Got a question.. need and answer?
Do you have a question about one of our products or services.? Hopefully it will be answered here, but if not, simply drop us a line using our contact form. We will update this page with new FAQ’s if the same thing gets asked a lot, so please do check back here before asking a question.
COSTUMME GROUPS and 405th MERCH
Q: I like the look of this 405th Infantry merch – can I order some please.?
A: Sorry no. 405th official merch is only available to 405th members – the Halo costuming group, which is why access to these items is access code protected.
Q: I am a 405th member – where do I get the access code from.?
A: Please refer to your 405th forum where there is a section detailing merch and the access code for this site.
Q: Do you only make/sell 405th merch.?
A: Nope – we make all sorts of merch, costuming and cosplay items that are available to anyone, and the range of items available will develop continually based on requirements and requests from you, and the ideas we have too.
Q: Can you make badges and merch items for my costuming group.?
A: Yes we can. Please get whoever is in charge of your group merchandise to contact us to discuss your requirements.
KIT BOXES FOR COSTUMES AND PROPS
Q: Do you supply the actual kit boxes / storage boxes / tool chests.?
A: Sorry no we don’t. We only design, make and supply the actual custom plates for you to fit to your own kit box. The storage boxes and and tool chests are available from most DIY stores, online stores, tool suppliers, and some home supply stores.
Q: Your unit measurements seem strange.. how are you measuring gallons and litres for the kit boxes.?
A: As we are UK based we generally use ‘Imperial Gallons’ and not the US version for our capacity measurement. For example the Stanley 50 gallon / 225 ltr box is correct (even though it might be referred to as 50 gallon/190 ltr in the USA). We also take our specification details from the kit box manufacturers websites, and for simplicity they do round up/down for a rounder (cleaner) number.
COSTUME KIT BOX PLATES
Q: I’m 405th. Can I order a plate set and change the layout of the 405th logos or text on it.?
A: Sorry no. We have worked with your Command Staff on these designs for approval to use the official 405th logos, and the layout and style is now the approved format.
Q: Can I order a custom sized plate or plate set and just have generic icons on it – with no official logos.?
A: Yes you can. Your best bet is to contact us via our contact form and give us the details and we’ll get back to you. Within reason we can make any plate or plate set you want.
Q: What are the standard ‘off the shelf’ 2 colour options for plates please?
A: Currently they are:
White/Black
Black/White
Black/Red
Brushed Stainless Steel-look/Black
Brushed Stainless Steel-look/Red
Plate finish is a personal choice and not locked in to a particular design or costume.
Q: How does the plate colour choice work?
A: Laminate is a layered material comprising of 2 sheets of different coloured materials (a top colour and a base colour). The top colour is engraved though, to reveal the base colour. Colours are shown as the TOP colour first + the BASE colour. So..
- A Brushed Stainless steel-look/Black has a metal-look material as the top colour and black as the base. The finished plate would be brushed metal-look with black engraved detail.
- A White/Black has white as the top colour and black as the base. The finished plate would be white with black engraved detail.
- A Black/White has black as the top colour and white as the base. The finished plate would be black with white engraved detail.
Q: I would like to order a plate set but in a different colour finish. Is this possible?
A: Potentially yes. The premium laminate product we use is available in a fairly wide range of colour options, but it is limited to a point. It is not a printed product so you do not have 1,000’s (or even 1,00’s) of colour choices, but there are a number of non-standard 2 colour options available to order. Please note that as we have to buy in whole sheets there maybe additional cost to you to cover this. You can request a custom colour material HERE.
Q: My tool chest or storage box is not listed. Can I get plates made for it?
A: Yes you can. We would need accurate dimensions from you in mm’s. Contact us for a quote with your plate dimensions and requirements.
AFTER CARE
Q: What is the best way to fix my new plate(s) to my kit box.?
A: FOR GUIDANCE ONLY. I have used **E6000 glue for mine in the past and this appears to work fine for me, as it is slightly flexible, allows for re-positioning whilst placing, and will bond most surfaces extremely well. Remove any stickers, nameplates, badges etc… so that you are bonding directly to the box material. We suggest lightly sanding or scoring the back of the plate(s) and the surface of the box where the plate(s) will be fixed, to provide a key and remove and surface preparations, coatings, oils, shine etc… Use small ‘blobs’ or a thin bead of E6000 rather than a whole covering as you many find excessive coverage might result in a chemical reaction and the plate or box material warping. Tape into place if vertical, or weigh down if horizontal, until the E6000 has completely set/cured. . You can download our plate fixing datasheet HERE.
Some people use heavy duty double sided tape, and some have even used Velcro. You could also drill and use pop rivets or self tapping screws, small nut & bolts etc… for a more industrial look. In any case, the chosen method of fixing your plates to your kit box is down to you and your personal preference.
**UPDATE: E6000 (certainly in the UK) has changed in recent years due to H&S requirements and I have been informed by some customers that ‘Gorilla Contact Adhesive Clear’ is a suitable replacement.
Q: How should I clean my plate(s).?
A: We use, and recommend IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol… not the beer!). This is a widely used cleaning and surface preparation solution used in medical, engineering, manufacturing, IT, healthcare, and sign making professions. It will clean surfaces of grease and marks and evaporates to leave the surface clean and dry. It is available in 70% and 99% (almost pure) versions as swabs, wipes, sprays and solutions from auto supply shops, chemists, and on line. We use the 99% version. You can download our cleaning and care datasheet HERE.
