The Armour Archive

Oaken Rose wrote:Piening rivets is how I started out. (Not making armour, just maintaining it.) Then came simple gorgets, spaulders, and vambraces. Now I'm up to working on my first great helm.

Oaken, whereabouts are you?

Pitbull,

Thank you so much for being so generous with your tips. It is really nice to see someone who, without provocation, is willing to take the time to share with the community things that he has learned to make our craft a little easier. I had been working on a spangen helm until I had to move my shop and I was having a hell of a time getting everything to line up because every time I went to drill a rivet hole in one of the panels the panel would move and the hole would be off. With your most recent tip I will no longer have that problem and I have a greater chance of producing something worth showing on the archive. So again, I would like to say: Thank you very much.

Arcane Barrette

Howdy Arcane, No problem at all im glad you can use some of the info. I figure ive learned so much already from this forum its the least I can do to contribute. Emails like yours and others let me know that its the right thing to do. Thank you for your input.

Take care

Pitbull

Tip number 4. . . palm hits forehead. . . so simple. I have been using the clumsy lumber method. Thanks Pitbull.

If I were to mount a bo9lt similar to that I would do it in the back left corner. In the front right it would be more likely to hit the crank when lowering the head. Also, if you arn't going to clamp the steel down (always recomended but not always possible for strange armor shapes) It's good to have a back-stop to keep the work-piece from spinning out of control when the bit sticks in the metal.

A variation on Pitbulls tip #4 (that dosn't work on my drill press but probably works on his) If you have a circular base it can usually be removed from the swing arm with a single bolt. remove the base and consider cutting a cone or domed shaped piece of wood that wedges or drops into the circular section of the swing arm. It's a very fast change-over and can fit very deep into helms, cuises and even some vambraces.

I'm actually debating getting a replacement motor for my original drill-press so I can set it up to do this in a dedicated fashion.

Sean

GuntherofOrkney wrote:what about making a bender bar. its just 2-1inch pipes welded together about an 8th of an inch apart and then a mount of some kind on the bottom. you can then bend the metal in between the pipes easy. But maybe that is different from what you explained.

I just made a bender bar this week. I had a couple of 2inch pipes laying around and figured why not.... works great.

Howdy Sean, I see what you mean about the handle, Its a large drill press though and the handle looks close in the pic but is not really. Theres room for breastplates on mine but thats great advice for smaller presses. GREAT idea on the wood block mounted for a table, Ill be making an adapter for my drill press like you described soon so I can drill helms and other super deep pieces. Thanks again Sean.

Hi Kenwrec, Nice I still need to get my bar bender made. How long were the pipes you used?

Take care

Pitbull

That drillpress mod is pretty cool!!!

And so damned simple I SHOULD have thought of it YEARS ago....

I was whining about needing a shallow dishing form a while back, and the other day I was walking by the garbage can and saw this thick 3/8 inch cast iron Wok, a light bulb apeared above my head and I took it in the shop. It works perfect for lightly dishing lames, and other light compound curves. Check the goodwill for one today.

Bonus Tip: Take any wooden countertop Paper towel holder and set your Helm on it for an instant Helm stand. Grab one at good will for a dollar when your there.

Take care

Pitbull

I've thought about using cookware for dishing, but have been afraid of what it would do to the pot. (I'm not YET at the point where I'd sacrifice a perfectly good cooking implement to the armor shop.) I guess if you find one in the trash, it's got nowhere to go but up anyway.

To Sha-ul

sha-ul wrote:

Oaken Rose wrote:Piening rivets is how I started out. (Not making armour, just maintaining it.) Then came simple gorgets, spaulders, and vambraces. Now I'm up to working on my first great helm.

Oaken, whereabouts are you?

I'm in the darkest corner of Kansas right now; Leavenworth. (The upside is I'm here by birth, not court of law.) Funny you should ask as I plan on making a trip to Wichita this weekend to sell wares at GPRF. If you're there you can see the warped and mangled piece of metal I'm trying to pass off as a great-helm, unless either (a.) I go insane from the toll all those breath holes are taking on my drill bits, or (b.) someone actually buys the silly thing.

Hi guys, I recently threw together a table outside to work on since the weathers been better here. I screwed a few scraps of wood to a couple barrels and yes, thats my womans old ironing board that was nearby and happend to be the same heighth so I screwed it in place. The good news is when someone orders some plastic Barney armor Ill unscrew the table and turn it into money. I mounted a saw makers vice to it and added a shelf, (the short barrel in the middle):) Pointers are...

1 Always use a D handled angle grinder, they let you use many different grips so you can use other muscles and grind longer. Always try to rest your piece one something (Like the saw vice below) as you grind, this way the weight of your arm holds it in place and uses no effort, also easy to spin the piece to get to all the edges top and bottom.

2 Old logging and crane hooks as shown are priceless sheet metal stakes. I picked that large one up for 5 bucks at a garage sale recently. The swivel hook is used for flaring. the small hook works good for creasing and a saddle stake, the large one is a great horn.

