Maxsteele's New NE Armor Build

[Clonecollector[TK]]

 

Thanks Paul for the info on those bracket plates. I've already invested the money and time to doing snap plates, so I'll be continuing down that road. But also, even with that bracket set you used, you still needed to measure and create some type of strap system for back-to-chest, which wouldn't have been able to come pre-measured just for you in that kit. If you did receive elastic for that connection and you did nothing for modification, you were very lucky.

Because of the way everything is strapped together it all falls into place. The only thing you really need to get right is the shoulder strapping length. And on that I winged it myself with a hand from one of my sons.

 

For all intents and purposes I'm a fat guy and things never seem to fit right. Lol! This worked for me. Lol!

 

This weekend I'll be taking some pics to post on my WIP thread over at MEPD. I'll pm you if want to see my setup.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Because of the way everything is strapped together it all falls into place. The only thing you really need to get right is the shoulder strapping length. And on that I winged it myself with a hand from one of my sons.

 

For all intents and purposes I'm a fat guy and things never seem to fit right. Lol! This worked for me. Lol!

 

This weekend I'll be taking some pics to post on my WIP thread over at MEPD. I'll pm you if want to see my setup.

 

 

Always interested in seeing how another NE build is put together!

[Superkav]

For my armour I glued 2 long lengths of white elastic to the back piece going under the chest bridge to the chest piece. One would be permanently glued to the right 'pec' of the chest piece and the other would attach to a snap on the left 'pec'.

I then taped the butt, kidney and back together with. 2-3 mm gap between each (as they should have) and stood in front of the mirror and adjusted the chest piece to fit. Reaching to my shoulders with a pencil to mark the gap on the elastic between chest and back.

I glued the elastic to the back, kidney and butt piece and held them in place with magnets up to the return edge.

It worked perfectly as I'm not using the bracket system, I have good stretch when I move but it doesn't sag in any way. I can hold the whole piece from the shoulder elastic and it maintains the minimal gap with no stretching. The armours just not heavy enough.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[maxsteele[TK]]

Here's my marks for where I want to place my split rivets.  I measured the ab positions first - 15mm from the top, 15mm from the bottom, and 10mm from the edge.  For the measurement, I measured where I thought the edge of the rivet head would be, not from the center of the rivet head.  Then I held up my ab plate, lined up at the top, and made marks 10mm from the edge on the same horizontal line as the ab rivet marks.  On my kidney, there seems to be a slight bend at the end which could almost be a return edge, but it's not quite bent enough.  I measured from the very edge of the kidney instead of where that return edge bend is.  I don't want to cut that sort-of return edge off, as I've already measured and cut the sides of the ab to fit to my body.  If this pic is too blurry, I can try to take another.

 

 

 

 

 I think I'm going to do split rivets with the strap on the ab side attached on the other end of the rivet, and then snaps attached with the split rivets on the kidney side.

 

 

I can also see that my kidney does not line up with my ab at the bottom.  I think my belt will cover this up, so I don't think it matters much.  I'll go lay my belt across where it should go and make sure it is covering that up.

Edited April 24, 2014 by maxsteele

[maxsteele[TK]]

Here's a rough placement with the belt.  It seems in my current rivet placement, the belt will cover up the second and third rivets.  Not sure if that's bad or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So on the left side, that bottom part will be covered up by the holster.  On the right side, it's not even noticeable.  My concern is with rivet placement now, because of covering the middle rivets with my belt.  Maybe I should do 10mm from the top and bottom, and split the difference in the middle?

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Split rivets placement is wrong, don't set them that way.

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26886-split-rivet-placement/

 

You should also trim the top of the junction between the ab and kydney  so the line becomes straight.

Edited April 24, 2014 by The5thHorseman

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Thank Anthony.  I think the big issue is the length of the strap between the chest and back.  Your length is going to be different than mine, because of body type, height, etc....  Getting that spacing and fit there makes the rest of it fall into place.

