Saturday 3 September 2011

Doing a bit of leg work

With the arrival of my wonderful booster covers from Guy Vardaman, it was time to build up the outer legs a bit more,  I've had my aluminium leg struts, made by Corellian Exports, for the best part of a year.  When I fitted the booster covers to the legs, I could see immediately that the leg struts were too long.


So I went to see Fred.  The only man I know who has a lathe at home and a lifetime collection of nuts, bolts, washers etc.  I went through his springs and found two springs that would fit inside the let strut.  We shortened the struts on the lathe and drilled and tapped the bottom to insert an M4 machine screw.  This is a picture of the broken down leg strut...


I can now build up the leg by bolting the bottom of the leg strut onto the ankle bracelet.


Then place the spring in and fit the top part of the leg strut and the booster cover together.  When fitted, the spring pushes the top of the leg strut firmly up against the booster cover.  This makes the booster cover sit high creating a gap at the bottom where it meets the ankle bracelet.


I then push the booster firmly down, loading up the spring and tighten the mounting screws from the rear thanks to Jerry's leg design, there are small access hole for this very purpose.


So the only thing that keeps the leg strut in place is one screw at the bottom and pressure of the spring against the booster cover.  This has the added bonus of keeping the ankle bracelet solid against the ankle.  Once this is on it really gives the leg a more complete look.






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