chiefbonan's TK ANH Stunt Build (Centurion)

[chiefbonan]

1 hour ago, tarok said:

Hey mate

Painting the side rivets: if you’re going to replace them after approval, just use some white-out correction fluid to paint them. It’s cheap and does the trick for basic.

good to know, will do!

[chiefbonan]

Hello all, my new snaps arrived! They are super strong and I am happy with them, shipped super quick too. I’m going to replace most if not all of the snaps on my torso so it will never come apart easy again

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Great news mate. 

[chiefbonan]

Hello friends, I've painted most of my TD, just running into some dripping paint issues but I have that sorted.

 

I just wanted to ask if this is the right paint, as it is 'reflective' like the grey paint on the helmet and tummy buttons?

EDIT: Also how long should I cut the metal strips before I bend them?

Edited June 19, 2020 by chiefbonan

[chiefbonan]

Hello all, my hands hurt from hammering snaps all night! As I said previously I was having issues with some of my cheap snaps coming loose so I'll give you a better idea of what is happening:

We snapped up my entire suit, in the usual positions as most people do, took awhile to measure them out and get them right. But after lots of tries of me getting in and out of the armour, some would unsnap. So then I'd have to take the section off, snap it back up, repeat. Got annoying pretty quick! We don't have any issues with the legs or the arm snaps though, since it is the elastic that is being bent and twisted.

So the main issues was the snaps within the torso. The shoulders were playing up and some of the many back snaps came loose, not to mention the chest to ab plate snaps broke as soon as I turned my body 0.01 degrees.

We got said snaps from a place called Spotlight, which is a popular store in Australia for crafts and sewing matierials. These snaps of course, which I should have done better research, were meant for cloth and regular clothes. So of course unsnapping everywere. So eventually I decided to get some proper snaps (stainless steel ones meant for snapping boat tarps), I looked around and found a place in my state that does quotes. Recived them today like I said, they were the real deal, very happy with them.

We got 100 pairs of them. So tonight I counted up the snaps I needed to replace, 26 in total, leaving 74 sets for my Dad to use for his armour. Even though they sometime unsnap when they come off, I decided not to replace the rivet/snaps on the rivet side of the torso, you know the 6 rivets to paint white? So after a bit of experimenting I found that using the new female snaps on the old male ones seemed to be a bit stronger, so I will replace those rivet/snap stra[s with the new snaps, but not the actual rivet snaps themselves.

It's a bit weird to understand but I'm sure you will. So tonight I measured all of the straps that will also need replacing and them made up the exact number of male snaps needed seen below. I also made a small blueprint with all of the ones that need replacing. I also hope above that the paint for the TD is correct, since once that is done and I paint the rivets it's finally time to go for basic!

Oh yeah also above I have a pic of the screws for the TD, which are apparently incorrect, yet the CRL states Clips shall be attached with slotted type, flat or dome top style screws, and be black (two per clip) 

yet has nothing in red for Centurion, do I have to use 'pan' style screws for cert 3? If so that should be written there!

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

35 minutes ago, chiefbonan said:

Oh yeah also above I have a pic of the screws for the TD, which are apparently incorrect, yet the CRL states Clips shall be attached with slotted type, flat or dome top style screws, and be black (two per clip) 

yet has nothing in red for Centurion, do I have to use 'pan' style screws for cert 3? If so that should be written there

Hi Thomas, you're a hammering snaps expert now, aren't you?  great work mate, those problems are for good, you're gaining expertise.

 

about the screws compare yours with this type.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMH1CZZ/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A2GM3D5OCSHPC3&psc=1   they are ok for all levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

When inspecting for EI and Centurion the DOs not only go by the CRL, but also screen references, which is why some details are scrutinized, even if not actually written in the CRL. Everybody is here to help you through the process, and I’m sure you’ll be all set soon! Keep up the great work!


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[chiefbonan]

5 hours ago, MaskedVengeance said:

When inspecting for EI and Centurion the DOs not only go by the CRL, but also screen references, which is why some details are scrutinized, even if not actually written in the CRL. Everybody is here to help you through the process, and I’m sure you’ll be all set soon! Keep up the great work!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Undertstandable! I just need to find some of the correct screws for my TD

[TheSwede[TK]]

21 hours ago, chiefbonan said:

Oh yeah also above I have a pic of the screws for the TD, which are apparently incorrect, yet the CRL states Clips shall be attached with slotted type, flat or dome top style screws, and be black (two per clip) 

yet has nothing in red for Centurion, do I have to use 'pan'

Hey Thomas

Here’s how the CRL is meant to be read:

Basic approval - the text in black and visual guide (CRL and official reference) need to be met.

Expert Infantry - the blue and black text combined with visual reference need to be met.

 

Centurion - the red and blue and black text combined with visual reference need to be met.

 

In other words, for Centurion the entire CRL needs to be met. 
 

And as others have mentioned, the written text is only one part of the approval process:

Text descriptions are only one part of the guideline. GML's and costumers must consider both text and pictures (CRL and Reference) when reviewing the costume.

 

Hope that helps to explain it

[chiefbonan]

Thank you @TheSwede only those little screws that we are uncertain about, everything else we hope is going well so far.

