Keeping Should Bells Up

[FIVE[501st]]

So I've got my TM ESB suit pretty much assembled, but I'm having the darnedest time keeping the shoulder bells from pulling the elastic "down" so you can see it on the edges.

 

I don't have a picture, but here's a quick drawing...

----

 

Basically the shoulder bell pulls down on the elastic so it peaks out.

I even added a 2nd snap, which helped, but it's still not staying tucked under.

 

Do I need to make the elastic straps shorter, so they're 'tighter?'

 

Or what other tips/tricks do people have for solving this?

Edited December 4, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I put a snap holding the elastic bridge to the plastic shoulder strap.

 

and I put the shoulder bell snap so that it's sitting completely under the white strap, not on top.

 

in layers:

 

top:

plastic shoulder strap.

white elastic with snap to shoulder strap.

shoulder bell webbing/leather non flexible strap.

snap from bell to white elastic.

undersuit.

bottom

 

the other way is to connect both shoulder bells together with one strap across the back

of your neck. and snaps to the plastic shoulder straps.

 

this way your bells are connected together and the plastic straps are snapped on to keep

them the correct distance from each other.

 

I didn't use elastic on my shoulder bell tops, just some leather.

 

also by slightly biasing the snap location towards the front of your body helps to keep

them forward. aligning the bicep armor with the internals so that it keeps the shoulder bell

forward by putting pressure from the bicep elastic.

 

As well as the location for the bicep to bell elastic being on the outer edge of your

tricep holding the bell and bicep always in their proper locations.

Edited June 1, 2011 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[FIVE[501st]]

Yes, I think the strap across the shoulders is my best bet. It's what I did with my TD armor — you can see that here — and works really well.

 

I just like to ask before I do something "drastic."

Edited December 4, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[firebladejedi[TK]]

The snap should be located on the inside of the elastic strap and the bell should be almost if not touching the plastic bridges to keep it all lined up correctly

[Locitus[Admin]]

I had that problem before, but with shorter straps between the shoulder straps and the bell this problem went away. And I mean they are really short. Maybe 1½ inch or so from snap to snap.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

nice video there noel... notice how it's a non flexible strap! he did a good job of showing the concept.

all I guess you'd add to the strap is the caps facing inside up on the main strap, to attach to the white elastic

from the bottom, with the cap on the black strap, and the snap base facing down on the white elastic, from the bottom.

so the snap is upside down, under the white elastic. then the white alastic can have a snap to the plastic.

 

or just omit the snap entirely on the shoulder bells, and just connect and go!

 

this would not pull on the white elastic at all, and the width of the black strap would be

measured tight so that each bell site right next to the shoulder plastic straps.

 

it looks like if you connect the shoulder bells to the white elastic at all, then

pulling is the result.

Edited June 1, 2011 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[Locitus[Admin]]

Here's a picture of how I did it.

===

Edited December 4, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

nice one there, looks like the white elastic is slightly thinner than SA, which helps to keep everything hidden.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Actually, that white elastic is folded over itself, so it's two layers of elastic to keep it extra strong.

[troopermaster]

I'm guessing you have your biceps connected to your bells which would cause this kind of problem. The real ANH suits just had the biceps connected to the forearms and the shoulder bells just free floated, so no tension was on them really. But, some troopers did tape their bells to the biceps to stop their arms sliding down and Han had special hooks on the inside of his biceps so he could hang his arms from them.

 

I think you might need to loosen up your straps so there isn't much tension on them which is causing your problem. The top strap of the bel should be very short so that the top of the bell touches the inner shouler strap. Another thing that might help is that you shorten the inner shoulder strap too. If that is too long then it is allowed to be pulled out more than if it was shorter.

[TKittell[501st]]

I ended up just using nylon straps with snaps on both ends. No elastic.

[FIVE[501st]]

I'm guessing you have your biceps connected to your bells which would cause this kind of problem. The real ANH suits just had the biceps connected to the forearms and the shoulder bells just free floated, so no tension was on them really. But, some troopers did tape their bells to the biceps to stop their arms sliding down and Han had special hooks on the inside of his biceps so he could hang his arms from them.

 

I think you might need to loosen up your straps so there isn't much tension on them which is causing your problem. The top strap of the bell should be very short so that the top of the bell touches the inner shoulder strap. Another thing that might help is that you shorten the inner shoulder strap too. If that is too long then it is allowed to be pulled out more than if it was shorter.

Yes, that's right. And I already loosened them a lot. I probably just need to do it more. I realize the strap holding the shoulder bell "up" really is just keeping it from flying "outward." It's not really holding it "up"... they stay up anyway, with the bicep pushing up on them too.

 

I may do nylon as well. Or some really thick elastic.

 

Of course I'd rather have elastic — it's preferred for Centurion, though fabric works — but I have to be honest with myself that I'm not "accurate" anyway when it comes to strapping, so why worry about one "piece" and pretend it has more significance in being "authentic" than any other I've neglected.

 

I suppose I want to keep them elastic because 1) they're more comfortable, and 2) they CAN be seen if people look.

 

Thanks for all the tips everyone!

 

I'll post if shortening and loosing works...

[FIVE[501st]]

On 6/2/2011 at 6:15 AM, Locitus said:

Here's a picture of how I did it.

 

 

These are WAY shorter than mine!!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Told you they were short