Using snaps for belt position

[Bigturc]

I'm currently tweaking my armor to give it a better fit.

 

My belt had always been a problem. The AP kit comes with 2 pieces of white elastic to rivets on each side of the belt. Now, if you do this and use both pieces keeping the length they come, your belt will most likely be loose, or at least not really tight.

 

So, I had the choice, shorten the belt's elastics, or fix the belt to the abs with snaps. After noticing this thing on a lot of pictures and screen grabs, I decided to give the snaps method a GO!

 

So I used my belts end holes to mark where to put the male snaps in the armor. Drilled through, put the snaps in, put 2 female snaps through the belt's holes.

 

Looked pretty neat ..

 

Tried it on .. snapped right out!

Resnapped it in .. snapped right out!

 

The belt is way too rigid for these snaps to hold! Now, I'm using the same heavy duty snaps I've used for the rest of the armor. So the snaps is not the issue here.

 

NOW, I'm sorry I drilled through the abs piece .. and realized that perhaps this was working only when the female snaps were NOT attached to the ABS belt, but on the canvas belt which is way more flexible than the ABS.

 

For now, I used 2 bolts going through the ABS belt, then through the elastic, then the female snap, then the male snaps and through the abs piece closed inside the armor... I sure don't wanna keep the bolting solution!

 

Does that all make sense .. input needed on this one.

[troopermaster]

I am guessing that your belt is flat, and may work better if you were to reshape it curverd so that there is no resistance and the snaps should stay together.

 

On my belt, I put the snaps through the canvas and they are hidden behind the plastic ammo belt, pretty much how they did it for the real suits. The square tabs on the belt are only for covering the rivets which attach the plastic to the canvas, not for snaps.

 

You can see in this below, the rivets and then 2 holes where I now have my snaps (I took this pic before I installed my snaps to show someone my belt set up).

 

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Sly11
Edited to restore images Sly11 2021

[TK-2126_MD[TK]]

Ya I used 7 before the idea of reshaping hit me........

 

 

 

Know it only pops 1 or 2 snaps if i have to pick up coins,or my keys.....

Edited February 19, 2021 by Sly11
Edited to restore images Sly11 2021

[Bigturc]

Thanks guys,

 

Paul, if only I had asked and read that answer before drilling my holes ... now I feel sad I didn't ask the question BEFORE doing the drilling .. I hate the idea of having unused holes in my armor .. god I feel stupid for having done that!

 

For now, I'll keep the bolts there while I build myself a canvas belt that will be less inclined to pop out.

 

May this thread serves other with their kit Paul, you should add a picture of your abs piece with the snap in to help with the location and overall look for future reference.

 

Joey, off to reshaping it anyway

[troopermaster]

Paul, you should add a picture of your abs piece with the snap in to help with the location and overall look for future reference.

 

You already posted a pic of my armour in the Elite Status section, question 3, second pic down

 

If you have some spare ABS or HIPS, you can cut a small square to stick behind the hole in your ab plate. Heat the square up until it is flexible and press it into the hole from the inside. This should make the hole fill up with ABS and then glue the square in place. If it doesn't work the first time, try heating the plastic more until it can be pressed into the hole.

 

When I put the holes in my belt for the snaps, make sure that the belt is not tight against your ab plate. If it is tight then it will want to pop off so give a bit of slack.

 

-Paul

[Bigturc]

You already posted a pic of my armour in the Elite Status section, question 3, second pic down

 

If you have some spare ABS or HIPS, you can cut a small square to stick behind the hole in your ab plate. Heat the square up until it is flexible and press it into the hole from the inside. This should make the hole fill up with ABS and then glue the square in place. If it doesn't work the first time, try heating the plastic more until it can be pressed into the hole.

 

When I put the holes in my belt for the snaps, make sure that the belt is not tight against your ab plate. If it is tight then it will want to pop off so give a bit of slack.

 

-Paul

 

Paul, I thought this was a screen used armor from ANH!!! Damn .. ok .. well, that's the look I wanna have for my armor!

I'll try that after Halloween! Thanks for the tip!