Maxsteele's New NE Armor Build

[The5thHorseman[TK]]

Not doing side rivets on this build.

 

In case you're not using them because want to be able to dismount your armor completly, you could use this method to have split rivets showing on the outisde but keeping the possibility to disassemble the ab from the kydney plate.

 

 

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks for the pics! I hasn't seen these yet.

Is there a method for doing a rivet and then gluing a snap plate over it?

The main reason for not doing the rivets right now is some fear and wanting to get it all strapped up. I have pushed my craft ability to the limits and I just want to get it worn. I completely understand the desire to have those rivets, but I don't think I'm doing them now.

EDIT:

 

You know Germain, you've got me thinking about the side rivets.  The ability to completely disconnect the ab and kidney on the left side is certainly a reason as well, and I think I'll look into what it would take to do the split rivets with the male popper.

 

Also, I think I may have been smashing my snaps too hard and that's what warped my snap tool.  I got a replacement, and I'll go a little easier on it this time.  I thought you had to really bang on it to get the snap held in place, but evidently not.

Edited April 14, 2014 by maxsteele

[JLight[TK]]

You should be able to feel the crimp on the snap and that's when you know you've pushed enough. I know you don't want to puncture the armor, but you have to step out on faith, measure twice and cut once or else the suit won't look right. I mean I guess you could put the whole thing together with Velcro and the supplied straps, but I wouldn't. Too much variability. You want the suit to look and fit the same everytime.

 

 

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[maxsteele[TK]]

Heh, I measure 10 times and cut once.  I can really be neurotic with that.  As for the snaps, I'm not using a crimper.  I'm hammering the snap together with a tool like this:

 

 

You rest one part of the snap in the round anchor piece, put the fabric down, then put the other part of the snap on top, set the other tool part in, and hammer it down.

 

No velcro for me (except the shin closure.  I'm using velcro dammit!).  I'm making my own snap plates and straps.  That will make sure it's always fitting properly every time.  I know that people incorporate the rivets into a part of the strapping system, but with inside snap plates, the rivets are really just for looks.  That's what makes me hesitate, because I don't like putting holes in the armor just for show.  Still deciding if I'm going to put them in.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Alright, alright.  I ordered a couple of sets of Centurion-level rivets from Echo.  RainTrooper is going to assist me with installing all the rivets.

[maxsteele[TK]]

NE armor comes with belt rivet covers that you need to cut individually.  They're on one piece of plastic in a set of three.  I've been searching for the past several hours trying to find out what the dimensions of the rivet covers are.  Does anyone have that information?

[The5thHorseman[TK]]

What you can also do about the side rivets it's to set them but non-functionally (only for the outisde aspect), and then glue your snaps next to them. You will only need longer straps for the same result:

 

 

About the cover caps, there's no precise measurements. Just eyeball them:

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

Thanks Germain, I'll probably decide how I'm going to do that when I install the rivets.

 

Man, cutting those rivet covers was more work than expected!  It looks like I'll have to bring in the belt-end cuts a little to make the rivet covers flush with the ends.  It's difficult telling exactly where over the hole the rivet cover is.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up - seeing how a soldering iron works for burning holes through elastic for snap installation.

Edited April 15, 2014 by maxsteele

[JLight[TK]]

No don't trim end of belt to be flush with rivet covers! There is a gap.

 

 

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[maxsteele[TK]]

Hmm... Not according to Locitus and the screenshots he shows from the movie

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/23285-ne-armor-build-thread/page-6#entry302796

Edited April 15, 2014 by maxsteele

[JLight[TK]]

As for your previous post, yeah I did Velcro on shins and that was the only place. I used the hand tool for all my snaps except the ones that were on ab plate for the belt. There I used what you showed because there's not enough room for the hand tool. As posted above, you can decide whether to have the side rivets be functional or not. But if even thinking about EIB (which you should be), the rivets need to be there. Way more accurate--functional or not. Besides, even if you do measure ten times and cut once and mess up, the hole can be patched. It will not be the end of the world. You can do this. Continue to PM me with questions.

 

 

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[The5thHorseman[TK]]

Yes, your end caps are just too close from the end boxes. Look at the picture i linked above (you can click it for a better resolution) you will see that the ends caps aren't right next to the end boxes but there's a gap between them.

[JLight[TK]]

Interesting. In both the screen shots, you can see a slight gap between rivet cover and end of belt. It's small but it's there. Either way, I went according to Billhags template and his shows 3/4inch from center of rivet cover to end of belt and that now seems like too much of a gap. However, it may need updating.

 

 

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[Locitus[Admin]]

Interesting. In both the screen shots, you can see a slight gap between rivet cover and end of belt. It's small but it's there. Either way, I went according to Billhags template and his shows 3/4inch from center of rivet cover to end of belt and that now seems like too much of a gap. However, it may need updating.

