ScaryGuy

Two smaller batteries, each on one side in the helmet, would also balance the helmet. Most battery packs are pretty long, don't know how they would fit in the curved side. Well, at least we get to keep tweaking our armor . Lol, a backpack would be nice , but I agree you don't want to put too much stuff inside. Or join the rebel legion and have a R2 unit follow you with your stuff .

I can notice the tilting with the lenses, they are a bit higher then I would want them to be. It's a tiny bit, so I haven't taken any counter measures yet. I have a lot of magnets from my build, they can act as counter weights by sticking some near the hovi mic's. Plenty of room there. I'm going to mount a small bag in the back plate. I found one almost the same size as the O II plate. I'm mounting it with snap plates and snaps. Plenty room for my iphone 6s, wallet and keys. Pics will follow, the E6000 is drying . I'll want the front to be free if I want to mount an audio system. I already have an aker to be used with the tk voice app.

The 5V fans have arrived, so it's time to continue working on my fan brack solution. I used foam tape around the edges and back of the plastic bracket. Hopefully this reduces any fan vibration. It also made the bracket a bit sturdier, so it will keep the bracket in place. Without it the bracket was too flexible. The fans are attached with a piece of velcro. After the first test I already noticed the fans where spinning at high speed and create a lot of noise. Now I understand why some people use hearing aid systems in their helmets . But that doesn't solve the problem that others can hear the noice too. So I needed to reduce the fan speed. I first thought of using a resistor in series with the fan. The value would depend on the amount of current running through the fan. The resistor also has to be big enough for the power that is being generated (voltage x current). After looking for some better solutions I found a remark to use diodes instead. A diode has a voltage drop around 0.7V, but does not affect the current running through the fan. I used two diodes in series with the fan to reduce the voltage to around 3.5V for the fan. Be aware that diodes have a polarity, the side with the band (silver in this case) is the negative side. Here are the fans inside the helmet. There's still a bit of vibration, but not to bad. Eventually I hope to upgrade to bracket from echo, but this will do for my first troops. The battery adds weight to the helmet. Because it is in the back the helmet tends to tilt back slightly. Now I just need something to store my valuables (phone, wallet, keys) in my armor.

Thanks for your thoughts Jeff. I'm working on getting my own blaster, just for private use in my collection. So eventually I will reapply for EIB and beyond!

Well done Chris! All the hard work finally pays off!

For a more accurate look the mesh in the Anovos hovi mic tips should be replaced with something more coarse. I decided to go the easier route and bought a new set of hovi mic tips from Mark (CfO / Sskunky). Here's a comparison shot of the two: The CfO's come with the bolts attached to the mic tips. They were a bit long, so I cut them using a dremel. Because the abs around the mic tips is really thin I cut reinforcement pieces from a larger scrap abs piece. They are glued with E6000. This gives the mic tips a more solid feeling. Result:

Congrats Chris!

I decided to take the plunge and cut 10 mm from the top of the thighs. This fixes the cover strip being a bit short, and the thighs are now clear from the cod and kindey plates. I haven't decided yet how I want to proceed with the blaster issue. I'm having several thoughts on this. I think it's relatively safe if I can get a blaster kit inside the EU, so phoenixprops, doopydoos are an option. Both can take quite some time to acquire. PhoenixProps has stopped taking orders at the moment. For doopydoos you have to be very quick when they become available. Others in the Dutch Garrison have bought a SDS blaster and received them without problems. Within the EU custom checks shouldn't be much of a concern. However, I would only be getting or building a blaster to get my EIB/Centurion approval. I wouldn't risk bringing a blaster to an event. At some (more closed) events people bring their blaster, but you do it at your own risk. There's always a risk of meeting that police officer who's going by the book. I appreciate the offer allowing me to use someone else's blaster for the pictures. It feels a bit like cheating though, like I'm getting an easy pass. Maybe it's an option to process my application as an offical approval but not assigning the EIB/Centurion rank/badges. That would be fine with me. The reason for me to get EIB/Centurion approval is to know I build my armor up to spec and get the approval of my fellow troopers. So these are the thoughts I'm considering. I think I will bring it up on my garrison's forum, see how they think about it. If I'm going to use someone else's blaster I don't want anyone to have an issue with it.

