-mails"?

Very true! They have gotten back with me since I posted this. I had forgotten about this thread & was notified a couple of weeks ago that my kit would be ready in three weeks. It's been about three weeks, so we'll see how this goes.