Gear I've made myself and modified

[CamoDeafie]

Hello, heres a bunch of gear I have made or modified myself...using 60s Singer 328K machine. Anyways here they are. In pictures order...
MOLLE FLC modified to accept LBV shoulder pads.

USGI LBV previously shoddily modified with a paintball holster.. now with MOLLE webbing

Older piece here, black chest rig for 400 rds of X39 ammo; SKS 10rd clips or general purpose/first aid kit plus 2 boxes of shotgun shells plus whatever I want to put on the MOLLE/ALICE webbing.. theres a thread on this somewhere.

Micro MOLLE chest rig; first attempt w black h harness straps, then with custom back harness straps connected to camo cfp-90 patrol pack padded straps

Same Micro MOLLE chest rig w desert camo pouches and m9 holster and pistol mags mounted horizontally onto 2 MALICE short clips

Added a back notepad pocket w pen holders and pocket knife clip holder (1"webbing).. 2 pc pocket panel but it is tall and 6" wide. Scraps used here. On Micro chest rig

2 pouches for 12ga shotgun ammo I made before I found the British Desert Osprey vest medic pouch which is the exact same size I needed... I think one could find them in woodland DPM but seems this pattern is everywhere now.

Alternate Micro chest rig set up with a 200rd SAW pouch and on me with view to back showing how the back strap runs.. basically a wider version of the SOE/ATS micro chest rig straps but with padding and lower buckles reversed.

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[mjbskwim]

Nice work. I have 2 sewing machines that I need to learn to run.Don't know what I'll make but I gots them

 

[CamoDeafie]

Nice work. I have 2 sewing machines that I need to learn to run.Don't know what I'll make but I gots them

The best type to run would be Industrial sewing machines, like a Juki or similar, barring that, a Singer 15-91 with either foot treadle or hand crank, or a cobbler's machine, or any old cast iron/all-metal sewing machine from the 40s-60s, before the plastic ones... for sewing webbing and layers of 1000D Cordura...Although lately the trend for tactical gear has been to go with 500D Cordura or lighter materials overall, but for durability, 500-1000D is good, with the 500D stuff, you might want to double up the fabric in high wear spots or sew reinforcement patches... I do also have a Singer 99K I think, motor is kaput so I am still on the look out for a decent hand crank system OR a treadle cabinet for that particular machine, so that I can do some light leather work (knife sheaths and the sort, as well as belt repairs and heavier duty webbing for gear)

 

[CamoDeafie]

Done with this beast of a waist pack!! Thrift shop had the fabric, most of 2 yards with just a 14x17 piece missing in one corner in 1000D Poly/Nylon Mossy Oak Bottomland camo for only $6.99, so I acquired the fabric, then went and got the webbing and hardware needed to make it...

Specs;
16 long, 10 high, 6 deep for a 960 cubic inch main pack volume

7x3 MOLLE webbing panels on padded belt wings

38" total belt pad length

16x6 shoulder pads

4-6 compression straps

2 bedroll/pad straps

weight? I have no idea.... maybe a pound and a half to two pounds?

This is an ideal to me bird hunting rig... Could use for camping, but really, I have plenty of bags for just camping


Pattern cut out for the waistpack design.


Enormous shoulder pads; the better for use with rifles or shotgun buttstocks for hunting


Large hunting waistpack all done; it is easily the largest of the waist/butt packs I own. From L-R below the newly made waistpack, DCU MOLLE add-on pouch/Get-home bag/overnight bag, DCU USGI MOLLE Waist Pack, Olive green copy of USGI butt pack


Detail of the side compression straps for the pack


Top straps for compression or pad/bedroll


Zipper detail; only the second time in my entire life that I have attached a zipper to something... Might have to redo the lid corners though.


Loaded up for pictures; pad on top, two Coyote Brown pouches per side on the MOLLE belt panels. I honestly think Ranger Green MOLLE pouches would blend better with it..shown on top of the old Mossy Oak Shadow Leaf camo poncho I made a long long time ago..

