ATA Armor Build_My First TK

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Boiling shins to make them close.

 

I am forming the plastic so the shins stay closed on their own.

 

 

 

After dippign just a few second in steamy hot water and cooling under cold water, they stay closed on their own.

Edited March 20, 2015 by russellr2d2

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Awesome, great job 

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Taking off the bottom return edges on both shins. I hear if you leave these on they scrape up your boots really quick.

 

 

 

Glueing on the 25mm cover strip. Lots of clamps!

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Yes you are correct. I personally have no or very little return edges on most of my armor sections to prevent chaffing, boot scuffing, etc.

 

Looking excellent Russell.  

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Inside cover strip creates a channel the back of the leg fits into. I will probably hold it closed with an elastic at the top with an elastic type same as in original armor with the bra hook.  The plastic back is sprung shut because of the plastic shape. It jams itself into the channel.

 

 

 

The inside channel.

 

 

 

The shins close themselves up tight just from plastic tension.  I will instal at least one elastic inside anyway in case they

want to open up while I troop.

 

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Installing the battery packs on the thigh.

 

First I drilled holes that were barely large enough for the rivet to pass through.  I wanted the connection to be very tight.

You can use an e-xacto knife to make a hole easier than a drill.

 

 

 

First rivet in.

 

 

 

Done! Needs clean up and some heat adjustment to get the middle box centered.

 

 

 

Painted rivets white.

 

 

Full front view of finished thigh...

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Wow! crazy awesome idea.  How did you secure the inside cover strip? What made you decide to go this route?

 

Another thing you may have to worry about is the ankle area. Is will most likely spring open there as well.  Just throwing ideas out

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Dude you're rocking and rolling along here.... next stop Centurion

[ukswrath[Staff]]

wrong post sorry

Edited March 10, 2015 by ukswrath

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Thanks! But the inside slot idea is not mine. I saw it here on the boards. One thing I did do though was to boil the shin to make the plastic close up tight and stay closed. May not need elastic. I will troop to see. I like this method because it holds the back cover strip against the raised part with no gap showing like the Velcro and elastic closures. Looks clean.

Oh, and I am using E6000 on everything now. Love the stuff. I find a three day dry and it is really tough as nails. Overnight and you can take most clamps off.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited March 10, 2015 by russellr2d2

[ukswrath[Staff]]

E6000, I agree, stuff is awesome.

 

Great job Russell, keep up the good work sir. 

 

This is a great build to follow 

[gazmosis[501st]]

Those thighs are works of art, young man!! You had asked earlier if the issue with the bottom of the thigh back was normal. With all lineages of TE armor it is. Remember that your armor was derived from a ROTJ suit which was molded to be overlap construction. That is the reason for the difference. Most people end up cutting all that off anyway so you dont get pinched in the back of your knee

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Starting the STRAPPING !

 

Oh my gosh. Is it that time already?   I have been dreading this moment. Elastic, snaps, fitting are all things that I have never done before not to mention "sewing" ...no way!

 

Well anyway here goes! (holds nose and jumps!)

 

Snap plates for the shoulder strap and white elastic.  Is this the correct elastic?  To me it looks flimsy.  Should I double it up?

 

 

 

How they will fit under the shoulder.

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Fun, fun 

 

Regarding the strapping, mine are double thick and sewn, but you must own and know your way around a sewing machine to do it correctly. Here's a look at mine if you're interested. 

Note: Though the straps shown are with #4 sew in snaps I actually have #10 (canon), old pic. My left shoulder strap is permanently fixed while my right uses snaps. You're looking at the right strap.

 

 

 

Here's the left with the correct size snap.

 

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Fun, fun 

 

Regarding the strapping, mine are double thick and sewn, but you must own and know your way around a sewing machine to do it correctly. Here's a look at mine if you're interested. 

Note: Though the straps shown are with #4 sew in snaps I actually have #10 (canon), old pic. My left shoulder strap is permanently fixed while my right uses snaps. You're looking at the right strap.

 

 

 

Wow this is great info.  I assume the CRL's do not require accurate snaps?  I was going to use my Line 21 snaps. They seem very powerful for a good hold.

OK...my wife has a sewing machine.  I'll have her dig it out of the closet and see about sewing the elastic into a double layer strap.