Only a small update, I finally took the plunge and started cutting the tops of the thighs. This solves two issues: the cover strips were a bit short at the top, and the thighs were pressing against the cod and butt plates. I was afraid for loosing the return edge, but after looking at many pictures with similar cut thighs and I decided to go ahead. Loosing the return edge is not an issue for Centurion approval. I used a compass to trace a line 10 mm from the top. Then I used lexan scissors to cut the abs. It was a bit harder to cut through the (inner and outer) cover strips. After that I sanded the top smooth again using 180 grit. Without the return the thighs have a sharper look: The thighs are now clear from the ab and kidney. It did not change the mobility because the bottom of the thighs are still at the same position. I'm gonna wait until I had some trooping experience to see if more adjustments are needed.

Looking good Chris, almost there!

I agree Li-Ion catching fire is very rare, I just don't hope to be that "lucky" guy while wearing a plastic helmet. There a lot of things around that have a higher chance of hurting you. I'm fine with wearing one in my helmet. I understood you were referring to a fan power failure, that really can be catastrophic too .

Yeah, having a Li-Ion battery near your head could be a bit worrying. I wouldn't cheap out on this, buy a decent brand.

Welcome back , nice work on the belt. Doing the mods feels so much easier then the initial build. Being more experienced I'm not scared anymore on ripping things apart or bring on the abs paste. I wonder how much faster I could do a second build now.

I've been doing some mods to my armor. Initially I used velcro to close the shins. It was easier to install and I thought it would also be easier to close the shins. But after a few fittings I still didn't like the velcro, it's not as easy to align as I thought it would be. E.g. you start aligning at the bottom, but then the velcro already catches at the top. Some of the adhesive already come loose after a few times. So I decided to switch to the elastic and hook method. I removed the velcro and removed any remaining adhesive with WD40. Then I got to work on my sewing skills and created the elastic strips with hooks attached. I drilled the holes in shins at 5 mm distance from the edge, and 25 mm from the top/bottom. Middle hole is centered between the other two. To prevent the holes from tearing I pressed fit metal rings (don't know the name) into the holes. This is the result. There's a bit of a gap but that was the same with the velcro. It's only visible at an angle people will hardly ever see so I'm not bothered by it. When looking straight at the back the elastic/hooks are not visible. I applied for EIB (http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/36838-tk-31026-requesting-anh-stunt-eib-status-anovos/) but then I found out a blaster is required for EIB/Centurion. Sly11 (Andrew) did give me some comments on my build. The cover strips on the thighs could have been a bit longer. I could glue some scrap cover strip pieces and fill the gap with abs paste. But I'm also still considering cutting around 10 mm from the top of the thighs. The thighs touch the butt plate and ab plate (near the cod). This will also improve mobility. I haven't decided yet which option I go for. After taking the approval pictures I also noticed I have a lot of room in my biceps. I'm not likely going the fill those with more muscle anytime soon, so cutting the biceps was the best option. I resized the biceps to the same size as the top of the forearms. Here's the starting situation: When deciding how much and where to cut I looked at the location of the cover strips and side ridge. I wanted them to align with the forearms. To achieve this I removed 5 mm on the front and back of the inner half. For the outer half I had to remove 17 mm at the front only. Clamps, magnets and E6000. Good times are back again! As colleteral damage I had to relocate the forearm snap inside the biceps. And I also changed the shoulder bell elastic. Originally I had it glued at the edges of the shoulder bell, but I moved it inwards for a tighter fit around the biceps. Final result When doing these mods you really get appreciation for using E6000, so easy to separate the parts and remove any remaining glue. Love it!

Hi Andrew, Thanks for your comments, much appreciated! So the cover strips on the thighs should end all the way at the return edge? Does the cover strip need to end flat or follow the curve of the top? I could add a scrap piece and use abs paste to fill the gap. I'm also considering cutting the top of the thighs to make them shorter, they're still a bit long for me. That would also fix the issue. Here's a closer shot of the top. When looking at my approval shots I also noticed the biceps are a bit too big. I'll look into that. I already ordered new hovi mic tips from Sskunky. Thanks, Theo

You are using a separate powerpack for each fan right? I like the higher capacity of the anker, it just fits behind my head. I can feel it a little bit at the top, but not a real issue.