 

[CamoDeafie]

Modified a couple of $20 Costco Down throws to become a hammock underquilt;

Inside side showing; I simply folded the silver/gray quilt's sides to meet each other in the middle, then using hand sewing techniques, connected the fold edges to the blue outer quilt's folded edges, to make for a 3 layer UQ with two quilts; and then I used my sewing machine to close up the ends and attach two cinch channels.

The outer side of the Underquilt. Dimensions are approx 38" wide and 68" loong, made from two 60"x 70" Costco Down Throws. It weighs just over 2 pounds, and kept me warm down to mid 30s with base layers and good top quilt (The North Face down bag)



In a 8x14 stuff sack.


Test hang set up on the hammock


Cinch end close up


Attachment toggles.


Another view of set up

Another shot of the waist pack. I decided to change pouches for the Woodland camo pouches I have; and I have to say..it is much better looking! the large pouch with the black vertical webbing holds the hammock UQ in it, while the SAW ammo pouch holds my hammock and suspension. Main pocket holds whatever I want to put in it. (can be top quilt, clothes, or whatever)

 

[CamoDeafie]

I also modified the two hammock tarps I made for better coverage of hammock. Might modify the two tone tarp further by removing the useless small flaps on ends and sewing up much larger end flaps to become A-Frame doors.
Before pics;

Long shaped tarp


Batwing camo tarp

And then the after pics, using 5 yards of Olive Green silnylon fabric, I made 4 triangles to attach to the two tarps, the camo tarp got the smaller triangles from the ends of the fabric strip, and the larger triangles were from the center parallelogram section, by cutting a diagonal to make two huge triangles.

The khaki/green two tone tarp, the green triangles are 102" wide and 54" tall, ridge line is still 12 feet (144"); but I might cut the small flaps off and order more silnylon fabric and make a set of much bigger door flaps for this one.

Sidewise view


In a small stuff sack I made with two 3/4" straps and buckles. It also can be stuffed into an ALICE AR15 triple magazine pouch with the dividers cut off.


The camo/Olive tarp, the side triangles are 67" wide and 33.5" tall


Much better coverage underneath!


View of inside with hammock set up for a test night

THe camo tarp has a ridge line of only 108", but with the beak/door flaps, it is well covered, and much better covered with the olive side triangles compared to the old small triangles which were 54" long and 17" tall.

 

[mjbskwim]

Can't remember seeing them,did you make yourself some Gators for the snow?
Or just for hiking?

 

[CamoDeafie]

Can't remember seeing them,did you make yourself some Gators for the snow?
Or just for hiking?

never made em; tho I could make em with the triangles I cut off the two tarps....

 

[CamoDeafie]

Latest mods to the micro chest rig and set it up for my hi point 995. Right now I still only have 1 HP 995 magazine but will try to acquire more. 4x m9 pouches, 1x grenade pouch and 1x idf small pouch. New harness feels much better and I can now run the Spec Ops HUMP hydration carrier on it. Grenade pouch has aspirin, ointment, smelling salts in orange canister, allergy med in white canister, betadine bottle, roll of tape, and a small bandage wrap. The IDF small pouch has the flat bandages, eye patch, bandaids of various size, tincture of green soap, alcohol swabs, moist towelettes and single use antibiotic ointments. The M9 pouches currently hold 1x 995 mag and 3x p85 mags (placeholder until I get 8x 995 mags.. not willing to pay more than 18.50 each)

 

[CamoDeafie]

My modified FLC now all setup for AR15 wheb I acquire one. (Took off grenade pouch and IDF small pouch after the pic to put on micro chest rig)

 

[gemihur]

You are indeed innovative with your seamster's skillset!
My friend lent his hand in welding for this stainless forearms construction

 

[CamoDeafie]