Alternatively a kitchen surface or floor ‘wet wipe’ (the kind already soaked with a cleaning solution and sold in resealable packets in supermarkets) would do, but ensure there is no bleach, alcohol or colouring agents, and wipe dry with a soft lint-free cloth after cleaning.
ORDERING, DELIVERY & SHIPPING
Q: How long does it take to cut / engrave my plates or print my order.?
A: As almost every item we make is customised to the individual, these aren’t items that just sit on a shelf waiting to be picked, packed and posted – each item is made to order. We strive to get our custom items made and packed within 7-10 days of receiving your order (excluding weekends and bank holidays of course). In most cases this will be the norm, however in extreme cases i.e. if we are extremely busy, you may receive an email informing you that completion of your order may take slightly longer.
Q: How will I know my order is ready and been shipped.?
A: As soon as your order is completed, packed and dispatched our order system will ping you an email to say your order has been shipped to you.
Q: My country / location is not listed for shipping. Can this be added.?
A: Please drop us a message here requesting your country / location be added and we’ll get it sorted.
Q: Can I have my order delivered to a different address?
IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE
A: Yes you can – in the checkout there is the facility to enter a different delivery address from your standard account/billing address. Please use this facility rather than adding a different address in the notes section, as the Royal Mail address labelling system only picks up the ‘Delivery Address’ from the database, not the notes.
Q: Is your ordering system safe.?
A: For your peace of mind we have an SSL certificate on our website to encrypt all the information you enter on your keyboard/keypad into your order or enquiry form, and furthermore, we don’t even see or store your credit/debit card details or PayPal account details on our system. All payment processing is controlled, secured, and processed by PayPal’s secure system on their network, not ours. No credit card details or payment processing is handled or seen on our website or our server.
Q: I only want to order 1 item from you, and not order anything else in the future. Can I have my personal details removed from your ordering system afterwards.?
A: No problem. Simply drop us a line using the contact form clearly stating you wish to be removed from the system (quoting your last order reference and PayPal reference for ID purposes) and we will remove you from the ordering database as soon as your order has been processed. Please note we will have to retain certain records here for financial, taxation and accountancy purposes, but your details will be removed from the online ordering system as requested.
Q: How do you ship / post items / how long does it take.?
PLEASE READ
A: With reported issues in many destination countries with their own delivery services either experiencing delays or missing parcels with untracked mail, we only provide tracked postage and shipping options for all orders.
- UK orders should be received within a few days from dispatch.
- Europe should be 5-7 working days from dispatch.
- All other countries should allow 7-12 working days from dispatch
IMPORTANT !!! – These are the ‘stated delivery aims’ from the postal and shipping companies we use, and do not including the day of dispatch, weekends or bank holidays, and are not guaranteed, and overseas (depending on your country) can take up to 25 days in some vary rare instances. Actual delivery times will vary depending on where about you are in the world and your local postal service once the parcel lands in your country, but these are the average timescales which are met 95% of the time.
** PLEASE READ – TRACKED SHIPPING **
Tracked shipping is not necessarily faster than standard shipping – it is just tracked. That said, international tracked orders are sometimes given priority handling over standard untracked international mail so may end up being delivered a day or two before standard mail, but this is not guaranteed and should not be relied upon.
Q: My order has arrived damaged – what should I do.?
A: This is covered in detail (and in a more legal and accurate speak) in our Terms & Conditions – please ensure you read these before ordering, but in brief, you must report any damage within 48 hours of delivery.
1. PACKAGING DAMAGE RESULTING IN PRODUCT DAMAGE:
We go to great lengths to ensure that the packing we use and how we pack our items will best protect your order in transit, however we cannot be held responsible for the delivery services handling of your parcel once it has left us. Please note as stated above, the option to have a tracked and better insured delivery service is now available and is your choice to select this, or not. If your parcel is damaged and you have a tracked service please pursue this with your delivery provider and use the tacking ID you have been given by us.
2. PACKAGING FINE BUT PRODUCT DAMAGED:
This would be highly irregular. Our in-house QC process ensures that every product leaves here in perfect condition. All items are visually checked and inspected by us before packing. That said, if in the unusual situation that your item is damaged, again this must be reported within 48 hours and we will contact you to address/rectify this.
Q: My custom plate or merch order has arrived but I’ve changed my mind – can I return it for a refund.?
A: Sorry, no. Under the The Consumer Contracts Regulations (previously know as the Distance Selling Regulations Act) anything that has been made to order, customised, branded, coloured, engraved, baked, tailored, painted etc.. specifically for a customer cannot be returned for a credit or refund as the item in question is unique to that customer i.e. it is not an ‘off the shelf stock item’ that can simply be returned to stock.
Q: My custom plate or merch order has arrived but I’ve ordered the wrong plate set / entered the wrong details / chosen the wrong colour etc.. – can I return it for a refund/swap.?
A: Sorry, no. Once a plate set has been cut and/or merch made for you, it is unique to you regardless of the size, colour shape etc… (see answer above). We have gone to great lengths to ensure that there is plenty of visual information, text descriptions and details on each product page to ensure that you can order the correct merch or plate for your kit box. Please read everything and check the spec of the merch you are interested in before ordering, and if you have any questions please open the chat window if we are online, or drop us a message BEFORE ordering.
SOMETHING ELSE…
If you have a question that is not listed or answered here, simply use our enquiry / custom request form and we’ll get back you as soon as possible.