These are instructions on how to make a Radio Back-Pack for the Paracord Army Man. Instructions for the Paracord Army Man can be found here: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Posable-Army-ManWoman-1/.

This back-pack is fashioned so that it can be removed if desired.

The construction techniques are the same as the army man. You will need about 28" of paracord, 28" of 22 gauge wire, scissors, wire cutters, ruler and a lighter.

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Step 1: Prepare the Materials

Cut Three pieces of paracord, two 9” and one 10”. Remove the center strands. Cut three pieces of 22 gauge wire the same lengths.

Use a lighter to melt one end of each paracord outer sheathing and insert the corresponding length of wire in the center. Stretch the paracord along the wire and melt the other end of the paracord sealing the wire inside. Fold the 9” lengths in half to find the center. Fold the 10” length as show in the photo. This one will make the antenna.

Step 2: Put Paracord on Army Man

Wrap one 9” piece and the 10” piece at their centers, as found in the previous step, around the Army Man arms. The 10" piece is on the left in the photo. Thread the other 9” length through the wraps and center from left to right. Notice that the longer lead (the antenna) points down on the left in the picture.

Step 3: Start the Weave

Start the back-pack weave by folding back the horizontal center leads. Be sure that all horizontal and vertical leads are arranged as shown in the photo.

Step 4: Complete First Layer

Weave the vertical leads into the horizontal leads. Tighten all leads and form the back-pack into an even rectangular shape. Now is a good time to turn over the model and check that the arm straps aren’t too tight. If they are too tight, loosen them a little by pulling some lead back into the straps. The back-pack can be removed by bending the Army Man arms back and pulling them out of the straps. Don’t remove the back-pack at this step.

Step 5: Add Two More Layers

Repeat the weave in step 5 two more times. Keep the back-pack rectangular as each layer is tightened. There should be a total of three layers. This will bring the antenna to the top/left as shown in the picture. Remove the back-pack for finishing.

Step 6: Finish the Back-Pack

Trim all of the leads, except the antenna lead, to about 1/8” from the back-pack. Cut back the wire inside. Then use a lighter to melt and flatten the leads to the back-pack. Cut the antenna lead so it’s top is just above the head of the Army Man. Then trim the wire inside back by about 1/8” of an inch. Melt and seal the top of the antenna with the lighter.

Optionally trim the radio lead to 1/8" of the pack for just a regular back-pack.