I started work on the zipper cover and the abrasion patch. After I get the velcro and snaps on the suit I will sew everything together.
I also fired up my welder and made a lower PLSS bracket and attached it. Not as nice and clean as ILC’s version. But I not a pro welder.
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The photos show the sequence of the zipper attachment. I am using a number 10 white zipper that is 36 inches long. It is the largest and strongest zipper I could locate.
First I placed the ITMG on the inner suit, lined everything up, and pined the zipper in place down both sides of the ITMG. I checked for any binding or sticking and made adjustments. Then removed the ITMG layer from the inner suit.
Set up the sewing machine for zipper operation, and let the thread fly…so to speak.
The next photos are of the patches I made. They are graphics found on the internet. Printed by bubble-jet printer on the same fabric. They reproduce the original Beta-Cloth style patches pretty well I think.
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A couple of pictures of the major assyembly. The ITMG inplace over the inner suit. No hardware yet. And not finished. Just wanted to check the assyembly and location of the pockets etc.
Still need to finish the arms at the connector locations. And the back zipper/flap and abrasion patch.
Next some photos of the LEVA I am working with. Still looking for some options on the visors both clear and gold.
Things are comming together. I have applied some lessons learned from privious projects.
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I decided it was time to test fit the major parts of the ITMG to the inner suit. I had just
finished sewing the front to the two back halves.
I need to hem the bottom of the legs. Also the arm holes need to be larger. Then I’ll start working on the neck and the the rear entry flap/zipper. The last cone on the sleeves that tapers down to the glove disconnects, and of course I need to cast and paint all the various hardware items and attach them.
Sounds like a lot, but I have the biggest part finished. And its down hill from here.
To this:
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I have heard it said that “God is in the details”, well I doubt if God cares about replica space suits. But I certainly do! So I have been working on the small details I wished I had added the last time around.
Its hard to know how much is enough,
If it where feasible, I’d have every stitch, snap and fitting in exactly the right place.
But this is after all, just a replica.
Here are the close-up pictures of the boots I mentioned last time, the seams are more visible here:
And I changed the shoulder area on the inner suit:
I think this will create a more realistic shape after the ITMG is attached.
With luck it will give that distinct A7L look I strive for.
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I received the white boots I ordered, with the gum colored sole. I have been unable to locate anything with the exact sole the original had.
A small milestone, I made a decision on which suit I am going to do. I like to pick a certain crew-member and try to replicate (as close as I can) their suit. This time its going to be…Ed Mitchell’s Apollo 14 Suit.
Why? you may ask, well several reasons. Not the least of which is Ulli’s wonderful photo album over at the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal
This week I pinned the ITMG major parts together and test the fit on the inner suit.. That is when I realized I needed to move the UDC cover. I also was not happy with the shoulder area. I am working on a solution for that. I’ll post some photos when I get it fixed.
Oh, one last thing, I received the 36 inch white #10 zipper I ordered for the ITMG. Its the longest I could get in a number 10. It should be fine, the last suit had a 32 inch and it was ok.
Thats going to do it for today, I’ll post some pictures tonight.
Remember, if all else fails…try SCE to AUX
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My new LEVA with a fresh ITMG and paint on the sun shield. It had a commanders red stripe. I am doing a LMP version.
I am temporarily using a lexan visor I had, it does not fit very well.
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Its been a few days since I last updated. So I have a lot of ground to cover this time.
The above photos detail the sequence for assembling the “flexible pleats” on the elbow of the ITMG. I doubt that ILC did it this way, but it looks pretty close.
Photo 1 shows the finished arm.
In photo 2 you see the fabric pined for the first seam. I measured the circumference of the arm, which in this case is 22 inches. Then I measured the length and added 2 inches to allow for a hem on the bottom and some fabric to reach passed the band on the lower shoulder assembly.
I divided the circumference in half to get the finished measurement for the back half of the arm/elbow, which is 11 inches. After some trial and error, I found that 2 3/4 inch pleats look about right. So I cut the fabric at 24 inches by 12 inches and marked 2 and 3/4 inches until I ran out of cloth to mark.
Photo 3 shows the first seam being sewn. Be sure to stitch toward the short side, in other words, keep the finish side up when folding. Seam every third mark.
The next photo shows the pleats folded and pined for the seam that goes on each side and holds the pleats in place. I folded the seam past the first 2 3/4 inch mark tho the second one making a 2 3/4 inch pocket or pleat. Then fold over the edge and seam it to hold everything in place.
Photo 6 is another view of the finished arm. Photo seven shows the solid front half ready to be joined to the back half.
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Sorry for the long time between post. Been working on getting the right arm of the ITMG just right. Its been several nights work. My approach has been to make a pattern, apply it to the cloth, and then test fit each piece. There are eight pieces just in the shoulder and upper forearm. And of course, each piece not only has to look right, but has to fit right to the last part.
Working from photos only, this leads to lots of discarded parts that are “just not right”.
The shoulder is a very complex arrangement of cones that are compound tapered. (what? compound what?) Yeh, its even harder than it sounds. Working out the geometry of each part in relation to the others while maintaining the stitching in the proper places is to say the least, taxing.
Ok, enough complaining. Suffice it to say, I am making progress.
I had planned to post some pictures of my shoulders and arms, (the suit, not mine…) but my son has my camera with the pictures on it. Perhaps tomorrow I will put them up.
On an other note: my friend Johan sent a very good mold of the pressure gage to me. I am working on a reliable method to rout out the face to allow a piece of Plexiglas to be inset with a gage face photo behind it. It seems promising, but I will have to make a template to guide my Dremel tool. My free hand attempts have been less than spectacular.
I promise to have a really informative post full of photos next time. (no, really!)
Remember if all else fails, try S.C.E. to AUX
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The flex hose seems to have the correct size and feel, the photo shows a test fit. I have since lengthened the arms a couple of inches. On my last suit keeping the arms short enough while getting the shape right was a problem. It seems I over compensated the first time here. But thankfully I left the hoses a little long, and overlapped the fabric farther than I thought I needed. Now the sleeves (where the glove disconnects attach) hit about mid forearm, just as they should.
I spent a good bit of the evening working on the lower half of the suit. Adding the batting to the legs and hips to give it the “pressurized” look I want.
I hope to find some suitable boots soon. Then I will re-join the top to the bottom and install the rest of the hardware. Then its on to the real work: The ITMG
The work up ’till now has been easy, just concerning myself with the shape of things. On the ITMG or “Integrated Thermal Meteoroid Garment” I want every snap, stitch, pocket and piece of Velcro in the correct spot. It will require a much higher attention to detail.
Well if you’ll excuse me, I have some more batting to add to the lower half. Oh, and some nylon strap and some snaps…maybe some boots…and…
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