Gauntlet Closure / latch system How did you do yours???

Hello all. I am getting to the point with my new FP gauntlets that i need to figure out how to have them stay closed on my arm. I really dont want to use a ton of velcro as i did that with my last set and started to get damage from have to pull the velcro so hard to get it to open. I am trying magnets (the strong kind) but they dont stay too well if i move my arm to go for a blaster in the holster.

SO what have you all done to keep them shut and not have them shut too tight??? snaps? I have a hinged clamshell style that close on the outiside edge of the gauntlet.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be very appreciated

thanks in advance
dan

Have you thought about snaps? Not accurate, but if your after function rather than form, it might do you.

JMP did a great tutorial on fixing snaps to ST armour, but I guess it could be adapted to suit your gauntlets.

Just a thought.

HTH.

Si

I also used a hinge and magnets to close my gauntlets. No problems with the right because the hoses keep it together if the magnets separate. The left gaunt has a velcro backup at the elbow to catch it if the magnets fail. Before I added the extra velcro I kept having to catch it from falling off.

I have thought about snaps but i dont know i i want to offset the lower shell that far to accomodate for both parts of the snap.

Boba phat when you did you magnets, do you have them meeting end to end or are they contacting each other on the larger surface of the magnet?? Also what glue did you use to hold the magnets on. I have one side FG and the other half of the shell is sintra.

thanks guys

dan

I use a hinge on the inside and velcro closures to hold it shut. It works great.

Wes

Dan,

I used 14 strong hobby magnets for each gaunt. They're epoxied on flat, so they attract at the sides. After I epoxied them on I brushed on a layer of fiberglass resin to hold them on better. I suppose if you used more magnets the hold would be better, but the closer they are to each other the harder they are to glue. Imagine the fun of a magnet covered in gooey epoxy slipping out from your clamp onto the magnet next to it. Man, I'm not looking forward to doing that again!

Aren't FP gauntlets made with an overlap for a velcro closure like the actual movie gauntlets? Mine don't have any overlap, and that might make you have to attach the magnets in a different way. Velcro might be the way to go in your case. I'd stay away from industrail strength velcro. The bond is so strong you often times rip it off when trying to separate it.

Here's a pic of my right gaunt opened back when it had 10 magnets.


Hope this helps some.

Ryan

With my custom set of armor I superglued elastic inside the halves. It stretches enough for me to fit my hand through the end then pulls closed tight. I'm going to use the same system with my ESB gauntlets as soon as I get them reshaped a little so the clamshells fit correctly. (I know Ryan, I haven't really been on the ball with this have I?)

Doug

thats a pretty good idea too. I just might try that one.

thanks

Man, I love the elastic idea! What kind of elastic did you get? Something from a fabric store?

yeah, I just used 2" wide black elastic from the fabric store. I had gotten a bunch of it for another project and for some reason the idea just hit me. Here's a link to the other thread.

http://tdh.prop-planet.com/viewtopic...c=5377&forum=4

Doug

thanks slowmo i have been looking for that thread since you mentioned it to me

pretty slick idea! thanks

dan