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[Kyr'bes Shukalar]

If you take the shoulders and knees back down to the plastic, then sand the plastic with like 80 grit sandpaper to rough it up, it should take the paint better.

[Kol Hokan]

I'm picking this kit back up to make some adjustments.  Due to some troops in this kit paint has flacked off both my shoulder bells and knees.  This material is made of hardhats and the paint doesn't stick very long.  I'm open to suggestions of how to fix this, so I can troop again with this kit.

I'd recommend sanding it down and getting ahold of some Rust-oleum "self-etching primer."  That should bond better to the hard-hat material than standard primer or paint.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

I ended up getting green hardhats to replace my knees.  I still will be sanding down and using a paint etching primer as Kol Hokan suggested.   This way when the green paint rubs off from my constant kneeling there will be a green subsurface instead of white, which should increase the longevity of my knees.

I also realized I never posted an upgrade to my new gloves I got back in 2019.



The upgrade is green gauntlet style gloves when the CRLs changed to say the gloves must be tucked under the gauntlets and not over them.



These new ones will keep the gloves under my leather gauntlets.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

This past week I finally got around to converting an airsoft rifle base into my upgraded sniper rifle. I based it heavily on SWTOR video game references for sniper rifles. It has a similar style of my last rifle with some needed modes, longer, and structure to make it more durable.



The base I used was a 300 FPS – Airsoft Sniper Rifle Gun found on eBay for about $35 USD at the time of purchase in 2019. Closer to $45 USD now. I toyed around with some ideas in 2019 and then shelved the rifle for a later time as we hit the years 2020-2022.



My last rifle was heavily based on a Tac-HUD Heavy Sniper rifle. See below for my reference images along with version 1 of my sniper rifle (front and back).




After pulling it off the shelf I laid it down on my living room floor and all the parts I had from the V1 sniper rifle.



The first thing I noticed was the handle grip from the stock to the grips needed to be removed. Also the trigger guard would need to be removed to match up to reference images.



The next thing, was to remove the forestock in front of the magazine off of the V1 sniper and relocate it to the new sniper (see below).



I cut out the forestock section as well for this swap.



With the forestock swapped over, this rifle was starting to look like a great base for my upgraded sniper rifle and aligned with reference images.



The next thing I did was use hot glue to attach my forestock component and then I used flat black spray paint to paint the whole base one color.



The next step was to convert the barrel and give it extra length. I wanted to keep my existing barrel tip as it has a removal orange tip cap for photos. I had also removed the scope PVC parts and shortened them down to more applicable towards this build and less exaggerated in length from my V1 sniper.



Next I perforated the barrel along the forestock of the rifle, not the entire length of the barrel. I used a few reference images from SWTOR including the one seen below for inspiration in the perforated barrel.



Something I found really cool about this new rifle base is the ability to collapse the rifle down for transportation between troops. My goal would be to keep this feature through the whole conversion process to my Late Crusader sniper rifle. Once the barrel had been perforated, I started on matching the barrel size for the extension. I did this by cutting down a curtain rod to the right length and then used duck tape around the original barrel to expand it out to the size of the curtain rod. This ensured a snug fit.



I then painted the removable barrel a metallic aluminum color, matching reference images.



To give this rifle more of the color reference, I masked off with painters tape a few more parts of the rifle for paint prep. The sections of the scope would also be this aluminum color and the stock plates on either side as well. The pistol grip area would be painted brown/tan to resemble similar colors to wood.



Fully assembled below after paint for reference.



Next I added some definition to the stock plate by adding a type of washer to each location the fake bolts were imprinted on the plastic. I also added some greeblies to the forestock to give dimensional additions to this rifle, similarly found in SWTOR rifles.



I then transferred the appearance of my V1 sniper with the leather strapping in front of the pistol grips. This strapping helps hide a hole from when the pistol grips were removed and aesthetically gives me the look I am shooting for with beasthunter brigade and all the leather parts on my kit in mind. To weather the leather I used super glue drips and then I sprayed the leather with black spray paint. Wiping the glue away quickly gave me the desired weathering affect.



Next I created a second barrel as seen in reference images by using a wooden dowel. I also used a PVC coupling to hide the transition from the original barrel to the curtain rod barrel. I masked this by using it as a support for the secondary barrel below.



