My AP Build....From PEI Canada...Definitely a WIP

[ABS80]

I see you didn't use the 2 small screws to connect face plate to cap, this helps keep the face plate better aligned and make assembly easier, if you drilled out all the marked holes the brow trim should fit perfect with a little white showing. Also your brow doesn't sit up back enough and cover the decal because you probably need to trim a bit more off you cap, if you trim or drill exactly were marked everything should fit perfect.

Edited October 15, 2014 by ABS80

[Racasey06[TK]]

I didn't see any marked holes on the brow.  I'll disassemble and look again this weekendI noticed the bolts on the ears didn't go in perfectly straight through to the helmet...they went through the holes but on angles...this might help.  Can't wait to try.  Thanks.

[gazmosis[501st]]

A couple things I noticed if I may chime in. I haven't seen an updated pic of your face on the helmet, but the first one needs much more taken out of the tooth openings. You have done well on your biceps and forearms. I would take more out of the top of the forearm half with the square indent ridge. It will make a little more room and may take a bit off the overall length. As for your shins, you can still take more off the bottom. You can also cut a curve (arch)in both the front and the rear at the seam. The shin cannot fall lower than the point it hits the front top of your boot. Make a curve(arch) at the seam that will allow your shin to stop to a more comfortable height.

Almost no one has ever trimmed out their ears before joining the face with the cap. You need to be certain your face joins with the cap properly before moving on to your ears. The brow trim must be tight across the face. Once the face is attached and the brow is tight and even above the eyes(it doesn't have to be perfectly level, just even and located where you are happy with it) then you move onto the ears. Hopefully the one you have already trimmed still fits.

[Racasey06[TK]]

Thanks Gazmosis....I'll be taking things apart later tihs week to see what's going on.  

[Racasey06[TK]]

I took apart my helmet...I don't see any potential dents for pilot holes.  Where should I attach the face plate and the brow? How should I do this?

[gazmosis[501st]]

If you like the overall appearance of your helmet the way you had it, I see there is already a hole you have drilled out. Just align the holes you already have and drill aconnecting hole between them. Like MArk said, there should already be this hole marked on the cap and face.

[Racasey06[TK]]

Hi folks! Some very precise questions. I've looked but I don't know what to look for. AP build. Can't find specific threads.

 

1. My thighs and shins hit in the back when I bend. I already notched out both. Should I shorten the thighs at the top? Shorten the calves at the bottom? Both?

 

2. I have no idea what rivets to buy and for what? I see them on the kidneys, the belt for the holster, and the knee pack.

 

3. What do I need to connect the butt and ab? Looks like some serious connectors.

 

4. Will need to add a shim to kidney to get around to that .5" spacing. How do I attach that to existing kidney piece?

 

Thanks all.

[Sly11[Admin]]

If you feel your shins are too long, yes trim the bottoms slightly and see if that all you need to do. It is the easier trim to start with. Thighs, if you trim from the top, you will remove the return edge, in some cases it is the only way to get them to fit, and if you are game you can try and reform a new return using a crafting iron.

Can you please post an image of you wearing the legs so we can get a better idea of how they sit with the notches trimmed.

 

 

As to the shimming of your kidney, you will need to glue a strip of ABS on the inside, to give some material to glue the outer piece you will need to start taking up the gap.

Shim equally on left and right side, and think of it as an internal cover strip to join to pieces so they sit flush. Then you need to make some ABS paste.

Use your abs trimmings and cut off and mix them in a jar with a small amount of acetate, it will melt the abs down to a paste. Apply this to the join you will see on the outside of your kidney sided where you have glued on the extensions.

When it's dry, carefully start to sand the excess off moving to a finer and finer sandpaper. Once sanded smooth polish it up and your shim is complete.

 

There is a thread so where on here that goes through the process with picture that will make far more sense to you.

 

Best of luck and post those leg images.