Modified the 2nd gen FLC again into a proper belt kit/PLCE style setup. Although instead of a pair of 2x3 PLCE style mag pouches; I used 4x double AR15 MOLLE pouches all on the Left side and a Medic pocket and 200rd SAW/gp/dump pouch. I can wear the 995 chest rig over this rig if I wanted to.. but I think as is, it is more than enough gear and is quite comfy.. I can get to all the pouches with it on, and I can go prone and not have something jab me on my gear, leaving the ground to be responsible for jabbing lol. I simply cut off the mesh MOLLE vest panels and rigged up a pair of vert harness straps without sewing.. also added an upper connection strap that connects the top of the two taller panels. Since I also have a MOLLE Medic LBV and a MOLLE I FLC and now a TT one piece MAV; I believe I have enough woodland MOLLE gear to last me a lifetime

 

[CamoDeafie]

Made a small tac harness for the family Dog and test walked him with it on. First set up had triple mag pouches carrying empty water bottles.. he didnt like how the green mag pouches felt.. so much better with them off.. so moved the tan pouches 1 slot forward and put water at bottom. Much more comfy this way and for 3 season hiking or camping he can carry his own water bottles, treats/food, and poop bags. Will throw in a collapsible camp cup for his water bowl and maybe another for food. The MOLLE panels came off the modded FLC in the above post.

 

[oli700]

been trying to get my wife to make me a shooting mat

 

[CamoDeafie]

been trying to get my wife to make me a shooting mat

Call me cheap but I find the approx $5 USGI olive closed cell foam pads to be just awesome for prone shooting. .. sometimes paired with a rucksack or something like that to cradle the foreend of whatever rifle I use.

 

[oli700]

I just kinda want her to sew one of those pads in some nylon with a strap across it so I can preload the bipod, but I guess just the pad is better than the dirt because she isn't in a hurry lol

 

[CamoDeafie]

I just kinda want her to sew one of those pads in some nylon with a strap across it so I can preload the bipod, but I guess just the pad is better than the dirt because she isn't in a hurry lol

I think I might be able to do that. Which nylon material and color? what size strap across? any specifics like MOLLE webbing somewhere for a rest or something? Your inbox is full though, or I'd have PM'd you. I mean, I do have the USGI pad here.... and the sewing machine and thread.... you're giving me ideas lol

 

[oli700]

I have used this pad in the past, I wanted her to go off this. Didnt want anything other than a nice tight strap to preload the bipod on

she said she might not be able to beat the Midway price and it wont be as nice so I just kinda left it there because yeah its a nice mat and it doesn't cost that much , but i have no idea of price of like materials .

funny thing is last night she brought home a surger or something that's actually capable of doing the job , says her other one isnt up to the job....I got her a good one a couple years ago but again I dont know what it takes to sew the material

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/276544/midwayusa-pro-series-competition-shooting-mat

 

[CamoDeafie]

I've heard of a trick to utilizing the USGI pad straps...one is to tie a secure knot on two of the straps going across, making a tight strap...the other is rather simple...tie a rod to it using the pad straps. Could use a tent pole section for this, or a hiking stick.
EDIT: a serger could work fine for denim-canvas material, but so would a 1910s-early 1960s all-metal sewing machine. I use an early 60s Singer 328K and its got all steel gearing and shafts....works just fine for up to 6 layers of 1000D Cordura, unlike my old 5285C Singer home machine which utilized nylon/plastic gears and such, and got messed up on just 3 layers of 1000D Cordura.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Acquired 4 of those rather ugly but functional Redball 20rd 995 magazines for my 995 Carbine.. and set about making a simple bandolier for them. 420D Nylon Packcloth, 4x D rings (4 corners), velcro on webbing straps for retention a la knife handle retention due to the knobby ends and centers. Messed up mag orientation (supposed to be facing the other way, opposite of current angle) so its pretty much easiest to draw mags w the right hand not left... oh well can still use left hand but some extra steps are needed.. eh. For a prototype it aint bad. Mags are staying put even if upside down because of the webbing retention straps. Could add a pocket/MOLLE back panel for MOLLE usage.. but really.. just 4 Grimloc d rings onto a Plate Carrier would work lol.