It's happening! [*CAP]

[Grimez]

I'm just sort of trying to get it done, honestly. I can always revise things to make them to a higher degree of accuracy later.

[Grimez]

Going off the written standards my armor should be up to EIB/Centurion standards (although a lot of that is up to how it looks altogether and not just what it says). I'm almost done with the foam inserts on the biceps and forearms, one more strip to insert into the forearms. Is there a good place to get thigh garters? The thread in the ongoing sales section is no longer selling. Also, I don't have any very good reference photos on the curve of the shoulder straps. These are mine as they stand but I want to redo them and get a more even curve on them. The placement of them is straight from a reference shot. Is there a good way to get them to curve like that or do I just have to eyeball it like I did before?

 

Edited August 11, 2014 by Grimez

[DizzyStormtrooper[501st]]

heat it up with a heat gun or hair dryer and wrap around a coffee can/2 liter bottle

[Grimez]

Ok, I redid the shoulder straps but I can't really tell if there was much of a difference. However I also did the final trimming on my ab and kidney pieces as well as painting them. I wasn't thinking when I did the right side holes and accidently did a hole on the right side of the kidney plate but i'm sure that can be filled in with some kind of paste or spare plastic. I'm also touching up my ear paint and just painted my ab plate. Here are some quick pictures I took, its about 10pm so lighting isn't ideal. I also still need a good place to get thigh garters as well.

 

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking great Christian!!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Same thing happened to Ladyinwhite's snowy build with her shoulder straps. She sat them in a pot and heated them so as they softened they took the form of the pot. I'd try that, otherwise order some new ones.

[Grimez]

Someone teach me how to do this.

 

[jnnfr72[TK]]

Snaps take practice... least for me they do. This video sort of shows you...

Not sure the link will work?

 

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0LEVyWRcepTtQ0ANSFXNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGJjawMyOTRndW9wOXUya3MzJTI2YiUzRDMlMjZzJTNEc2kEZnIDeWZwLXQtOTAxBGdwcmlkA2lVLnhVVFc0U1NDejNOcHlCSVFuVkEEbXRlc3RpZANTV0lNJTNEU01FNTc0BG5fcnNsdAMxMARuX3N1Z2cDNARvcmlnaW4Dc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMARwcXN0cgMEcHFzdHJsAwRxc3RybAMyMwRxdWVyeQNob3cgdG8gc2V0IG1ldGFsIHNuYXBzIAR0X3N0bXADMTQwNzg3NDA1NgR2dGVzdGlkA1NNRTU3NA--?gprid=iU.xUTW4SSCz3NpyBIQnVA&pvid=fZ6wvjk4LjEkkh7GU.FTgwnMMjA1LlPqcZH_4tc4&p=how+to+set+metal+snaps+&fr2=sb-top-search.yahoo.com&fr=yfp-t-901

 

we dont have spikes - but regular circles....

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Grimz,

 

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking

 

I use a really heavy 3 lb hammer when setting snaps with a punch and anvil type thingy. That allows me to hit it with force in a controlled manner to stop me from winding up like a lumberjack felling a redwood with a hatchet.

 

-Eric

[jnnfr72[TK]]

If I understand your kit correctly... you have a part that is the interchangeable bottom part which fits both the male part and female part, and the tiny anvil with a tiny punch. 

Or, am I wrong, and there is a specific bottom part that fits the male part and a different bottom part that fits the female part? You probably need to waste a few before you

figure it out... that's what i did. I'm a big waster!

Good luck, Broh!

[Grimez]

Just asking how to strap my armor using the snap technique, Eric. Every little tutorial or piece of advice or tip is welcome.

[Grimez]

Alright, I tested out some of my stuff and I have an idea on how it all works. I just glue to snaps directly to this plastic, right? Then they just snap together. Then the split rivets I hit onto either side until they are secured?

[maxsteele[TK]]

Christian,

 

You secure the male snaps to a snap plate - either a piece of ABS with a hole drilled in it, or a piece of webbing with a hole cut out / burned through.  You take those male snap plates and glue them into position in various locations on your armor.  Then, you take a length of elastic, cut / burn holes on each end, and secure female snaps to each side.  That becomes the strap that you snap between two snap plates.  Here's how I did my strapping:

 

[Grimez]

Oh, okay! That makes sense. So the males are static while the females go on the strap. I'll probably go through and do all of the males first and then make the straps with the female bits after that. How did you hammer those rivets? I feel like if I just tried to do it now I would hit both ends.

[starsaber25[Admin]]

Hey Christian, everything is looking good so far.  What I did with my rivets is I drilled the holes in the armor and put the rivets through.  I then laid the armor where the rivets go on a a piece of 2X6 lumber.  I took a smaller flat head screwdriver and put it in between the two metal prongs and hit it with a hammer.  Once they moved a little to the side I then just hit them down the rest of the way with a hammer.  I was very hesitant at first because I was thinking I would damage my armor but there was no issue doing it like this at all.  Hope that helps.

[Grimez]

It does. Much appreciated. Steve.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Hey Christian, everything is looking good so far.  What I did with my rivets is I drilled the holes in the armor and put the rivets through.  I then laid the armor where the rivets go on a a piece of 2X6 lumber.  I took a smaller flat head screwdriver and put it in between the two metal prongs and hit it with a hammer.  Once they moved a little to the side I then just hit them down the rest of the way with a hammer.  I was very hesitant at first because I was thinking I would damage my armor but there was no issue doing it like this at all.  Hope that helps.

 

Yep.  I actually did damage my armor when I was sitting the split rivets.  The second one I put in I cracked my ab plate right to the end.  

 

 

What happened to me was I was trying to do this alone, propping up my ab piece against a table while I hammered the back of the rivet.  I didn't have a solid anchor to set the rivet head on, and I was hitting with the hammer much too hard.  I

 

 

First, I mixed up some ABS paste and put it on the front and back:

 

 

 

Then I superglued a reinforced piece of ABS in the back:

 

 

 

 

And finally, I sanded down the front with smaller and smaller grits of sandpaper:

 

 

 

 

Steve describes a good method of doing it.  I would take it very slow, make small hits, and gradually work the split rivets down to a flat position.  I'd also get a second pair of hands to hold the armor stationary so it didn't move while you were tapping the split rivet prongs.

[Grimez]

I'm going to order some thigh garters from VaderDave, webbing snap plates from red force, and hopefully some TKBoots soon.

[Grimez]

I can also open up those needlenose pliers I bought and forgot I had and bend down the rivets with those.

[Grimez]

Let's do a preliminary test fit, shall we?

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

Your shoulder pieces aren't attached to your shoulder elastic yet, are they?

[Grimez]

Why?

[maxsteele[TK]]

Because if they are, your elastic is too long.  The shoulder pieces should be touching the ridged plastic parts that go from the the chest to the back plate.

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2014 by maxsteele

[Grimez]

Yeah, that's something I was thinking when I put them in as well. I didn't take into consideration the fact that the piece is concave and my arms would fall into it. I can shorten them.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Yep, definately not attached yet. What are you doing about your plastic shoulder straps?

 

Oh, you're saying they are attached? As Ron said, they need to be basically touching the shoulders

Edited August 16, 2014 by Sith Lord