MI first TK build

[johna1177]

Looking good, just a tip, don't have your bicep hooks too long, they will tend to catch on your armor sometimes

 

Do you mean the actual hook or how far they extend above the bicep...or both?

[johna1177]

Chest

To attach the shoulder straps to the chest plate I first sanded the width down so there was a 3mm edge between the ridges and the long edge of the strap. Then I cut small shims to glue into the voids behind the straps to provide more surface area for gluing them to the chest plate. Next, I clamped the entire assembly together for alignment, including chest, straps and back plate.

 

I then marked the location of the chest in pencil on the back of the shoulder straps.

 

This allowed me to disassemble, apply glue, reassemble, clamp and let dry.

 

After completing this I sewed the Velcro onto my previously assembled garter system. It was originally held on by the adhesive but wasn’t holding up. As a precaution, don’t try sewing adhesive backed Velcro to anything. It gums up the needle and becomes frustrating. I ended up replacing the original adhesive backed Velcro with 3/4” wide sew-on Velcro.

 

Total time: 1 hr. 41 min. (36 min for sewing)

 

…bells cont.

Continuing on with the shoulder bells, I cut 140mm, 1” wide black elastic for the bell to shoulder strap straps. Glued 70mm of the strap to the top of the bells inside the crevice of the bell, applied magnets and let dry.

 

Total time: 15 min.

 

Cod rivet

So now that I had started in on the torso parts it was time to do something I had been dreading…intentionally drilling a hole in my armor. I started with the cod piece and installed the rivet in the crotch. I marked a spot 20mm from the edge, eyeballing the center from side to side and drilled a 5/32” hole. Next, using an idea I found on ukswrath’s build thread (referenced previously, about 2/3 down p.1 of that build), I installed the male snap using the rivet…GREAT TIP, killing 2 birds with 1 stone. I did not trim down the length of the rivet as mine sat flush with the top of the snap. Length of the rivet is something you will want to consider though. The rivet will need to be short enough to flare into the interior of the male snap and leave enough room for the compressed post of the interior of the mating female snap. Note: setting the rivet will draw everything tighter, so take this into consideration. To set the rivet I started with a tapered punch and then switched over to a flat one to finish the flare. I tested it out with one of the straps from my garter and the snap closes snug.

 

Going forward, I'll likely trim a little length off the rivet. If the post on the female snap isn't well centered it may cause problems snapping it. 

 

Total time: 18 min.

 

Arm suspension system

Glued snap plates to upper biceps and shoulder bells, about 1/3 from the top. 

 

 

Cut 100mm elastic straps of 1” black and glued about 40mm of it to the inside seam of the forearms. While I had the E6000 out I also added more glue to one of my forearms that was separating slightly. Let dry. 

 

 

Once the biceps were dry I glued snap plates into the biceps on the interior seam to receive the forearm strap. I was mixed here on whether or not to glue or snap forearms to biceps. I have enough room to fit it and I prefer snaps over glue because of their versatility and modularity.

 

While that dried I measured and installed the female snap onto the forearm strap. I left about a 7mm gap between the forearm and bicep once assembled. To accomplish this I measured from the lower edge of the bicep up to the center of the male snap and added 7mm. This dimension was the distance from the end of the forearm to where I placed the hole for the snap post and set the snap.

 

Finally, once everything else was dry I assembled the shoulders and biceps and measured the distance from center to center of the male snaps previously added to each. This dimension was used to create 1” wide nylon straps for joining the biceps to bells. My plan was to fold over 20mm on each end to reinforce the straps to receive female snaps.

This required adding 60mm total to the strap length (30mm for each end). I cut to the appropriate length, used my soldering iron to make holes through the double thickness of nylon 10mm from each folded end and set the snaps.

 

 

Total time: 1 hr. 26 min.

Edited November 26, 2016 by johna1177

[johna1177]

Latest progress, I added snap plates on the shoulders for shoulder straps. Again, I elected to use snap on straps vs. glued ones. Using scrap ABS I installed male snaps into 1" x 1.5" pieces and glued them approximately 20mm from the shoulder edge on both the chest and back.

 

 

Glued and let dry.

 

Total time: 34 min.

 

Next came the snaps on the posterior. For this I started with a centerline on the interior of the posterior and drilled 5/32" holes at 15mm and 35mm from the edge.

Not quite perfect but close enough.

 

Then I chamfered the outside of the holes using a 3/8" drill bit, twisting by hand.

 

I chamfered to provide some additional clearance for the radius of the snap post so it would sit as flush as possible on the posterior.

 

...then set the two male snaps.

 N

 

Total time: 20 min.

