Four Panel Rus Style Helm - Aaannnd were done!

[Halberds]

Thanks for the progress pics.
I think it came out great.

Hal

[Heath B fraychef]

what kind of rivets are you planning on using?
and are you planning any other type od decoration?

[CiaranBlackrune]

The bolts (which will be rivets) on the top are just there to look nice. I am undecided about putting a top cap on the helm since it will be used for practice only. There will be another fancier, schmancier one for tournies that will have a top cap and other decorations.

Because you can tweak the pattern and you will make most of your mistakes on this one instead of the pretty one?

Bjorn

Exactly.

I ran into some trouble setting the topmost rivets. They are in there pretty deep and I had trouble hitting them and ended up hitting the panel and had dimples on the outside. D'oh! But as I got further out they got easier to set as I had more room to swing the hammer.

Polishing takes a long time. But the results are worth it, IMO. I didn't even get down and go all mirror.





Howdy from sunny Caid!





Next up is drilling the bottom holes in the brow band, then sanding and polishing the cheek plates and back slats.

It's coming together pretty good so far, and I am learning a ton, and having fun.

[Varukh]

Beautiful helmet so far man. WOW!

[Sir Wilhelm]

It's gorgeous Ciaran.

[Count Johnathan]

That's coming along very well. Looks great! Can't wait to see it finished.

[Ideval]

Excellent progress!

[CiaranBlackrune]

Now that I am done working for the week and have some free time I have finalized the cheekpieces and the back slats. Well, the back slats can use a touch of tweaking but they are pretty much done.







Back to the buffing wheel...

[Benedek]

So hawt.......lovely helmet.

[barcuk]

Its looking great Ciaran. Good work.

[Varukh]

God that is a beautiful helm!

[Effingham]

Very prettay! VERY prettay!

[Halberds]

Thanks for the pics, great work.

Personally... I diden't think it needed welding.
Sure makes for more work.

Hal

[CiaranBlackrune]

Thanks for the pics, great work.

Personally... I diden't think it needed welding.
Sure makes for more work.

Hal

I welded it as a solution to mis-informed or nervous marshals. The helm is solid with just the rivets.

[Donngal]

looking good.

Donngal

[Malcolm ap Gwilim]

Looking great Ciaran! Can't wait to see it at next practice.

[Donngal]

Usually when I have to do the rivets way up top I turn the rivet around and peen it on the outside of the helm, that way I know for sure I dont mess up the piece and that its totally secure.

D

[CiaranBlackrune]

Major construction is now complete. Woot!

Next up is to clean up the welds on the grill, then paint the grill black. Left to do: More buffing. Make and attach the brass nasal/eyebrows. Pad and chinstrap.

I suck at grillwork so I am really pleased with how this one came out. Some of the welds are a bit ugly as my welder decided to be finicky on day 1 of grill week. I realized that I made a stupid noob mistake and plugged the 110 welder that barely has enough power into a 50 ft long extension cord. D'oh! Removing the extension cord fixed it and the welds came out better on day 2. Unfortunately this means I have some clean up work to do with the Dremel.





Here she is with the paper pattern for the nasal/eyebrows. It will be etched with fancy schmancy designs.

[barcuk]

Looks great Ciaran!

[Heath B fraychef]

what material will the nasal be?

[CiaranBlackrune]

what material will the nasal be?

Nasal will be brass with designs etched into it.

[Heath B fraychef]

awesome. looks great.

[Count Johnathan]

Fantastic man. Great work and nice lines on the grill. The dremel is cool but hand files are really the way to go once you remove the bulk of the excess weld material. It really doesn't take much longer to use the hand files and you will be happier with the final product.

Looking good man really top notch!

[Sir Wilhelm]

I am fairly certain he is making that for a surprise birthday present for me.

[Blaine de Navarre]

what material will the nasal be?

Nasal will be brass with designs etched into it.

You got someone doing it for you, or are you gonna do it yerself? I got some jewelry techniques I could come up 'n' larn ya.

[Donngal]

looks great.

Ill be at GWW in Aten Royal. Look me up.


Donngal

[CiaranBlackrune]

what material will the nasal be?

Nasal will be brass with designs etched into it.

You got someone doing it for you, or are you gonna do it yerself? I got some jewelry techniques I could come up 'n' larn ya.

I needs ya ta larn me some of them thar tek-neeks for ma next project. I need to be able to set cabochon gemstones in some brass.

Ahhh... today is my first day off of four in a row. Hopefully I will have the helm done in time for practice on Saturday. (Fingers crossed!)