 

Thanks!

[ukswrath[Staff]]

No, the exact type of snaps are not required however, they gave the area a more canon look that's all.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

OK!  Starting the strapping.  I guess I will work my way down.  My thigh garter belt is coming next week in the mail.

 

 

I need all the in the know to comment on how I have the back & chest pieces oriented.  Is the gap between them OK.  Should it be at the very top of the shoulder?  Mine looks to be a little forward.  I am thinking this may be good to pull the shoulder bells forward ???

 

I have the neck line up to the top of my T-shirt collar, same place.  On the back it goes naturally much lower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Hey Russell looking good sir. You look to be about the same body type as me. 1-1/2" - 2" gap between the chest and back is good. The overall goal of the armor is to hang on the elastic area however, it won't be perfect, everyone's different.  

 

Have you decided on which type of sections attachment your were planning on going with, wire or snaps? Wire is Canon and a bit more complicated to assemble, snaps easier to work with, and both are Centurion approveable.

Edited March 16, 2015 by ukswrath

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Have you decided on which type of sections attachment your were planning on going with, wire or snaps? Wire is Canon and a bit more complicated to assemble, snaps easier to work with, and both are Centurion approveable.

 

 

Snaps and snap plates all over.  I figure if it never shows its OK.  Besides I was having fun making snaps!

 

 

 

Thanks!

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Have you decided on which type of sections attachment your were planning on going with, wire or snaps? Wire is Canon and a bit more complicated to assemble, snaps easier to work with, and both are Centurion approveable.

 

 

Snaps and snap plates all over.  I figure if it never shows its OK.  Besides I was having fun making snaps!

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Back to the shins closing feature...

 

 

I want an elastic strap to keep the back closed but flex as the originals did.  My double cover strip idea leaves nowhere to put in bra hooks to I need an alternative method to keep the backs closed.

 

I first though of an elastic with snaps as the easiest method and quick.

 

 

 

 

 

But, the snaps themselves proved to be too bulky and tall inside the shin.  my leg would rub against them

all day as I walk.  Probably not too comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

The snap idea was also too tall and shows from the outside.

 

 

 

 

 

My idea is now to use a wide elastic with Velcro on the inside cover strip.  The right side of the elastic in this photo will be glued down flat.

and the left side under my fingers will have a 1" wide Velcro  (maybe wider???).  The elastic will be placed so it is under just slight tension

at all times and holds the back of the shins closed and pulls them together when they open as I walk.

 

I need the backs not to pull open and come apart from the double cover strips because if they pop out too far they will not go back together. They just jam up against the the two cover strips and not close back up.  

 

Something has to prevent them from opening up too much.

 

Edited March 24, 2015 by russellr2d2

[Bone[501st]]

If you don't want them to open at all, you should refrain from using any kind of elastics.

What about just using velcro strips vertically inside the shin?

Glue the soft part of the velcro to the part of the shin without the coverstrips and a longer strip of the "hard" velcro to the other side of the shin.

That way you have some kind of flat"buckle" inside your shins.

 

Or a completely different idea:

Why don't you put the inside coverstrip on the other part of your shin, instead of having it on the same part as the outer coverstrip?

You could then still use the bra fasteners and get the same clean results ...

 

I hope that made sense, somehow.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Thanks Bone for the suggestions!

 

I had a phone conversation with Ukswrath and we decided to keep them closed a webbing strap inside same as I show with the elastic inside at the top ought to do it. Just glue down one side and use industrial Velcro on the other. Drop dead simple.  

 

The reason i do not want to use bra hooks is that they will force the outer cover strip to lift off the surface of the shin and you will see a gap or at least holes where the hook goes through.  The idea of the double cover strip is that the outer strip is held tight and flat as if it were glued down, giving a solid closed/clean look.

 

I got the double cover strip idea from someone here but, I can't remember where.  Somebodies build thread. I am just adding an idea to keep them closed up and that outer cover strip flat/closed.

 

 

Thanks!

Russell

[R4ZORBL4DE]

Here is how the Velcro looks:

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Joe, Russel's issue is he has a inner and out cover strip, similar to tongue & grove design. There's no room for velcro, the clearance is too tight.

Edited March 25, 2015 by ukswrath