 

Next up, some straps to connect the chest and back at the shoulders.

[johna1177]

Made some shoulder straps out of nylon. I fitted the chest and back, clamped it up and measured the distance between the chest and back plate at the top of the shoulders. Using this dimension, I added the additional distance to the snap plates and this became my center-to-center distance from snap to snap. I started with 200mm of nylon then I folded over 30mm on one end with the intention of centering the snap on that end. This is the end that snaps to the chest. For the back snap I made the fold larger to allow for the 1/8" elastic to be sewn to it. once folded I sewed up each end. Then i set the female snaps (line 24).

 

 

after setting snaps I attached everything together and marked the location to apply the 1/8" elastic and then hand sewed it in place.

 

Total time: 1 hr. 53 min.

 

Next, I set out to paint the ab buttons. I started by cutting masking templates. Using a 7/16" diameter circle template I made circles on painters tape (attached to an ABS strip) and cut each circle out using a razor knife. I then applied each circle individually around the buttons. Next I applied white paint in a thin layer to seal the circles. After that it was two coats of gray and french blue, allowing enough time between coats for the previous to just set up (appx. 5-10 minutes between coats). after I applied the final coat I waited just long enough for the paint to set up then i removed the templates. The process in pictures...

 

Total time: 1 hr. 2 min.

[johna1177]

Set male S-type snaps (poppers) on ab plate to receive the belt using the TK-1650 reference diagram shown below.

 

Also glued snap plates to the chest for ab connection approximately 110mm from the bottom edge.

 

 

Total time: 44 min.

 

 

*

Did a quick fitting of the chest and back to mark for the shoulder bell snap locations. Marked the straps (with some assistance) where they crowned over my shoulder bone. I sewed the male snaps onto the shoulder bells centered and approximately 35mm from the point of the bell. This took a little longer than it should have as I originally sewed the first one to the wrong side of elastic strap. I should have quit then, but I forged forward and finished then called it quits for the day.

 

 

Total time: 1hr. 35 min.

 

 

Next I sewed the female snaps onto the underside of the shoulder straps offset 35mm from the outside edge of the strap at the location marked during the fitting.

 

 

Total time: 39 min.

 

 

Made 10 more soft snap plates. Centered the back and kidney plates with each other and marked locations for snap plates. Glued snap plates (3 on each) onto kidney and back 20mm from the edge, aligned with the marked locations. Next, I glued snap plates (3) to the posterior. Once dry I will align the posterior and kidney and glue 3 snap plates to the lower part of the kidney.

 

 

Total time: 1 hr. 3 min.

[johna1177]

Glued the other row of snap plates onto the lower edge of the kidney plate and let dry.

 

Total time: 16 min.

 

 

Next, I glued the button plates onto the ab plate (for the record, wife's weight).

 

let dry and...

 

Total time: 17 min.

Edited August 15, 2016 by johna1177

[johna1177]

After a couple weeks off I finally resumed my build. I’m in the final stages of the body armor build. I made all the straps for back to kidney connections and the kidney to posterior connections. Also made the posterior to cod strap and glued the snap plates to the upper ab.

 

**

Next, I glued 30 mm wide strips of ABS to the left side of the ab and kidney to reinforce the rivet locations. Once that was dry I drew a line parallel to the edge of the ab and kidney on the reinforcement strips at 10mm from the edge. Then I marked points at 20mm, 80mm and 140mm from the top edge of each. I then drilled 5/32” holes at each of these locations.

 

For the ab plate I will permanently attached the straps. For the kidney I will use the rivets to secure snaps in place. I will still have work to do on my kidney plate to reach the upper level approvals so I elected to make it detachable for future work. I also drilled the 5/32” hole required for the male snap in the upper right corner of the ab plate for the ab to kidney connection. The hole was drilled at 20mm from the top edge and 20mm from the side. The hole was counter bored by hand with a 3/8” drill bit and then the male snap applied.

 

 

I cut three 1” wide nylon straps a length of 60mm for the ab to kidney strap with holes 20mm apart and centered. I still use the soldering iron method for the holes as I like the results.

 

Then I set the straps on the ab plate using split rivets and washers.

 

Prior to setting the snaps on the kidney with rivets I cut the rivets down by a millimeter or two so they would nest inside the snap better (at this stage Ukswrath’s AM 1.0 build, found here, has become my go to reference). Then when I set the rivets I started with a tapered punch to separate the rivet at the split, followed that with a small round, flat punch to bend each individual leg and finished it with a larger round, flat punch that just fit inside the interior of the male snap.

 

(cut rivet on left)

 

(the punches I use, in sequence from left to right)

 

result...

