Zinfer

So, tonights project was attaching the holster to the belt. I'd picked up some 24 line snaps earlier as I considered using web material rather than elastics on the armor. I got all the holes punched in both belt and holster. I then used female snaps on the front of the leather straps of the holster to fasten them onto male snaps on the inside of the belt. Done. Now for the belt, which actually is a bit thicker than the leather. Seems in order to get the male snaps on the belt I'm going to have to use 1/8 x 1/8 rivets as the 24 line snaps don't have enough meet on them to get through it to bend them over the inner snap. I'm trusing a 1/8 x 1/8 rivet won't draw straight through the holes on the belt. Considering a second washer on the rivets. I'm ok with rivets, but not an expert. Initially I went with around 2" gap, but changed my mind to 1" below the belt for the holster hang. Holster snaps on there good. That half is done. So now comes the problem of rivet size. I need to buy some regardless as I don't have any 1/8 x 1/8 - What does everyone else use for these? My snaps are 24 line as I mentioned before.

Thanks Daniel. Yea over summer I ride my bike for miles every day. But winter ugh. I mean I can look at other options if I can't starve it off. I do have a treadmill, but I prefer biking. I think running would do the trick, but I'm always twisting my ankles when I run. Then I crack my knee and I can't decide which one hurts more to grab hold of.

Hey Cableguy. Yea that was just an initial test fit. I am going to try Option A; Slim down.

Oh haha. I thought your definition of 'IT' was the hooks & tape. Wondering for anyone that has used those hooks, how uncomfortable they are on your underarms/chest.

Oh I didn't realize that. So hooks and 'Gaffers' tape are out. The strap that runs from the bell to the inside of the bicep is OK. I hope I got that right. Wow, glad you said something before I went to all that effort. Thanks for the diligence. And to whomever mentioned to me about the return edges digging into me. Yea I found that out with the test fit of the kidney and torso. Wow that kidney really did. I'm thinking because it was a little cocked to one side as I couldn't get the hinge completely closed though. I am going to trim the armor a little more and attempt to reinforce the brackets as I apply the elastics on the brackets of each armor segment. I brought the elastics to my sis tonight for sewing, describing the loop sizes and providing the materials. I saw a sewing machine on sale for $89 at Menards, but it's not about the device, it's about knowing how to use it. I'm just going all out with 3" on the chest plate and 2" material length for the rest. She said that I should go with larger as the armor currently doesn't fit me, but I fully intend on losing a few pounds. I'm not sure that's going to be enough. Still mulling this skinny as a bean quest. You know the older you are, the harder that becomes and I've got a few decades on me and it ain't gonna get any easier.

I was just looking at this, and it's basically the same concept as the bicep hooks.

Well the mail in the US has begun the seasonal crawl. Nothing's coming in. The PVC sheets, the paints, neck seals, holsters, shoes, undersuits, shears. Just nothing. So I'm struggling to find items I can work on. I was going to attempt to do the elastics on the shoulder bells last night, but after watching a few vids I found that there simply isn't a uniform method being that body types are not uniform. So I chickened out on the shoulder bell elastics to the shoulder straps being I've yet to get the torso section completed. However I did get the bottom straps installed. I still need to make the bicep hooks. Maybe I can do that tonight. Is there a particular reason I see some troopers make an elastic that goes from the shoulder bells to the bicep on the outside, and on other builds an underarm hook is used on the bicept to affix it to the bells? Is either method superior to the other?

I just need to walk down the street naked, have food thrown at me and called shame. So disappointed. Back to a lifetime of chicken diet. Or just stop eating altogether.

I completed putting the two halves together. Trimmed down the extra strapping.

It would be better if the hinge joint were like a 3" HD piece of Elastic (essentially a wide piece) I'd think that would add a more firm less flimsy setup. I'll have to look into this ABS paste I'm sure. I don't want a a Baymax exploding armor moment.

I was going to install some reinforcement strips under each bracket, but some of the return edges are not enough thickness. I'll have to probably go back and create a reinforcement width; bracket by bracket. The last thing I need is to create a split at a bracket hole/holes. Not sure what the repair would amount to if that/when that happens. The closer those brackets are to the absolute edge of plastic, the more likely damage is going to occur. And some of those brackets are mighty close.

