The Armour Archive

Hello Members,

This is what happens when you mix up the two chemicals and pour it into a plaster casting of your clients head.

I masking taped the mold, as the plaster casting was quite rough.
Car paste wax was used as the mold release.

Hal

(Edited to add Roman Ridge Helm to title)

thats cool, how did you make the negative mold?

I didn't, the client made it with plaster hobby cloth wraps and mailed it to me.

I will apply 1/2" foam to it, then build the helm around that.
First items will be the bands.

Would you like to see pics of the process?

Hal

Yes Please

Yes Please

Indeed. Please.

That is such a cool idea.

Add 1/2" padding to the head, form the band to fit.

The raised ridge was formed over custom tools and hammers.
I have not found a bead roller that will do 14ga. yet.

Oops it's upside down...

Hal

After spending all day, this is it so far.

Tape up and pattern the helm.
Cut out metal pieces and shape.
Hammer everything to fit.

Hal

If I had a big multi-million dollar company designing and fabricating anything at all, my HR people would be given the formidible task of recruiting Halberds. The man is a brilliant problem solver and process engineer. He never stops thinking up new ways to make stuff better, faster, easier, and cooler.

This latest trick is no exception. By comparison it should be fairly inexpensive and easy enough to do.

While the cast is rough, it is sufficiently detailed fr the task of getting a really awesome fit on a helmet.

Awesome.

This is what I wanted to do for Patrick Thaden for my Burg he is making.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a process that would semi-easily make a mold of my head.

A lot of the credit goes to Dod..Hal's wonderful and sweet wife. She is the one that knew about the cloth strips at the hobby store..anyone that is going to have a custom helmet made for them should go this route. It only takes about a hour to do it.
Dale

Hospitaller@Acre wrote:A lot of the credit goes to Dod..Hal's wonderful and sweet wife. She is the one that knew about the cloth strips at the hobby store..anyone that is going to have a custom helmet made for them should go this route. It only takes about a hour to do it.
Dale

dude, PLEASE give us details.

I did ..but was tired and could not spell head mold...LOL..here it is
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=88651

I cut out the panels and dished them in the doughnut with the 2 pound dishing hammer.
Clamped them in place to get a look see as what needs to be done next.

3 days work so far.

Hal

InsaneIrish wrote:This is what I wanted to do for Patrick Thaden for my Burg he is making.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a process that would semi-easily make a mold of my head.

Quit being a whiny little girl and mail Pat your head.

You over think everything waaaaay too much, this could have been resolved months ago.

That picture made me think of the bugs in starship troopers somehow...

Nice work, as always!
Love the pics, keep us updated

Nice work Hal, as always
I love the raised ridge

Shal,

The raised ridge was made on a tool just like this.


I first rolled and dished the band then hammered on each side with the raising hammer over the bar on the pipe.
The ridge just popped right up.
To clean it up, I used a small polished ball peen hammer.
Just a bunch of little taps did the trick.

I sort of like the hammered look.
I will ask my client if he wants it sanded out smooth.

Hal.

PS: The tool is really quite easy to make.
Cut off a piece of pipe.
Wrap around a 1/4" rod.
Weld everything up.
Sand it all down.

I sold a tool like this on the classifieds a short time back.
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=81193
We should ask Trevor how it worked out for him.

Hal,

Next you need to band-saw 45 degree cuts into the 1/4" round stock and file them to make a roping stake for late period morions.

Looks nice!

Sean

Hi Hal,
thanks for the pic and tips

p.s: I'm going to finish my spangen soon

Shal

Yes, we would like to see your spangen Shal.
As you may know... we like pics.

This is the latest progress on the British Romano helm.
I had to remake the crest band as the first one was too short.

Looks like I will be using rivets instead of welding the insides.
I had to weld the panels to the brim to be able to proceed.
This helm is much more difficult to build than the inside panels type helm.

I made some temporary inside bands to clamp the top of the panels.
The welder was used to spot them in place.
The Dremel tool was used to remove them.

So this is what I have to offer so far:

Hal

BTW... This is how I started the front to back band crease..
This sure saved me a lot of muss and fuss.

The flute was cleaned up over a RR spike.
I used a small polished face hammer.

Hal

Ya know Hal,.

With all these rigs and jigs, it frightens me to think about how you open up a tin can or a soda top.

I fear your can opener.

Halberds wrote:BTW... This is how I started the front to back band crease..
This sure saved me a lot of muss and fuss.

The flute was cleaned up over a RR spike.
I used a small polished face hammer.

Hal

Oh that's brilliant. I have to wonder though, how much space do you have in your shop? It seems like there are all kinds of specialized contraptions that must have to be stored somewhere.

Mac Thamhais wrote:

Halberds wrote:BTW... This is how I started the front to back band crease..
This sure saved me a lot of muss and fuss.

The flute was cleaned up over a RR spike.
I used a small polished face hammer.

Hal

Oh that's brilliant. I have to wonder though, how much space do you have in your shop? It seems like there are all kinds of specialized contraptions that must have to be stored somewhere.

Dont use the door knocker!!!!!

Funny you would mention the knocker.
It's remote sensitive.

This is how I worked around putting the panels in first.
Usually I build the frame first.

Hal

Progress so far.

Hal

Looking good Hal !

Thanks Drew,

I need to place the cheek pieces inside the head band.
Plasma cut the ear holes.
Make the 4 rectangular side seam pieces.
Fab up the bar grill.
Build a nasal.
Come up with some sort of workable edge trim.
Rivet the rest of it together.
Attach 6 internal strap D-rings.
Attach a top ring for the plume.
Finish it up and ship to client before Christmas.

This is a pic of my first Roman Ridge, I made this back in 2002 when I was a newbie...
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... _ridge.jpg
It went to Tennessee and I have not seen it since.
Hal

PS: Dale if your reading this please put your gorget on and measure.
Circumference______________
Front to back______________
Side to side________________
Or a wire tracing on a 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of paper and fax 1:1.

I need this to get the sides adjusted nice and snug.

Hal, if that's what you call newbie work, then there are still some "expert" armorers in the SCA with a lot to learn.

Of course, that kinda goes without saying, don't it?

Oh... we all can use improvement in our crafts. Yes?

I'd been armouring a year when I made that blue and bronze ridge helm.
Adam Berry of White Mountain Armoury talked me thru it via this forum.

Hal

Progress 8 so far so good if the creeks don't rise:


Hal

Progress 11 pic:

I am working on a standard SCA grill... 1/4" steel rods welded to the helm.

Shown on the right is the Roman style beavertail, yet to be attached.

Many leagues to go Sire.

Hal

Hal, If i remember correctly, you had the blue and bronze helm up on the Arador Armor library didnt you?

Even still i know that in my wee days of armoring and only knowing Arador, you were inspiring and supportive of others (myself included). I still really respect you for that and how through the years youve maintained that attitude and developed even more as an armourer.

Hats off to you sir, and this looks like another great project in the making. Should be another very happy and lucky customer.

With Deepest Respect,