These are all the snaps/straps that I'm replacing on my armour, a heap!

[TheSwede[TK]]

As per CRL dome head is allowed at highest level.

Clips shall be attached with slotted type, flat or dome top style screws, and be black (two per clip).

Here´s some reference.

[chiefbonan]

Praise be! Many of you wouldn't know I live in a rural area, about 30 minute drive to the nearest big city, so to get supplies for the TK it takes a small trip. I thought we had the correct screws for the TD but as you saw this was not the case as I had the ones for a phillips head screw not a flat head. But after digging around in dad's shed (it's a maze I'm surprised I didn't get lost) at the bottom of a bucket I found these!

 

So I put them in CLR (rust eater/cleaner) for the night. Saved up a trip and like 40 cents lol.

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Hi, be sure to check the size, diameter, is correct, crl doesn't especify exactly but consider the reference photos. 

 

Cheers

[chiefbonan]

33 minutes ago, TKSpartan said:

Hi, be sure to check the size, diameter, is correct, crl doesn't especify exactly but consider the reference photos. 

 

Cheers

Just checked, the top of them is roughly 6mm accross, is that good?

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

6mm will be fine.  

[chiefbonan]

My new snapping system is and boy, these new snaps are strong. To the point were my thumb is ever so slightly bruised from trying to get them to snap together! I'm sure they'll get a bit looser over time though!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

If the snaps are that strong you may considering utilizing strapping with an internal piece of ABS for reinforcement, as linked below in Cricket's thread. It sounds like you may want to avoid putting those snaps directly into nylon webbing or they might eventually tear out when trying to disconnect armor pieces.

 

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/41502-crickets-wtf-hero-build-even-more-tk-for-the-vertically-challenged/page/5/?tab=comments#comment-605846

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

1 hour ago, chiefbonan said:

To the point were my thumb is ever so slightly bruised from trying to get them to snap together! I'm sure they'll get a bit looser over time though!

Hi Thomas, glad to read your snap problem has been solved. A tip I have done to prevent the snap from coming off or breaking is that I have used a slotted screwdriver as a lever ,( the same as when opening a paint can),  instead of my nail to detach it without much pressure and not to damage my fingers or those of the person that is helping me. This is useful mainly in shoulder bell to shoulder bridges and Ab to kidney connections.

 

 

 

Almost there

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

A good tip with using nylon or elastic with snaps is to either use a solder iron to make the holes, melts the edges of the holes and can prevent the snap pulling through, or even adding a small amount of glue around the hole before adding the snap.

[chiefbonan]

Having some issues with the paint for the TD, as it keeps coming off. Trying to put multiple coats on now

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

13 minutes ago, chiefbonan said:

Having some issues with the paint for the TD, as it keeps coming off. Trying to put multiple coats on now

Did you give the TD a scuff with some fine sandpaper first, I find a lot of PVC pipe tends to have a coating on it so cleaning it can help.

 

For mine I used some spray grey primer then once dry went over with some gloss clear, mainly as I had them handy, using a spray definitely gives you a nice finish.

[chiefbonan]

2 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Did you give the TD a scuff with some fine sandpaper first, I find a lot of PVC pipe tends to have a coating on it so cleaning it can help.

 

For mine I used some spray grey primer then once dry went over with some gloss clear, mainly as I had them handy, using a spray definitely gives you a nice finish.

I don't know why I didn't think of doing that in the first place. I sanded it down and repainted it just then. That also raised another issue. I have installed the 6 Ab/Kidney rivets and the ammo knee rivets already. I didn't actually sand them, and after attempting to paint them (our Hombrol enamel paint ran out so we used a type of house paint) the paint just scratches off super easy. any soultions? Or do you think it's best to remove them then sand them down?

To add, around about how high should my shin sit on my boots?

Edited June 23, 2020 by chiefbonan

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

You do tend to scrape paint off the ab buttons over time, I've touched mine up a few times but giving them a light sand before painting will definitely help the paint stick a little better.

 

With your shin heights it all depends on gaps, if you have a large gap as I do at the knees I have mine sitting a little higher on the boots to reduce that gap, others with shorter legs have their boots right down snug.

[chiefbonan]

3 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

You do tend to scrape paint off the ab buttons over time, I've touched mine up a few times but giving them a light sand before painting will definitely help the paint stick a little better.

 

With your shin heights it all depends on gaps, if you have a large gap as I do at the knees I have mine sitting a little higher on the boots to reduce that gap, others with shorter legs have their boots right down snug.

Okay thanks, this is what they look like, by your description this should be a good height:

 

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

8 hours ago, chiefbonan said:

That also raised another issue. I have installed the 6 Ab/Kidney rivets and the ammo knee rivets already. I didn't actually sand them, and after attempting to paint them (our Hombrol enamel paint ran out so we used a type of house paint) the paint just scratches off super easy. any soultions?

Model paint (enamel) and house paint (latex) are two different animals, Thomas.  Oil base paints are much more durable and designed for wear and tear, whereas latex is not.  With latex, even if you sand down and prime the rivet heads first it will not last very long, sad to say.  Sanding is a key part of painting most items, as it gives the paint a better surface to adhere to.  Enamel is the only way to go with anything on your armor... trust me.