This is my first attempt at creating any type of armour =P. The shop I have to work in is terrible and budget low, so I expect this will be tricky... I have a pattern, I have hammers, I have a anvil =P. I don't expect this to be too hard,its a fairly simple piece of armor. I'm expecting to get some sort of sheet metal and cut it with a cold chisel to basically the shape of the pattern I have. That much seems pretty straight forward. Then I will hammer it into a sort of cylinder.
Now, I'm not sure if that made any sense but I have a few questions... What gauge sheet metal should I use, and is a cold chisel the best way to go about cutting it? I suppose shears would be better but unfortunately I don't have $200 to spend right now. Anyways, I will quit babbling.
Cheers,
Nils
[This message has been edited by Loki (edited 07-01-2002).]
Attempting to craft 3/4 vambrace =P Need help
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Sasuke
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Since these won't being seeing any sort of combat I would suggest going with 18 ga. mild or 20 ga. stainless (mild is easier to work though).
You can cut 18 ga. mild with some hand shears (clamp one handle in a vise to increase your leverage if necessary). Or you can cut it with a jigsaw and some good metal cutting blades (the more teeth the better). Using the cold chisel you can clamp the metal in a large vise and drive the chisel along the top of the vise shearing the metal off. This is quick and easy for straight lines. I hope that description makes sense.
Forming the metal over a large pipe stuck in a vise and using a rawhide or rubber mallet is pretty easy. You will also probably want to flare the wrist end a bit. Or even better try rolling the end
Sasuke
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www.oaksarmoury.com
You can cut 18 ga. mild with some hand shears (clamp one handle in a vise to increase your leverage if necessary). Or you can cut it with a jigsaw and some good metal cutting blades (the more teeth the better). Using the cold chisel you can clamp the metal in a large vise and drive the chisel along the top of the vise shearing the metal off. This is quick and easy for straight lines. I hope that description makes sense.
Forming the metal over a large pipe stuck in a vise and using a rawhide or rubber mallet is pretty easy. You will also probably want to flare the wrist end a bit. Or even better try rolling the end
Sasuke
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www.oaksarmoury.com
Great, thanks =D. Just curious, how thick is 20 gauge stainless? Is it heavy? I just ordered some 20 gauge stainless, the guy at the sheet metal shop is on lunch or something =P. This is going to be great =D. I'm all excited now.
Thanks again,
Nils
[This message has been edited by Loki (edited 07-01-2002).]
Thanks again,
Nils
[This message has been edited by Loki (edited 07-01-2002).]
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Gaston de Clermont
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A cold chisel on a block of wood can work pretty well. It's slow, and requires some serious clean up, but it's cheap. You'll probably want to get a metal file to clean it up if you don't have a grinder available.
The pipe idea is great. If you need a female forming block you can try scrap 4x4s. A little work with an angle grinder or a lot of work with a file can get you a variety of shapes. You can also make a lead forming block for almost free. Tire stores can't reuse the old lead weights they use to balance the tires (at least here in California) so they'll give them to you. I melted a bunch down in a cheap tin bucket from the hardware store, and trimmed the top off with tin snips. Voila! Instant forming block.
Mild steel is easier to work, and cheaper. 16 gauge steel is about a 16th of an inch. You can think of it as a fraction with the number quoted as the gauge being the denominator (the number on the bottom). 16 guage is 1/16, 14 guage is thicker since it's 1/14 (roughly).
Good luck!
Gaston de Clermont
The pipe idea is great. If you need a female forming block you can try scrap 4x4s. A little work with an angle grinder or a lot of work with a file can get you a variety of shapes. You can also make a lead forming block for almost free. Tire stores can't reuse the old lead weights they use to balance the tires (at least here in California) so they'll give them to you. I melted a bunch down in a cheap tin bucket from the hardware store, and trimmed the top off with tin snips. Voila! Instant forming block.
Mild steel is easier to work, and cheaper. 16 gauge steel is about a 16th of an inch. You can think of it as a fraction with the number quoted as the gauge being the denominator (the number on the bottom). 16 guage is 1/16, 14 guage is thicker since it's 1/14 (roughly).
Good luck!
Gaston de Clermont
Well, the moment of truth is arriving, I just got back with a big chunk of 18 gauge and I'm going to head out to the garage to start working on it =D Thanks for all the help. In the hopefully not to distant future I'll tell you guys how it went... Maybe post a picture(unless of course it is embarassingly bad, then I will just say my scanner is broken =D)
Cheers,
Nils
Cheers,
Nils
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Sasuke
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You think the jigsaw was easier, wait until you get a chance to try a throatless shear. Even a cheap HF knockoff will seem like a dream At least that is how it was for me.
Sasuke
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www.oaksarmoury.com
At least that is how it was for me.Sasuke
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www.oaksarmoury.com