jeffnorth86[TK] Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hi all. I posted this over in the ANH stunt forum, but I'm not getting much traffic over there, so I thought I'd try here too. So I'm about a 1/2" short on each side of my kidney, and I'd like some advice for adding shims. First of all, my armor came with a little extra ABS on the sides which definitely reached, but I didn't like the look of it...it was thinner and had a pronounced ridge to it. I originally tried sanding down the ridge knowing that if it didn't work I could always cut it off and add shims. Surprise surprise...it didn't work. So what I'm left with is a nice even ridge and a little bit of the molded notch on the right side, and on the left the molded notch and only some ridge at the top. This is where my dilemma is, because I need a straight edge for shimming, and the left side is curved. So I'm left with three options as I see it. A) leave the edges as is and make sure the ABS paste passes the ridge and try to sand it smooth. Cut kidney notches where they currently are and retain their return edge. cut the left side straight down from just behind the ridge and remove an equal amount from the right to keep the sides even. That will be about 1/2" from each side and enough to remove the molded kidney notches, so I'd just cut my own and they wouldn't have a return edge. C) cut up to the ridge on the right and cut the ridge on the left following the curve. Then trim the left shim to match that curve and have a not straight seam. Keep the molded kidney notches. So which option do you think would be best? I think I'm probably partial to option B, and just having kidney notches without a return edge, but I'm totally new to this and don't know if that's a no-no. I should say I intend to take this armor to Centurion level, so kidney notches are a must for me. Thanks for any and all help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Hi all. I posted this over in the ANH stunt forum, but I'm not getting much traffic over there, so I thought I'd try here too. So I'm about a 1/2" short on each side of my kidney, and I'd like some advice for adding shims. First of all, my armor came with a little extra ABS on the sides which definitely reached, but I didn't like the look of it...it was thinner and had a pronounced ridge to it. I originally tried sanding down the ridge knowing that if it didn't work I could always cut it off and add shims. Surprise surprise...it didn't work. So what I'm left with is a nice even ridge and a little bit of the molded notch on the right side, and on the left the molded notch and only some ridge at the top. This is where my dilemma is, because I need a straight edge for shimming, and the left side is curved. So I'm left with three options as I see it. A) leave the edges as is and make sure the ABS paste passes the ridge and try to sand it smooth. Cut kidney notches where they currently are and retain their return edge. cut the left side straight down from just behind the ridge and remove an equal amount from the right to keep the sides even. That will be about 1/2" from each side and enough to remove the molded kidney notches, so I'd just cut my own and they wouldn't have a return edge. C) cut up to the ridge on the right and cut the ridge on the left following the curve. Then trim the left shim to match that curve and have a not straight seam. Keep the molded kidney notches. So which option do you think would be best? I think I'm probably partial to option B, and just having kidney notches without a return edge, but I'm totally new to this and don't know if that's a no-no. I should say I intend to take this armor to Centurion level, so kidney notches are a must for me. Thanks for any and all help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Trim remaining return edge, preferable using a straight edge if possible. Add shim from behind and use ABS slurry from scrap Anovos trimmings to fill in the gaps and seam. Do the same for both sides. Edit: shim could probably be larger. Use cover strip material from another mfg and paint to match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffnorth86[TK] Posted September 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 (edited) Trim remaining return edge, preferable using a straight edge if possible. Add shim from behind and use ABS slurry from scrap Anovos trimmings to fill in the gaps and seam. Do the same for both sides. Edit: shim could probably be larger. Use cover strip material from another mfg and paint to match. Thanks so much for the help. So it's okay for the straight edge and shim to be running at an angle on that left side compared to the rest of the piece? Would I then just use an iron to make the return edge on top even with the rest of the piece, or should there actually be an upward flare on that side? Also, when you say add shim from behind, do you mean that's the only shim added? Shouldn't there be one running even to the cut line with a second behind the seam as support? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited September 1, 2016 by jeffnorth86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukswrath[Staff] Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 The kidney and ab sides should come together vertically, with little to no gap. The illustration above is demonstrating how and where to apply the shim, sorry for the confusion. Use ABS slurry to fill the unevenness of the shim and armor. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffnorth86[TK] Posted September 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Thanks so much. Looks like I have a nice plan of attack now Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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