 

Trial and error, I think Ron. This is what I've done - the good ole masking tape. Test fitted a few times, repositioned, test fitted again until I've got the measurements right. Then make up and attach the elastic straps (That's another story though, as seen in my thread)

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks Germain!  I see the measurement is 15mm up from that line where the ab / cod meet, not the very bottom.

 

I'll also look at getting that top line straight across where my left and right ab/kidney joins are.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Big difference in both the alignment of the ab / kidney and the rivet placement.  Here are shots of the rivet placement, and rough placement of the belt:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

You know, with the extra I took off from the tops, I can bring the torso in more.  In fact, I think I can bring it in just enough to get rid of that curved part along the vertical end length of my kidney on both sides.  Here is how it fits when I overlap the side of the ab with the kidney over that bend:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, that's looking better.  I think I'll get rid of that bend part along the vertical edge of the kidney.   I've also noticed as I'm making these little trims, the bottom of the ab and the bottom of the kidney are starting to line up more.  Almost like it's supposed to be that way.....  

Edited April 24, 2014 by maxsteele

[maxsteele[TK]]

While we're on the topic of measuring, the return edge at the top of my ab plate is 10-12 mm.  Should that be trimmed down at all, or does it not matter?  It will certainly make the ab fit different if I were to cut it down.  I'm fine with leaving it where it is, but if it should be thinner, now is the time to do it.

 

 

EDIT:

 

Now that I think about it, that return edge is what's fitting the armor to my body just as much as everything else.  If I were to trim that down at all, that would bring the ab closer to my body, which would push back the line between the ab and kidney, and I'd have to take more off of the kidney in order to keep the line centered at the side of my body.  I can't keep taking more off of the ab side, because the line would move forward and it wouldn't close up properly.

 

However, if I make the one modification I'm considering now with that bent kidney edge, and if I gain too much weight, I won't have to change the closure of the sides at all.  I can just trim down the return edges on the top of the ab and the kidney, and that will give me the room I need.  I'm not expecting to gain weight, since I've dropped 20 pounds from when I started this build, but that would be a solution to keeping the sides the way they are while creating more room for me to fit.

 

I'm going to hold off on trimming the top return edge of the ab plate.

Edited April 24, 2014 by maxsteele

[maxsteele[TK]]

I made the straps connecting my kidney to my butt plate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as I suspected when I did my first test fit, the butt plate flares out on the sides a lot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It also tucks underneath the kidney plate on each end.  The straps I used are not loose and don't have any tension to them.  They are neutral with the snaps connected, so there's no pulling.  I have no idea how to solve the issues with the butt plate.  Did I make the straps too short, and because the butt plate is not hanging at the same angle as the kidney, it pops over the kidney on the ends?

Edited April 24, 2014 by maxsteele

[Pencap510]

Hey- I literally just posted my pics doing the same thing with the butt plate. Downloaded imgur and put my pics there - but still don't know how to input the URL so it shows up as an imbedded pic, but that's another story. I'm having the same issue with my butt plate flaring out. Think eat bending might be the best bet.. So it has less stress and flares less. But I'm waiting on some feedback.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Ok, don't throw me rocks but if the butt plate flares like that, it's just because it is how the original butt plate that RS has and that NE recast is. You can also see it on few screencaps from the film:

 

You can either heat bend it if it really hurts you but you can also leave it as it. Once all geared up, with the thighs on, and the holster it is less noticeable.

Edited April 25, 2014 by The5thHorseman

[Redforce[TK]]

Responded to your pm about the split rivets and snaps brother...let me know if you got any more questions!

[maxsteele[TK]]

Ok, don't throw me rocks but if the butt plate flares like that, it's just because it is how the original butt plate that RS has and that NE recast is. You can also see it on few screencaps from the film:

 

You can either heat bend it if it really hurts you but you can also leave it as it. Once all geared up, with the thighs on, and the holster it is less noticeable.

 

No rocks here.

 

I wasn't aware the butt plate was another one of the RS recast pieces.  If that's how the piece fits, then I'm fine with that for an initial fit and I won't look to modify it right now.  It certainly doesn't hurt physically (if that's what you meant), because it's not really coming in contact with my body at any point.  If you meant hurt as in I don't like how it looks, I could certainly look at heat bending it at some point, or if people really are pointing out an issue with it, but right now I'm happy with the solid placement of the butt plate with my straps.  The flare-out will just be how it is, and if it slips over the kidney on the edges, then everyone here at least is aware of that.

