How do I secure all my parts while test fitting?

[bigtrev503]

I taped up my arms and that went well. I took pictures and everything was fine. I tried to figure out a temporary way to attach the chest, back, ab, kidney and butt, and did not have as much success. Everything basically exploded apart before I could get a picture.

 

Anyone have suggestions for how to tape this all together for test fitting?

[darksideemt]

the only pieces you really need to tape fit are arms and legs. the other pieces you really can go ahead and strap together in the verticle. if you look at pics your pieces should "lay" on top of the next piece at certain points. to attach front to back you will need help holding things in place to get the right length of strap. you will still probably have to adjust a couple of times after you have it together, we all do. good luck

[bigtrev503]

How do we adjust things that are glued in place? I'll be using white webbing to attach the chest to the back but am scared to glue it down without knowing for sure that it's in the right place

[boomshakra[TK]]

I haven't received my armor to build yet, but perhaps get some (non-industrial strength) velcro to get everything where you want it & then go back with snap plates and the connecting elasting/webbing (cut to fit)? Just a thought. Of course, if you are going to use elastic you will need to take into account some stretch - over the shoulder to connect your chest/back, for example. Good luck!

Edited May 14, 2012 by boomshakra

[matt black]

Duct tape? Should be strong enough to hold it together while you do a test fit.

[troopermaster]

On 5/15/2012 at 2:35 AM, boomshakra said:

Of course, if you are going to use elastic you will need to take into account some stretch - over the shoulder to connect your chest/back, for example.

 

Your elastic should not be stretched anywhere until you start to move.

 

Duct tape will do the job of holding the parts together for a test fit. If you are going to use snaps and elastic straps then simply add your snap plates in the correct locations and make the straps long enough so all the torso parts are touching each other. Just make sure the chest to abdomen straps allow for some overlap on these armour parts. I think you will find everything should come together pretty good if you use a strapping system like this one.

 

If you are going for a screen accurate strapping then you don't have a choice of how long your straps are as they are not really adjustable.

[matt black]

Now THAT is a helpful answer!

[Spectre]

Now THAT is a helpful answer!

 

Because THAT is Paul.

I tried using velcro for just this during my build...and just no.

Having people hold it against you is easier IMO

[bigtrev503]

If you are going for a screen accurate strapping then you don't have a choice of how long your straps are as they are not really adjustable.

 

Ah! this is true all over with the black elastic. However, the real tricky part for me is the length of the white straps on the shoulders. Everything else is pretty obvious.

 

Any feedback for that? Also, when trying to test fit the chest and back I can't think of a good way to go about it as the tape sticks to itself when I try to make a temporary strap out of it.

[bigtrev503]

Having people hold it against you is easier IMO

 

This is tough when you don't have any friends lol

[NastyNoah[TK]]

Ah! this is true all over with the black elastic. However, the real tricky part for me is the length of the white straps on the shoulders. Everything else is pretty obvious.

 

Getting the white straps correct from the chest to back was pretty difficult for me. I ended redoing it 3 times and found out to make them longer than what you think they need to be. You don't want a straight bridge of elastic going straight across from chest to back because this will bring the shoulder bridges up higher than what you want. You can fit the pieces on you by your self with a bit of creativity. I placed the back piece up against my back then backed up to a wall to hold it in place then I held the chest with one hand and applied tape with my free hand.

[bigtrev503]

Thank you, Paul! You are just too awesome!

[TKRalf[TK]]

What I did when building that was i glued the white elastic to the chest first, and then on the back plate glue the snaps on plates. Afterwards i taped both back and chest using blue masking tape, then placed the elastic and marked where the snap in the elastic would match with the back plate snap and voila.