After lightly spraying the all the black parts of this rifle with metallic spray paint I rubbed it down to give it the black metal sheen look. I then gathered dust from my garage floor (joys of winter) and sprinkled it all over the rifle. I then rubbed everything, some of it sticking and some of it coming off giving it the weathered appearance.



I had also added a strip of blue reflective tape to a greeblie on one side of the rifle. This tape was affixed to a component of a calculator screen to make it look in universe and not just stuck on randomly. With a flash camera it will illuminate the reflective tape giving it the effect seen in SWTOR video game on these rifles.



Sizing comparison below. This upgrade is definitely bigger and longer than my V1 sniper.




I really like how it turned out and the late crusader reference images from SWTOR video game really helped me create a better upgraded sniper rifle for my kit.



I have a couple fixes needed for my kit still with specially the new knees and then I’ll be trooping in this kit again.

[Bade Duun]

The is one dope conversion. Excellent work, looks meaty and light at the same time 

[Karl Dha'Werda]

I was reviewing my pre-app the other day from 2016, several Vode mentioned that the shoulder bells should be bigger.  Seeing as I've also grown out with broader shoulders I have to agree.  Unfornately I've already cut out my green hard hats.

I'm leaning towards using yellow hard hats for the shoulders to match the same weathering and consistency as the rest of my armour including the back apparatus in that same color yellow to keep in universe color tones for beast hunter brigades.




With the amount of plastic I need for my knees and shoulders I will need to buy 4 helmets.  Two for the shoulders and two for the knees.  I will keep the knees the same color as existing knees.



Also the plastic spikes I got to replace the metal ones on the shoulder bells are the same hardness as the metal ones and could still poke an eye out.  I finally found rubber ones this morning from a website I'd rather not say, haha but they are rubber.  I thought it was for dog collars until I had completed my purchase and realized it was for the furry fandom.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update: 2/24/2023

As mentioned in previous posts I am upgrading my shoulder bells due to metal spikes permanently attached.  The replacement spikes will be rubber.  Below you can see images of the first shoulder bells I created back in 2016 with the metal spikes.



A few months ago I got green hardhats to use to replace both my shoulder bells and my knees using the old ones as a template (see images below).



Unfortunately when I held them up to my shoulders I realized I had cut the shoulder bells too small.  I also found that my arms are bigger now, so the old ones were on the small side too.



I then decided to get 4 more helmets; two for my shoulders and two for my knees.  This way I would have plenty of room to make them the correct sizes.  The yellow helmets will be used for my shoulder bells and once sanded down will be painted to match my back apparatus in the same yellow color with weathering.  I also really like the design ridges and grooves on these yellow hardhats to give more definition to my shoulder bells.



Once cut out and matched side-by-side, I got a few shots with the shoulder bells in place on my deltoids.  The sizing looks a ton better than the original ones.



Tomorrow I will be starting the sanding process with 60-80 grit sandpaper, then moving to 120-180 grit, and finishing with 220-320 grit.  After both shoulder bells are sanded I will have to wait for warmer weather to paint.  It is currently -10°F and my garage is not heated so it is around 32°F.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update 2/25/2023:

Today I started the sanding process with 60-80 grit sandpaper, then moving to 120-180 grit, and finishing with 220-320 grit.



I washed off the fragments between grits and let air dry. After sanding with the final 320 grit I let air dry and then painted. I painted the underside of the shoulder bells black. This side should never be exposed when wearing the shoulder bells on my kit and I like to paint the undersides of my armor plates and inside of my helmet black. The outside was painted marigold yellow using rust-oleum spray paint. It is very close to the same yellow I used on my back apparatus.



The yellow shoulder bells will next be weathered to match my back apparatus as seen below. This kit is geared towards a beast hunter mandalorian and the colors used for that kit must remain environmental colors.



It was really cold when I painted the shoulder bells, but I was able to paint in my garage and then move them into my bathroom with the bath fan on for ventilation and a place to dry at room temperature. The paint set well and next step will be weathering before attaching to my kit. The rubber spikes can be added later.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update 3/1-3/2023:

Shoulder bells match up well with the chest armor.  Spacing off for photos below and are just sitting on my deltoids.  Also tested out gauntlet style gloves with heavy leather bracers and the ends do not poke out the back of the bracers.



