Zinfer

Trying to wrap up the Shins. Here's the progress on the right. Cut and inserted a second cover strip inside front to reinforce and strengthen the joint. Also examining the appearance of the velcro under the rear coverstrip. Still debating velcro or elastic pins. Bit of a gap with the velcro.

Slow day today. Everything's E6000 curing. Working on both shins at the same time. I am not real happy with the looks of the velcro as it has a revealing thickness even under the rear coverstrips. But I feel the elastic ribbons would be a real PITA to get the pins through the holes and get on. If anyone has the elastic pins, how do yours work? Are they a real challenge to get on x2?

Final cuts on the Left Shin. Same heating on the shin to get it to align with the upper section.

Actually I didn't realize they opened up to that degree. I'll have to save that baggie of elastics if I change my mind later. I haven't had to climb stairs or matter of factly, even walked in them to any great degree. So that's all ahead of me I hope.

Oh I see what you did there. That made me go out and double check my Torso. You have an additional snap on the right side from kidney plate to cod piece, towards the bottom. I only have 1 on the top of the kidney plate. I must have missed that memo. A second would help it look more straight. I've got the same thing going on with my main hinge. It looks a little wonky. But that could be that extra tire I've got carrying around with me.

I don't really want to veer off at this point, but the Thigh garter belt straps are being sewn and started in on measuring and marking the left shin for cutting. Waiting on the Right shin rear CS to dry throughout today. Just doing some thinking ahead. I am going to need to re-tackle the main belt. While it was mounted on the mannequin, I attempted to snap those little button hole snaps and they absolutely would not stay attached for one reason or another. Wouldn't it be more robust to put one of those snaps on there than that tiny little button hole snap? I'm not sure why mine aren't staying attached more firmly. I get one on - move to the other to attach that and the 1st one falls out and belt to the floor. I like CableGuys idea of velcro in center but that's mainly cosmetic for the buttons.

Wow, thanks Daetrin! I just ask an absurd amount of questions so props go to you guys here. First time I've ever done this and I'm just soaking it in like a sponge. I like to know every bit before I tackle each item and be certain what I'm doing. Once sure, I tear straight into it. Sometimes half-hazardly. I was honestly shocked when I saw this piece after all this shin work I've been reesearching. These costumes we're making are actually BETTER than what was originally seen.

Thanks Dan. Yea that Industrial strength velcro would work nice with say 1 top, 1 mid, 1 bottom. I'll try that first. It's hard to get back off. I imagine especially in a full length strip. I will see how it looks tonight after the glue cures on the right shin cover strip. I've a feeling it's going to be off from the rear thigh center line. Especially towards the bottom where I had to bathe and then correct the upper edge trim. I think it's gonna look as if my center line goes off to the inside. I'd like to get back to you on the belt. I think you have an RS kit too. One problem at a time.

Friday Night Owls enjoy https://www.facebook.com/rodney.massman/videos/5075708349137607/?notif_id=1613189817074156&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Alright so, I am going to install the 25mm cover strip later on tonight on the right shin. I believe that adheres to the right half (outer) of the shin. My chief question is how did you apply your velcro for quick suit ups? Just with my thigh on (one) I found I could not bend over, both with the knee and the hip to put my shoes on. I had to sit down on a low stool to get my shoe on. May need to half moon my thigh in that area, but the hips...? But anyways My question was did you do a few separate strips or go all the way from top to bottom with a single strip?

It looks like it pulled the back left and the front right when I adjusted the upper to meet squared up. It twirked it a bit. Only way to really see is to just put the cs on it and do a some photo shoots. Going to adjust that tripod down lower for better leg shots.

