EJGreen Posted May 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Thanks for the response, Jason. I thought the widths for the front cover strips were 20mm but I wasn't 100% certain. I was medically retired from Bragg about three years ago. I was a PSYOP guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have a few friends in Psyops that are still there. Good luck with your build! I miss living in that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 So I've trimmed the edges on my shins to reflect the correct size of the cover strips. It wasn't until after I trimmed the back edges that I realized I should've researched the hook method. Does anyone have any information on how these bra hooks are attached/used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) I found this interesting video at Trooperbay regarding the eye hook system for the shin armor... https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=113&v=TZFLO8PJjcw Poking around some of the screen capture references, it looks like I'm gonna make those "V" notches into the greaves on the calves.... Edited May 30, 2015 by EJGreen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Here's where I'm considering making the cuts to shape he "V" notch into the calf pieces. I measured 15mm from the outside corner and angled the line down to where the top of the cover strip would sit. I noticed with the top edges aligned there's a considerable difference in the length of the two halves at the bottom edge in the back... My knife got away from me when I was trimming the edges for the butt joints but I'm not worried because the scratch will be hidden with the cover strip. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Aloha[Admin] Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I applaud your desire to make your RT as accurate as possible -Eric 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Thanks, Eric, for the motivating encouragement. I figured as long as I'm shooting for Centurian, I might as well aim for screen accuracy as much as possible. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I've trimmed the "V" notches based on my pencil markings and took off the extra material that was down at the bottom of one of the halves. Using a blade, my dremel, and some sanding paper, I've got these edges pretty smooth. I've already glued the cover strip to the back--making sure that the calve pieces open in the right direction. This happens to be the left leg... Following information that I found in Trooperbay's video regarding the eye hooks (size 2), I started with 4" long white elastic which is folded over .5" to have 3.5" strips. I don't have access to a sewing machine (nor do I know how to operate one), I hand-stitched the end over with needle and thread. I then sewed the eye hooks on the ends of each strip. I'll be using three strips for each leg... In Trooperbay's video, he basically glues both halves together before gluing in the elastic strips but I decided to do that before gluing both halves together for easy placement. I marked where I thought they should go, one towards the top, one in the middle, and the third towards the bottom. I stuck them on with magnets and made some pencil marks for where I need to apply the glue. It's important that you want to leave that last half inch (with the hook) free to move--you don't want to glue that sections of the elastic down! Once I was confident where I wanted to place them, I glued them in and let them cure with the magnets... I have since then glued both halves of the shins together and made some pencil marks where I will need to drill holes for the eye hooks to fit... I need to let these pieces cure for a while longer before I drill the holes. If everything turns out the way I planned, they should fit together quite nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Can anyone tell me what's accurate in terms of return edges on the shins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 So here's where I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention... I drilled the holes for the eye hooks but there's a considerable gap where the elastic is fitting between the two halves of the armor. You can't see the elastic straight on but I worry that this gap is going to look downright stupid. I also realized that while I glued a 20mm cover strip on the front, I also glued a 20mm strip onto the back when it should've been 25mm. I'm thinking those few extra mm's could make it look a little more appealing. Should I remove the elastic strips and turn them upside down so that the bulk of the elastic material isn't between the two halves of the armor? This is taking some of the wind out of my sails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark PWF[Staff] Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Get rid of any return edges on the bottoms, or they'll do some damage to your boots. On the top, make sure that it isn't biting you. I've got return edges on the tops of my shins, but I had to clean them up a bit as they were tearing into my shins just below the knee in a couple of spots.As for your elastic straps/hooks, you're just fine, Eric. I can understand why you feel that way about them, but mine are just about exactly the same as yours. If you turn them upside down, there will be almost no way for you to close them. If you go and look at the HD screen captures, you'll see that the gap that has you concerned at the moment appears on all but the gaffer taped TKs. Looking good!!As for the cover strips, if you can get them removed and get the 25 mm ones on there, that would be an improvement, as the backs of your thighs will have the 25s on them, and this will keep you uniform from top to bottom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 If you go and look at the HD screen captures, you'll see that the gap that has you concerned at the moment appears on all but the gaffer taped TKs. As for the cover strips, if you can get them removed and get the 25 mm ones on there, that would be an improvement, as the backs of your thighs will have the 25s on them, and this will keep you uniform from top to bottom. You're correct, Tim. Check out this screen capture I found... If you look closely, you can see the end of the elastic poking out underneath the cover strip. As for the cover strip, itself, I've removed the 20mm and I'm now waiting for a 25mm strip to cure. Luckily, I haven't glued both legs together so I'll remember to glue the correct size cover strip to the right calf. I was playing around with the knee plate to see how it's gonna fit. Why do I get the feeling this isn't a fun part? