Robbie Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 ok so what do you use to connect all of the pieces together. I have seen a combination of snaps and cloth or elastic straps. I was just wondering what different sugestions yall would have. Oh and what would be the right way to connect the shins together. how much of a return edge do I need and how wide does the strap ontop have to be. thanks for the input. and I should have some pictures up soon and Ill post them on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandatrooper Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 The bottom of the page in the FISD tutorial section has some good info. Screen accurate uses wire loops and elastic to join the torso parts, and in some areas like the shoulder bells the elastic was glued in place. http://www.whitearmor.net/home/tutorials/armor-tutorials/ab-and-back.html I personally prefer snap plates as it allows movement and stretch and ease of disassembly if required. The wire loop method is authentic but some armor types do not have deep enough return edges to support it. The shins are butt joined on the front, and the back has a cover strip attached to the outer shin on each leg. http://www.whitearmor.net/home/tutorials/armor-tutorials/thighsshins.html The shins have not much return at all on the bottom near the ankles, and a little on top. You might want to reference some of the LFL archive pics for the best examples of how much plastic to leave before cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caomhanach Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Some good tutorials there Terry... Will bbe helpful when I come and upgrade my thigh armor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I'm with Terry... snap system is the way to go. It's not screen accurate, but it's troop-able-long-term-comfortable-looks-great accurate. Here's a pic Troopermaster shared with me of the strapping system he provides... I will post a pic of my actual system shortly... it's his (TM's) system, but it's been updated by him a bit since that photo above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthChridan Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I'm with Terry... snap system is the way to go. It's not screen accurate, but it's troop-able-long-term-comfortable-looks-great accurate. Here's a pic Troopermaster shared with me of the strapping system he provides... I will post a pic of my actual system shortly... it's his (TM's) system, but it's been updated by him a bit since that photo above. Yep...above all, I don't like the screws through the plastic at the edges ...and screen accurate all conviction aside, this method it can provoke cracks. This is only my opinion The "snaps"-method is a good alternative Cheers.... Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Okay... here's what my strapping looks like on my ESB — which is how I would do anything from now on. I love it. The shoulder bells will be strapped to the biceps, and the biceps strapped to the forearms when I'm done. The armor as it sits. I've assembled it using the "clam shell" method. It's the only way I'll do armor from now on. The strapping system as provided by Troopermaster. This isn't the screen accurate "hook" system, but the "snap" system which is more suited for trooping. A close up of the "snap" system of strapping on the chest and ab plate. A close up of the "snap" system of strapping on the back plate, kidney, and butt plate. The chest connection to the ab plate. The left side. You can see the snap plates, as well as the back side of the brads. The brads are there for appearance (to make it look screen accurate from the outside) and the snaps for functionality. Snaps on the back plate, kidney and butt plate. The bottom of the crotch. Again, the brad is there for appearance (to make it look screen accurate from the outside) and the snap for functionality. The bottom of the butt plate. These snaps are for both appearance and functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthChridan Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Hey Noel.. thanks for sharing, that's a good strapping system, like i see I will do the same strapping system... My TK TM armor is also finished trimmed, now comes the strapping system EDIT: can you show, what have you used for the outside on this part- http://td8541.imperial-web.com/uploads/tm-esb-strapping8.jpg i mean the snaps.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandtrooper Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 My armour is TM TD as well and has that strapping system minus the brads. Noel, did you just drill holes in the armour for the brads? What size drill bit did you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Hey Noel.. thanks for sharing, that's a good strapping system, like i see I will do the same strapping system... My TK TM armor is also finished trimmed, now comes the strapping system EDIT: can you show, what have you used for the outside on this part- http://td8541.imperial-web.com/uploads/tm-esb-strapping8.jpg i mean the snaps.... Yes... here's a pic of the front side of that... you can see the brad, but not the snap. My armour is TM TD as well and has that strapping system minus the brads. Noel, did you just drill holes in the armour for the brads? What size drill bit did you use? Yes, I just used the standard size Dremel drill bit that comes with it. Whatever that size is. The brads go through, but the snaps only go through where you should see a snap on the outside. So the bottom of the butt plate you can see the 2 snaps, and the top right side of the ab plate. Otherwise the snaps are all utilitarian and not at visible on the outside. The brads are the opposite... all of them are visible on the outside, but none of them "do" anything in reality. If you were using screen accurate strapping then the snaps would disappear and the brads would end up being functional... but that's a whole other system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted May 30, 2011 Author Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sweet thanks for the info. This is going to help out tuns. Noel I like the wampa ice creature and the tauntaun in your pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sweet thanks for the info. This is going to help out tuns.You bet bro, that's what we're here for! Noel I like the wampa ice creature and the tauntaun in your pictures.Yeah... that proves our 22 month year old little girl is in the "Imperial Work Shed" as much as I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Noel I like the wampa ice creature and the tauntaun in your pictures.Oh, and don't forget the Dewback! He's there too... just barely in one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthChridan Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Thanks Noel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 No problem! There is also this graphic which shows how the ROTJ suits were strapped together... totally a good strapping system as well if you want to go this route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebladejedi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Ok so you want the armour to be like the originals on the outside - but want to be able to take it apart for storage or transport.. On my latest build this is they way i have gone.. So for the crotch strap we know that on the originals the strap was riveted to the front bottom of the ab plate and at the butt there were 2 male snaps fitted directly through the armour. The butt part is easy, simply do as they did and fit snaps through the butt. For the front, it is possible to mix and match rivets and snaps to give the right impression on the outside but it comes apart just as if you were using snaps. Here is my ab plate, i coupled a jeans rivet on the outside with a male s spring snap inside - simple yet effective I have done the same on the left side torso, coupling a jeans rivet outside with a male s spring snap inside.. For the right side of the torso i do as the originals by putting the male snap direct through the torso. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Locitus Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I have a combination of snaps and split rivets. Works fine, but is probably not the optimal solution, even if it looks the part. Crotch snap is attached with split rivet just like the ab plate straps, I just can't find a picture of the inside right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Very nice as always, Mark! And, Mathias, it's what works and what you're happy with that's good. Every strapping system I've done has always been different. I even assembled some armor with all Velcro in less than 8 hours for a guy one time. That wasn't optimal by any means, but it accomplished what we needed at the time... and he (it's my brother) still wears it on Halloween every year... it still holds up 3 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 hey if yall can and have any extra time can yall take a look at my pictures of my armor I have done so far and let me know how much more trimming I need to do If any. and If I screwed up on any pieces can you give me advice on how to fix it. Here is the link to my facebook pictures... My link Thanks, Robbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 You saw my message on fb, right Robbie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 I just got that thanks Noel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconoclasta_88 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Just wanted to share my strapping system. Not that more input of advice is needed though... Here is what I did. It is an adaptation of mine, with input from TM and some others... My next armor build, whenever it comes, will bee screen accurate. Saludos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven6056 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Nice work dude, Im working on mine at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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