Armourer Introduction - Studio 49 - Sith Lord Detachment

[Studio 49]

Welcome to the forums! If you’re looking into building the Dark Lord himself, you’ve found the right place and we’re more than happy to help get you started on your Vader Journey! 

 

Don't be afraid to ask any questions that come to mind and be sure to start up a Work in Progress (Build Thread) as soon as you can so that Satel and I can help provide advice. I've also collated some general information below to help get you started on the right foot.  



After discovering the 501st and the charitable work they did, I knew I wanted to join so I could volunteer at events such as children’s hospital troops. I joined the 501st five years ago with my first costume being Darth Vader from Return of the Jedi. In that time since I’ve served on the Sith Lord Detachment Command Staff in several positions to help our members build the best costume they can. I also have a Biker Scout in my costume roster and in the process of building several Star Wars droids. My area of expertise is Darth Vader costumes, so if there’s any assistance you require, please post up a thread or feel free to shoot me a message.

 

Name – Jonah Pope

Username – Studio 49

501st ID – SL 49000

Sith Lord Detachment Command Staff (2016 - Present)

Redback Garrison Command Staff GWL (2020 – Present)






If you’ve to picked Darth Vader as your costume of choice, you first need to decide which version of Vader it is that you are aiming to build. Each version is different in their own unique ways and the costume reference library ("CRL") will help you determine what you need for 501st clearance. Make sure you read this top to bottom, inside and out as this will become your guide to building your Vader and the key to getting approved. CRL’s Here: http://www.501st.com/databank/Costuming:SLD_CRL  
 
In summary, the Vader CRLs are as follows:
A New Hope (ANH)
Empire Strikes Back (ESB)
Return of the Jedi (ROTJ)
Revenge of the Sith (ROTS)
Rogue One (R1)
 
Patience and research are the key to building Vader and your best friend. Building a Vader is like a marathon, rather than a sprint. All builds take at least a year minimum, so it's not an all-in-one instant build due to needing multiple vendors all with different runs and wait times.



First up, you want to make sure you make an account over on the official Sith Lord Detachment forums as well as here on the Redback forums. Our Detachment forums have a wealth of information for you and your Vader or Sith Lord build.
Forums Link: http://forum.501stsithlords.com
 
Make sure you ask plenty of questions, we’re all here to help. We’ve all been where you are right now and are always more than happy to help answer your questions. There’s no such thing as a silly question! 

Did I mention how important research is? Well, you should research, research, research and then follow that by more research! The best way for you to conduct your Vader Research is to read through other members WIP (Work in Progress) Build threads on the Sith Lord Detachment forums. This way you can learn what vendors and parts are generally being used, things to watch out for during your own build, and perhaps the most important thing is you can learn from the mistakes of others. You can also see some very detailed builds that chronicle every step of the build, those are vital reading. This research will allow you to understand the reasons for purchasing the parts you want to buy.  Reading WIP threads will grow your knowledge on the subtle things about building Vader and allow you to craft a truly awesome product in the end!
 
When you start your WIP thread, be sure to post it here on the Redback forums as well as over on the Sith lord Detachment forums.
 
Also try avoiding buying anything without seeking advice here first since you don’t want to end up with a part that won’t be approvable and end up wasting money in the long run. Just make a WIP Thread where you can post all your questions where the amazing members of the community here can answer them!  
 
I hope that this helps, and we look forward to seeing what you might build.