Saltyr1's First ATA ANH Build thread

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

3 minutes ago, saltyr1 said:

Here is a couple more pics of how I have it (its not glued yet).  I tried to follow the line as best I could, but I think how the ATA sniper plate is makes it impossible to be perfect (see the last two pics).  I've looked at other ATA builds and seems similar.  Any thoughts?

 

Following the upper ridge perfectly:

 

 

Imo the first alignment looks better but ,

@justjoseph63 and @Chemi could chime in please.  

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

I think what you have now with the ridges aligned is fine and dandy, Chris!  Even thought the top of the sniper plate is not perfectly horizontal to the calf, to me that's good to go.  I'd rather see a gap at the bottom of the sniper plate than see ridges that are way out of whack.

 

My main concern are those magnets that are holding the sniper knee plate in place.  Please remove them before you submit your photos, or your knees will resemble Pippi Longstockings.  

 

  

 

Great job on this, by the way!  

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

2 minutes ago, justjoseph63 said:

My main concern are those magnets that are holding the sniper knee plate in place.  Please remove them before you submit your photos, or your knees will resemble Pippi Longstockings.  

  Thanks 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

38 minutes ago, saltyr1 said:

Here is a couple more pics of how I have it (its not glued yet).  I tried to follow the line as best I could, but I think how the ATA sniper plate is makes it impossible to be perfect (see the last two pics).  I've looked at other ATA builds and seems similar.  Any thoughts?

 

Following the upper ridge perfectly:

 

As a reference here's my ATA sniper plate, a little heat and some tape to pull backwards to keep tight while the glue is drying, I also leave any areas under strain for 72 hours to fully dry 

[Chemi[Staff]]

hace 12 minutos, justjoseph63 dijo:

 

 

My main concern are those magnets that are holding the sniper knee plate in place.  Please remove them before you submit your photos, or your knees will resemble Pippi Longstockings.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

 

1 hour ago, justjoseph63 said:

My main concern are those magnets that are holding the sniper knee plate in place.  Please remove them before you submit your photos, or your knees will resemble Pippi Longstockings.  

 

  

 

Great job on this, by the way!  

 

Those were only temporary.  I've relocated them to their permanent position.

 

What also wasn't helping was I left too much return edge on the front top of the shin since I figured it would be hidden by the sniper plate.  I'll be removing most of that.  Using tape to pull it back help a little too.

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

Update on my progress from the last week.  Finished the rear cover strip on the left thigh.

 

Both the front and back covers strips on the right thigh.

 

My attempt making a garter belt to support the thighs.  Using the nylon strapping I already had, I made the belt and attached a snap buckle I picked up from a local store.  I bought black suspenders (the back side of the Y is black) and de-threaded the back 'connection' and sewed it directly to the belt.  Thought here is I can use the suspender adjustment to raise and lower the belt / thighs.

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

I have use the boiling water technique to bring the left shin closer closer together before I add rear cover strip and the Industrial Strength Velco.  The right shin still has a ways to go.

 

Question - Is this close enough for it to stay closed?

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

4 minutes ago, saltyr1 said:

The right shin still has a ways to go.

 

Question - Is this close enough for it to stay closed?

If memory serves me right, what I did was tape the two calves together in the back, and set them in a dish bin in which I had poured boiling water. Took less than 30 seconds for them to lock into their new form. If it were me, I'd want to two sides to butt-joint right up against each other in order to minimize any tension on whatever closure system you implement.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Once warm pull over tight further than you need it to be then tape and hold until it cools, the plastic will relax a bit once you release. I also found I had to bend just past were the velcro would be to get it to lay flat when closed.

 

Keep up the great work 

[saltyr1[TK]]

Thanks Caleb and Glen.  Back to the hot water for the shins!

 

In the meantime, I mocked up the ammo belt on the thigh.  I will admit I started with the middle box being centered with the cover strip.  But after continued research, I found that is not accurate (Thigh Ammo Pack Positioning by CableGuy).  So this is where I ended up with my mockup.  Let me know if any concerns here before I start making holes.

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

56 minutes ago, saltyr1 said:

In the meantime, I mocked up the ammo belt on the thigh.  I will admit I started with the middle box being centered with the cover strip.  But after continued research, I found that is not accurate (Thigh Ammo Pack Positioning by CableGuy).  So this is where I ended up with my mockup.  Let me know if any concerns here before I start making holes.

 

looking good Chris, additionally, I would suggest to trim a little more the edges to match better the corners. and consider carefully the rivets positioning and the not perfect curved ends  as well.

 

 

         

 

 

Some references

 

       

 

 

 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

An additional resource

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

Thanks Mario!  Definitely need to trim the ends still and the 'not perfect' curved ends.  Anything special that I need to pay attention to on the rivet positioning?  Seems they are not equal distance from the top and back. 

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

3 minutes ago, saltyr1 said:

Thanks Mario!  Definitely need to trim the ends still and the 'not perfect' curved ends.  Anything special that I need to pay attention to on the rivet positioning?  Seems they are not equal distance from the top and back. 

 

Exactly they aren't centered , far from back, near to top. 

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

Taping the shins and dipping them in boiling water worked like a charm!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

8 hours ago, saltyr1 said:

Taping the shins and dipping them in boiling water worked like a charm!

 

Well done

[saltyr1[TK]]

I'm close!  Thigh ammo belt complete (pic below doesn't have them painted yet, but they are), hopefully the split rivet is spaced correctly and the not perfectly rounded curves.

 

I finished up the shins including the velcro.  I forgot to get pics of that.

 

Then I just had to put it all together real quick.  Couple little things to do.  But I think I'm almost ready!  

 

I need to work on adding foam in some places so I don't sound like a bunch of empty plastic bottles rattling around (I added it to the forearm already).  I also want to add J hooks to the insides of the biceps.  I need to do something to keep the shins from moving around...

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

2 hours ago, saltyr1 said:

I need to do something to keep the shins from moving around...

 

This is a common issue, in my case what worked for me was to put a piece of velcro into the shin and in front side of the boot to keep the aligment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I have a loop of elastic in the top of the belt loop an have snaps attached and also glued behind the shins, I find the elastic better as it allows some give when bending  

[saltyr1[TK]]

Over the past couple weeks I've been working on the little things in an attempt to make the approval process as smooth as possible.  A lot of switching strapping out to see how shorter / longer fits.  I spent a lot of time on the back plate trying to flatten out the bottom to stop it from popping out over the kidney plate.  But I also started making my own hybrid adjustable / duct tape mannequin using 1 1/4" PVC and these connectors I 3D printed:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2761249

 

 

Still a work in progress, but it's coming along.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Very nice, with the one I made I added screws and slotted sections to the connectors so you could rotate but then lock them in place.

[saltyr1[TK]]

But more importantly, I think I'm ready for pre-approval.  Now it's not 100% where I want it for Centurion, but I'll continue to work on areas of improvement.

 

 

 

[saltyr1[TK]]

2 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Very nice, with the one I made I added screws and slotted sections to the connectors so you could rotate but then lock them in place.

 

I had to make 'set screws' so the limbs would stay put.  I have slits in the back of the mannequin so I can get to the bolts.