The Armour Archive

help. are there any tutorials? cause I can't get it to go. I think my biggest problem is that I SUCK at welding. but I just don't know where to start. its a coppergate. thanks.

~Casey

Don't need to make one, here is one for sale:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=77572

jcesarelli wrote:Don't need to make one, here is one for sale:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=77572

BOO HISSS

If you already have the helm, then get some 1/4" rod stock. Imagine what you want in the way of a profile. Measure, cut and bend one piece at a time. I like to start with the middle piece and build out and down. If you mess one up, toss it and do another. Bar grills are fun. You can tack weld them and mess with them lots. A small grinder like a drumel tool helps clean up the welds. I use the small cutting wheel for weld trimming.

I have a couple of 1/4 inch and 3/16 steel rods that I intend to make into a bar grill. I just am bad at welding. hehe

I have the center cut and bent and I am going to work from there.

~Casey

The key is to just slightly tack the pieces together till it's all together. Then turn up your welder a little higher then you're supposed to for the stock you're using and weld everything solid. The higher temp will produce flatter welds.

If you mess up a bargrill or have scraps (which you should) practice welding them together before you weld your good grill. 1/4 round stock is really cheap. Go to a real metal supplier not home depot or something. 8' lengths should cost you 2-3 bux each. Lots to practice on.

thanks! I got my rods at a tool supply store they are uncut drill rod 6 foot they were about 2.50 a peice. I got 2 of each. I think I have a solution however. I decided to put the grill on the outside of the helm because it will add strength and I don't trust my welds. I don't want it caving in on my face. so I am in the process of forming and riviting each peice onand will go back and re-inforce with a weld. it doesn't look half bad either. I'll post a pic when I can. What really is doing the trick is the center nose band that comes down. once thats is re-inforced I think it will be rock soild.

~Casey

It might've been deleted in the crash a month or two back, but Otto of Otto's Armory had written up a tutorial about how he makes his bargrills. It's pretty intuitive, take a look at his helms on his website or Stonekeeps to get an idea, or PM him through the Archive maybe. It was a weldless method.

Adam

"Drill rod"? At $2.50 for 6', I'm guessing it was just mild steel and not drill rod. Drill rod is usually 1095, O1 or A2 tool steels. Take an end, heat to a bright red, then quench in water. See how brittle it is now. I personally wouldn't weld drill rod for a bargrill.

Adamo wrote:It might've been deleted in the crash a month or two back, but Otto of Otto's Armory had written up a tutorial about how he makes his bargrills. It's pretty intuitive, take a look at his helms on his website or Stonekeeps to get an idea, or PM him through the Archive maybe. It was a weldless method.
Adam

Pretty much. You just have to futz around with the rod until you get something you like.

Domnall wrote:

Adamo wrote:It might've been deleted in the crash a month or two back, but Otto of Otto's Armory had written up a tutorial about how he makes his bargrills. It's pretty intuitive, take a look at his helms on his website or Stonekeeps to get an idea, or PM him through the Archive maybe. It was a weldless method.
Adam

Pretty much. You just have to futz around with the rod until you get something you like.

I just did a heat and a quench and then I clampped the bugger down and beat it with a 5lb sledge, just bent. didn't shatter like I thought it would.

~Casey

Mild steel rod stock, then, as the price indicated. Exactly what you wanted anyway, as it's far easier to weld. If you wish further confirmation, do a spark test and see what color and configuration of sparks you see.

Practice welding and stop letting yourself suck at it, sez I. Gas welding is easiest for the total newb as there's lots of control. Take a class at your local community college. It's worth seventy-five bucks to quit sucking. Anyway, in buttwelding bargrill components together, it's not like you're trying to draw a good bead; you're just making these little short welds almost like spot welds writ large. Those are easy to get right. That was what I was doing the first time I tried stick welding, and I was pretty pleased with the results.

May I ask what welder you have?

IMO The cheap wall mart 110V. flux core and gas electric welder jobbies are like a Harbor Freight shear to a Beverly. (Yes I have a Beverly B-2)
Or a “Harbor Frightâ€

Krag wrote:I personally wouldn't weld drill rod for a bargrill.

Pft, you going soft on us??? You can weld tool steel, you just have to be nice to it!

You'd certainly wind up with one dam near indestructible bargrill! It'd outlast the helmet!

Teasing aside, Krag's right, it would be a shame to waste good drill rod on a bargrill, since even if you put a spring temper on it, it would still be a gross underutilization of the steel.

I think, Destichado, that it's "quod cinis es." You want that, not four.

I think you're right, but if you are it's not my mistake. I originally cut and past that from a quotes site.

or you cut be a real man and cut it out of quarter inch plate like I did