Snaps instead of Velcro

[solarpickle]

Does anyone have any good tips, what to use/not to use or know of any tutorials on how to convert the armor to using snaps instead of the velcro? i can't go anywhere without my shoulder pieces bumping into someone and falling off. Ya can't look like a badass when you're bending over to pick up your armor pieces....."uh, pardon me....scuze me.....pardon me.....just gotta get my armor here, pardon me......" LOL

[TD257]

I swear by the long elastic strap riveted to the shoulder strap, Plastic-welded to the shoulder bell, then Plastic-welded to the inside of the biceps piece. I have had zero malfunctions in nearly a year-and-a-half of trooping. At yesterday's "48 hours of the Force" at Wal-Mart, I had to re-attach a troopers snap-on shoulder bells twice.

[tk432]

one of our new troopers is all snaps.. he kept falling apart.

for C3 i have riveted EVERYTHING together.. it dirty i dont care.

i even got a pare of suspenders(sp) and riveted them on.

[solarpickle]

ahhh, rivets eh? didn't think about that, may have to try that out...

[SethB6025]

Hmm, I've had no trouble with my snaps, though I used "heavy duty" ones. I've seen people use fabric store snaps and they pop left and right. If you're going to rivet, use the solid head kind.

[TD640]

I only use snaps on the shoulder bells. I used rivots on the knee pieces and the chest & back armor. Most other pieces are done with industrial velcro. Thigh, shin, & forearms pieces are CA glued together.

[jpbasso]

I use snaps I purchased at Home Depot for my thighs, shoulders, & biceps.

Click for larger pictures:

[solarpickle]

WOW you guys, I really appreciate all the help and info! Your guys ROCK!

[TD-4242]

Doing quite a few snap kits I have found that the snaps available at walmart are complete crap and will not hold. The ones you can purchase from Home Depot are great and will hold well. In my gallery here http://www.sandtrooper.net/modules.php?set...=view_album.php I have several tips and tricks for all the diffrent parts.

[TD1149]

I used rivets to connect the shoulder straps and the knee piece. Velcro on the belt and back of the calves. For everything else I used snaps from Menards and haven't had any problems yet.

[TD257]

If you go the rivet route, make sure you use the little steel washers too.

[motman241]

Everybody complains about the velcro not sticking, or peeling off.... the main problem that nobody addresses, is that the armor pieces don't match up correctly while at rest. Some of the armor parts (like the thighs, and shin pieces) should make a round piece. Before you even put the velcro on, do the two halves meet? If not, there will be a lot of stress on the velcro. The velcro should be there just to prevent the two halves from becoming seperated. It should have to pull the two pieces together.

I worked very ******* my armor, to get it shaped properly. I've never had any problems with the velcro.

Now, the only problem that I DID have, was on the shoulder parts. Wearing that backpack kept tearing the velcro apart. I made a 'T' sort of strap, with snaps on it. It connects the front and back chest halves, and then the shoulder bells go onto it also. I'll have to get a picture of it for you.