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[Akiva Tal'korel]

Life vests tend to use parachute clips - they're completely fine. Dont use elastic to attach them if it will be visible. Try and colour match the strapping to either vest or flightsuit if it's any other material. And try and use metallic buckles, or if plastic give them a spray with a metallic colour or use black and silver highlighting to make them appear metal.

I wasn't sure what the actual name was, but yes, a parachute clip! That's what I'm looking at using, so perfect. Glad I can use those, think it'll be easier to wear the vest if I just have to buckle it, rather than velcro it. Can also fix some of the other issues with the sizing. I'll make sure the clips and strapping is black, since that's the color of my flightsuit since I imagine there will be at least a little gap.

Thanks!

[Akiva Tal'korel]

OMG AN ACTUAL UPDATE. I'm actually making progress, -what-?!



Finally finished my vest, or as least as done as it's gonna get for now. I slimmed it down multiple times with darts at the bust, front, and back, and pulled out the velcro (too hard for me to fasten and my goal is to be able to put this on entirely without help lol) and added parachute clips instead (may add more down the line). It's not perfect, I know, but the imperfections at places like the hem will be covered with a belt so I'm not too worried right now. Especially being on a deadline for a KC Zoo troop in October (and obviously, Halloween).

I also got my husband to print out the Boba templates, these are sized at 5'3" and actually fit me pretty well from what I can tell! It's near impossible to see in the pic, but I have drawn on my ab plate and collar piece to mark where I need to make some adjustments to account for not being a 5'3" guy. Will add the shoulders later once I make those adjustments.

Everything looking good so far?

[Kris Jasra]

Small pic is a little hard to see details and I have no idea where you've marked but the only thing I can say is that you may need to shift the collar so it sits closer to your neck on either side, but it's hard to tell if it's gap or neck seal.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Small pic is a little hard to see details and I have no idea where you've marked but the only thing I can say is that you may need to shift the collar so it sits closer to your neck on either side, but it's hard to tell if it's gap or neck seal.

Hope that size is a little better; trying to upload from FB is a pain! The collar is sitting pretty close to my neck, the black is my flightsuit. The vest also has a bit of a high neck, but the plate is sitting pretty much as high as it can go. As far as the rest of the plates, though, those are looking good size/spacing wise?

EDIT: When you say 'on the sides' do you mean on either side of my neck? Because yeah, I see what you mean. There is some space there, so I should probably fill that a bit?

[Kris Jasra]

EDIT: When you say 'on the sides' do you mean on either side of my neck? Because yeah, I see what you mean. There is some space there, so I should probably fill that a bit?

Yeah, the inner sides of the collar next to the neck. The templates are made from plates made for men so the neck spacing is often a little wide for women.

And slightly better , looks like you've pretty much got it in hand. (Mirror selfies are hard, my only well lit mirror is high enough I have to stand on the loo to get a decent photo... )

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Yeah, the inner sides of the collar next to the neck. The templates are made from plates made for men so the neck spacing is often a little wide for women.

And slightly better , looks like you've pretty much got it in hand. (Mirror selfies are hard, my only well lit mirror is high enough I have to stand on the loo to get a decent photo... )

Sweet! I'll adjust the outer sides of the collar plate (they go into my shoulders so too wide there) and see if I can't use that extra on the inside space. Gonna adjust the ab plate so I have proper spacing towards the bottom of the chest plates and then I'll post a new pic. Will probably need husband's help pinning the backplate on lol! Or maybe I'll just opt for a cape now and work on that later.

EDIT: Went ahead and trimmed the collar and ab plates. The shoulder plate is kinda affixed badly because I can't reach the way back. They are kinda big, but I kinda like it. Gives me a little extra on the intimidation factor, lol. Everything look good?



And of course, not content to be left out is my little jerkbutt of a cat.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Not a whole lot of progress to show yet. Got my patterns transferred to some sintra, which I tried to cut with a box cutter. Got one chest piece out, but snapped off the bottom tab (cue frustration). Managed to super-glue it back together, hopefully it won't break again when I shape it. I'll bondo over the seam later. Gonna cut the rest out with my dremel since I'm terrified of band saws, but I need a dust mask and to find my safety goggles first.

