The Armour Archive

Jim McCoin

1100 series alu. is refered to as dead soft it's almost pure aluminum, I don't think it would be good for armor. If it's sheetmetal it's generaly ment to be sheared and bent. If you use it for armor you will have to aneal it to get it soft enough to move around. You can have it analized, but thats v...

Jim McCoin

So when I leave Silicon Valley the rules of metallurgy change and 308, 312 and 316L stainless steel won't corrode when toasted/overheated even in the chemicaly rich environment I work in?

Jim

Jim McCoin

Can I heat stainless to an orange heat to raise with it? I have no idea what kind of stainless I have, I've long ago lost the order form. I basically just walked into the warehouse, told them I wanted 18g stainless, and they gave it to me. The 16g I have is stainless as well, but was found in my gr...

Jim McCoin

I'm a total newbie amature, but I will build you one just like that for a whole lot less :^)

Jim

Jim McCoin

Ok,

About ninety five percent of pot metal can not be welded, the rest can, if the weld supply store has the rod. The problem is you can't tell till you try.

Jim, long time welder.

Jim McCoin

I see that they haven't answered my question yet "where was it made" I don't expect they will.

Jim

Jim McCoin

PM sent

Jim

Jim McCoin

I'm a long time welder/fabricator and don't think you can do a ninety degree bend in a piece of brass square stock, you may have to cut it and braze it to get the angle. Are you using the brass against the nut or are you brazing a piece of steel on the end to hold the nut? I ask because, I'm just fi...

Jim McCoin

Is there a medieval reproduction crossbow guru on this forum? I have a few questions about a future project.

Thanks

Jim

Jim McCoin

Duh, how in hell did I miss that.

Thanks!

Jim

Jim McCoin

After a lot of wasted time on the internet, I have struck out locating 5/16" or 3/8" wooden crossbow bolts. I can make my own, but as a consumable I would just as soon buy them.

Any one with ideas for a source?

Thanks.

Jim.

Jim McCoin

Do you need someone to sweep up around the shop, and maybe file edges?

Jim

Jim McCoin

Welcome to the club, Im only out $25 for some bolts. I went the paypal route and nothing happened. You have done the right thing by outting this flake, thank you.

Jim

Jim McCoin

Blackoak,

PM sent

Jim McCoin

Jim McCoin

Silly me, I guess I didn't get that far :^)

Jim

Jim McCoin

I don't get it, there are hundreds of things that cant be shipped to the PRC, but why would this be one of them?

Jim

Jim McCoin

I guess that's the one I mean, it makes sense now. Mystery solved.

Thank you.

Jim

Jim McCoin

I didn't know where else to ask this question. I finally got a chance to watch HBO's Rome, most of it was pretty clear. The thing I didn't understand was the wall with the sockets, there was either gold or brass trim in some areas and latin writing. Someone would move things around from one socket t...

Jim McCoin

I like your helmet, I believe helmets were painted, how did you come up with that color scheme?

I built a helmet like that last year and have thought about painting it. But Im not sure of what colors.

Jim

Jim McCoin

Skutai wrote:That is one fancy crotch.

I remember Henry's armor at the tower myself, I think his codpiece was about the size of a grapefruit, hard not to miss.

Jim McCoin

PM sent.

Jim

Jim McCoin

You gas welded stainless?

Jim

Jim McCoin

Very stylish, how about a pic of the rear. Is the outside ring a roll or a piece of tubing, we have to know.

Jim

Jim McCoin

Hammerhand, you see, the forum would'nt let you quit.

Jim

Jim McCoin

One of the things Ive learned over the years is that it is easier to start a new project than complete an old one. How many plastic models are sitting un completed or people with two half built cars in the garage. Its a common failing in human beings. Im more than guilty of it myself. Some times you...

Jim McCoin

If the valve is out of the bottle there is absolutly no probem, but why just use the bottom. The tops of gas bottles have a very nice taperd radius that has to be useful also.

Jim

Jim McCoin

This is from a long time welder/fabricator, I have welded many pounds of magnesium rims, suspension parts, mostly for vintage race cars. To get magnesium to catch fire you must achieve the right fuel /air ratio, I remember being told of a polisher who specialized in magnesium rims, he wound up with ...

Jim McCoin

I sent you another Pm, if you dont get it send me an email and I will send you a more detailed response.

Jim

Jim McCoin

Waveicle, I sent you a PM

Jim

Jim McCoin

Are you trying to duplicate a medieval crossbow? most of them had a very short draw, 4 or 5". what is the weight of the pull now?

Jim

Jim McCoin

What is .50 gauge aluminum?

Jim

Jim McCoin

I practiced Kendo for a couple years, that's why my plans for the SCA is to fight as an archer, thus the kettle helm. Even in armor it hurt to get hit!

Jim

Jim McCoin

Dragonjohn, Im in that same dilema myself, I built my first and second helmets last year and I still want to paint them. When I finally work out a two color scheme, I'm thinking semi gloss with a acid brush to apply the paint, I don't want it to look sprayed on. I am working on a third helmet, also ...

Jim McCoin

I recently watched Terry Jones's Crusades, nothing about the gear was new. I was more interested in the political and religious view, until I realised some of the Crusaders actuly walked thousands of miles in little more than bedroom slippers. What do we know about peoples feet holding up to the rou...

Jim McCoin

I love kettle helms, I think your's is great, I'm far from being an expert but I think 10 to 12 Lbs is average.

Decades before kevlar, we wore steel helmets, you just got used to it.

Jim

Re: kinda newbie question on stainless

crossbow?

crossbow bolt?

Roman wall

Shoes ?