 

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Edited November 10, 2014 by Sly11

[Racasey06[TK]]

Hi sly11... I posted on Oct. 12 to which you replied. Should I notch more than what you see there? Can I go wider or should I take from the top and bottoms? Hard to see where the tops of thighs would go because ab cod is low. I'll see if I have picture of ab up higher. I think I do.

[Racasey06[TK]]

 

[Racasey06[TK]]

Might not look like it's higher, but it is.  May put on the whole thing tomorrow night if I can get some help with it.  I can't bend over at all with the length of thighs and shins.

[Sly11[Admin]]

I can't bend very far forward in mine either.

I do think you will need to shorten the shins a little, as to the thighs well if your cod/ab plate is going to sit higher than it is in the photos, you may get a little more mobility but as it stands, think thighs need some off the top.

At the end of the day you need to be comfortable as well as look good.

 

 

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[Narc[TK]]

White Polyester strapping glued to the armour with a male snap in the middle and then snaps on black elastic.

If you tape the dickens out of everything and join it together without butt-to-kidney, kidney-to-back, does it fit right?

You said you might have to shim it. So you need more height or are you eliminating too much gap? Fortunately mine fit me well with everything butted together. Threw on the straps, made the elastics short enough to hold it all tight, done.

[Racasey06[TK]]

This is all the mobility I have in my legs. 

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2014 by Racasey06

[Racasey06[TK]]

This is me holding the ab in place where it hangs.  the thighs are strapped in underneath with a belt.  Not much room,

 

[Racasey06[TK]]

Side shots with non-finished belt.  Will have to create a shim.

 

 

[Narc[TK]]

Have you taped it all together so you can have it on without holding?

[Racasey06[TK]]

And finally, my sniper plate...this looks like a friggin' mess.  Nothing is glued.  Only taped.  

 

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And the separation is unreal?  Is this how it's supposed to look?

 

[Racasey06[TK]]

Have you taped it all together so you can have it on without holding?

Yes...I do have it all rigged up for hanging with straps.  Have since trimmed the bottom of the shins as per the suggestions here.  That didn't work though.  Thighs are still too long.  

 

[Narc[TK]]

So the ab is up as high as it can go?

[Narc[TK]]

And finally, my sniper plate...this looks like a friggin' mess. Nothing is glued. Only taped.

 

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And the separation is unreal? Is this how it's supposed to look?

 

For mine, I clamped the front of the plate tight to the front of the shin, that reduces the gap, then focus on getting the sides lined up with the ridge/lip. Once I checked it on the dry run, sanded and prepped for glue, repeated the same process, glue and clamp front, once it sets, glue and clamp the sides.

[Narc[TK]]

For mine, I clamped the front of the plate tight to the front of the shin, that reduces the gap, then focus on getting the sides lined up with the ridge/lip. Once I checked it on the dry run, sanded and prepped for glue, repeated the same process, glue and clamp front, once it sets, glue and clamp the sides.

Mind you... Mine shin is bigger than yours... May not work the same way on yours...

[Racasey06[TK]]

So the ab is up as high as it can go?

Yup...Pretty much at it's limit.  

[Sly11[Admin]]

The AP sniper plate is a difficult fit, you will have a gap in the middle and yes they do sit crooked so no stress .

I used Zappa gap to glue mine on but first I clamped one side on and used a heat gun to bend the plate a little to get the ridges to line up better on the opposite side.

Then Zappa gap one side and clamped it, hit it with zipp kicker. Left the clamp on to make sure, then zap pagan on the opposite side and held it tight together for a good minute, put a clamp on it and took the opposite clamp off to check the bond.

The centre back on the sniper was touching the front cover strip so I hit the edge with Zappa gap and she is on there for good.

 

 

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[Spycee[TK]]

Ah ! We have the same trouble for the ******* sniper plate ! I was able to place it correctly on the front and sides but it is not straight when viewing for the front due to the fact that a side of the shin is lower than the other.