Sniper plate crack - white acrylic nail powder save

I don't know if the resizing did this or if they were there already.

Whatever the case, I called my nail tech Leo and got some white acrylic powder.

I'm better with nail fill than bondo, plus this way I won't have to paint the whole leg to match.

This will be folliwing the same procedure as repairing a cracked nail.

Sand and prep surface.

Glue reinforcement

Trim, sand, fill, sand, polish.

After wet sanding, it's ready to polish. 

I reinforced the inside with regular acrylic powder.

Test fit. Almost there.

Shoulder bell to chest plate space is the same in back. I didn't know I had such wide shoulders.

I'm knock-kneed as well. I will try to boil some water and reshape the church bell thighs. 

I also need to tuck the cod cup in a bit. It's sticking out and the thighs keep hitting it, and causes snaps to pop.

 Just about a 1/2 inch bend is all it needs.

I have to shave some off the forearms on the inside. 

The 11 dimples must stay, so I can't shave there.

Because this is an FX suit, the chest and back are long, there cannot be cut to eliminate the back and kidney overlapping. It has been raised on the shoulder as far as possible. The "O II" is as high as it can go. If I were to cut, it would interfere with the detail, and if I cut the kidney any more, it will not match up to the ab plate.

Aside from being put on a rack just to fit in this costume, this is how it has to be.

Need to lower that bottom plate...may shave some off the sides of the crotch, the cheek lift is still happening.

Ankles are also needing some trimming. I've been taking 1/4" off each pass, keeping the shape.

Back of thighs top-to-bottom is a fit, the oval shape of the knee area causes them to turn inward as I walk. There is no pinching when the rear cut-outs are in the proper place behind my knees... Hot water method coming up, definitely.

Also you can see the crotch on the butt plate, so cheeks push the whole thing up (industrial velcro is keeping the kidney and butt plate in their proper non-overlapping state).

Calves have a strip with velcro hook on both sides. The inside of the calves have loop velcro on both flaps. Gluing to one side failed. Someone with large calves posted a solution I followed on whitearmor.net.

Crooked Booty

Since the booty was crooked, I decided to fix and put in the proper snaps.

I'm still "trimming the fat" for my fat. The lines drawn are potential, not definite, trim points to eliminate "cheek push" (Cheeks push butt plate upward). I'm learning so much about my body flaws.

I have studied many proper approved armor posterior plates. I am staying within their design parameters.

I also saw many badly trimmed butt plates from the crappy sources so I know what NOT to do.

Ab plate extensions and snaps

Finally got those jacket snaps.

Attached expansion panels. They will be held on by the snaps/elastic.

Two womprats with one blast.

Shims and Cover Plates

Shims and Cover Plates

When I was separating the biceps, one didn't separate well.  I also had to extend both by 3/4" or so.

I repurposed some jigs I made a long time ago to bend the shim/covers.

Here are the biceps.

I'm doing the same with the thighs.

I used a mini setting iron to bend the one corner/end/bottom (the one on the left by the clamp).

Dremel + Cyanoacrylate = Lachrymator

Look it up! LOOK IT ALL UP!

The pain and sneezing.

When you Dremel dried superglue it turns into painful pepperspray.

I used the nail tech trick: mini fan pointed away from you.

My nasal passages are still burning.

Why am I doing such a thing?

Well.... this is why:

crooked cut

This is how I determined which side was crooked.

Above, pic: 

side is plumb.

turn over and not plumb

every snap pad along the crooked end was superglued and I had to cut through all.

Here is the finished cut.

Ab Plate Reduction and Finally Fitting

I was told to cut the cod to shorten the ab.
I cut it exactly across like in this thread.

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?/topic/10434-Pandatrooper's-AM-build-thread[*AM]

 I did not cut any off, instead I tucked it behind.

As you see the left side of the cod is 1cm longer than the right so the left will get trimmed to match the right.

I will attach tomorrow.

I took the kidney and butt to see where they needed trimming by wearing it all.

Remember it's not entirely to scale or painted.

LOL

Ab plate no longer pushes my bra into my neck...and no more saggy crotch strap!

As you see where I have the kidney plate positioned, it is no longer behind the back plate. I couldnt hold it and the phone so think 4th dimensionally.

I have to see what little I can trim off the butt without it being like low-rise jeans...so i may have to go short-round on the kidney alone.

I'll discuss it in comittee tomorrow.

