MoSc0ut

Here's how my magnet set up turned out. It's not perfect but a cool feature of the magnets is when moving and bending they will pop apart but as soon as I stand up they come back together. This allows me a tiny bit more flexibility. The two elastic snaps keep everything together and the magnets make it look cleaner when standing up. I'm thinking of making a little ABS cover so you don't see the magnets like you do from the front photo pictured here. Jim

CA glue. I couldn't find my glue sticks or I would have done a test run using hot glue to make sure it was in the right place. I just totally eyeballed it and got lucky! [emoji15] Jim

There's always "the next time". However those 3D printed parts from nmcguff look like the way to go! I just received an M38 from Bulldog44 and my handmade, recreated parts feel a little inadequate next to his amazing scope. Jim M.

I was originally going to go with a pad system similar to my Army helmet I wore in Iraq. I was having issues with getting the padding the right thickness so I could see and keeping it in place on my head. After much debate here is what I did. I used a hard hat liner but instead of going the Velcro route I went a step further. Since I had bought a whole hard hat (about $7) just to get the liner I was looking at the connection points inside the helmet and thought, 'why not use those to hook in the liner?' So that's what I did. I first roughed out the area to cut out. I also marked them to keep them straight. They are probably all identical but I didn't take the time to analyze that. I then cut them out and sanded them all roughly the same shape. Here is the connection point I was interested in preserving. Connection points installed. This took a bit of fiddling and will have to be adjusted for the individual. Clip in the liner aaaaaand done! Getting the bucket on is a bit awkward but then again what bucket goes on and off with out a little effort? Jim

Here is my meager attempt at a sterling muzzle sized to fit my PVC pipe which is just a tad over 40mm. It's not perfect but it does have the great price of $free.99! I'm sure with your amazing skills you could make it work and clean it up to make it believe able. Soon I will be cleaning up the master and making it a little more accurate then recasting it. I had to work with what I have as I blew most of my $ on the armor! If you want me to send one your way shoot me a PM with your address. Jim

Gluing on my hand guards for Centurion (I hope). [emoji51] Jim

Arm straps done. 2" elastic. Jim

Okay here is what I came up with to hold the right side a little more closed. I had bought some neodymium magnets a while back. As they are super strong I set them down near each other and they scooted across the table to each other and broke almost perfectly in half. For some reason (science) the two halves now reversed polarity so they couldn't be glued back together. So I had encapsulated them in duct tape....until now. Dun-dun-DUN! (Sorry, Interstellar just came on and it's influencing my post, it's a very "dun-dun" filled movie!) I marked the "like" sides of the magnets. I took 2, 4" long pieces of 3" elastic and sewed 3 edges. Then made three pockets for the magnets and pushed them all the way to the end with a pencil. I ran a seam as close as possible to the magnets to keep them from flipping over and stitched and X to make the the elastic more rigid and more like nylon strapping. I then CA glued the loose halves to the inside of the kidney with the correct side out. I then made a pencil mark for aligning it with the other side and affixed it. Once the glue dries we'll see how well my idea works. Jim

Ta-Da! Completed neck seal! I'm proud to say I suck at selfies. Jim

I haven't been idle. In fact the end is in sight! Here is the "clamshell" all together. I spent a better part of yesterday making my neck seal. This is my 3rd attempt at this by the way. I'm not going to show the miserable fails. Even this I'm not 100% happy with but it'll get me basic approval for now so..... I started with my fabric and neck measurement +3 1/2". Then I measured from just below my ear to my collar bone and cut off a strip x 2 (fabric is doubled over in this pic). This will be the neck piece. I used my hard hat, that I raided for the liner, to cut out a spot for my chin. Fabric is still doubled over so they both match. I'm using a hidden zipper. This is a 7"-9" I should have gotten the next size up as my head barely squeezes through the hole. My 15 3/4" neck plus 7-9" the zipper adds barely fits the circumference of my head! The next piece is the bib. For this I have a set of descending size bowls and found one that was "close enough". This opening is oval as it will get all rumpled up when sewing if it's round. Again should have made this longer but it'll work as I actually have a small collar on my suit that will hide this anyway. Bigger bowl to round the edges. I sewed the two neck parts together with a 1/4" seam allowance the clipped the corners of the seam and inverted it. I then started to see in 9/16 piping to make the ridges using a zipper foot. Here is it halfway done. As usual my phone died at this point so and by the time I finished this I was ready for bed. A finished picture will be forthcoming today. I also glued together my arms and fixed some other parts and pieces including affixing the ab details. (Pics to come!) See you soon. Jim