My second pair of hardhats arrived and could now be cut out to create my knee plates.



I originally lined up the front of the hardhat for the new knee plates, but then would switch to the back of the hardhats for the final knee plates.



I overlapped each of the knee plates and clamped together.  This would allow for final shaping to be exact and then the holes for strapping would be aligned on both plates.



A test fit proved correct for siding and now I could sand the plates.  I started with 60-80 grit sandpaper.



After rinsing off residue and shavings with hot water and air drying I could continue with additional sanding.  Same application of sanding with 120-180 grit with rinse and dry.   Final with 220-320 grit sandpaper.



As seen above I taped off the shoulder bells and painted hunter green to match the rest of my kit's armor color.  The yellow serves as an accent and will have underlying yellow weathering when I weather.  The yellow accent color will match my rear back apparatus.



I also painted my freshly sanded knees.  I am really looking forward to trooping in this kit as I've mentioned before I like to kneel to get down kids height.  As you can see the old knees flacked off the paint from constant kneeling on them and the green hardhat material underneath will help with additional weathering.



I transferred the leather strapping from my old knees to the new ones.  They are fastened with chicago screws and small belts.



I had originally looked at dog collars, but ended up in the women's section for smaller belts that could be cut down to the exact size. I also had to layer up leather pieces to create the correct thickness for the chicago screws to work correctly.



Shoulder bells in approximate location on flak vest.  Below shoulders and knees with the rest of my late crusader kit.  Weathering tomorrow.

[Kritika DhaWerda]

Looks good!   

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Looks good!   

Thanks Kritika!

Update 3/4/2023:

Before weathering I tested out my new knees with leather strapping. They look and feel great. I will probably need to adhere a piece of velcro on my flightsuit for each knee to keep in place.



The next step was weathering. First I painted black and then rubbed that off with a rag. Then I added metallic, browns, and black acrylics. Acetone followed with grime and dirt from my garage floor.



Below you will see each step with the shoulder bells that I did for the knee armor plates at the same time. First I started with black spray paint, wiped off (form of blackwash), and then added dirt/grime from my garage floor. The original armor was weathered the same with the addition of potting soil, which I don’t have right now in the middle of winter.



I then added metallic acrylic for accented areas of weathering to show “metal” underneath. This was done because these shoulder bells are yellow hardhats and do not have metallic as a base coat. Next I added browns and greens with a foam brush.



I then added more dirt which came off one of the shovels stored in my garage. I wiped off the paint and dirt leaving it only in the crevasses where it would stick in real life with tracking prey in the environment. Next I used acetone to lighten areas on both my knees and on the shoulder bells. It accelerates the weathering process on the paint. I then sprayed on brown to match up with the same effect as my rear apparatus tanks in the same yellow with brown weathering. I finalized everything with a straight black acrylic blackwash and wiped it off.



I then took a screwdriver and scratched in scratch marks. This would happen crawling through brush and branches. Scratches would occur on my helmet and then my shoulders as I would push through undergrowth. The rest of my existing armor has the same type of weathering.



Shoulder bells are done and match the weathering as the rest of my armor. The yellow on the bells especially lines up well with the back apparatus color.



Now to wait for new rubber spikes to arrive for shoulder bells.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update 3/4/2023:

In 2016, the below image is what my waist items looked like. Over time the tiny trophies did not last and were removed from this kit. I am still working towards adding trophies, but need some things more substantial than a few fins and claws/teeth on my belt.



My waist item set up after trophies were removed is seen below. Simple belt with ammo pouches, knife sheath, and macrobinocular pouch. Also a girth belt. The ammo belt laid over top the girth belt. The girth belt covers the top edge of my cod plate.



Due to some weight gain I had to get a new belt to hold my ammo pouches as my waist expanded. The new belt was weathered to match the rest of my kit.



I then addressed that one of my pouches was not weathered the same as the rest of my kit. These black pouches holster my phone during troops to completely hide it.



The next thing I did was weather the first aid kit pouch match the rest of my soft parts.



The first aid symbol is derived from the crusader era time period for a medpac.



