russellr2d2[TK] Posted June 24, 2015 Author Report Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) Make sure your armor is wiped down with a baby wipe or anti bacterial wipe, then completely dry before storing in plastic bag. Plastic bags make great incubator's for the bacteria that comes off in sweat. Bacteria + ABS/PVC + Incubator = Mold/Mildew Will do! Waxed, and cleaned the entire armor. Let it stay dry overnight and this evening I packed everything into a new duffel bag I finally got off ebay. Its huge!! 48" x 20" almost too big to carry around but OK. A big plastic bin will not go into my tiny Ford Fiesta. My entire armor kit fits, even my helmet in a helmet bag and my boots in their original box. My blaster gets wrapped up in a thick towel. I added the rubber badge. kinda of crappy shoulder and carry straps though, but only $30 ! Free shipping-ebay. I think a sheet of foam core or thin wood to keep the middle from sagging while I carry it may be in order. To give it a firm floor inside. Edited June 24, 2015 by russellr2d2 Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 4, 2015 Author Report Posted July 4, 2015 HEAT BENDING AGAIN... I have never liked how the fronts of the butt plate splay out away from the hips. One of those things that bugs me looking at my armor. Here is a big enlargement of the offending flap. It just looks ill-fitting to me. So out comes my 8qrt pot. NOT BOILING WATER! Just very hot about to start steaming is enough. It makes the plastic too hot to handle but the water is not boiling hot. Others have melted their armor with this hot water bending idea. Beeeee careful! To prepare the butt plate I tapped the two ends together way tighter than I wanted. The plastic will only take part of the bend and bounce back. I want the two flap ends to push against my hips while wearing it and not be splayed out as in the photo above. Into the very hot water! I leave it in for about 5 seconds is all. Then run over to the sink and run cold water over it while bending in each side at the very ends of the flaps. I want it to really curve in at the ends and hug my hips. Here is the "after" shot. A slight kink in the return edge shows where I really bent it over. Now the measurement is just about 13.5"" When new it was much more. I tried to open up the bottom of my right thigh too but, I was not very successful. It is too thick down here. I may have gotten just a little more of an opening. I wanted to do this because it is so hard to get the boot into the bottom of the shin. The shin is way too tight. I didn't make a before measurement but I think it's maybe 1/4" wider now. I heated just the bottom flaps for about 10sec at a time and pulled the flaps apart to try to bend the very ends to make a wider ankle opening. This should make it easier to stuff my boot up inside the bottom of the shin. The left shin is very wide compared to this one and not trouble. 1 Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Posted July 13, 2015 Put up my EIB application this evening. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/32206-tk-20017-requesting-anh-stunt-eib-status-ata/ Wish me luck! Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 13, 2015 Report Posted July 13, 2015 So once you get approved you just resubmit the same pics for Centurion Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted July 13, 2015 Report Posted July 13, 2015 So once you get approved you just resubmit the same pics for Centurion Plus add detailed pics of the ab to kidney rivets, 22mm notch in kidney, sniper knee, thigh ammo belt and forearm no return edge, if not included already. Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) I gots one of deez ! SHINY ! UUUU ! and my name over there on the left of this page has an Expert Infantry thingy on it too.... You get all kinds of goodies in this club! Edited July 21, 2015 by russellr2d2 2 Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 20, 2015 Report Posted July 20, 2015 Better print that sucker out and have it framed! You deserve it! And I still think this thread deserves a sticky. Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted July 20, 2015 Report Posted July 20, 2015 Better print that sucker out and have it framed! You deserve it! And I still think this thread deserves a sticky. Agreed. Excellent ATA build thread Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Thank you sirs! Certificate printed and framed. Got the badge and rocker for my shirt today. Beautiful embroidery. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited July 21, 2015 by russellr2d2 2 Quote