 

One thing I can tell I will need to do is slim down the strip on the plate that goes between the legs.  It's just too wide down there and definitely causes discomfort.  Once I get suited up and feel how that is, I'll probably shave that middle strip down so it sits comfortably down there when it's strapped to the cod.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Responded to your pm about the split rivets and snaps brother...let me know if you got any more questions!

 

Thanks Anthony!  I think I'm going to continue using your strap system as my template and attach the ab side with rivets and the elastic directly, then attach the kidney side with rivets and the snaps bent on the inside to hold the snap in place.  I'll need to take off that slight bend in the vertical edge of the kidney and re-apply my general hole location before drilling.

 

Any tips on how you got your butt plate to sit in a good spot and not have the edges pop up over the kidney?  I made my straps to be exactly the length to keep the butt and kidney flush.  Did you find having those straps a little longer than that to help with that overlap?  I saw in your pics that you don't really seem to have that happen, but that could just be your body shape compared to mine preventing that from happening.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Alright, final rivet mark placement.  I'm looking to drill a hole straight in the middle of each circle for the split rivets.

 

 

 

I've taken off that bent return edge at the vertical on the kidney side.  It's slightly tighter than I thought it would be, and I might shave a mm or two off of the top edges of the kidney and ab to give a bit more breathing room.  The return edge along the top of the kidney also digs into my back a bit, which will probably be relieved when I have elastic on the sides instead of masking tape.  I'm going to try to keep that gap as closed as I can.

 

 

I had a weak snap on the left corner of my butt plate which was causing it to pop when I would put any type of pull on the underside of the plate, simulating a strap from the butt to the cod.  I swapped with the strap in the center of the butt plate where there is less resistance, and the new strap in the left corner holds up nicer.  It is certainly a big flare-out on the ends, but I'll reserve final judgement until I'm completely suited up.  Nothing I can really do at the moment about it anyway!

 

If there is no fault found in these rivet placements, drilling holes is the next step.  Then I'll get the split rivets installed with elastic.  Still deciding how I'm going to close up the right side of the ab / kidney.  Not sure what all of my options are just yet.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Hole drilling day!

 

I put it off long enough.  I've measured, re-measured, researched, asked questions, measured again, and re-measured.  Here are the results:

 

[Pencap510]

They turned out perfect. Didn't make the same mistake I had - going to low on he bottom rivet <br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks Ty!  Yeah, I came close to going too low on the bottom rivet myself.  Germain stepped in before I got my hands on a drill.    

 

Here's the kidney and the pieces next to each other:

 

 

 

[Pencap510]

Look really good and in line - on mine I'd have to abs paste fill the hole and re- rivet if I wanted to go centurion. But I plan on trooping more than anything. Hospitals, charities etc. It's a mistake I'm willing to live with lol<br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[maxsteele[TK]]

Now I have to decide if I want to do the "snap secured with split rivet" method or the straight "elastic secured with split rivet" method.

[Pencap510]

I went snap plate - I didn't want the stress of the rivet pulling the abs- it's plenty strong enough. I'm just a worry wort<br /><br /><br />Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[maxsteele[TK]]

First rivet set!  It took me a bit to figure out exactly how to do this.  I used a flat head screwdriver and a small hammer to separate the prongs down as close to the base as I could with the elastic and washer on it.  Once I had that, I hammered in the center and it flattened out the prongs.  I also doubled over the elastic for a more secure attachment to it.

 

 

 

Yeah, I've decided to just join the elastic to the other split rivet and make it a permanent connection.  I decided this for two reasons:

 

1)  It's much easier than trying to fit the split rivet inside the snap and cut off the excess

2) I don't want to have snap plates glued on the sides

3) It's screen accurate!  (This last one didn't really weight into my decision, but it's convenient that it is!)

Edited April 28, 2014 by maxsteele