ScaryGuy building his Anovos kit in the Netherlands

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Photoshoot is planned for this weekend. Since I still haven't received the soft goods from Anovos yet, I bought some rubber gloves. They are Marigold Industrial G17K heavy weight gloves G17K. These are very nice! Very thick so they stay in shape and give a smooth appearance. Much better than kitchen gloves.

 

I had two sets of latex handguards fromJoseph. The pure white ones are glued to nomex flight gloves. I also had a set of painted hand guards from his first run, I glued these to the rubber gloves. I used the same procedure as the nomex: I used some carboard to shape the gloves, put E6000 on the hand guards, attach them to the gloves and use painters tape to tighten them around the glove.

 

 

Next day I removed the tape, but this also removed almost all the paint from the hand guards  . So using painters tape on painted hand guards was a bad idea   . I removed the hand guards from the rubber gloves. This was easier then I thought, the E6000 is not as strong on rubber as on nomex. Here's how one of them looked after removing the tape.

 

 

I removed the remaining paint and repainted them with regular acrylic paint. Not sure how long it will last, but if it stays on until centurion approval I'm happy with it  . I think I might order another set of pure white hand guards. After the painted had dryed I covered them with a thin plastic layer, then glued them and wrapped them with tape.

 

 

This time they came out pretty nice. Some small areas need a bit of touch up.

 

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

I did some test fitting with my storage box. I managed to get everything inside using this order:

 

Forearms are put into shins, shins into thighs. The biceps are lowered into the shoulder bells. I put them upside down in the box. The top of the thighs go into the shoulder bells to keep them in place. The TD is located between the thighs. I can use the opening in the biceps to stuff some soft goods.

 

 

The torso parts are stored separately in the box, each one is put inside a pillow slip. Back plate is first, then ab plate. Shoes are laid flat on the bottom.

 

 

Kidney and butt plate are next (still joined together), final one is the chest plate. The belt goes on top, I have to bend the ammo belt slightly to get it to fit. Shoes are covered with some foam.

 

 

Then there is still enough room for the helmet.I use a motorcycle helmet bag to protect it. I also put foam around it to keep it from sliding too much.

 

 

 

So everything fits nicely in this box (170 litre / 45 gallon). If you use the bracket system then this box will be too narrow to fit the entire torso in one piece.

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Today the approval photos where taken. They have been submitted to the Dutch Garrison.

 

 

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

On 3/31/2016 at 9:07 PM, psychotropic said:

Awesome!! Thanks so much. There are so few hero buckets out there compared to stunt.

 

As promised, here's a shot with the Master Replicas LE helmet:

 

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[psychotropic]

Whoa thanks so much! Your the man. And looks awesome. And man your bin to carry the armor in looks so good. Very neat orderly and professional looking.

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

You're welcome Pat! And thanks for the compliments.<br><br>

I just got approved! Now onto EIB!

[kman[TK]]

Looks great! AMAZING work on patching that cracking disaster. And thanks for the warning about painters tape on the latex hand guards... that probably saved mine, because I likely would have tried that, too!

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Looks great! AMAZING work on patching that cracking disaster. And thanks for the warning about painters tape on the latex hand guards... that probably saved mine, because I likely would have tried that, too!

Thanks Kalani!

 

How was Italy? I loved the adventures of TK-Tim in the Anovos building group on Facebook :-D.

[kman[TK]]

Italy was incredible. . Especially since we apparently won the weather lottery! I hope we can go back again!<br><br>

Of course, it'll also be nice to finally be back to work on my armor, and make the changes I want to make it less unpleasant to wear, and get ready for EIB!

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Italy was incredible. . Especially since we apparently won the weather lottery! I hope we can go back again!<br><br>

Of course, it'll also be nice to finally be back to work on my armor, and make the changes I want to make it less unpleasant to wear, and get ready for EIB!

 

Good to hear you had a great time  . All rest up for continuing your build. I haven't been to Italy yet. Love the food and icecream though  . 

 

I also have some extra work planned. I'm fogging up in no time, so building a fan solution is top priority. Too bad echo is flooded with work and requests, so I created my own bracket. Still waiting on the fans, powerpack, etc. 

 

The velcro to close the shins will be replaced with elastic and hooks. The adhesive is already getting loose, and it's not easy to open and close it. I hope the elastic solution works better.

 

My EIB application has been submitted, fingers crossed!

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

I just found out you need a blaster for EIB / Centurion approval. Since a blaster is illegal in the Netherlands I haven't considered getting or building one yet. If going that route I would have to be careful on how to get the parts from abroad. Disappointing this is holding me back for the higher approval levels  . So to break or not to break the law, that's the question (hearing cops theme song). 

 

So, for now focusing on getting ready for trooping. I started building a fan solution. I would like to get a bracket from Echo, but since he and his inbox is flooded I have to create my own solution. I liked cjdesign's idea in this thread: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/36631-how-to-diy-usb-helmet-fans-no-more-9v-or-aas/ . He is using a 10000mAh USB powerpack with 5V blower fans. I'm copying his setup but using a different approach in creating the bracket.

