Welcome from Loudoun :)
If you haven't signed up on the Garrison Tyranus boards yet, you should. And put Air and Scare on your calendar this year - we usually get about 3-4 Fetts and a good number of Mandos trooping: Events
Nah, that soreness never goes away haha. The armor and jetpack just wears on you. If I'm moving around it's ok, standing still for long photo ops is what kills me - and my thumbs to keep this on topic.
If you're paying for pieces and also commissions to get things painted then you need to up your budget. I'd keep an eye on the Cargo Hold for people parting out suits so you can acquire as many finished pieces as possible.
I can't speak to any of their parts but the jetpack harness looks to be made of resin or something else non-metal and I wouldn't trust my backpack to it let alone an expensive jetpack. That's enough for me to stay away right there.