chiefbonan

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

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.

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!

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

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!

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?

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

good to know, will do!

Yeah there is a male snap on the other side of those rivets, but they should be fine!

Thanks for the feedback and nice words everyone As for your comment Joseph, I'm not wearing much padding at all and I can see quite well out of the bucket. We might hold off to paint those 6 side rivets as we might need to replace them, but those ones don't seem to unsnap much. As for the TD I should be able to finish it tomorrow As for getting my Centurion, do I have to go for E-Inf first?

Wowee photo time! Here is some photos of my fully suited up! Things you should note are: -I chose to wear the holster off so you can see the hard armour better -The right side of the chest plate isn't snapped, as we lost the connection, so it flares out a bit -I wore the frill of my neckseal over my shirt, so you can see it stick out a bit near my shoulder bells! -I'm still in the middle of making the TD -I didn't wear my handguards as these are my Nomex Flight Gloves, which i've heard many of you use as it is breatheable, I still have my rubber ones around too I need to get a tighter black shirt, it makes frog-toe-webbing under my shoulders when I lift my arm out. I've always felt self consious about how skinny I am, hope it doesn't look too skinny in some areas. I feel the armour looks the worst from behind but you guys are the experts! I also probably could have done with rotating the shoulders a bit better forward, but easy fix, hard to tell what I look like in the mirror while I have it all on. Please give constructive critisim, pros? cons? What should be address? Am I handsome stormtrooper? Thank you, very close to finishing! Please keep in mind I am going for certification 3

Are these screws approvable for my cert 3 thermal detonator?

Now that my calves are on the right way, how would I cut the bottom openings to look correct?

My belt has been finished and holster has been attached! I used the rivet/snap method for the holster, even though the snaps here aren't the strongest, they'll be pressed up against the armour anyway. I've ordered some new stainless steel camping/boating snaps from an Australian company so they'll arrive way sooner. EDIT: Changed the word rivet to snaps Only need to make the thermal detonator then it's onto the final fittings/adjustments!

Okay everyone I've attached my belt boxes, what do you think? Just kidding Here they are:

Just did some tests with our other snaps that we had, they seem just as weak! Also my new legs in all there leg glory: (I did the lower trimming after this was taken!)

Finished my other calf, just need to clean it up a bit, there is a bit of a gap at the back, i don't know if that is okay:

If that’s the case I might as well go with prym

I think I might go with tandy snaps as they seem to be available in Australia, it looks like they have decent reviews, I'm guessing you guys are more familiar with them

awesome! great to know you know the strength, are the these ones? https://www.amazon.com/PRYM-fasteners-Camping-silver-coloured-Multipac/dp/B00405SLUC Because I've looking through Tandy Leather, and I was wondering if any like these would suffice: https://www.tandyleather.com.au/collections/fasteners/products/stainless-steel-line-snaps-10-pack?variant=32642898624647

Fixed! @TheSwede Thanks for the fix! The straps are 1 inch across

I know it is very newbieish to be going back to the snaps so early, but that's what I get for getting cheaper snaps! Luckily its just the torso snaps that are the problem

@TKSpartan thank you for the info! We found another set of snaps which are around the same size but a different brand that we bought ages ago, we are going to experiment with them by: -Trying to use the 'new' snaps And/or -Try and mix them, i.e using the male snap from Set 1 and a female from Set 2, since they are the same size, perhaps they can fit better Also to add Mr.TKSpartan, I was looking around on Tandy and there are a number of different snaps, are these ones good? https://www.tandyleather.com.au/collections/fasteners/products/stainless-steel-line-snaps-10-pack?variant=32642898624647

So we've done some testing on the snaps, tried to hammer them more like @TKSpartan suggested, no luck! They are pretty weak snaps, at least 40% of them on the armour, it's real luck of the draw with them. Does anyone have any suggestions for some better snaps?

Sire thing! Whatever I can do to make it past and make Lord Vader happy! I might try and cut them down to see how they look, if not easy to replace them, thank you!