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Batmanmike's AP build thread


batmanmike

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Your build is looking great. Good work on your painting.

 

Common mistake is not enough glue. I certainly did that. Yesterday was my second troop and one of my drop boxes started coming apart. When I got home and pulled it apart I could see why. Hardly any glue. Well, not any more. Ha! I used probably 10x the amount this time.

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Happy New Year! I have to say, Im so blessed for all the advice on here, help, and constant questions I ask and get help with everyday . Thank you!! Especially the ones that have let me private message them over and over.

I did more trimming today! Can you check me? I am trying to trim smaller one down enough...and all the references I see are way smaller.

Held temporarily with magnets
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Hey Mike,  I would take a little off the big one.  I had to remove all the return edge of the small one to make it look right.  here is a quick pic of the smaller one - it is not glued on, I just set in more or less in place for the pic.

 

QfecF2C.jpg

 

Also, for your coverstrips - use lots of glue.  I've had to go back and redo several coverstrips.  Sand the glued areas with really coarse sandpaper too.  Don't worry about making mistakes with the e6000 - they are easy to fix.  Looking good so far!

Edited by wook1138
typo
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Thanks for all the advice! Appreciate it! Sanded them all with smoother edges, trimmed my shoulders, heat bent them, took my thighs apart and replied glue more heavily to make sure I had total coverage. Removing the glue was not that bad...I have a feeling I will be removing more in the future! Lol.

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Hoping to do some button painting tonight

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After more reading last night, learned quite a bit more about AP silicon hand covers, and gluing them down to rubber gloves using Locktite Plastics Bonding Sys. Also learned need to fill my shoulder covers with material before I glue them down for a better glue to contact ratio. Thanks Sean!! b38e63f1986a82294bd3fe88a6ab5380.jpg9c9c97f72df5ef5ef2766a6185612f4d.jpg

Working on a few things this morning! Filling shoulders:
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Inside strip to reinforce thighs:
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4 minutes ago, TheSwede said:

Sorry to be bearer of bad news but cover strips are supposed to end at the ridges at the knee. Using E6000 makes it fairly easy to fix  though - keep it up:)

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Awesome photos! AND Thanks too. I was planning to trim it off and I hope it works. I wanted the ammo belt to butt up exactly, so we will see it my plan to exact it off with a thin piece of metal under it will work.  I am hoping they will be flush...if not, I will pull it off and re-apply:)  

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4 minutes ago, batmanmike said:

Hoping this will help!?

I would try to go a wee bit shorter, you can still see that the strip comes over the ridge, going higher with the ammo-pack would hide it...but if you want it to butt-up to the cover strip I would cut some more, just be careful cutting to much - you got this:duim:

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Not to worry, that`s just how the armor is, ones the strapping is in it will come together nicely :duim: (assuming the girth of the midsection isn`t an issue, then there`s shimming required for higher levels).

med_gallery_12157_59_55748.jpg

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Thanks! I decided to only heat it a few seconds, and it seems to fit better too after a test fit.

After a “little heat” and @Kredal messaging me to stop! Thanks brother! LOL

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Test fit tonight, still have more to trim, but planning to wait until strapping and other parts are attached. I will trim the sides last.

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Removed the glue on both shins and rebuilding with proper amount of glue. 0ae73ac11a975c0c3977d843b81c5ff9.jpg

 

 

 

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Edited by batmanmike
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11 hours ago, batmanmike said:


A glove like this makes E6000 super easy...read it somewhere on the forums, not to mention my fingers were being rubbed raw

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That is a really good tip.  I have ridiculous callouses on my fingers from cleaning E6000. 

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I would try to go a wee bit shorter, you can still see that the strip comes over the ridge, going higher with the ammo-pack would hide it...but if you want it to butt-up to the cover strip I would cut some more, just be careful cutting to much - you got this:duim:


I’m going to disassemble and reassemble with less return edge sticking outside the side of the cover strip. AND place the cover strip up slightly higher. After looking at my other thigh, this one sucks! The more I glue, the more comfortable I’m getting.

Question! Webbing on all interior snaps? Elastic on chest to ab?


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1 hour ago, batmanmike said:

Question! Webbing on all interior snaps? Elastic on chest to ab?

That`s totally up to you, the interior is not something that`s regulated by the CRL..however...I always prefer the way they did it in the Movie so I have elastics (brackets and glued in) for all the connections but I know that alot of Troopers use webbing and snaps (single/double) and are happy with that. The elastic need to be of a good quality for it to work the best, same goes for snaps. As you already put in the snap bases then brackets might be out (never too late though) but I would say that if you have the option to try both variants (using snaps) then you can see which works best - other than that it`s up to you to decide...and good progress:)

 

1 hour ago, batmanmike said:

The more I glue, the more comfortable I’m getting.

Great feeling isn`t it:duim:

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