BobbyFromBUF

Thanks Ron, I'll just trim a bit on the inside of the elbow and see if I can live with that. Check your PM, I just sent you some pics.

Thanks Nick for responding! Just to clarify, I was thinking of trimming off a curved piece on the inside of the wrist, and also increasing the size of the opening on the inside of the elbow. Proposed wrist and elbow trim by bobby_whalen, on Flickr

After removing the return edge on the inside forearm piece my forearms seem huge! I think I need to make them smaller. Is it acceptable to trim the inside of the forearm piece? I think that would give me much better freedom of movement. My regular photographer (my wife) is off at the gym. So, these photos aren't quite as good as my usual photos... IMAG5226 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr IMAG5225 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr IMAG5224 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr IMAG5222 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr Advice welcome :-)

I just did the same. I figure, if there is one place to use a heat gun without too many consequences - it's a low visibility area like the butt plate tab.

Okay, I said I would work on the thighs today, but I decided I would try to finish the forearms first. I had done some measuring a while back, but after some time away from these parts I'm not confident about my cut lines. Here is a look at my right forearm: IMAG5213 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr IMAG5216 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr I have already removed the return edge on the wrist end, but I am planning to make the following additional cuts. Please share your thoughts... right forearm trim line 2 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr As you can see, with my arm bent, the wrist end is digging into the back of my hand, as well as the base of my thumb... right forearm trim line by bobby_whalen, on Flickr Feedback appreciated :-)

Thanks Germain! Those are the exact photos I had in mind! Maxsteele, I think I will need to heat shape the crotch tab on the butt plate. Mine sort of looks like a tail, haha... post-13481-139935756814_thumb

We almost need a photo of some armor closed up with a view from underneath. Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

"Oh yes, I'm going to strap the crotch tab of the butt plate to the cod. How tight should that be? That's another part that I just can't tell from looking at anyone's builds." I couldn't agree more! I've searched for key words, browsed through builds, and looked at EIB submissions, and I can't find anyone saying exactly how long that strap should be... Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Well, that settles its. I've got a bad feeling about that flashing... Haha... Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Tomorrow I will start working on my thighs. The search function wasn't working for me, so I gave up and went to bed. Maxsteele, you mentioned that you thought the butt plate was a good shape. I feel like it should curve under more. Look at how mis-aligned the cod and butt are... Any thoughts? Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

As you wish, sir.... Here are the arms raised shots. I actually left the flashing on the ab and kidney plates as well. I see that most people remove those, but I was thinking I might leave them. If I am reading the CRL correctly, it doesn't really say that they need to be removed. The language is more about there being little or no gap. Leaving them helps with this as I am a little chubby in that region... What do you think? Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

As for the butt plate, I'm just lucky. Didn't do anything, except remove the flashing...

Thanks for checking in on me! I have some pics with my arms raised. I'll post them in a few minutes. As for that flashing, that goes? Hmmm, what's worse, leaving the flashing or having the chest end that much further forward? I was sort of liking where it is ending right now. However, if it's just plain wrong to have that flashing there, then I will obviously lose it :-) Max, thank goodness for you. You've really been helping me push through these last few things. I really appreciate it! I need to head back to your thread and see if you've got any updates. I always look forward to those.

So, I learned a big lesson. Never use the snaps from Hobby Lobby. They do not hold very well. As a result the inside of my armor now has a ton of unusable snap plates. The snaps were just popping open with almost no tension.... Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

A few progress pics. Happy Cinco De Mayo! Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Awesome, thanks!

Is this pencil line looking pretty good? Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Do you have a pic of your cod and butt connected? I'm curious about what ballpark is accurate there - 2"? 3"? 4"? Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

Thanks Maxsteele! That is exactly the reassurance I was looking for. Did you need to reshape the butt? Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

So, I see from other builds that everyone with the NE is trimming the cod and under side of the butt plate down, but I'm not sure how they are arriving at the measurements for a proper trim. I read in one build thread that the cod should be trimmed to be even with the joint where the kidney and ab plate meet. Based on this I am planning on trimming to the pencil line. Does this seem right? IMAG5182 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr Also, when everything is fitted together on me the underside of the butt plate is no where near the end of where I think the cod should be. Any advice, or a link to a tutorial on bringing these parts closer together would be appreciated. Thanks! IMAG5181 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr Finally, it seems like I should trim out the cod and the kidney plate where this pencil mark is. Does this seem right? IMAG5183 by bobby_whalen, on Flickr

Great job with the fix. No one but you will ever know :-)