Custom Sized Hand Made chest Protector (Photo Gallery)

[PFISTO]

Man this is wierd.... I have been very bust the last couple months and have been away from all my umpire forumns. So what do I see that CECE has passed away and now I see what you have done as I own a CECE vest.
Any way you have made one sweet vest, will you be makeing the shin pads as well???

[Pensaump]

Originally Posted by PFISTO

Man this is wierd.... I have been very bust the last couple months and have been away from all my umpire forumns. So what do I see that CECE has passed away and now I see what you have done as I own a CECE vest.
Any way you have made one sweet vest, will you be makeing the shin pads as well???

Well I own a pair of CeCe shin guards myself that are in pretty good shape. So I really don't personally need any shin guards myself.

However, the materials and sewing are basically the same. I suppose I could make some shin guards. I need to source some plastic caps and some more of the raw plastic materials like CeCe used.

CeCe was a great person to many. I didn't know him as well as some of the other guys, but he will surely be missed.

[Welpe]

I admire your craftsmanship! It appears you've done a great job.

If you don't mind sharing, what did you use for the hard plastic shell?

[Pensaump]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I admire your craftsmanship! It appears you've done a great job.

If you don't mind sharing, what did you use for the hard plastic shell?

Polycarbonate Acrylic. When I compared several physical properties charts of various types of plastics, it was pretty strong. CeCe told me he used polyethylene plastic.

I hand cut all the plastic pieces myself and then used a plunge router to cut the eye hole slits.

[johnnyg08]

nice...please post when you take a few shots off of it this coming spring/summer

[Pensaump]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

nice...please post when you take a few shots off of it this coming spring/summer

I'm actually working on that test sooner than later. Pretty much my biggest umpire mentor has volunteered to be the crash dummy and step it up in front of a pitching machine.

I will surely make a video of this experiment.

[BretMan]

As an umpire, an engineer, an equipment junkie and someone who does some fabrication work with baseball gloves (see link: The Glove Shop), I find your project fascinating.

I've always wondered about the padding in a chest protector. What about that "memory foam" stuff- do you think that would work? I remember when this product first came out, there was a demonstration on TV where a guy laid a sheet over his hand and invited someone to whack his hand with a hammer, with no ill-effect.