ABS vs HIPS

[Jamtrooper]

Hey everyone. Newbie here. I'm still trying to decide which armor to get for my very first set. I'm very concerned about the time and effort it will take me to trim the suit (if I don't go with SDS). Is there a difference in trimming ABS or HIPS armor? I've seen demo's online (and this site) of a guy trimming HIPS (I believe a TE2) helmet with a box cutter and another guy trimming some ABS armor (very slowly) with a Dremel. Is HIPS armor softer and more accepting of a simple box cutter? How many man hours do these things take? Of course, I'd love to make it by Halloween.

 

I'd love any responses to include your preference for armor (TE2, AP, ATA, TM or SDS) I'm 5'11 165lbs.

 

Thanks!

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

ABS is the most durable.

HIPS is not.

 

cutting using the score and snap method produces the cleanest cut, depending upon your skill. this is done with a "box cutter"

 

a dremel tool is not really much better. it's all depending upon your personal choice.

 

cutting ABS with any type of tool is much more forgiving because of the rubber content.

 

HIPS is thinner, and more brittle than ABS. it is more reactive to heat from a cutting wheel, or a drill bit.

hips also reacts with glue, and metals. so making snap tabs with e-6000 and metal snaps can produce heat warping

from the inside of hips armor. which then needs to be corrected with fillers, and paint.

 

ABS on the other hand does not react to heat from tools, or glues. it also has the distinction of never needing

paint.

 

having made armors from both ABS and HIPS. I would say that it will take at least a month and a half to make an HIPS kit.

and you could do the ABS kit in 4 weeks.

 

my 2 cents.

 

hope this helps you make the choice.

[Midnyt17]

ABS is the most durable.

HIPS is not.

 

When you say "HIPS is not" what do you mean specifically? Do you mean that it isn't durable at all? That it'll break with little to no force? How much force would be needed to crack HIPS? Is it even good enough for wearing or just displaying?

[firebladejedi[TK]]

There are many different types of plastic, gloss hips that will not require paint, Matt hips that will. Also gloss abs that will not need paint and Matt abs that will.

 

I'm working on an abs suit that will need paint. It's very easy to work with and easy to cut. I've also built 3 abs suits that did not need paint. Again very easy to work with. And I've built suits from hips, that again were easy to trim and needed paint.

 

I would do more research and look at what level of work you want to put it to it.

[Tech151[TK]]

When you say "HIPS is not" what do you mean specifically? Do you mean that it isn't durable at all? That it'll break with little to no force? How much force would be needed to crack HIPS? Is it even good enough for wearing or just displaying?

 

 

HIPS isn't as durable as ABS. For example, you can throw ABS across the room and not worry about it much. However, with HIPS you can't do that. HIPS is really nice for making cuts and adjustments on the fly because you can use a regular pair of scissors. I just finished my HIPS kit with TKbondservnt and I already have a few cracks in the returns and I've only put it on 4 or 5 times. HIPS is good for wearing you just have to be more careful. Don't throw yourself on the ground or play football in it. It's also a little less expensive than ABS kits. I have an ATA HIPS kit and while I love it because it is my first, my next will most likely be ABS.

[Madmartigan]

 

 

I'm working on an abs suit that will need paint.

 

Do tell!

 

Secretive little bugger.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

My experience having had both is that yes, ABS will certainly take more abuse, but I have garrison mates who've had AP crack as well.

 

Actually the only part of my TE2's that have cracked have been the ab plate, and it's easy enough to just tape it for a bit and then order a replacement part. Heck, after about a year or so it needed touch-up paint anyway, and I just re-shot the whole suit. The rest of the suit is holding up fine. While I won't do stunts in the TE2, I have hauled it China to troop the Great Wall (carrying it up in two backpacks) and don't exactly treat it with kid gloves either. As noted, it's far easier to trim as well, and HIPS suits tend to cost less.

 

I guess it just depends on which you feel is the easier or the two choices : HIPS which is easier to trim but usually needs paint, or ABS which usually doesn't need paint and is more durable, but can be harder to assemble for a novice.

[TK-8224[501st]]

I would go for ABS, it can take a lot more beating than HIPS. It is also better for transportation. I have had my AP kit in a suitcase as checked in baggage on flights, and I had no cracks or anything. I know from some of my garrison mates that HIPS can easily crack during travelling, and the one thing you don't want is broken armour when you're just about to troop.

 

With your size, I would go for an ABS TM kit.