The next thing I did with my waist items and cod plate was attach them together. I have had problems at troops where the cod plate falls off while walking around, additional weathering but more awkward with my metal kit when it clanks on the ground. First the girth belt is attached to the ammo pouch belt and then the cod plate is attached to the girth belt.



This keeps the top edge of the cod hidden with the girth. I will need to add a velcro strip to my flightsuit to keep the bottom of the cod from moving.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update 3/4/2023:

Below is my original flak vest I made for my late crusader kit on July 30th, 2016. It was made from a leather jacket with the leather fringe/tassels. I picked this specifically because my late crusader was geared towards a beast hunter or in this case a mountain man in leather buckskin.



When I tried on my flak vest a few days ago I realized that I had gained some weight and the buttons were super hard for my wife to button up the back of the flak vest. I elected to create a larger flak vest and ended up using the one I wore in the picture below. My arms have gotten too big with muscles and my shoulders broader that I no longer fit in this jacket.



It worked perfectly because it was my mountain man leather jacket with rear fringe/tassels. I liked to keep the same theme for my beast hunter with the larger flak vest.



After the leather fringe/tassels were removed I cut off the long sleeves. Different than my previous flak vest I cut a neck curve to prevent wrinkles in the vest as seen below (2016 vs. 2023).



Seen below sleeves cut off and then neck cut out in a curve. The collar unseen was also removed.



I then lined up my chest plate and used a highlighter (instead of a sharpie as it is easier to blend with weathering to remove) to trace where the chest needs to be attached.



After placement of the chest plate, I worked on lining up where the abdominal (ab) plate would need to be properly spaced. Next were the kidney plates on either side. Since I have gained some weight the kidney plates would not line up in the same place as the smaller flak vest I was replacing. The plates go where my kidneys are situated, back of my abdomen under the lower ribs, one on each side. Then the second set go above those plates.



The photos above are from my armor placement in 2016 for the original kit. Next I worked on making my leather straps from my back apparatus attach with velcro instead of permanently attached with chicago screws. I cut down the chicago screws, so it still looks like it attaches this way. This will eliminate the chest plate from floating from pulling down with the back plate and apparatus. The helmet visor was also hot glued back into place.



Float in chest plate seen below. The new flak vest has additional velcro to make it more permanent as I will just be pulling the straps over instead of chest plate with straps.



I then went outside in full kit to get some comparison shots. Photo on the left is from March 2019 and one on the right is from March 2023.



Photos below are left (January 2017) and right (March 2023) side-by-side shots for comparison. Biggest changes were weight gain in my stomach/waist and larger muscle in my arms. This is why the shoulder bells were replaced as well as replacing the metal spikes for rubber ones once those come.



More comparison shots. Photo on the left is from January 2017 and one on the right is from March 2023.







Pretty excited to have a functional kit that is back in compliance with the Mandalorian Mercs CRLs. Next adjustment will be a larger flightsuit. I was a pretty stiff Mando for these pictures here in March 2023.  As well as adding the 'metal' rubber spikes to my shoulder bells.

[Karl Dha'Werda]

Update 3/10-11/23

I got a new flightsuit to replace my too small one and this time I'm going with a two piece.  I got Dickies 574 khaki work shirt and 874 khaki work pants.



My old flightsuit was weathered as seen below.



I then proceeded to weather them to be consistent with my previous flightsuit.  I used tan, brown, and green spray paints with a few drops of acetone in random places.  The tan and brown represent dirt, mud, etc. for weathering.  The green is for grass stains and brush camouflaged.



I then added additional weathering consistent with my armor by adding scratches with a flathead screwdriver.



I then washed with cold water in the washing machine and dried in the dryer.



The next day we had an invasion event that I was able to wear my kit to troop in.  Here are a couple pictures from that event.  I have some trooping quirks to work out from wearing it at the event (i.e. removing the collar on the shirt, pinch points, additional velcro, etc.).








Also I found out my new gauntlets are being shipped out today to replace my hard bracers later this year.  Over the snow here in North Dakota, can't wait for Spring to bring more appropriate backdrops to my photos.   

[Zahn Va'roth]

Dang, the use of the hard hats is genius! Amazing work!