 

I wanted to use some black plastic for this. Looking in different shops I found this construction bucket.

 

 

I used some cardboard to copy the outline of the helmet

 

 

Then I drew another line at 4 cm distance from the outline. On the ends where the fans will be located I drew a piece that is larger then 50 mm in diameter to allow enough room for the fans.

 

 

After cutting the piece from the cardboard I extended it aprrox 20 - 30 mm in the middle. This is because the bracket will be inside the helmet, so the distance is longer then the outline drawn.

 

 

Attach the cardboard with tape to the bucket and draw the outline with a marker.

 

 

 

 

After cutting I noticed the plastic wasn't as strong as I hoped. It was a bit too flexible. I wrapped it in black duct tape to reinforce it. This also eliminated the smell that was coming from the plastic. 

 

Next I drilled some holes for the two switches, one for each fan, and a hole to guide the USB cable from the powerpack through the plastic. 

 

 

 

Next step is to wire everything. Still waiting for the blower fans to arrive though.

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[kman[TK]]

Nice! That's very much like what I did for fans.

 

You can always scratch build a blaster from simple pipe. No issue with getting pieces that way. Just keep it at home and don't carry it around and I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

Edited April 22, 2016 by kman

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Nice! That's very much like what I did for fans. :)You can always scratch build a blaster from simple pipe. No issue with getting pieces that way. Just keep it at home and don't carry it around and I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

You are using a separate powerpack for each fan right? I like the higher capacity of the anker, it just fits behind my head. I can feel it a little bit at the top, but not a real issue.

[kman[TK]]

You are using a separate powerpack for each fan right? I like the higher capacity of the anker, it just fits behind my head. I can feel it a little bit at the top, but not a real issue.

 

Correct, one power pack for each fan.  I like redundancy.  I figure I'll have airflow even if I have a catastrophic failure of one.

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

I've been doing some mods to my armor. Initially I used velcro to close the shins. It was easier to install and I thought it would also be easier to close the shins. But after a few fittings I still didn't like the velcro, it's not as easy to align as I thought it would be. E.g. you start aligning at the bottom, but then the velcro already catches at the top. Some of the adhesive already come loose after a few times. So I decided to switch to the elastic and hook method.

 

I removed the velcro and removed any remaining adhesive with WD40. Then I got to work on my sewing skills and created the elastic strips with hooks attached.

 

 

I drilled the holes in shins at 5 mm distance from the edge, and 25 mm from the top/bottom. Middle hole is centered between the other two.

 

 

To prevent the holes from tearing I pressed fit metal rings (don't know the name) into the holes.

 

 

 

This is the result. There's a bit of a gap but that was the same with the velcro. It's only visible at an angle people will hardly ever see so I'm not bothered by it. When looking straight at the back the elastic/hooks are not visible.

 

 

 

 

I applied for EIB (http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/36838-tk-31026-requesting-anh-stunt-eib-status-anovos/) but then I found out a blaster is required for EIB/Centurion. Sly11 (Andrew) did give me some comments on my build.

 

 

 

Quote

Hi Theo, yeah unfortunately the guys are right, you will need a blaster for the photos. Even if it means you borrow one from a member we would allow it under your circumstances,

I can tell you this, you look great, a nice solid build and worthy of the application for EIB.

Observations: thigh cover strips could be a little longer as they should finish at the highest point of the thighs.

Biceps look a little large for you, they should fit snug when you flex your arm.

You could also change the mesh in the Hovi tips for a more accurate mesh (would not effect an application, just an accuracy thing)

Such a clean and crisp build, i really hope you can get hold of an E11 and go all the way to Centurion.

 

 

 

The cover strips on the thighs could have been a bit longer. I could glue some scrap cover strip pieces and fill the gap with abs paste. But I'm also still considering cutting around 10 mm from the top of the thighs. The thighs touch the butt plate and ab plate (near the cod). This will also improve mobility. I haven't decided yet which option I go for.

 

 

After taking the approval pictures I also noticed I have a lot of room in my biceps.

 

 

I'm not likely going the fill those with more muscle anytime soon, so cutting the biceps was the best option. I resized the biceps to the same size as the top of the forearms. Here's the starting situation:

 

 

When deciding how much and where to cut I looked at the location of the cover strips and side ridge. I wanted them to align with the forearms. To achieve this I removed 5 mm on the front and back of the inner half. For the outer half I had to remove 17 mm at the front only. 

 

Clamps, magnets and E6000. Good times are back again!

 

 

As colleteral damage I had to relocate the forearm snap inside the biceps.

 

 

And I also changed the shoulder bell elastic. Originally I had it glued at the edges of the shoulder bell, but I moved it inwards for a tighter fit around the biceps.