 

 

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Yes. It does need updating. The only source you can truly trust are screenshots and pictures of original armour. Never ever fully trust anything else.

[maxsteele[TK]]

OH!  I get what you mean now. 

 

Jonathan, I thought you meant there was supposed to be a gap between the end of the belt and the edge of the rivet cover.  You mean there's supposed to be a bit of a gap between the last ammo box and the edge of the rivet cover that faces it.

 

I also see there should be a gap on either side of the rivet cover for the middle rivet cover as well.

 

I guess the rivet cover doesn't have to be dead-center over the rivet, the rivet just needs to be covered by it.  I'll keep the cut lines where I have them and adjust the rivet covers on the ends to have a gap between the last ammo box and the rivet cover, but also have no gap from the rivet cover edge to the end of the belt.

[JLight[TK]]

Never can be reminded of that enough. Thanks Mathias!

 

Max, have you glued your end rivet covers yet? I would move them closer to ends of belt. Maybe even center them with the last ammo box and end of belt. Then cut the corners. There is a slight gap on either side of the cover which is especially noticeable on Hans belt. Hope that makes sense. Good job trimming the top and bottom of belt! It darn near looks perfect.

 

 

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[JLight[TK]]

I see a gap on both sides of the cover on Hans belt. Meaning cover to edge of belt and cover to ammo box. It's a very small gap, but a gap. However, Mathias is the pro, not me.

 

 

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[maxsteele[TK]]

Nope, I haven't glued a thing on yet.  This is all just test fitting and getting it the way it should be.  I won't even be attaching this to my canvas belt until at least Sunday.

 

Yeah, in several threads, Mathias has pointed out that the edge of the rivet cover needs to be up against the edge of the belt.  Perhaps this has changed?  I feel like I'm talking about him like he's not around, but he's responded a few times already here.

 

Here's what I have now.  The lines drawn are where I want to cut.  The rivet cover is over the indent on my belt where the rivet is going to go.  I pretty much have to put the rivet cover where it is right now.  Trimming down the rivet cover is my only option for getting gaps on the sides.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm fine with keeping that little gap between the rivet cover and the end of the belt.  I've just seen many threads here that state otherwise, both in build threads and Centurion application critiques, linking to the same pics that we're looking at now.

 

 

And in fact, here's a shot of the "fixed" belt that Redforce had after Mathias had told him that he needed to have the rivet cover edges against the belt edge:

 

Edited April 15, 2014 by maxsteele

[JLight[TK]]

Personally, I see gaps from cover to end of belt in all 3 of those photos. I think what you have now is good. For what it's worth. But now you have created more work for me since I am so OCD and I missed this on my own belt! Great job! As we say, troopers helping troopers!

 

 

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[Locitus[Admin]]

Sure, there will be variances between different (original) belts on the position of the rivet covers. But it's better to put it end to end with the outside edge of the belt rather than the middle or even worse, end to end with the boxes.

[maxsteele[TK]]

Really, the only way it's going to be end-to-end with the outside edge of the belt at this point is if I cut shorter than the lines I have drawn.  I believe that's what Redforce did to get his rivets lining up with the belt edge.  If it isn't a requirement to have the rivet edge flush with the belt edge, then I'll keep my cut lines where they are and have that gap between the rivet edge and the belt edge.  I have the gap between the ammo boxes and the rivet covers now.

 

 

I've started gluing snap plates!  Many thanks to Redforce for calling attention to the soldering gun trick.  I picked up a cheap soldering gun ($10) at Radio Shack.  I drilled a hole into a block of wood for my guide peg, and was able to press holes into the white elastic for the shoulder snap plates.  I'm using his version of having two snaps at the shoulder connections.  I like the extra security it gives at what is a very important connection.

 

 

 

[maxsteele[TK]]

Here's some shots of the belt plastic with the ends cut, corners cut, and rivet covers trimmed down so there is a gap between the last box and the cover.  This isn't attached to the belt yet, I'm just laying it all on top of it for fitting:

 

 

 

[Pencap510]

Do the drop boxes need to be riveted to the canvas belt prior to attaching it to the ABS?

 

 

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[maxsteele[TK]]

Do the drop boxes need to be riveted to the canvas belt prior to attaching it to the ABS?

 

 

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I'm not sure it matters, Ty.  The drop boxes are a loop of elastic that wraps around the canvas belt, and then riveted to the back of the drop boxes.

 

 

 

Seems to me you could simply thread the elastic around the belt after you have the belt plastic riveted on and attach them then.

[Pencap510]

Makes sense- thanks!

 

 

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