Alum shield trick

[Sir Omarad]

I cut out a shield for a new guy from T6 6061 @ .100".
As we all know the aluminum has a distinct sound and "ring" to it.
The new guy went out to WalMart and bought truck bedliner paint in a spray can and sprayed the back of the shield lightly with it.
It seriously deadened the "ring" and deepened and muted the general noise of the aluminum a noticeable bit.

Just a cool trick a new guy thought of.

Maybe it'll work in helmets that ring too.

[Dauyd]

I had considered trying that, but didn't try it for fear that it would be too heavy. How did the weight turn out?

[Sir Omarad]

I had considered trying that, but didn't try it for fear that it would be too heavy. How did the weight turn out?

Didn't add anything that I could tell.
He sprayed it on pretty light.
I have used the stuff before on some metal stools that were slick from 50 years of use.
I sprayed them so my ass would stay on the stools. Worked great.
It goes on very thin unless you make several passes.

[Christophe de Frisselle]

My aluminum shield is done up like my wooden one(need to strap that one...). That is faced in 4oz leather and edged with rawhide. Doesn't sound anything like wood, but definitely not aluminum sounding.
I have done the bedliner in the helm. Worked real well on the large spun dome that rang like a church bell, everyone could hear it, that I sold to a newbie.

[Donal Mac Ruiseart]

Isn't that stuff textured?

[Sir Omarad]

Isn't that stuff textured?

goes on smooth unless you back it away a bit when spraying and then it goes on textured.

[Corby de la Flamme]

who worries about anything sprayed onto an aluminum cHeater adding too much weight? If anything, they are improved by being heavier.

What I really hate about using an aluminum shield is the wobble when someone hits it. And yeah, the sound, which always reminds me of two drunks fighting among trash cans in an alley.

[Thorstenn]

For helmets and shields you can also use sound deadening material for car audio, self sticks and shapes easily with a heat gun or hair dryer. No spray necessary.

Thor.

[Dauyd]

who worries about anything sprayed onto an aluminum cHeater adding too much weight? If anything, they are improved by being heavier.

What I really hate about using an aluminum shield is the wobble when someone hits it. And yeah, the sound, which always reminds me of two drunks fighting among trash cans in an alley.

Well, when every time I've seen it it was on a truck- and about 1/4-3/8" thick- I figured it could easily weight 3-4 times as much as the shield itself. I already have several layers of gesso, a layer of glue impregnated canvas, and about 8 layers of paint, along with the shield edging, basket and stap hardware- so I don't figure I need to quadruple what it already weighs.

[Broadway]

Bolting a 1/2" wooden heater blank to the back of an aluminum shield is the best way to make it an effective shield. i make the wooden shield about 1/4"inch smaller in diameter than the aluminum heater, and it works great.

Gives it some heft, make that f'ing top corner bend impossible, and lasts forever because the wood is never hit edge on.

My last shield in this style was still going strong after 4 years of use. I just took it apart because I broke a mount on the shield basket, and wanted to use the basket on a new shield shape.

[Sir Omarad]

I use thicker T6 6061 than most people.
It only weighs about 3/4 lb more and lasts almost forever.
Corners don't bend, doesn't look like a potato chip after a while.

[Baron Alejandro]

Maybe it'll work in helmets that ring too.

I'd be little worried about sticking my head in a bucket of dried chemicals. I like to glue a strip of cork around the base of the back and around the brow. Takes all the ring out.

[Sir Omarad]

Maybe it'll work in helmets that ring too.

I'd be little worried about sticking my head in a bucket of dried chemicals. I like to glue a strip of cork around the base of the back and around the brow. Takes all the ring out.

what do you think is in that glue?

[Johann ColdIron]

Maybe it'll work in helmets that ring too.

I'd be little worried about sticking my head in a bucket of dried chemicals. I like to glue a strip of cork around the base of the back and around the brow. Takes all the ring out.

what do you think is in that glue?

You could use fish eye glue...

[Apollonian]

You could use fish eye glue...

I used to eat that stuff in scholio.

Falcone

[Johann ColdIron]

You could use fish eye glue...

I used to eat that stuff in scholio.

Falcone

That explains it!

[Tomburr]

Bolting a 1/2" wooden heater blank to the back of an aluminum shield is the best way to make it an effective shield. i make the wooden shield about 1/4"inch smaller in diameter than the aluminum heater, and it works great.

Gives it some heft, make that f'ing top corner bend impossible, and lasts forever because the wood is never hit edge on.

My last shield in this style was still going strong after 4 years of use. I just took it apart because I broke a mount on the shield basket, and wanted to use the basket on a new shield shape.

Regarding the shield corner bending issue, I only recently found that Windrose sells this:

http://tinyurl.com/6bk7bnr

It's cut from the same aluminum stock as their complete shields, so it is tough.