The Armour Archive

I need to make 4 suits of roman armor for a play and I pretty much have to do it for free. So I was thinking of plastic because its light and I can get if for free. Has anyone out there ever done this?

Grendal

I've done it in 3/16" ABS for a newbie suit of armor. It works, it is atleast functional in a period way even if it isn't a period material. The standard paterns will work but unless the plastic is fairly thin you will need to tweek the horizontal bands so they are slightly conical so they fit within each other. I recomend shaping a few random pieces of metal into the various curves so you can shape the paper over them.

My question is: for a play how are you going to make the plastic look like metal? spray paint?

Sean

I was thinking about loricae recently, and I was thinking, since I don't want to wait for my steel to come to start working, why don't I make something else? So I thought, hey, why don't I use file folders, covered in aluminum foil?
I know it's not the best looking stuff on earth, but it's dirt cheap, and it could look good from far away. Just a suggestion.

Spybeak...I hate to be a total armour nitpicking freak...but on your website, you have the Anglo Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet under your section for Celtic armour. Celts and Anglo Saxons were NOT the same....just FYI . Otherwise looks great!

For an easier solution to your lorica problem, I would suggest a trip to the hardware store (Lowes or Home Depot preferably) and an investment in some aluminum flashing. It is basically thin aluminum (approx. 22-24 ga.) that will serve as decent material for a theatrical lorica . Also, while you are there, check out some of their brass hinges. They are close enough to the actual pattern used that it's worth a shot

Bare aluminum could rub off as a grey smudge, but some clear spray lacquer would fix that.
- Folding or taping up the edges would make them safer to handle.
- Instead of riveting the lames to leather straps, try some leather-look vinyl. Real cheap and easy to work with.

I may try the aluminum flashing and see how it comes out. But how would you tape the edges and it still look like armor?

as for the plastic armor..yes i would spray paint it grey or prymer grey. I have done it before and it looks decent.

grendal

I like the alluminum flashing idea, Better than taping would be to simply fold the edges 180 degrees before shaping. Obviously fold to the inside where they can't be seen. If you have access to a sheet metal brake this is a perfet tool for folding metal. If not there is a tool used by roofers who work on metal rooves and with coper flashing. It looks like a pair of vice grips with flat 6" wide jaws. These will make quick work of flatening an edge.

Good luck,
Sean

Alluminum flashing all the way... unless you intended on using the armour as loaner gear afterwards.

On a related note, I am currently making a Segmentata from 1/8 in ABS, but the only stuff I can get my hands on is either white or black. (Its for practice armour not for tourneys folks!) Anybody know of a manufacturer or distributor that makes Silver or Grey ABS?

If I had a shear I would just make the entire thing from steel anyways, same amout of man hours to complete allas I spent all my $$$ on a trailer to haul my encampment around in.

At a Larp I used to go to...

A guy made a Lorica from aluminum flashing. It looked nice until he moved with it on, the stuff was so thin it just kind of warped with the movement of his body. After 10 mins or so it looked like trash and he got rid of it.

So just a warning, if the guys in the play don't know anything about armour and try to have mock sword battles (It WILL happen) they will fark up the armour and will have to get new ones before those thin edges start cutting into their skin.

You can't stop people in armour from having mock sword battles, you just can't.

Doug

I have some plastic Lorica Segmentanta. Its fairly large, will fit about an adult XL. (I wear a small and I could wear it with alot of padding.) Let me get you a link to the site where I got it. I'll let it go for half the total price at $90. Maybe less if I get desperate enough.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2272331662&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

Plastic it is then. I will try to post some progress pics as soon as I start. What other sorces can I use to shape the plastic besides an oven and heatguns?

Grendal

I've heard that boiling water works. Just watch out for splashes when you put the plastic in.

if its abs I have had luck with a propane torch.

it takes a while if you work to fast it will burn.

some other plastics will turn ugly before being able to shape.



O btw. hears a pattern if you nead it.

http://rubens.anu.edu.au/student.projects97/armour/

http://www.legionxxiv.org/newsteadenlrg/

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/subarm.html

Thanks for the patterns. I already have several patters at my desposal but a few more are always nice.

Grendal

If you can get the black plastic barrels that are tapered top and bottom, and use some judicious cutting techniques, you can get nested lorica (think collapsable drinking cup) out of them with minimal effort, a couple of quick rivets and some old seatbelts!

(and at least one suit I know of constructed this way has fought in at least three eastern crowns)

maeryk