That is high praise indeed. Thanks Walt! Not just for the praise but for providing a great kit at a great price and customer service that is beyond what I was expecting. I'll be looking to get at least one more kit from you but I'm waiting on some of those projects you have up your sleeve! Jim

I scratch built a muzzle for use on a PVC pipe build and then made a resin copy of it because I'm building at least two PVC blasters for me and my son. When I get home tonight I'll measure the OD of it and if it fits and you like what you see I can send you one. Here's a picture of the two parts I cast for making my "budget" blaster. One of the bolts moved on me while casting. I plan to make a better mold of the muzzle, sans bolts. Originally I was just casting the grip when I ended up with quite a bit of left over casting silicone. Because that stuff is spendy, I grabbed the first thing I could think of to make a copy of and I apparently didn't have enough glue holding one of the bolts in place. I plan to drill out the bolts and use real ones any way. Jim

After installing the strapping I'm now having a slight flare out on my posterior. Not quite as severe as yours was but I too am thinking of addressing that with a little hot water today. Jim

I'm thinking this instead of the slot. I'm going to do a test run before I glue anything in. I just want to see what kind of holding power the magnets have with the material in between before total commitment. I won't need the 20+ magnets I have after this build, I can sacrifice 4 if need be. Jim

Here's a quick sketch I for what I am thinking with the magnets. I'm at work but I had to get this down on paper so I don't lose my thoughts on this. Excuse the crudeness of my illustration. Jim

I like your double, double snap method too. How hard is it to get those fastened up though? I struggle a little with my single snap. This is why I was giving some thought to making this a magnet set up similar to what you have pictured but super strong magnets to hold the sides together along with two snaps top and bottom. Jim

This is what Russel2d2 uses: two snaps top and bottom and a "tab and slot" set up. (Image from is his build thread, this isn't my armor....yet.) This keeps them aligned and the snaps keeps it shut. I'm doing this to the right side of mine tomorrow. *added photo credit to russell2d2 Jim

The matting I scavenged from my tool box was kind of thick and it was tough to get the split rivets to open up but with some persistence I got it done. Jim

I'm having issues with my right side too. Russel2d2 has a solution in his thread that I'm going to try. I also was toying with an idea that involved some magnets and a bit of nylon webbing..... I am also breaking to get some food! Jim

After some more thought and some test fitting the fore arm may make a good place for a key and maybe a few $ and/or a debit card my iPhone is just to big to fit anywhere in there. The trooper I talked to must have much smaller arms or a smaller phone. I'm probably going with either the back of the holster or someplace behind the chest. Jim

Looks awesome! Jim

I agree about the drop box thing. Modern phones won't fit in there and plus whatever is in there would just clunk around. As far as the forearm is concerned and storage when I figure that out I'll be more than happy to share! Lol! I talked to another trooper that keeps her cell and keys in there. But at the time she was in an Xwing pilot outfit and couldn't show me. I have heard of people putting a little pocket on the back side of their holsters too so that was another thought of mine. Maybe some 3" wide elastic fashioned into a pouch? Something like this? (Quick paper mock up) Jim

Sounds like we're both in the final stretch of our respective builds. I'm hoping to have my submission photos for basic approval to the deployment officer by tomorrow. Just have to finish that neck seal, bicep to forearm connection, get the hand plates and an buttons glued on and a few other minor adjustments. Then I can take the photos and get it submitted. I think I might make the fore arms detachable from the bicep so I can store my phone and keys in there. Jim

Thanks! It's a very intimidating project but thousands have done it around the world so why not us? I thought of leaving the mistakes and corrections out. However my thoughts going into this was to make it similar to a journal. Had I left them out I wouldn't have been truly sharing/recording the experience as it happened. My advice to minimize making mistakes is: (not that you asked for my advice! [emoji12]) 1. read, read, and read some more from the build thread section and the EIB and Centurion application sections. 2. Measure twice (or three) time and cut once. You'll still probably make a mistake or two but I think we all do the first time. 3. Probably the most important is if you have that feeling in your gut that you're about to make a mistake, stop find a thread that covers it, review again and if necessary, ask questions before proceeding. Better to walk away than damage something beyond repair. With my calf error had I asked UKswrath or one of the others that review Centurion apps I probably would have gotten it right the first time. Jim

Time to install the torso strapping. I made my own brackets. And elastic First the back. Snaps and straps for the posterior and cod. Now the front. Left side closure. I borrowed russel2d2's idea of using tool box matting for a more durable closure that won't stretch out. It was a pain to get the split rivets to spread out because the matting is pretty thick. Jim