Edited August 10, 2010 by TK-8224

[Jamtrooper]

Wow. This is really helping out, Troops! Thank you. I think I should go with ABS for my first kit which narrows it down to AP or TM (or just get the pre-built SDS) Not to get off this thread topic but one thing I like about SDS and TM is they seem to come in the milky-white color that I associate with Stormtroopers. What is the color quality of AP?

[Jamtrooper]

Where do you get a TM kit?

 

With your size, I would go for an ABS TM kit.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Wow. This is really helping out, Troops! Thank you. I think I should go with ABS for my first kit which narrows it down to AP or TM (or just get the pre-built SDS) Not to get off this thread topic but one thing I like about SDS and TM is they seem to come in the milky-white color that I associate with Stormtroopers. What is the color quality of AP?

 

There is also T/MC for ABS as well, which is comparable to the AP and costs less. Would be worth checking in to.

 

I'd advise against SDS as his reliability and customer service are spotty.

[TK-8224[501st]]

TM is here on the boards. Try send him a PM.

[lightside]

When I assemble a stormtrooper armor by and for myself I always have to cut the upper tights because I have short legs. I usually use a normal cutter on 3mm thickness ABS. I track the line with a marker, after I pass the cutter and then I pull up and down the piece with my fingers. It seems plastic goes to break, but it opens by following the cut line without problems instead.

[generalFROSTY]

Greetings - new here, just made my intro and am looking for info on trimming ABS since I am soon to be getting my kit in the mail. Does the score/snap method work with ABS or only styrene?

[Locitus[Admin]]

Greetings - new here, just made my intro and am looking for info on trimming ABS since I am soon to be getting my kit in the mail. Does the score/snap method work with ABS or only styrene?

Score and snap works just fine with ABS. But you can do some real neat things with a pair of lexan curved scissors that you can't (or would be harder) with score and snap. Like make nice curves.

Edited January 10, 2011 by Locitus

[john danter]

Agreed

 

Scissors like that are a god send if you work with plastic

[Cantina Security[501st]]

How to revive an old thread.... Ask it a new question....

 

So I was thinking of a Styrene helmet build and am not sure about the thickness and differences between ABS and HIPS.

I know HIPS is quite thin, and am most familiar with ABS.

 

Could anyone provide some feed back or possibly some pros and cons between the two?

[SCTrooper[TK]]

I troop with a CAP west helmet and have no problems. The details on the faceplate are sharp and really add to the look. The mic tip area needs reinforcing and thats about it. 

[Toddo[TK]]

HIPS tends to be sharper, but can be more brittle around the neck opening and mic tip wells.  Also, HIPS requires painting.  ABS does not if it is pulled in the correct color.  I have a number of both, and have no real preference aside from the painting aspect.

[walt[501st]]

It is lighter...HIPS that is...also some things i would be worried about. The heat really effects HIPS..like if you live in a warmer part of the country, you will distroy HIPS if left in the car

[Cantina Security[501st]]

Thanks fellas... I was concerned that It may be brittle, and of course the painting is a downside. I built a clone , shock trooper to be exact, and had to paint the entire armor. You can do some cool things with paint, if you were to do a TD or something.

 

How about a Shadow trooper? Would black do ok ?

[Toddo[TK]]

are you asking about the 212th Utapau Shadowtrooper, or the shadow stormtrooper?  For the clone, flat black is actually right-on, but you have to bondo for seamless, and that will require paint (as you know from your shocktrooper).  For shadow stormtrooper, it is to be gloss black, so HIPS would require painting.  However, for the Novatrooper Sentinel, flat black is actually pretty darned accurate, so unpainted black HIPS is a perfect option.  That is what I made mine of to be exact.

[troopermaster]

2mm HIPS is no thinner than 2mm ABS

 

I think of them like this:

 

HIPS = Glass

ABS = Rubber

 

HIPS is brittle but can be quite sturdy if thicker 3.5mm or 3mm is used, but ABS is much better. ABS pulls just as tight as HIPS, but it's easier to pull HIPS with a vacuum cleaner where ABS requires more effort.

 

In the UK, HIPS is available is gloss and matt, as is ABS. So you can choose either plastic in either finish over here.

 

Hope that helps

[Cantina Security[501st]]

Thanks Paul, and Tood, this lid I believe would be .80

 

That makes me think its really thin. As people keep telling me, it's not armour, it's a costume. I still like things well built and sturdy.

 

This would be purely for display and most likely would not be used for trooping. Just for fun, and to check out the product.