bigtrev503 Posted May 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 Sweet! Mad scientist TK commencing tonight! Muahahahaaa... (evil villain laugh) Thank you Mathias! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanders[TK] Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Looking good Trevor! I'm up to a similar place with my ATA build as well. Its been a long road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Boiled up my knee belt. Turned out great! Here's my pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Well done! Looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmosis[501st] Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Nice recovery on that knee pack!! Make sure when you trim out your waist belt that the ends are trimmed to the proper length. ATA's waist belt has traditionally been too long. The ends should be trimmed down to about 45MM or roughly 1 3/4 inches from the last box to the end. Edited May 31, 2013 by gazmosis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) Here's my progress from after the knee belt yesterday. My concern is with this stupid split rivet. I can't get the arms to bend down all the way. It makes it loose as you can see in the pictures. Any split rivet advice? Also, as far as rivets goes, the ones I put in my knee didn't get as tight as I would have liked. I couldn't fit the hammmer into the small opening to get a good bang, so I tried to use pliers, but it still didn't clamp all the way down. Advice? Now onto making the little kidney cutouts. Wish me luck! Edited June 1, 2013 by bigtrev503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 The knee pack was attached with cap rivets, and the way I put mine on was to stick a metal rod inside the thigh under the rivet and bash with the hammer from the outside using the rod as an anvil. You can easily attach the crotch strap permanently to the split rivet because I promise that you will never need to unsnap it at both ends. You already have snaps on the butt plate for disassembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Problem with that is I only have enough split rivets to do the job. No extras. Can this be bent back out? I'll attempt to bend the arms back to get it out... grr. ANyways, check my kidney corners before sanding! Off to pry my crotch apart! Meanwhile, what to do about this? Snap tool cant reach deep enough in my butt haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Aren't there any set tools included with your snaps? I didn't use pliers on any of mine, only the small metal rod and plate that you hammer the snaps with. Works like a charm. The kidney corners look fine. Just make sure the depth line up with the butt plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Progress: Crotch strap changed to be fixed by the split rivet. Loose rivet no longer a problem Kidney corners sanded with my fancy sandpaper that just came in the mail. No need for polish: Next concern: I read in this thread http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/23186-my-2mm-ata-build/page-3 that the kidney and ab/cod needs to meet up at the top of my kidney corner. Do I round the end up to meet it, or what? Here's mine: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Aren't there any set tools included with your snaps? I didn't use pliers on any of mine, only the small metal rod and plate that you hammer the snaps with. Works like a charm. Nope. It came with the pliers and a little red ring to set the male pieces. What to do? Hammer it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 I would try to improvise something. Maybe a cut down nail could be used to hammer down the snaps. You'll find something that works I'm sure. It's quite simple really. I think you made the kidney corners a bit too large btw now that I see them together with the ab. But don't worry too much about it. Just keep looking at original armour and do your best to make it look the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 I think you made the kidney corners a bit too large btw now that I see them together with the ab. But don't worry too much about it. Just keep looking at original armour and do your best to make it look the same. I'm fairly certain I made the measurements correct and bent the plastic right up to the lines I made. If anything, they're 1 to 2 mm too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Could be. It was just something I noticed. I have no comparison up at the moment. Either way it is better than no cut out at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) Trying to shoot for this (the bottom image): http://i1057.photobucket.com/albums/t395/misterd46/ATA%20Armour/TorsoCloseups.jpg Input? Edited June 1, 2013 by bigtrev503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 I'm sure that will do nicely. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Bam! Keep in mind it all lines up when pulled together Based on this picture: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/uploads/gallery/album_16/gallery_12157_16_24454.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2013 Here's today's progress: Made plastic snap plates for shoulder bridges. Made elastic shoulder bridges Lined up plates for their 24 hour gluing Got the bells sorted (right vs left) and glued in the little strap that I will put a snap in tomorrow when its dry/cured Next, I think I'll install side rivets and glue in the snap plates that correspond with them. Oh and butt snaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) Interesting query: How does one go about determining how long the crotch to butt strap should be? I'm sure it's different for everybody and I'm a fairly small dude. I know the cod and butt shouldn't be touching each other but what's the way to go about that? Edited June 3, 2013 by bigtrev503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Aloha[Admin] Posted June 3, 2013 Report Share Posted June 3, 2013 Interesting query: How does one go about determining how long the crotch to butt strap should be? I'm sure it's different for everybody and I'm a fairly small dude. I know the cod and butt shouldn't be touching each other but what's the way to go about that? I connected one side and put on my kit with the undersuit and had my wife pull the elastic until it seemed ok. She marked the elastic for me and it was easy to place the next snap. -Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I connected one side and put on my kit with the undersuit and had my wife pull the elastic until it seemed ok. She marked the elastic for me and it was easy to place the next snap. -Eric So... it requires someone willing to touch your crotch. Hmmm this suit presents new and interesting challenges every step of the way haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Right. Well, I called my girlfriend with the crotchy request and she accepted. I can't imagine what I'd do if I was single. "Mom, I need you to help me... with something." Hahah anyways I got a lot more done. Here are the progress pics so far: Exterior left side Exterior right side Interior right side Interior left side Been dressed like this all morning haha And, kind of hard to see, is the strapping I have so far. Had to take out the kidney and ab to attach the rivets and snaps. Tomorrow full test fit! Ok, one concern. Where does the butt plate sit on your butt? Should the top line of the butt be where the top of your pants are, or a little higher? I might have to adjust my shoulder strap a little. Hopefully not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Was wondering about belt corner measurements and I found this thread: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/20237-belt-corners/?hl=belt+corners#entry248103 Post #5 from the ever helpful TM himself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Striving for a fit like this! http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/23560-my-ata-esb-pic-video/?hl=test+fit I really like how it all hangs together, even though it's not an ANH style suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtrev503 Posted June 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 (edited) AAAAAH!!!!! I need help. I got hardcore flaring going on. I don't know if you can see from the pics. Keep in mind the chest to ab and crotch to butt connections aren't in yet. Just a test fit before I continue. What should I do? What are my options??!! Here's my internal setup so far: Belt corners before bending Butt snaps. One Is glued directly to the plastic. Can you tell which one? Neither will anyone else haha. The glued one is for show I really need help. If I can solve this flaring thing, I can be done in the next few days!!! Edited June 6, 2013 by bigtrev503 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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