Pic of RS Prop Masters ABS Suit

[tckoolaid125[TK]]

Does anyone ou there have a picture of an RS prop masters ABS suit sanding next to someone in a PVC suit. I just wan to seen the difference in color. I am still up in arms about what material to order.  I hear PVC is harder to fix vs ABS, but PVC is more durable.

 

Thanks,

 

Tyler

[gazmosis[501st]]

The differences in color are minimal. Although the PVC is more flexible, it us not damage proof and will crack given the right circumstance.

[Minuteman]

Experience shows that the PVC cracks ironically more often than the ABS. I know almost no RS PVC trooper without broken shoulder bridges and at least one crack at ab or chest.

[troopermaster]

PVC is actually more rigid than ABS. I have formed both and using the same grade and gauges as RS can tell you ABS is a lot more flexible and forgiving compared to PVC. The colour difference is not night and day notable. If you want to use the original strapping, go for ABS. If you want a basic strapping, go for PVC. The original strapping will pop out of your PVC armour very quickly because it is very rigid, but not brittle.

Edited September 18, 2014 by troopermaster

[Bulldog44[TK]]

I went with the PVC kit after reading that it would hold up better for trooping, at least thats what i can sort of remember reading on the RS site way back in 2012. Hearing now that is more prone to damage is rather troubling and i'm kinda worried I made the wrong choice for what I planned on using it for. During my build the PVC has been pretty easy to work with and seemed flexible enough but I guess trooping is another story. I had one major incident when one of the ridges around the bottom thigh bent and now there is a white line you can see but it didn't snap or crack.

To reduce future stress cracks & buckling along the edges, I left very little on the return edges on parts that will need to be flexible like the chest plate, AB plate and on the back edges too, especially where the brackets are attached. So far no noticeable signs of things popping off during my test fits.

 

After I screwed up trimming the knee ammo pack , RS sent me a new one but they sent an ABS one by mistake. In comparison to the PVC , their ABS looked duller and way more off white. They kindly sent me a new PVC one, matched my kit perfectly. The ABS ammo pack feels light & brittle but I can't vouche for the flexibility since it is still untrimmed. There were spare ABS strips included in the box and I just gave them a nice test of flexibility , as Troopermaster says, very flexible.

 

It's a tough choice especially when you account for price and if you are a first time buyer. Hearing that the PVC is going to crack more than I had thought, I am concerned but I am totally pleased with the way it looks, really white and shiny liked I hoped it would be.

 

I think if you want to strictly stick to the original movie TK , then go with ABS, also Troopermaster said it works better with the original strapping set up. The PVC is still a good choice if you are looking for a bright shiny white TK, still looks original but idealistically original ( if that makes any sense). Maybe more members will chime in and give you their experience with both materials and then you can have a better idea of which plastic suits your needs and preference.

 

You can see the difference in color of the untrimmed ABS ammo pack and the PVC ammo pack already trimmed:

 

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Hope this helps more than further cloud your decision. Good luck and don't rush to buy ( which i somewhat did.) You'll feel comfortable at whatever decision you make after lots of research.there was once a post I saw where somebody posted their ABS & PVC armor side by side. Let you know if I find it.

Edited January 14, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021

[Rich330[TK]]

You have to distinguish between two different types of strength when comparing the two types of plastic. I'm no scientist so I'll probably use the wrong terminology but here it is as far as I understand it in layman's terms ...

 

PVC is extremely flexible. It has a higher flexural strength than ABS. You can bend it back and forth all day long and it will be very difficult to break/tear.

ABS will break quicker (still not very quickly because it's ery flexible) if you bend it.

However, PVC is more brittle and less resistant to impact forces. If you drop a piece of PVC from a height, it is more likely to break and shatter than an identical piece of ABS.

 

Still, I think we're still comparing reasonably similar materials. We maybe shouldn't make too much of the differences. The damage I have seen on RS suits, both PVC and ABS, has all been in the usual weak points on the outer edges of the chest. Neither material will resist the strain on that particular area infinitely it seems.

You can relieve the pressure on the chest by disconnecting the middle fastening bracket. I do this principally because I'm not very tall and it prevents the chest piece from choking me, without having to trim too much out around the neck. On any suit though, regardless of your build, unfastening the middle strap just allows the chest piece a little more freedom of movement in the vertical direction ad will relive the strain a little. 
You don't want it too loose though because part of the attraction of the original strapping is being able to reproduce that effect of the chest piece balooning outwards when you bend over at the waist.

[Dday[501st]]

I'm against PVC after seeing a current PVC suit from RS... wayyyy to thick, not very flexible and super heavy.

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Maybe Rob & Simon at RS can confirm if this is the case. The present thickness might make a big difference how the PVC holds up with use compared to a thinner gauge PVC they may have used in the past.

 

When Paul mentioned how rigid it is, I was surprised since my PVC armor is really flexible and soft, quite the contrary. My armor is also super light too so there must be some change if the recent kits feel heavier.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Bulldog44

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

This quote from Rhapsodyred99 is pretty interesting regarding PVC vs ABS:

 

Quote

 

You can see the difference in the PVC and TM ABS in this pic where I am still wearing the PVC Belt and Handplates from RS, but the ABS armor from TM (I had ordered the armor as ANH, so had to wait for my TM ESB handplates and belt to come in) Also that's an RS ABS lid so you can see the RS ABS is not quite the same as the TM ABS, and actually is a closer match to thier PVC.

 

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I Have worn the PVC several times and it has cracked in stress zones( crotch chestplate arm holes), but minor return edge cracking that was easily repaired and could have been due to me leaving too much of a return edge (My TM has less of an edge).

Edited January 14, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021

[ABS80]

ABS is by far better and the reason it cost twice as much as PVC, has more rubber content therefore more flexible, less prone to cracks and is high impact resitant, whoever says PVC is better they don't know squats!!!!  even though PVC might seem more flexible in reality it cant handle the same back and forth flex ABS can, theres a reason they use ABS plastic in the car industrie and other heavy duty components like shower cabinets ect...

 

Mark (AP)

Edited September 19, 2014 by ABS80

[Dday[501st]]

I'm on an anti PVC crusade now. I'm really not impressed with the PVC.

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Geez, I hope I will not be a walking TK Humpty Dumpty after a few troops.