[CiaranBlackrune]

Brass.... I found out that etching brass with a sharpie marker resist and Radio Shack PCB etchant is easy peasy lemon squeezy! However, drawing the designs on the brass still requires artistic abilities. So I made some templates, traced them and then filled them in as best I could. I left the piece in the etchant for about 3 hours, agitating it every so often. I should have taken it out after an hour. While I did get a deep etch, it also ate through the resist in places and pitted the brass.


After coming out of the etchant, after being rinsed off.


Cleaned with alcohol...


Buffed...


I also found out that making nice clean lines, especially curved lines, is not easy. Punching little dots was easy if a little tedious.
Close up...


Another close up. You can see how rough my lines are. I used a small chisel I made out of a graver I had.


Done and ready to be mounted...

[Benedek]

Now that's just sexy.

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

I dunno man... I think its too shiney. You should send it to me so I can work off some of that shine....

[aidanhroarsson]

I also found out that making nice clean lines, especially curved lines, is not easy. Punching little dots was easy if a little tedious.
Close up...


Another close up. You can see how rough my lines are. I used a small chisel I made out of a graver I had.


Done and ready to be mounted...

how did you get the "pitted" effect after your etching...?

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

I also found out that making nice clean lines, especially curved lines, is not easy. Punching little dots was easy if a little tedious.
Close up...


Another close up. You can see how rough my lines are. I used a small chisel I made out of a graver I had.


Done and ready to be mounted...

how did you get the "pitted" effect after your etching...?

My guess is with a centerpunch....

[Heath B fraychef]

i know you said done and ready to mount but this little tiny knob would drive me insane.
right there under the tip of the unicorns horn that tiny little point sticking up.
yeah thats it. that little bugger would make me crazy every time i put the helmet on. or looked at it.
or thought about it.
other than that its pretty freaking awesome.
excellent job. and ive loved the progress pics.

[PatternWeld]

That helmet is begging for a top cap and a ring to mount the horsetail!

On the advice side.... when you have to redrill a hole that close, fill the old hole and grind over. Many will just throw a washer on before peening the rivet.

If you want to "Antique" the helm....

Get a clearish/opauque plastic box with a reasonably tight lid.
Degrease/clean the unassembled pieces with acetone and shoot a few layers of clearcoat on the inside.
Get a window sprayer and fill it with heavy mixed bleach water and add 3 tbsp regular salt. Swish it up to dissolve the salt.
Lay the pieces out on the bottom of the plastic box and sit it out in the sun... let the pieces get warm.
Spray the bleach mixture in a mist over the warm pieces, get em just wet enough to barely bead.
Roll up a rag and soak it in the mixture, lay it in the box, not touching the pieces.
Seal down the lid, leave it in the sun and let it sweat. Every so often re-mist.

This will cause aggressive, pitted and uneven rusting. Let it bloom but not so much that it signifigantly weakens the metal.

When it "patinas" enough take it out and wire brush all the rust off.
Strip it with acetone again and either Salt blue or heat the pieces in an oven to 400 degrees and use the cold blueing solution.
You can use the browning if you prefer as well.
Rinse the pieces and oil them FAST.
Rub with oil and steel wool.

Assemble with care and admire the piece that looks like it stepped out of history.

[MuchPainNeeded2]

That helmet is begging for a top cap and a ring to mount the horsetail!

On the advice side.... when you have to redrill a hole that close, fill the old hole and grind over. Many will just throw a washer on before peening the rivet.

If you want to "Antique" the helm....

Get a clearish/opauque plastic box with a reasonably tight lid.
Degrease/clean the unassembled pieces with acetone and shoot a few layers of clearcoat on the inside.
Get a window sprayer and fill it with heavy mixed bleach water and add 3 tbsp regular salt. Swish it up to dissolve the salt.
Lay the pieces out on the bottom of the plastic box and sit it out in the sun... let the pieces get warm.
Spray the bleach mixture in a mist over the warm pieces, get em just wet enough to barely bead.
Roll up a rag and soak it in the mixture, lay it in the box, not touching the pieces.
Seal down the lid, leave it in the sun and let it sweat. Every so often re-mist.

This will cause aggressive, pitted and uneven rusting. Let it bloom but not so much that it signifigantly weakens the metal.

When it "patinas" enough take it out and wire brush all the rust off.
Strip it with acetone again and either Salt blue or heat the pieces in an oven to 400 degrees and use the cold blueing solution.
You can use the browning if you prefer as well.
Rinse the pieces and oil them FAST.
Rub with oil and steel wool.

Assemble with care and admire the piece that looks like it stepped out of history.

Hey PatternWeld, I would LOVE to see a couple good pictures of helms that you've done this too. I'd like to see just what sort of effect you get and such. Please