 

I also glued a snap plate to the right hand side of the kidney and set the 3 female snaps on the straps fixed to the ab plate.

And finally, after lightly sanding the surface of the rivet heads I applied 5 coats of gloss white paint.

 

Total Time: 4 hr. 4 min.

Edited September 28, 2016 by johna1177

[johna1177]

quick update (no photos). measured for and made straps for the chest to ab connection. 

 

Total time: 27 min.

 

I also decided to remake my shoulder straps. Originally made from nylon, I decided to make a set out of elastic. The procedure was the same as the one I used to make the original nylon ones. With all of the other torso straps being made out of nylon I'm counting on these elastic ones to provide for a little more range of motion.

 

Anyone have any feedback as to their preference for elastic vs. nylon for the shoulders?

 

Total time: 63 min.

 

Next I'll be moving on to the helmet.

[johna1177]

I bought a pre-trimmed AP helmet. here is my helmet build in pics:

 

masking

 

prime interior

 

Plastidip interior

 

assemble helmet, trim ears

 

paint frown and vocoder

 

paint ears

 

 

 

apply decals (these will be replaced with hand painting at a later date)

 

lenses (i used paper and a pencil to make a tracing of the eye openings from the inside and then used that to make lense frames of ABS)

 

...used CA glue to secure

 

...added spacers (on future builds this will be done prior to priming)

 

...secured with screws (the center spacer was removed)

 

glued in the frown screen using drops of CA glue between each tooth and a stick to apply pressure

 

painted the hardware

 

added the chin strap

 

 

helmet complete

 

Total time: 13 hrs.

[johna1177]

next was the gloves. I ordered latex hand guards from JustJoseph a while back and finally got around to completing the gloves. I started by applying 4 light coats of fabric paint to the guards for an extra bright white appearance. After drying I inserted hand towels, rolled into a tube and flattened, into the gloves to provide a backing and support during the glue drying. Using rubber bands to secure, I allowed the E6000 to dry for 24 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

Total Time: 58 mins. (inc. dry time between each coat)

Edited November 26, 2016 by johna1177

[johna1177]

In the final stretch, time for a belt. I’d recently ordered and received a neck seal and holster from Darman. These are both of excellent quality with excellent service and can be found here for the neck seal and here for holster. I started the belt by measuring around the armor while wearing the torso sections and adding 5” for overlap. Using white duck cloth I cut a length just over 9” wide. A double fold and some pressing later and I had a 3” wide belt ready for sewing. I first inserted some extra stiff interfacing to add support to the belt, placed strips of Ultra Bond (available at most craft stores) between the center layer of cloth and the back layer, and then sewed along both sides of the length, leaving the ends open for now.  Additionally I marked the outside location of the ABS armor belt onto the cloth belt and sewed along the width just inside these marks.

 

This was done to provide a stop for the additional plastic support I would add for the holster.

Finally I cut to length, inserted the plastic (shown below), sewed the ends, pressed it one last time to set the heat sensitive interfacing and bond and then attached 2” wide Velcro at each end (appx 6" in length). 

 

 

Next, I drilled 1/8” holes in the armor belt, one dead center and two centered in the flat surfaces at each end. I aligned the armor belt with the cloth belt, centering the two, transferred the holes of the armor to the belt and punched holes for the rivets. Then, using carpenters chalk on the male S-snaps of my ab plate, I placed the cloth belt into position on the ab plate to mark the location for the female portion of the S-snaps.

 

 

 

I secured the S-snaps and then riveted the armor belt to the cloth one.

 

 

Three steps to go…I attached the holster to the left side of the belt using this guide.

 

 

Secondly, I glued the rivet covers to the armor belt. Lastly, using ¾” elastic I attached the drop boxes to the belt.

 

 

Total Time: 4 hrs. 50 mins.

[johna1177]

...and the final product for 501st basic approval (non-submission)

 

[johna1177]

So I added up all the time I logged during my build and it came to the following:

 

Total time spent trimming & sanding the armor and cutting strips:  16 hrs. 27 min.

 

Total time spent assembling and painting: 58 hrs. 32 min.

 

 

Plus the countless hours I put in researching, quite possibly as many as I spent building.

 

The challenge was finding the time for those 74 hours and 59 minutes. From start to finish it took me just shy of 11 months. This is probably on the average to slower side for a rookie build as I tend to be overly cautious and often would double and triple research little details to avoid making a mistake.

 

Many thanks to the vendors I purchased from along the way and especially thanks to those troopers who took the time to respond to my questions or post comments.

 

 

 

TK-11772

Edited December 27, 2016 by johna1177