Tried to pattern my left gauntlet today, but it's been frustrating. I want to use my old phone as a data pad, but I'm stuck on how to be able to insert and remove it from my gauntlet without it falling out, or without it looking really obvious. I don't want it permanently in the gauntlet, but I'm just out of ideas. It's been a frustrating day in general, so not being able to translate what I see as a finished product into separate pieces hasn't helped.

So if anyone has tips on the following, would be greatly appreciated:

1. How to install said phone into gauntlet, but in a way that still allows me to take it out if I want to.
2. How to make a basic LED circuit that I can operate with a switch. I want to make stun batons as my first weapons, and have them light up at one end, with the switch at the other. I don't know how to make a circuit, and I don't have a soldering iron either so.... no idea.

Thanks all <3

[Ikaan Deema]

Depending on how you're going to make the gauntlets, you might consider putting in a panel or something on the inside of the gauntlet that keeps the phone in place. That way there's no external edges or evidence of a closure method and even if the panel comes off, your arm will keep the phone from falling out of place.

If that's too rambly/badly communicated, I can clarify. Or at least attempt to.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Depending on how you're going to make the gauntlets, you might consider putting in a panel or something on the inside of the gauntlet that keeps the phone in place. That way there's no external edges or evidence of a closure method and even if the panel comes off, your arm will keep the phone from falling out of place.

If that's too rambly/badly communicated, I can clarify. Or at least attempt to.

I'm not sure I quite understand, no. Right now the plan is to have a base shape for the gauntlets (probably more square than cylindrical so I can fit the phone on top without it looking weird) and then build the structure on top. I thought maybe velcroing the attachment to the gaunt, but I'm not sure how much of a visible attachment that would leave (with velcro on the top of the gauntlet and the bottom of the phone 'case').

[Ikaan Deema]

If you create a frame or something that the phone fits into on the gauntlet shell, you can leave a space where the phone fits into it from the inside. Kinda like a picture frame.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

I've got most of my armor patterned and have started cutting it out with my dremel. SO DUSTY. However, it feels like it isn't cutting as efficiently through the 6mm as I'd want. I'm using the reinforced cutting disk on speed.. IDK. 13-14? I'm not sure if I should use a higher speed. I've been doing it a little bit at a time, often going over the same area repeatedly so I'm not using too much pressure and damaging the disk.. should I use a higher speed?

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Nevermind! I went ahead and got some new blades for my box cutter/utility knife and it worked really well. My hand is a bit sore but I've got all my fingers still! Cut out just about all the pieces I need. Still need shins and back plate, but I need to buy more sintra for that.



Chest pieces. Shoulders are 3mm, rest is 6mm. Probably gonna recycle my old shoulder armor too to use as a 'second' shoulder for a bulkier look.



Gauntlet pieces, or at least the basics. Recycling the backs from my old kit, and my left gauntlet is gonna be using my old phone as a data pad. Gonna greeb it up, of course. Also the vaguely circle-shaped piece and the smaller square will be a housing for a portable charger for said phone, which will be running a slideshow of 'inmates'. Right gauntlet will have a taser set-up. Still need to find or make a transformer box and a battery pack, as well as cut out the plating for the back of my hand/knuckles.



And my leg plates. Thighs and knees. Will make shins when I get more sintra, along with the back plate. Also helper-cat decided to 'help' by sitting and being cute (this was after many times he interrupted my work by literally sitting on my sintra piece. :|)

Boots should be here this week, gotta think about my girth belt, ammo belt, and how to disguise my actual phone, which is pretty large! Anyone have any ideas for how to disguise a Nexus 6? I don't want it in my armor, but I'm not sure if a pouch for it would be too big.

[Verco Nuhla]

You people and your cats 

[Akiva Tal'korel]

You people and your cats 

What would I do without him... (the answer is probably get more work done and spend less time scouring the apartment wondering what clever hiding space he found for a nap -this- time..)

[Kris Jasra]

What would I do without him... (the answer is probably get more work done and spend less time scouring the apartment wondering what clever hiding space he found for a nap -this- time..)

This. Entirely this. I posted a full wip that had cats in every picture just because they got in the way so much... - Fabric is for lying on. Plastic is for lying on. Metal is for lying on. Trophies are for chewing on. Kit sorted.

Your cat is cute. I suppose I should congratulate you on your progress plate cutting, but you have a cute cat. Cat!