cavx
Master Member
My wife and I recently joined the 501st and we are now in the process of trimming and assembling white ABS parts that will become our armour. Given my wife has a much smaller frame than me, we were advised to buy AP armour for her. We also decided to buy and build her armour first (I bought the AP bucket - first image) and then I will probably get NE (light kit, no bucket) for myself as I am told it is slightly larger. In fact I find parts of the AP kit a bit small like the shoulder bells and even the chest plate.
So a few weeks ago, we attended our first "armour party" and over the week end, had a select few members of the 501st (from that party) come over to help us start our armour. They really are a great bunch of guys and I am looking forward to joining them clad in white soon.
During the fitting of my wife's armour, we ran into a small snag on the shoulder straps and their length. I have not been able to find the answer to (even on the 501st's own reference library) this, so I would like to ask here in case someone (preferably a 501st approved member) can hopefully answer.
The library states:
03. Shoulder Straps: Securely mounted in front and free floating in the back.
And a bit later:
24. Armor Details:
Shoulder straps should not be attached with rivets, and should free float in the back rather than being permanently attached.
The straps appear to be too long and probably need to be either cut down, have new shorter ones made up, or simply moved forward. I don't want to cut them if I don't have to. I can probably make shorter versions on my Vac Form.
I was told something about 3.5 ridges, yet seem to find images (including screen caps from the film) that seem to have more than that on the chest plate. Another suggestion was to cut these down. Is that even approval-able? The last thing I want is to have my wife's armour rejected because I changed these straps.
Q1: Is there a reference standard to how far forward on the chest plate these straps can go?
Q2: Is there a minimum ridge count on this part?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
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