Attaching Hard Armor

[Aizog]

Good Evening, working on a 3d printed suit based off the halo Infinite models. These are resin printed and i am currently working on the forearm pieces. The issue i am having is attaching the two halves of the forearms together. I need the two pieces to separate so i can fit my hand through the wrist hole. My first thoughts were magnets but getting a divot into the sides to fit the magnet into was causing issues with the print to crack. Any ideas other than magnets to combine hard pieces together?

 

[GrmblBACHx]

Good Evening, working on a 3d printed suit based off the halo Infinite models. These are resin printed and i am currently working on the forearm pieces. The issue i am having is attaching the two halves of the forearms together. I need the two pieces to separate so i can fit my hand through the wrist hole. My first thoughts were magnets but getting a divot into the sides to fit the magnet into was causing issues with the print to crack. Any ideas other than magnets to combine hard pieces together?

Really jealous of the resin prints, they come out so clean! It's really the bane of my existence to be sanding every piece of my armor!
To answer your question, I used magnets but it doesn't seem like an option for you. I would try maybe two elastic bands that would allow the two halves to separate for your arm to go through but then will pull back together?!

 

[Aizog]

Really jealous of the resin prints, they come out so clean! It's really the bane of my existence to be sanding every piece of my armor!
To answer your question, I used magnets but it doesn't seem like an option for you. I would try maybe two elastic bands that would allow the two halves to separate for your arm to go through but then will pull back together?!

Yes, the resin is a game changer. Just made the jump a couple weeks ago. The FDM helmet I made a couple years ago took almost a month to complete. Elastic was on my mind as well. I’ll have to pick some up and give it a try.

 

[GrmblBACHx]

Yes, the resin is a game changer. Just made the jump a couple weeks ago. The FDM helmet I made a couple years ago took almost a month to complete. Elastic was on my mind as well. I’ll have to pick some up and give it a try.

So I had another though aswell. You could still do magnets. Just buy rectangular ones and glue them to both halves if you have enough room on the inside. That's what I did for my chest piece.

 

[Rock Lobbster]

Some of the methods I've seen are adding a hinge on the one side (like a door hinge) and then a buckle securing it on the other. Another method is using elastic strapping to hold it together after you slide your hand in. You can also combine both of those methods with magnets to hold the piece in place!

 

[Aizog]

So i went with the elastic. Going to get some block magnets to go on the inside just to keep everything aligned properly. Seems like this will work out. The elastic stretches just enough to get my hand through and holds tighter than i expected.

Appreciate all the feedback. Thank you

 

[Rock Lobbster]

Looks like that worked! If you're worried about a seam line showing you can cut a small piece of craft foam to sit in the slit made, it will help cushion the 2 halves and hide the joint

 

[Aizog]

Looks like that worked! If you're worried about a seam line showing you can cut a small piece of craft foam to sit in the slit made, it will help cushion the 2 halves and hide the joint

Good idea! yeah i was working on ways to minimize that.