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark PWF[Staff] Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 I was playing around with the knee plate to see how it's gonna fit. Why do I get the feeling this isn't a fun part? Probably because you've been here for a week or more. You can take a look at my build of course, I "constructed" quite a fun pressure/tensile strength "rig" to keep my sniper plate in place while the glue on it cured. "Fun" doesn't begin to cover the sniper plate. LoL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 I'm really struggling with this shin piece. The elastic/hook closure system is driving me crazy at this moment to the point where I'm about to say *^ it and go with the Velcro. At the same time, I could never forgive myself for not sticking to screen accuracy. I've got the correct 25mm cover strip in place but the gap where the elastic and hook fits creates almost a 5mm gap between the two halves of the shins... My wife (who doesn't understand my obsession with ABS plastic) actually gave me a suggestion, which, isn't screen accurate but she thinks would look a lot cleaner. She suggested gluing strips of elastic across the opening like a bridge that will stretch open to let me get my foot through (as opposed to opening the whole thing up and wrapping it around my leg). Not sure if I like that idea, either. Personally, I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't go screen accurate. I know Tim said this gap is normal but I worry that it will ruin my chances for Centurion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted June 3, 2015 Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 What's the gap look like when it's on your leg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark PWF[Staff] Posted June 3, 2015 Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 Just a reminder... I'm a Centurion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Just a reminder... I'm a Centurion. About friggin time, bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 What's the gap look like when it's on your leg? I'll post a pic soon. I still haven't found my boots yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 With the exception of the knee plate, the left shin is fully cured and as I promised, here's some pics to show what the hook closures look like with a 25mm cover strip on the back. As I stated earlier, I don't have boots yet so I'm holding it up... Shot from the back Shot from the side... I would greatly appreciate comments, critiques, suggestions, and beer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I'm going to think past the eye hooks and start thinking about proper placement for the knee plate or what I would like to call "The Widow Maker" For right now, I just have a couple of clamps holding things together; trying to determine where the contact points are going to be for bonding the knee plate to the calf armor. If I'm not mistaken, a common method for attaching this piece is with a rivet but the accurate (screen) method is with glue, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark PWF[Staff] Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Comments on the shin closure: It's awesome. Move along... Move along... Any rivets used on the sniper plate will be a: Inaccurate and b: eliminate you from EIB and Centurion. Looking at your mock-up on that sniper plate, it appears as thought you've got a great alignment going. The sniper plate should be attached using the same "lines" of the actual top of the greave itself. Clamps, magnets, blue painter's tape. Those things will combine to keep it in place long enough to dry properly. Just check for any shifting after about six hours or so - it will still be movable then, but tacky - so you can make sure that it cures in the proper location.I've got some beer. Come on over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark PWF[Staff] Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 About friggin time, bro! It's been almost three months now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper[501st] Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I think the calve closure looks great. The pressure from your boot will help close it up more too. Trust in Tim! I think i may go that route in my build too after looking at yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Aloha[Admin] Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Yeah don't worry about the shin closure. If Gaz dings you on it down the road tell him to come talk to me or Tim. Oh yeah... the RT sniper knee. You'll need a lot of different clamps of various types, a lot of E-6000, a beer or two and patience. Once you get it in place with the glue slathered liberally on the front of the shin and then on the sides leave it clamped for at least 3 days. I also suggest roughing up the surfaces on the shin and inside of the plate with some sandpaper to help adhesion. Don't be tempted to use CA glue... please. -Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJGreen Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I really do appreciate the feedback on the shins. With two AWESOME Centurions backing me up, I feel much better and a lot more proud of myself for sticking with accuracy. I can move forward with the right shin and since it doesn't require the sniper plate, it should be a breeze. In regards to the sniper plate, I think it's going to turn out okay. There's not a lot of contact points between the plate and the shin so I plan to lay down my e6000 thick and clamp/tape the hell out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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