Jump to content

RS PVC Armor Cracks


Recommended Posts

Just wondering if other members here who troop in RS PVC armor have experienced cracks on various parts of the armor along the return edges. I started getting a few cracks here and there in weaker areas of the armor especially along curved return edges. 

  Is it better to reinforce the return edge with a support strip leaving the crack or better to trim down the return edge removing the crack and then reinforce the area?  I choce to remove the cracks on some parts as I was afraid the crack would only get worse. I want to preserve the return edge as much as possible but if leaving it as is, I think it will only cause more cracking along the edge.   The PVC was quite flexible at first but noticed it has started to weaken these days.   Is fiberglass recommended for adding support to the vulnerable areas? Or better to stick with strips of PVC?     I tried lots of PVC types of glues and epoxies to mend cracks but nothing works. Any helped greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few of our members here have experienced cracks, seems to be common. Some have repaired adding pieces of ABS behind the cracks, either gluing with and epoxy glue or E6000, some have added fibreglass resin and matting for strength.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few of our members here have experienced cracks, seems to be common. Some have repaired adding pieces of ABS behind the cracks, either gluing with and epoxy glue or E6000, some have added fibreglass resin and matting for strength.

Thanks for replying. Do you think its better to trim down & remove the crack along the return edge to reduce stress to that area? I might  try Fibreglass resin to add suppprt & strength if I can find where they sell in here in Japan. Never worked with it before, a bit worried about making a mess of it. 

Cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fibreglass resin can be messy, I'd try to do small amounts, you can apply several layers which would help keep the heat down as the resin can get hot while curing. Wouldn't hurt to do some tests first if you haven't used it before.

 

I would just reinforce the area behind the cracks and not do any trimming, make sure you rough the surfaces with some sandpaper so the resin can grip to it better.

 

Some of the guys had success just using glue and strips of plastic so that may be an easier option for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the tips. I already did some trimming on a few cracked areas out of concern thinking reinforcing wasnt going to stop the cracks from spreading but will try reinforcing first for the latest crack I found. Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not sure about how different PVC is compared to the usual ABS, but cracks in areas of high stress are a completely normal part of owning armor. (usually, at least with ABS, again) Patching those cracks is considered part of routine maintenance.

Be careful about fiberglass for the reasons mentioned. That resin gets hot while curing and can destroy your armor if it gets warm enough to warp or sag!

A common technique for repairing ABS armor is what they call "poor man's fiberglass". I don't see why it wouldn't work on PVC as well. It's illustrated in this diagram:
 

20170102010330-747f4e08.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a bit worrisome Brian :(

 

How long have you had your armour/how many troops?

Have worn my armor since spring 2014. It was doing fine and flexed well but recently I found that it cracked when flexed by normal wear. My armor was made when the RS guys were just two of them pumping out armor. The armor is rather thin in some areas were it should not be so maybe that is the cause. Possibly the PVC they used at the time has a short life span for durability. I have given up on doing any type of fused mending as it does not act like ABS so I am sticking with supporting the underside with gluing on additional PVC strips with E6000. Looks messy underneath but seems stronger. Cracks are still there but as far as I know the wont spread any further unless the support strips give way. Worrisome but I guess its the wear and tear that is causing this withe the material not holding up. I also made my armor very tight fitting so that puts certain areas under stress when I move.

I might reinvest in another armor set in the few years time.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Use white duct tape/gaffers tape. Screen accurate and screen accurate :D

 

You can also reinforce from behind with some t-shirt fabric superglued down. This is a very good way to reinforce return edges because the cloth lays flat and catches all contours.

Edited by Dday
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Use white duct tape/gaffers tape. Screen accurate and screen accurate :D

 

You can also reinforce from behind with some t-shirt fabric superglued down. This is a very good way to reinforce return edges because the cloth lays flat and catches all contours.

 

That second method is exactly what the big diagram I posted above shows how to do. ;)

 

(And the first method helps in a pinch, but it's hardly a long term solution)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...