My first helm

[bryanrobbins]

I've been on this forum for a while now but I have not made anything worthy to put on here, however i believe this has changed so here we are.

I've based this helm on Sinric's design in the pattern archive, with my own tweaks, and of course pitfalls for I made it a wee bit too small. Though I'm in the process of making a new (larger) back for it. I should have the pictures posted in a few days. constructed from 16 g.(lower front plate) and 14 g. for the rest.
https://plus.google.com/photos/10972065 ... 7168854737

I believe that this is set as public, if not I'll fix it.

Thanks
Bryan

[Signo]

I think it's coming along nicely, you will discover soon that you don't need those cuts you made in one of the pieces.

[RandallMoffett]

Looks good. I usually start with the top to make sizing it easier but the bottom looks fine.

RPM

[bryanrobbins]

Signo- I found this out, but the back lower plate was too small so I'm making a new one, with a new upper back. ( the only original piece from that helm still on it is the faceplate)

Randal- I wish I had started from the top, it would have omitted the redesign.

Ill have the update pics up today

[RandallMoffett]

You live and learn. My first helmet was sized for around a 30" head. Next time much better. Just took it apart and rebuilt it for me a few years ago.

RPM

[bryanrobbins]

I've got the front upper and lower back plates done, gonna finish it (hopefully) tomorrow.
got breaths drilled too.
https://plus.google.com/photos/10972065 ... 7168854737

thanks
Bryan

[Oskar der Drachen]

Are you going to add a nasal?

It looks a lot better than my first helm! Keep up the good work!

[bryanrobbins]

I'll be adding a nasal with the latten ornements

[Armourkris]

That looks to be coming along nicely. I really like the shaping on the faceplate

[schreiber]

Wow, considering what you're working with that's coming out fantastic.
Even if you had a real shop it would still pass the 80% test.
(A friend explained it this way: 80% of the armor out there is just plain bad. If you can do better than that 80%, you're doing alright.)

However I suspect that if you did have a real shop, it would be way better than that. As you learn what you're doing you should take careful note of what's going to make things easier next time. I sincerely hope you're sticking with this. And to that end I hope you're open to some suggestions.

-The only time you should be bending over to the floor is when you're vacuuming under the workbenches you don't have, or brushing something into the dustpan. Get some work surfaces pronto. Making them out of dimensional lumber works well unless you're planning on doing a lot of hot work. Pay particular attention to using all of the vertical axis' worth of space. Stand up, put your arm up and out, 45 degrees up from horizontal, and sweep it down to 45 degrees under horizontal. Everything on your floor should be in the vertical space you just swept with your arm.

-My main layout/assembly table is really high. When I stand up, I can bend my arms and my elbows sit on the table. This is more comfortable than bending over a lot.

-Come up with a dirty area for grinding and polishing, and keep grinding dust out of your clean area. This might be difficult since you look like you're in a basement. I'm in a 1-car garage and I have my grinding area at the front, and I try to shoot everything outside.

Like I said, I hope you stick with it. You're tackling stuff there that the average first helm builder doesn't get into for quite a while.

[bryanrobbins]

Thank you

I am actually working in a 6 car garage with only a small area heated, ill be expanding during the summer, and (if all goes well) ill have a job soon to buy tools, I've got a 16 oz ball pein a 2lb sinking hammer a railroad anvil and a few hand blocks, I've also got a 2"ball stake and. A stump (seen in picture) ill be setting up my vice as soon as I find it ( got misplaced in move) a drill a dremal multimax (for sanding) and I'm actually taking the picture with my back against my solid wood workbench I intend to get some more tools.

I had a thread a while back asking for corrazina patterns and ill be posting pictures of it soon.

I also must reccomend going directly to discount steel (in the twin cities) and getting steel there I got 80 lbs of 14 ga. for $50

[losthelm]

Thats a lot better price then I'm getting,
I would only use 14 for helms, 16 is a lot easier for everything else.
Once you get a few $$$ look to Ebay, pawn shops, estate sales, craigslist, and auctions for additional tools.

often you can save a bit by getting quality used tools instead of low end stuff. yes harbor freight can be cheap but if you exchange the tool three times your killing your shop time and gas money.

[bryanrobbins]

I've been working on my helm again, I disassembled it and managed to sand and whatnot to get a consistent matt finish. I should be working on it again tomorrow with more pictures of it semi assembled.

I've also managed to acquire myself some brass for the cross and a angle grinder to make it smooth. (As evidenced by the pictures)

Thanks
Bryan

Edit: I compleatly forgot to add my pictures!

Sorry: https://plus.google.com/app/basic/photo ... 2037291665?

[accdntprone]

Good job. My first helm (also a great helm) ended up looking like someone cut the top of a fire hydrant, added an eye slot and painted it black.....