I just found out you need a blaster for EIB / Centurion approval. Since a blaster is illegal in the Netherlands I haven't considered getting or building one yet. If going that route I would have to be careful on how to get the parts from abroad. Disappointing this is holding me back for the higher approval levels . So to break or not to break the law, that's the question (hearing cops theme song). So, for now focusing on getting ready for trooping. I started building a fan solution. I would like to get a bracket from Echo, but since he and his inbox is flooded I have to create my own solution. I liked cjdesign's idea in this thread: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/36631-how-to-diy-usb-helmet-fans-no-more-9v-or-aas/ . He is using a 10000mAh USB powerpack with 5V blower fans. I'm copying his setup but using a different approach in creating the bracket. I wanted to use some black plastic for this. Looking in different shops I found this construction bucket. I used some cardboard to copy the outline of the helmet Then I drew another line at 4 cm distance from the outline. On the ends where the fans will be located I drew a piece that is larger then 50 mm in diameter to allow enough room for the fans. After cutting the piece from the cardboard I extended it aprrox 20 - 30 mm in the middle. This is because the bracket will be inside the helmet, so the distance is longer then the outline drawn. Attach the cardboard with tape to the bucket and draw the outline with a marker. After cutting I noticed the plastic wasn't as strong as I hoped. It was a bit too flexible. I wrapped it in black duct tape to reinforce it. This also eliminated the smell that was coming from the plastic. Next I drilled some holes for the two switches, one for each fan, and a hole to guide the USB cable from the powerpack through the plastic. Next step is to wire everything. Still waiting for the blower fans to arrive though.

Bummer, didn't see that one coming. I was hoping to achieve Centurion right from the start, I rather do things right the first time then to come back later. I gotta rethink the blaster issue, not sure if I want to risk it. If you could still find some time to look at my armor Tony, I would really appreciate it. Looking forward on hearing your opinion on it, even if it is off the record.

Is it? I thought a blaster was optional. In the CRL the EIB / Centurion requirements are also listed below the optional accessories. A blaster is illegal in the Netherlands, it looks too much like a real weapon. So I haven't decided yet if I'm willing to take the risk with ordering a full blaster or in parts from outside the country. On many (public) events it is also too risky to bring your blaster with you.

Good to hear you had a great time . All rest up for continuing your build. I haven't been to Italy yet. Love the food and icecream though . I also have some extra work planned. I'm fogging up in no time, so building a fan solution is top priority. Too bad echo is flooded with work and requests, so I created my own bracket. Still waiting on the fans, powerpack, etc. The velcro to close the shins will be replaced with elastic and hooks. The adhesive is already getting loose, and it's not easy to open and close it. I hope the elastic solution works better. My EIB application has been submitted, fingers crossed!

Thanks Kalani! How was Italy? I loved the adventures of TK-Tim in the Anovos building group on Facebook :-D.

Here are my basic approval pictures

Name = Theo van Geffen Forum name = ScaryGuy Garrison = Dutch Garrison 501st Legion Member Link = http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=21188 Armor = Anovos Helmet = Anovos Height = 5'7" (170 cm) Weight = 150lbs (68 kg) Boots = Imperial Boots Canvas belt = TKittell Hand Plates = JustJoseph Electronics = Romfx + ukswrath hovi speakers Neck Seal = Anovos Holster = Darman 4oz Blaster = Doopydoo full resin with a lot of FISD: T-Jay completion kit Gazmosis replacement mag Blue snaggletooth hengstler replica Themaninthesuitcase 3D printed parts Bulldog44 hollow resin M38 scope Front Back Right Left Right arm raised Left arm raised Bucket off Action shot Abdomen detail Side rivets / kidney notch Ab plate snap Shoulder bridge details Cod butt connection Sniper plate Thigh ammo belt TD brackets Strapping Neck seal Gloves Ammo belt Wrist return edge Helmet front Helmet right Helmet left Helmet back Hovi mic detail S-Trim Lens color Blaster left Blaster right Blaster rear (d-ring)

You're welcome Pat! And thanks for the compliments.<br><br> I just got approved! Now onto EIB!

TK-31026 Requesting 501st access. http://www.501st.com/members/displaymemberdetails.php?userID=21188 Thanks!