MintImperial

Thank you very much. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Amazing tip. Thank you. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Looking to push this over the line. At least for basic approval first. I want to reshape one of my shins a little. When we talk about a hot water bath, are we talking boiling? Near boiling? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That’s very good to hear. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So the notch is not required? I can easily fill it in the way you suggested, but do I need to add a strip beneath and recreate the notch lower down? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you. Damn, that really sucks. Wish I’d known sooner. If I tried to adapt my armour to the way that you’ve indicated (the correct way) it would make it too long for my 5’8” frame. Unless I add an inch on the bottom of the kidney and take an inch off the butt. But I’m worried it would be too weak as there’s a lot stress in those areas. I guess I can’t get Centurion. Is it likely I could pass IE with it this way? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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@TheSwede My plates are aligned like the first 2 shots here, as recommended by gmrhodes13. This appears to contradict your post unless I’ve misunderstood. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you. I haven’t seen those diagrams before. My armour never had enough meat in the kidney plate to allow for A or B; it simply wasn’t deep enough. I’ve had to create something that’s basically a skinny version of C. Didn’t realise that would bar me from Centurion. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hope all’s well with the house move. Are you into your new place yet? Progress has stalled on this as I’ve been really busy with work. I think I’m ready to submit for approval at the most basic level (still lots of issues to fix) but I haven’t had time to take photos yet. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Because I have fans in my helmet, and this system is so amazingly sensitive, I put the mics as far away from the fans as I could get them. Not permanently mounted yet, but I’ve road-tested them here behind my chest plate and they work like a charm. I run corded headphones up under my neck seal so none of the system is mounted in the helmet, making it easy to remove. It also gives me easy access to the gain dial.

Thanks, as always, for the advice. Obviously, I don’t want to settle for basic and plan to aim higher. But I’m also very keen to get into the club first! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you. I appreciate Joseph’s comment that it’s easier than you think. Looking at the images alone filled with dread. I guess I can saw through the ends, but the drill bits I have on my Dremel won’t be big enough for those holes. I’m loathed to go out and buy a power drill just for that and there’s really no one I can borrow from here in Hong Kong. Would it be possible to get basic approval with the TD as it look snow, then alter later for higher levels when I have the chance? I’m getting to the point where lots of little things are going to bar me from the higher ranks (mostly due to lack of DIY skills and no space for a workshop).

Update on my magnet closures to keep the ab & kidney plates from slipping up and down: Once I’d got the positions right, the black ABS tabs were too straight: So I got them super rubbery with a heating iron and pressed them into shape against the plates. Then glued them into place with E6000: They hold everything in place really well, though I’ll still use the straps for security.

I trimmed the plate to the apparent cut lines on the part. I suppose I could trim something off the bottom of the plate next closest to the screws so that the whole plate is rotated outward (downward?). That would get the ribbed part to sit lower and the O to face outward instead of on top. But I worry that the dimensions of the plate (around the circumference) would then be too short. Currently it’s 90mm along the left and right edges.

Thank you. My TD does not look like that. The O is very much on the top. Not sure if it’s a function of the plate and tube (WTF) or the brackets (ukswrath). But, no matter how I try to position it, the plate always sits with the O very close to the brackets. Diameter of the pipe is 60mm (2.36 inches).

Thank you, Joseph. Will post pics on the belt when I get a chance. Work is keeping me super busy at the moment.

Aaaaaaargh! Just dropped something on my TD and scratched the paint as I was about to take a photo! Button plate is not stuck on yet so I’m holding it in place. Brackets are positioned so that the TD sits above the top of the canvas belt.

I’m having real troubles lining this up because of the way the shin halves are made. I can align it with the top ridges, but the right side will always be lower as the right-side ridges are lower. Or I can straighten it from the front, but the sniper plate will sit higher than the right-side ridge. If I can’t resolve this issue, would it keep me from being approved, and if so, even from level 1?

Now with minimal sheen.

Looking at the black scratch marks on the screen-used ones, it seems that these are actually the same one shot under different lighting conditions. The grey looks so different in each.

Awesome. Thank you Joseph. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Moving onto my thermal detonator, when I cut the pipe to length, I didn’t have the tools to cut it straight. I’ve corrected this with some putty. I found that Mr.Color number 13 is a really close match to the Humbrol grey sold by Trooperbay. But now that I’ve sprayed the pipe grey, what should the surface be like? I have a feeling semi-gloss/satin is the way to go. I’ve hit it with some gloss clear coat for now but can take the sheen down later.

Here’s how they’re looking at the moment. And with some black ABS paste, I made a little cradle for the magnet. What I like about this particular ABS is the wrinkle texture on one side which, even if the plates come apart, isn’t too reflective and will blend in much better to my undersuit.

In the meantime, I’ve been making some magnetic tabs to keep my ab & kidney plates from moving relative to each other. I’ve noticed that one or the other often rides up so that their tops are not aligned. One way to fix this would be double snaps on 2” webbing as my build has only 1”. But I thought I’d use the resources I have on hand instead. Using some black ABS this time, I cut out thin strips and, using a heat iron, created an S bend in each. Each will hold a magnet on one end that is glued to the other plate.