Creating the hinge. This is pretty much gonna end me from trying this on until I hit a weight goal. Apparently no gap allowed, so I have to cut these elastic straps down to about an inch. I'd have preferred to install snaps here rather than split rivets, but the RS guys call for split rivets. At least with snap rivets I could go with a bit of a gap I think temporarily? I know that 0 gap is Centurion, 1/2" is Expert and I don't know what the max gap is for I think it's called Basic? Or is there a basic? It would take about 12 snaps I think altogether anyways to do that. Aw well might as well stick hard to RS' tutorials. This is gonna be hard because it has to be a tight fit and pulling that elastic over x3 to run those split rivets on the other side is gonna be tight and nothing other than a bench vice (no anvil) to prop the plastics up on. Gonna need 4 hands. ;s

So I did alot of digging and combing for the appropriate length of elastics. I came up with 3 x 3" for chest, 6 x 2" elastics. I just need them sewn now for test fitting. Yea Glen I am concerned as the kidney plate connection to the butt. The corner fit looks challenging and it would appear and I'm hoping, that the elastic pulls the middle back towards the butt a bit more. Maybe I'll need some hot water to convince the kidney (or more trimming of the return edge) to convince it to form more with the butt. I've not tried any kind of method such as safety pins but I have plenty of elastic banding. I'm going to have my sis sew them with her machine and then reverse the loop inside out. This is s shot I took before I took a lighter to either side to remove any fraying.

Took me a couple nights but I managed to get all the brackets installed. Now just need to find how long the elastics are supposed to be. Also got the cod elastic rivetted in place to connect to the butt plate.

Well I'll have to go basic I spose until then. But that's a ways off. Summer time exercise.

I started some work on the brackets but I need to buy a 3mm drill bit/set of bits. Or a 7/64's. Also started the snap strap for the crotch area. Can someone tell me if the torso/kidney plate hinge HAS to be so tight? Is there any room at that joint for us that don't have washboard abs?

So, other than some paint I'm kinda stuck waiting on cover strip material for my build. Now would probably be a good time to begin installing some brackets. Start this assembly process. Thanks for the encouragement FISD Troops.

Thanks for the link.

Yea I think if get a dab of glue between the bottom of the straps, near the belt boxes that'll keep them pretty much stationary at those positions. Trimmed and sanded the shoulder bells but can't do whole lot of strapping until I start assembling the clamshell together. I guess I'm happy with this. Just kind of free wheeling it. Got the 12" measurement marked, 5" at the bottom. Arced the line a tad and tried matching that on each side of both shoulder bells. Not a ton of return edge. Are these supposed to be kinda squished? Not sure it's worth putting them in hot water as the biceps will sit inside here and spread them.

Alright, the Codpiece. Last of the large armor pieces. What you think of the trim job? amature or meh? I hope I'm within CRL to leave this edge. It's going to help me in a larger size, narrowing the gap enroute to a smaller size. This is what I meant by cheating. I don't know of another way to add in plastic perhaps on the other side that doesn't bounce me outside Centurion. Nothing permanent, maybe temporary? RS Rob said he'd talk more about that later, and then never did. Trying to follow to the letter his tutorials thus far and referring to them often. That's why I mention them alot because I watch him every night. I def need a new diet. Just don't eat. With the armor trimmed I tried the kidney plate and codpiece for size. Man, there is just too much distance between my back and front. I need to fix this. This shirt will once again be black someday.

I can only imagine it's those plastic bases and the glues that Richie likes to use that caused his issue. He likes the instant solvent glue alot that you brush on. Can't remember the name but it seems a little overkill. Thanks for the pics. Gawd that looks like an incredible amount of work.

Justjoseph I took a second look at the belt and dropboxes. I think if I could lift it up and boxe dangle down, it'd look just fine. Here's what I found when I adjusted the straps slightly.

Is there in fact a kit for the elastics I mentioned above? Or is it all diy? I've never actually riveted snaps before. And that's quite a few snaps.

I mean, I have time yet. I still have all the E6000 XP coming up with the arms and legs. This is a beautiful winter long project. Yea I've heard mention of those plastic support strips under the brackets. However with the snaps I was referencing Richie's Youtube video concerning the snaps and glues. It seems like a pretty solid and ingenious idea.

Ok, so I'mma gonna try to cheat a little on the Cod if I can get away with it. I am very afeared that I will not be able to initially fit in the clamshell. At least until I can get down to where I want to be in belly size and weight. The goal is 170 or under. Optimally 165 or lower. Get my size 32 back. At current 34, but it's not really about your waist, as much as it is above the belly button. That's my sore point. Meeting the kidney backplate to the right hand cod is a challenge for me atm. Sorry a little TMI, but I think that would explain my work with the Cod.