Ciao n gite 

Trimming

I trimmed the arms at the wrists about 1/4 inch. Need to prob do a couple millimeters more on the inside of the wrists for comfort. It will not be noticeable.

I'm in the process of taking 3/16" off ay a time on the thighs the same way I did the wrists. Mark. Score. Tooth. Pop. Xacto rough spots, then sand. Just like we did the kit cars' interior trim back home.

Mark all the way around. I'm using a piece of 1/4" trim and a flat pencil. You can tape three pencils together (one for marking, one for distance, and one for a guide).

Tape a line if the pencil line is hard to see, or if you don't have steady hands.

Score

Tooth

Pop

Clarify

Sand

Test fit.

Photobucket keeps crashing everytime I ask it for a pic link.  It's not my phone this time because its brand new. 
I deleted the useless app.

Please view pics on my blog until they update their junky app.

Next stage

The arms are were too tight due to the foam from the previous owner, so after removing the foam I noticed some foam still attached to old glue so I used a woodworking awl to scrape out the old glue and foam so that I can attach a thinner foam for my arm.

I'm trying this version of e6000 because it is supposed to be good for foam.

Thick Thighs

Thigh extending begins.

I'm using a no-parking sign from my work for inside of the thighs. I used the UV light to make sure this plastic doesn't glow-in-the-dark like the ones I bought. I'm using signage because it is a cheap, commonly found plastic sheet and the best way to resize without ruining precious proper ABS plastic. It also smooths out the gap-seam on the inside so as not to snag the UnderArmour.

I'm gluing one side of the split. Using earth magnets and clamps. Once dry, I will put them one with the waist strapping and walk around a bit and let them find their "comfort zone".

Once the comfortable area is achieved, I'll tape it to hold the spot and wear the body to make sure everything looks right (I'll post a pic on the community forum and get feedback). When the proper fit has been 'approved' I'll glue the taped sides.

When the ABS strips arrive, they will cover the gap and the sign.

Bigger biceps...I think my body is working against me.

A few days ago, they fit fine...snug, but fine.

Another costumer suggested spacing them for room to move.

Try #... ummm I lost count. Pfft.

The patterns for the side spacers are still on hold for a second person to mark them for me while I'm wearing the armor.

The dog is willing, but he said he needs thumbs to hold a marker.

I really don't want to use a no parking sign for the side panels. I will if I can't get blank stock.

I went by an old acquaintance's sign shop today, he didn't have solid sheets...just that corrugated plastic and metal. He said he'd keep on the lookout for me.

Gotta work again tomorrow. Have to go by Michaels again, the earth magnets cracked :(

UPDATE:

Biceps almost finished.

Backstory: I began with separating the halves of the biceps. I did not separate them from the shoulder bells, which made the job harder. Once I was told they were attached too low, I freed them from the bells.

I used FOR SALE signs and e6000 to size them out, awaiting delivery of ABS strips I ordered.

The ABS were of a different color and too thick to use without heating. 

I work on other parts simultaneously. So, when one part comes to a halt for whatever reason, I work on something else while I figure a solution.

That being said, I decided to use some more Auto Zone signage. The "Tax Time" strips are as thick as the armor, and ABS, the downside was, the graphics have to be sanded off, and they are also not the same shade of white, they are a shade closer than the ABS I ordered.

Once I got the writing sanded off, I used ABS glue to adhere them to the outside of the biceps. 

I sanded as close as I could then filled the crack with nail acrylic powder.

I then sanded 16 passes across each inch longways with a B&D mouse beginning with 80grit, then 120, and 240. Brought them inside to the sink, wet sanded by hand another 16 passes per inch longways with 340, 400, 1000, 1500, & ending 2000.

My hand and arms hate me.

BUT

they are smooth!!!

Painting will have to be done, which I was working hard to avoid. Good news though, my old Body Shop boss offered to help color match and let me use the booth.

My garage has moisture issues and with all the rain lately, it's really bad.

Not conducive to painting ANYTHING!

I found the color on my own. Rustoleum Paint for Plastic Primer (Auto Zone) and Rustoleum Paint for Plastic Clear. Florida humidity has forced me to paint on the back porch and bring it inside to cure.

Bicep Strap Hook

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/tutorials/article/37-howto-create-a-bicep-strap-hook/

I used a clip from work (used to hold up those annoying end cap displays). Cut in half, lip removed, and glued to the inside.