Need help with front armor alignment

[RageQuit[501st]]

Just noticed with these photos that I have a height problem with the front chest armor - it seems to be sitting too low which is mucking up alignment to rear armor and belt alignment as well.

The CRL shows only the vertical ribbed neck of the undersuit visible, not the horizontal ribs under the collar.

Will also need to cut and re-position the collar front once I solve the height issue.

The shows only the vertical ribbed neck of the undersuit visible, not the horizontal ribs under the collar.

 

 

https://drive.google...l_xaMzfcabyZ237

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RWEoijuxfBOa9FC4lq8XGMi5pGOlmCuk

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kJ1MqW66JeM8EHmckoMPoAX9-I9XhKx4

[Scubacat[TX]]

What may help is cutting the excess from the top parts where the straps sit and bringing them up closer. I had the same problem with My shoretrooper when I started working on it along with my shadow stormtrooper. I am really small compared to the armor dimensions. I would check with others though to see what they did. I saw you posted on the FB page as well about this problem. In reality, the straps will be over the tabs and I feel this may help. I am posting up a few of these examples. Hopefully they help. Also using Mike as an example.

 

 

 

And here is mike where it shows the front. You want the kit to fit and once the helmet is on, more will be covered. Hopefully all of this helps. Before you cut anything, try seeing where things sit if you overlap.

 

 

 

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[Scubacat[TX]]

I am going to see if others chime in on this though to get a more definitive answer.

 

 

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[nanotek[CMD-DWM]]

Hey Geoff, before cutting into the armour, make sure you check the following:

 

1. In Pink - the should should sit very flush. I have circled the gap, but placed a curved line to illustrate that it should be more of a flowing curve so:

This is hard to explain but the blue and red are related

2. In Blue - I have indicated that you need to extend the back and chest away from each other thus"

3. In red - extends the length of the side plate and the neck tusks should come down more.

 

 

 

 

One thing I did with my chest armour was to heat it with a decent hair dryer to reshape it more. I think I showed you a pic previously of how it all went together.

 

Basically I made sure the tusks sat almost flush with the chest plate first. Then worked the rest of the armour around that. I had to reshape the chest plate a little to line up correctly.

 

 

 

[NatrualBornDT[501st]]

so your talking about the neck seal?

 

Well once you get your helmet on you should be good.

I think the CRL model is maybe shorter than you. Ive googled some movie pictures and seen some where you can see the neck seal and some where you can't because the are looking down

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Looks like your kit was made to fit large and smaller chested individuals. Get someone to help you position the front piece shoulder extensions under your back piece shoulder extension. Make sure both the front and back are aligned with your body position and then make a mark on the front pieces where the back piece extensions end. Then cut at this point. A slight gap is acceptable as the shoulder buckle straps will cover it. Or you could just heat the front piece extensions and bend them to your shoulder curve and then underlap them with the back piece extensions. This will give you a sturdy attachment point to place either Velcro or snaps, or strong magnets. I put magnets in the extensions so I could put my chest and back on and have it line up before I fasten the Velcro strap.

 

Side view when I was building.

 

Front piece showing recessed magnet

 

Back piece magnet is under the Velcro.

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

Another thought, you may have to shorten your neck collar/tusks. You may be able to heat bend them down to lay closer to you chest piece once it is sized. But I have seen where people have cut out a middle section and reattached the pieces so that the neck tusk/collar lays closer. They had to place a piece on the inside over the weld spot to re-enforce the joint but it works.

 

Measure the distance the collar needs to be moved back (blue line), then cut out the amount needed from the collar sides (red lines), then re-attach them, re-enforce the joint, fill gaps, sand and paint.

[RageQuit[501st]]

Looks like your kit was made to fit large and smaller chested individuals. Get someone to help you position the front piece shoulder extensions under your back piece shoulder extension. Make sure both the front and back are aligned with your body position and then make a mark on the front pieces where the back piece extensions end. Then cut at this point. A slight gap is acceptable as the shoulder buckle straps will cover it. Or you could just heat the front piece extensions and bend them to your shoulder curve and then underlap them with the back piece extensions. This will give you a sturdy attachment point to place either Velcro or snaps, or strong magnets. I put magnets in the extensions so I could put my chest and back on and have it line up before I fasten the Velcro strap.