 

 

Final result

 

 

 

When doing these mods you really get appreciation for using E6000, so easy to separate the parts and remove any remaining glue. Love it!

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[kman[TK]]

Other than people on a genuine time crunch, I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to use anything other than E6000 (or similar) on armor. Change happens! Gain weight, lose weight, add muscle, lose muscle, sell your suit to someone built differently... there are so many situations where change is required and CA glue would DRASTICALLY complicate it!

 

Outside of a SERIOUS time crunch, where everything MUST be complete on a very short timeline, by a professional builder, it's just a bad idea to go with something that makes nearly permanent changes.

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

Correct, one power pack for each fan. I like redundancy. I figure I'll have airflow even if I have a catastrophic failure of one.

Catasrophic failure that near your head is very very bad.

[kman[TK]]

Catasrophic failure that near your head is very very bad.

 

Depending the particulars, yup.

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Catasrophic failure that near your head is very very bad.

Yeah, having a Li-Ion battery near your head could be a bit worrying. I wouldn't cheap out on this, buy a decent brand.

[kman[TK]]

While I respect your point, "catastrophic" failures are hardly commonplace. I've had many a white box battery pack for phones over the years, and never had a "catastrophic" problem. The "catastrophic" failure I alluded to was more that one of the cheap batteries simply decided not to work.

 

I'm comfortable using these as they are. Over 100s of 4-5 star reviews on Amazon, for this particular battery pack, would tend to agree with my stance.

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

While I respect your point, "catastrophic" failures are hardly commonplace. I've had many a white box battery pack for phones over the years, and never had a "catastrophic" problem. The "catastrophic" failure I alluded to was more that one of the cheap batteries simply decided not to work.I'm comfortable using these as they are. Over 100s of 4-5 star reviews on Amazon, for this particular battery pack, would tend to agree with my stance.

I agree Li-Ion catching fire is very rare, I just don't hope to be that "lucky" guy while wearing a plastic helmet. There a lot of things around that have a higher chance of hurting you. I'm fine with wearing one in my helmet.

I understood you were referring to a fan power failure, that really can be catastrophic too .

Edited April 28, 2016 by ScaryGuy

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

Only a small update, I finally took the plunge and started cutting the tops of the thighs. This solves two issues: the cover strips were a bit short at the top, and the thighs were pressing against the cod and butt plates. 

 

 

 

I was afraid for loosing the return edge, but after looking at many pictures with similar cut thighs and I decided to go ahead. Loosing the return edge is not an issue for Centurion approval. I used a compass to trace a line 10 mm from the top. Then I used lexan scissors to cut the abs. It was a bit harder to cut through the (inner and outer) cover strips. After that I sanded the top smooth again using 180 grit.

 

Without the return the thighs have a sharper look:

 

 

 

The thighs are now clear from the ab and kidney. It did not change the mobility because the bottom of the thighs are still at the same position. I'm gonna wait until I had some trooping experience to see if more adjustments are needed.

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

For a more accurate look the mesh in the Anovos hovi mic tips should be replaced with something more coarse. I decided to go the easier route and bought a new set of hovi mic tips from Mark (CfO / Sskunky). Here's a  comparison shot of the two:

 

 

The CfO's come with the bolts attached to the mic tips. They were a bit long, so I cut them using a dremel. Because the abs around the mic tips is really thin I cut reinforcement pieces from a larger scrap abs piece. They are glued with E6000. This gives the mic tips a more solid feeling.

 

 

Result:

 

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy

[illusionz_09[TK]]

Very nice

[ScaryGuy[TK]]

The 5V fans have arrived, so it's time to continue working on my fan brack solution. I used foam tape around the edges and back of the plastic bracket. Hopefully this reduces any fan vibration. It also made the bracket a bit sturdier, so it will keep the bracket in place. Without it the bracket was too flexible. The fans are attached with a piece of velcro.

 

 

 

 

After the first test I already noticed the fans where spinning at high speed and create a lot of noise. Now I understand why some people use hearing aid systems in their helmets  . But that doesn't solve the problem that others can hear the noice too. So I needed to reduce the fan speed. I first thought of using a resistor in series with the fan. The value would depend on the amount of current running through the fan. The resistor also has to be big enough for the power that is being generated (voltage x current). After looking for some better solutions I found a remark to use diodes instead. A diode has a voltage drop around 0.7V, but does not affect the current running through the fan. I used two diodes in series with the fan to reduce the voltage to around 3.5V for the fan. Be aware that diodes have a polarity, the side with the band (silver in this case) is the negative side. 

 

 

 

 

Here are the fans inside the helmet. There's still a bit of vibration, but not to bad. Eventually I hope to upgrade to bracket from echo, but this will do for my first troops.

 

 

The battery adds weight to the helmet. Because it is in the back the helmet tends to tilt back slightly.

 

 

 

 

Now I just need something to store my valuables (phone, wallet, keys) in my armor.

Edited February 24 by ScaryGuy