charlesnarles Posted July 21, 2015 Report Posted July 21, 2015 Talk about inspiration/motivation to finish. Congrats on your new status! Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 21, 2015 Author Report Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Not finished yet ! I am digging back into it to improve some things. After a couple troops I have some issue with my webbing hinge on the left side. Ordering new split rivets and getting ready to replace it with a flexible rubber sheet. I'll post another photo thread on this. It should work out well to hold the AB and kidney plates together . The webbing used now is pulling away from around the rivets and allows misalignment. Edited July 21, 2015 by russellr2d2 Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 21, 2015 Report Posted July 21, 2015 I don't think MEPD has nifty looking patches or give out certifications so now I'm jealous for sure! I told my wife the other day that after TFA comes out I'd like to do the new Tie pilot and she gave me a look . I'm interested to see your modification. I put elastic for my left side between the split rivets Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted July 21, 2015 Report Posted July 21, 2015 I don't think MEPD has nifty looking patches or give out certifications so now I'm jealous for sure! I told my wife the other day that after TFA comes out I'd like to do the new Tie pilot and she gave me a look . I'm interested to see your modification. I put elastic for my left side between the split rivets The MEPD does have patches "Deployed and SWAT", and it does give out cert but only the "Deployed" level Quote
Barcode Posted July 23, 2015 Report Posted July 23, 2015 Question: Why do people attach the bell snaps way up high as seen in this photo by "Barcode" for his centurion application (hope you do not mind me referencing your photo, thank you). I have seen many photos like this where the bell snap is wayyyyyyy up into the bell. Why not down near the bottom edge? I just finally saw this... hahahaha. That was a rookie mistake that I never corrected... Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Posted July 27, 2015 Thanks Barcode! I have seen it on many threads...thats why I was curious about the position. I thought there was some physics reason or something. Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) A BIG FIX! I was noticing how my left side hinge was opening up at the bottom and generally becoming wider and wider. I wanted to make a better connection here to clean things up. Opening up split rivets is hard! You need to get under the tang and lift it up. Then you can start squeezing with pliers and working away at em'. One had to be cut off because it would not bend the way I wanted. Here is the webbing hinge. The holes have become elongated allowing the parts to open up and be crooked. This is what I want to replace the fabric hinge with. This is a sheet of rubber I stole from the bottom drawer of my tool chest. I think the ribbed design will be perfect for bending in only one direction. Flexible in the right direction and the holes will stay round. The other side . I like to add plastic plates to cover the rubber. They are glued to the rubber. E6000 is perfect. The finished hinge. Tight and straight in line. New rivets put in and painted white. Order your rivets before starting this. I will troop with this for a while and report back on how it is working. Edited July 27, 2015 by russellr2d2 Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 27, 2015 Report Posted July 27, 2015 Looking good, Russell! I am noticing my elastic not holding up and am looking at correcting it. I'll be checking for your update! Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted July 27, 2015 Report Posted July 27, 2015 A BIG FIX! I was noticing how my left side hinge was opening up at the bottom and generally becoming wider and wider. I wanted to make a better connection here to clean things up. Opening up split rivets is hard! You need to get under the tang and lift it up. Then you can start squeezing with pliers and working away at em'. One had to be cut off because it would not bend the way I wanted. Here is the webbing hinge. The holes have become elongated allowing the parts to open up and be crooked. This is what I want to replace the fabric hinge with. This is a sheet of rubber I stole from the bottom drawer of my tool chest. I think the ribbed design will be perfect for bending in only one direction. Flexible in the right direction and the holes will stay round. The other side . I like to add plastic plates to cover the rubber. They are glued to the rubber. E6000 is perfect. The finished hinge. Tight and straight in line. New rivets put in and painted white. Order your rivets before starting this. I will troop with this for a while and report back on how it is working. Suggestion? Repair the area, submit for Cent, get approved, forget about the area. It doesn't matter what material you use, in time it will relax and stretch creating a gap only you will notice. Get approved, enjoy life. 1 Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 27, 2015 Report Posted July 27, 2015 But it has to be perfect ! 1 Quote
russellr2d2[TK] Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Posted July 28, 2015 But it has to be perfect ! It DOES!!!! Quote
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted July 28, 2015 Report Posted July 28, 2015 Russell, maybe you should consider doing a sandy next and go SWAT. I would be extremely interested to see your OCD when it comes to weathering lol. 1 Quote
ukswrath[Staff] Posted July 28, 2015 Report Posted July 28, 2015 Russell, maybe you should consider doing a sandy next and go SWAT. I would be extremely interested to see your OCD when it comes to weathering lol. ah hahahahahahahahahahaha, that's funny hahahahahahaha. You said OCD and weathering in the same sentence. He'd be bald in a week. Quote
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