 

Thanks Chaos, will try the underlapping idea for marking - work out if I cut or not.

[RageQuit[501st]]

Hey Geoff, before cutting into the armour, make sure you check the following:

 

1. In Pink - the should should sit very flush. I have circled the gap, but placed a curved line to illustrate that it should be more of a flowing curve so:

This is hard to explain but the blue and red are related

2. In Blue - I have indicated that you need to extend the back and chest away from each other thus"

3. In red - extends the length of the side plate and the neck tusks should come down more.

 

 

 

 

One thing I did with my chest armour was to heat it with a decent hair dryer to reshape it more. I think I showed you a pic previously of how it all went together.

 

Basically I made sure the tusks sat almost flush with the chest plate first. Then worked the rest of the armour around that. I had to reshape the chest plate a little to line up correctly.

 

 

 

Thanks Mark - having a go this week at realigning and lifting.

Looking at your bottom photo with the lower d-buckle, looks like you have re-shaped the lower power of your chest plate to sweep back more aggressively - looks good.

[RageQuit[501st]]

Another thought, you may have to shorten your neck collar/tusks. You may be able to heat bend them down to lay closer to you chest piece once it is sized. But I have seen where people have cut out a middle section and reattached the pieces so that the neck tusk/collar lays closer. They had to place a piece on the inside over the weld spot to re-enforce the joint but it works.

 

Measure the distance the collar needs to be moved back (blue line), then cut out the amount needed from the collar sides (red lines), then re-attach them, re-enforce the joint, fill gaps, sand and paint.

Yes - I'm planning on cutting the neck collar/tusks and dropping them to align with chest plate once I have re-aligned the chest plate itself.

[RageQuit[501st]]

More test fitting this morning - paid attention to lining up front and rear top tabs which lifted the front armor.

With helmet on this is no issue with front height.

I am going to heat the front armor lower side tabs, bend them back which will also lift the frontal part of the armor plate as well. At the moment the lower tabs flair out too much.

On a side not this is the first time I have tried on my helmet with armor - helmet hits everything !!! haha - there is virtually no movement forward, backward, left, right.

 

https://drive.google...0FjgB1G02zFmAzM

 

https://drive.google...ZJmjiVMMqidDokU

 

https://drive.google...HKK_z_Q_KCHG4As

 

Tried adding the images - only hyperlinks are displaying - can't seem to work out how to do that..

[RageQuit[501st]]

Hairdryer has provided the solution to soften the PLA+Flex.

The front and rear top tabs are now aligned which has lifted the front armor plate slightly.

Bent the lower side tabs on front and rear upper armor plates inwards - result is side of armor sits more flush to my body.

Softened and slowly aligned the collar and matching front armor plate areas to almost sit flush.

With the top buckles straps and helmet on the slight gap will not be visible however I will get both pieces flush eventually, just want to ensure the PLA does not over-stress and tear.

Very happy as not cutting was required.

 

https://drive.google...2NrmIBoBhhiNHPL

 

https://drive.google...KQZlQ4F6f2oMp3w

 

https://drive.google...UQ4GBAjxj7TdKGq

 

https://drive.google...vzJrs2PKBd_zK_e

[RageQuit[501st]]

My next question is going to be how the but plate and lower ab plates should align - would love to see side photos of these areas with and without belt.

I think I will be getting the hair dryer out again as these pieces look like they need attention as well.

 

https://drive.google...l_xaMzfcabyZ237

 

https://drive.google...q8XGMi5pGOlmCuk

[RageQuit[501st]]

Potential deal breaker.

Wearing helmet without shoulder rubber straps with buckles fitted - helmet has minimal movement front, back, left right before it hits armor..

With straps fitted, helmet hits straps/top of armor before it sits fully down onto my head.

I have a normal neck, not too long or short.

So helmet now does not slide all the way down, has no movement and my eyes can barely see out the bottom of the lens

This fucking armor is fighting me all the way

 

.https://drive.google...WIBUsgZCK9u0F-G