Great Lakes Garrison & Base

I couldn't find any particular video on how to replace the tube stripes... I tried my best at placing them....keep note that chances are I will replace them again, and redo the entire area again next time there's an armor party considering the fact that using white out is generally not the best idea (both the strips or the liquid)

but how is this for placement?

Looks good to me.

Ok...that is good to know...I placed pictures on white armor as well just incase

also...I'm not gonna be able to get the holster in place before I go to Japan...(or be able to bring it with me since my parents are ragging me about how big the case for it is), but do you guys think it would still be wearable over there if I have them ship the stuff to me....

Or since I can't bring it all on the plane with me (parents decision, not mine, can't argue with em), just keep the armor here and settle to just helping the Japanese Garrison in their events

Having done both the "shipping armor" (to Phoenix, AZ) and the "checked luggage" (Pasadena, CA) routes, you need to consider a couple of things.

Shipping will make traveling easier, but it's going to cost quite a bit. For my Phoenix trip, it was about $30 one way to my friend's house (and about that to ship back to my office). I also needed to make arrangements to pick up the box from my friend's house, and to also find a UPS location on the morning of my departure. But that wasn't overseas shipping, which will cost significantly higher and can take up to 3-5 weeks for non-express shipping.

Taking it with me took a lot of creative packing in a Contico box. But that was before airlines started nickel-and-diming every piece of luggage. I strapped the box closed with a TSA lock and a nylon strap that was easily removable by security if they needed to inspect it. Of course there's the risk of loss in that, but there's little one can do about that.

You'll also need to consider customs. While the Japanese agents are more polite, they still need to do their job. How they'll react to your armor box will depend very greatly on how you present yourself and explain what the items are.

Have you contacted members of JG? Do you know what kind of living space you'll be in and how much room you'll have? Given that I'm pretty much one of the very, very few people in this Garrison who've gone to Japan in recent times, the JG members will likely have better information.

Crimson wrote:Having done both the "shipping armor" (to Phoenix, AZ) and the "checked luggage" (Pasadena, CA) routes, you need to consider a couple of things.

Shipping will make traveling easier, but it's going to cost quite a bit. For my Phoenix trip, it was about $30 one way to my friend's house (and about that to ship back to my office). I also needed to make arrangements to pick up the box from my friend's house, and to also find a UPS location on the morning of my departure. But that wasn't overseas shipping, which will cost significantly higher and can take up to 3-5 weeks for non-express shipping.


Have you contacted members of JG? Do you know what kind of living space you'll be in and how much room you'll have? Given that I'm pretty much one of the very, very few people in this Garrison who've gone to Japan in recent times, the JG members will likely have better information.

I'm gonna play it by the ear on the living space and the amount of room that I'll have while over there...if there's barely any room (like living quarters smaller han my dorm room) or living with a family, chances are I'm not gonna have my parents send me the armor (even if it's not shipped in the tool box), but if I'm in an apartment, and the quarters are dorm room size or slightly bigger...I'll have them ship it to me...but would it be smarter to ship it in a cardboard box or the tool box itself?

Also...I've tried to sign into their forumns, but haven't recieved any sort of reply back from them

May want to keep trying to get a hold of the JG. They may have rules as too who can troop with them (as in being an official 501st member). So if the costume is done, you may want to send in your app. Just incase. If it is not troopable, then you may not want to bring it.

Zachg56 wrote:

Crimson wrote:Having done both the "shipping armor" (to Phoenix, AZ) and the "checked luggage" (Pasadena, CA) routes, you need to consider a couple of things.

Shipping will make traveling easier, but it's going to cost quite a bit. For my Phoenix trip, it was about $30 one way to my friend's house (and about that to ship back to my office). I also needed to make arrangements to pick up the box from my friend's house, and to also find a UPS location on the morning of my departure. But that wasn't overseas shipping, which will cost significantly higher and can take up to 3-5 weeks for non-express shipping.


Have you contacted members of JG? Do you know what kind of living space you'll be in and how much room you'll have? Given that I'm pretty much one of the very, very few people in this Garrison who've gone to Japan in recent times, the JG members will likely have better information.

I'm gonna play it by the ear on the living space and the amount of room that I'll have while over there...if there's barely any room (like living quarters smaller han my dorm room) or living with a family, chances are I'm not gonna have my parents send me the armor (even if it's not shipped in the tool box), but if I'm in an apartment, and the quarters are dorm room size or slightly bigger...I'll have them ship it to me...but would it be smarter to ship it in a cardboard box or the tool box itself?

Also...I've tried to sign into their forumns, but haven't recieved any sort of reply back from them

Zachg56 wrote:I'm gonna play it by the ear on the living space and the amount of room that I'll have while over there...if there's barely any room (like living quarters smaller han my dorm room) or living with a family, chances are I'm not gonna have my parents send me the armor (even if it's not shipped in the tool box), but if I'm in an apartment, and the quarters are dorm room size or slightly bigger...I'll have them ship it to me...but would it be smarter to ship it in a cardboard box or the tool box itself?

That's a good idea to confirm first. If you don't already know what your living space will be like, assume it's small. Even single-person apartments in the cities in Japan (as in "for the working person living on their own with a full-time job") are really cramped. Maybe 400 sq. ft. or less. I can't imagine what student housing looks like

As for shipping the armor, cardboard would be the cheapest option because your parents won't have to pay for the extra weight and bulk of a tote or tool chest, but then you'd have to consider transportation while you're there. That's probably something better decided once you're over there and get accustomed to the commuting (like, for example, do not take your armor on the train anytime near rush hour).

Also...I've tried to sign into their forumns, but haven't recieved any sort of reply back from them

I'd advise waiting to hear from them. Also bear in mind that they may seem a little standoffish, both for reasons of culture and for recent history, so if you don't hear from them, don't be offended. Take your time, and don't be "American" about it.







(defensive knee-jerk reaction from the people taking that statement out of context without asking me what I mean by it in 3....2.....1........)

in Amerca...we don't talk like that

don't know what type of history you're talking about....but I'll take that into account..

For now....I'll settle on taking mini-TK-1339 (those little stormtrooper action figures) along for the ride

I still think the waiting to see would be your best bet, in all angles.

Gladd to see you have placement worked out... Sorry I totally spaced and forgot my box Thursday, or I would had the tools to strip the stripes off and let you place them as you would have liked. But glad we at least met up and got things squared away!