As much as misery loves company, I did take special note of your link above @gmrhodes and advice. I tended to pull overcorrected so that it would settle towards where it would be good, but not too far in drawing the front seam off to the right by too great a degree. I really do not want to pull the coverstrips off on the front if I can keep from it. Just have to see how it appears. So I considered boiling water, but in what container? Out of options with that big of a container to dip the entire shin in, I tried just a bit of Heat Gun. I was a little leary of it so I only went to maybe warm to the touch. Next try, drew hottest bathwater. That seemed to do a little, but not much. But a little. Next option, turn the largest stove top surface to high. Ran the piece over it for less than 5 minutes and probably a 10" to a foot over it, Rotating and turning it often with key area being the front seam and sides and then removed it from the heat and took it outside to cool rapidly. Sure enough the front seam had turned a bit outward. But this was the end result. Now I took a look at it and it seems I may need to put the edge of the cover strip a bit further to the right just to give it a good center, however I have to be careful how thin a strip of velcro I can run. I got 25 mm to work with so I should be ok? So I'm a little concerned how off center the 'center line is. Is it acceptable to go offcenter a bit at the bottom with the cover strip? I mean It's gonna be tight getting that strip of velcro to stay in place

Gotcha. I tried a heat gun on making those bicep hooks. I suck at it. Wondering how hot that water has to be in a bathtub. Never done it.

I've watched every minute of his build. But he doesn't go into any detail on fitting. He also does all strap/hook on the shins.

Current Right Shin fitting focus

Work on the Right Shin. First cuts. I've mentioned this before but here's my current problem. I mean if I correct it, then the front cs/seam/bottom begins going off to the right after adjustment. If I could mount my cam to my head and upload a vid I could more adequately describe it.

Ok, so now for the finale of the build. I mean granted there's alot to go back to and get fitting well. ALOT. However for the final build and the most problematic atm the SHINS. Tonight I have what I feel is a pretty good fit on the Right. However if I walk, I get shredded in the back of my calf. So, is it commonplace to take these return edges down to nothing, especially in the back? It fits well, but that rear edge really has some sharp edges. I tried the method of affixing a couple of sacrificial velcro ribbons top and bottom for a rough fit. The lines seem to be good, perhaps less of a cut on the right outer shinpiece. A little at a time. Am I going about this correctly? Does the return edge towards the rear get removed?

Thanks guys.

Right Thigh Ammo Belt secured with two single cap rivets and E6000 at 3 joints to keep it in place. 6" welding C clamp vice grips used to secure the rivets. Awaiting 24 hour cure of the E6000. Not sure the accuracy here as the ammo belt seems to have an ever so slight upward curvature. Not sure if that's canon or not.

Trial fit today. Nice, although I think I lost some range of motion up to snap the shoulder straps. Was happy with the fit and look. Performed the same action with the left, trying to match the positioning of the right. Another 24 hours cure time.

First attempt linking the right bicep with the right shoulder bell. Going to let this cure 24 hours before test fit. Having a problem with the fit if the bicep pops in or out of the shoulder bell. It'll push the shoulder bell up. I could easily get this positioning wrong. Before this action, I did go over both the bottom of the shoulder bell and top of the bicep and shaved a bit more return edge off. Trying to help them slide a bit better.

I see. I don't have any photos right off hand. I may take a look for any return edges at the bottom of the bells. I hope I didn't make my elastic on the bells too short as to draw them in too far. But more importantly, we are talking black elastic and not webbing between the outer bell and bicep right? I can see where the placement could be very crucial. Not being too high or low. I'll give that a go today.

Right now I don't have any straps going on from bicep to shoulder bell. So, either a strap or do the inner/underarm hook. Not sure which is more effective.

I am finding more problems as I finish the armor. Arms are done. They fit well. However if they go below the shoulder bells I can no longer bend my elbows. The shoulder bells tend to cup inward at the bottoms, which means that when the bicep slides out, they won't return back under. I may in fact need to make those hooks I've seen to keep them under the bells. Or do the webbing on the bells to snap the biceps in. Only thing I can think to make the bells not cup inward would be a Hot bath with tension outward, I've never done that before though with plastics.