Shoulder straps?

[Kirby]

I have been using E6000 for my build, but now that I am attaching the straps that connect from the chest plate does everyone switch to ABS glue to attach theses? Or just keep going with the E6000? Seems like its not going to be easy to rough up the chest plate for the extra grip without damaging areas I wouldnt want to.

[pandatrooper[TK]]

This is how I glue on my shoulder bridges. Probably not "screen accurate" to how they did it in the films, but hey - if no one notices and mine never fall off, I don't really care.

 

- place the straps where I want them to (use tape / clamps to judge the position for screen accuracy and ensuring that the back end of the bridge is laying on top of the back armor shoulder extensions or "wings"

 

-once they are in the correct position, I use a pencil and trace an outline onto the chest armor. This makes for easy placement later.

 

- I use masking tape mask around the pencil lines on the chest, leaving the area where the bridge is to be glued exposed.

 

- Use sandpaper to rough up the unmasked area on the chest plate

 

- sand the underside of the bridge as well

 

- now depending on what armor people have (different makes = different bridge thickness, etc.) I noticed that some makes are taller than others. If so, I take some scrap plastic and glue this as a shim / spacer to the underside of the bridge, under the first few ribs (approx 1".) This will make the underside of the bridge more even, so that when you clamp it to the chest for gluing, there will be full "plastic on plastic" contact between the bridge and chest. This also ensures that the bridge does not cave in under the pressure of the clamps

 

- sand the underside of the shim / spacer after it has cured

 

- test your alignment for the last time. I used E6000 for gluing the bridge to the shoulder armor. Since it has more working time, it allows me to also spread some Plastic Weld along the front edge and forward sides of the bridge (the little ramp area) where the bridge will contact the chest armor. This ensures very little gap between the bridge and chest.

 

- align it quickly since the Plastic Weld evaporates fast. I usually apply a few strips of masking tape over the bridge and tape it to the chest to prevent it from wondering as the glue cures. The Plastic Weld also helps keep it in place since it cures faster.

 

- Clamp the bridges using your spring clamps. You don't need to crush your bridges, just make sure there is good contact between the bottom of the bridge / shim and the chest armor. Let the glue cure.

 

- Once it's cured, remove the tape and use some alcohol and a Q tip to clean off the pencil marks.

 

- If the bridges don't curve and lie properly on the back armor, I use a heat gun to curve the straps gently. I know some people do the screen accurate thing with the white elastics too, but I'm too lazy to do that for troops, so I just bend my bridges until they line up perfect so that every time you put your chest armor on, they sit exactly where you want them to.

 

Hope that helps!

[FIVE[501st]]

Great method Terry!

Thanks for sharing that...

[sixxgunn13]

Panda do you have a close up pic of your straps? a visual would help..

[Kirby]

Thanks Panda as always... Ironically I am looking at your AM build thread right now trying to keep myself from making a mistake...

[Eric]

my method comically enough was almost the same as pandas minus the plastic weld. i just use a shim and E6000. i dont rough up any spots. i know it helps for a stronger bond, but it doesnt hold hardly any weight... i havent had any problems. so if by chance you're worried about scuffing up the spots. you dont have to. but it will help.

[firebladejedi[TK]]

I use plastic weld and just run it around the seem to glue on the shoulder bridges. They are just for looks and shouldn't be used for any other purpose.

 

E-6000 takes too long to dry here in my opinion.

[Eric]

yeah E6000 does take forever, but i usually am in the middle of a few different things at once so it works for me but for everything else... there's mastercard

[john danter]

Terry's method is great but save the masking tape and sanding, I just use a scalpel to key the surface