Take care

Pitbull

I have an outside bench also.
I C-clamp my vice to it and do all my right angle grinding outside.
I have the water hose near by and wet down the area first.

I don't like to grind inside as the sparks go everywhere.
Can't be helped on my belt sander but I have a back stop to catch most of it.

Good tip.

Hi there Hal, thank you for the post. Can I see a pic of the backstop on your belt sander? Id like to make one too.


Thank you

Pitbull

It is just a simple aluminum sign propped up against the wall in back.
I can set it aside when I clean around the sander.

One would not believe all the grinder gritters that pile up.
When I was a kid I used to drag a magnet thru the dirt to collect iron filings.
I liked to play with magnets and paper to see the patterns.
I never could get enough filings, now I toss them out by the shovel full.

Hi there, Its been a while since I posted a tip so I figured, since I got a piece of steel in my eye last thursday and scratched the piss out of it. Id make this tip on SAFETY. My vision is like looking through a car window in the rain with no wipers in my left eye still and im debating on going to the doc. I got the steel in the eye even with my safety glasses on. If your going to shape metal PLEASE wear the right stuff.

1 Wear a face shield if you have one or at least full sized safety glasses when grinding. Grind with your eyes half shut when possible.

2 Wear ear plugs or covers when hammering or grinding.

3 Direct grinder frags away from you at all times.

4 Wear a dust mask or respirator when grinding, just because you cant see it dont mean your not breathing it.

5 if you do get steel in your eye DO NOT RUB IT OR MESS WITH IT, just put drops in and flush, NO TOUCHIE!

6 Wear Atlas gloves at all times to avoid vibration and injury.

Yes its common sence.

Be carefull and have fun

Take care

Pitbull

Pitbull Armory wrote:Hi there, Its been a while since I posted a tip so I figured, since I got a piece of steel in my eye last thursday and scratched the piss out of it. Id make this tip on SAFETY. My vision is like looking through a car window in the rain with no wipers in my left eye still and im debating on going to the doc. I got the steel in the eye even with my safety glasses on. If your going to shape metal PLEASE wear the right stuff.

Pitbull

You haven't seen the doctor ?!? Get there Last Thursday, half an hour after you took the piece of steel in your eye. How can you be sure you got all of the foreign material out of your eye ? How can you tell how much damage was done and what needs to be done to repair it and or help your eye to heal ?

Have you missed the discussion about steel fragments rusting in someone's eye and making the damage much, much more serious than the initial direct injury ?

Stop reading this and get to your doctor!

I second the advice about seeing the Dr.

A piece rusted in my eye and they had to grind it out with a dremel burr ball.
Not a fun experience.

Hi there, thank you for your concern. No I havent read those threads yet. I didnt go to the doctor because there was no actual incident when it happened. My eye just bothered me at the end of the day so Im assuming metal got in it and scratched it. Its been getting better a little each day so I figured it would be alright. The vision is still blurry though and Ill go get it looked at I figure.

Thank you

Pitbull

Pitbull Armory wrote:The vision is still blurry though and Ill go get it looked at I figure.

GO DO IT ABSO-FRICKIN-LUTELY RIGHT NOW.

First off go to a doctor. You've probably got metal in your eye that needs to be removed.

Second is about your safety comment about wearing gloves all the time.

DON'T DO THAT. Never wear gloves while operating any kind of a tool that spins. It's how you loose fingers or a hand or an arm depending on the tool you're using. Same goes for loose clothing or hair.

Howdy Matt, thanks Im going after lunch to the doc. About the gloves, I cant tell you how many times Ive been saved by them when using an angle grinder, or a belt sander, or planishing hammer. The gloves get cut up and not your hands. The Grizzly belt sander 2X 72 belt will cut a slot in your skin so fast your head will spin if you even think about touching it. Flap disks remove a surprising amount of skin also if your not wearing gloves. I would not run a drill press with them on however. With you all the way about loose shirts and long hair etc though.

Take care

Pitbull

Better a gouge in your finger then not having the finger. Better to have a burn too. The grizzly belt sander is especially dangerous as your glove can get in under the belt. And it's powerfull enough to either remove or serously disfigure your hand.

I know all about how fast sanders and grinders remove skin. But you notice it and react pretty fast and it's never serious.

I broke my thumb wearing gloves with an ordinary hand drill. Think what 1 hp and 1700 rpm will do.

Most factories have very strict rules about no gloves at machines. There's a reason why they have those rules.

Hi there Matt, Its never serious?Your welcome to your own point of view of course, I agree you shouldnt wear loose, flappy, long anything around machines. I wouldnt wear any loose gloves when I worked, I wear skin tight Atlas gloves that hold my hand together like a cast and armor plate it. Thanks for your input and have a good day.

Take care

Pitbull

PS Back from doctor now, Metal removed from my eye, Rust was sanded off my eye with a small dremel. Metal removed asap = no dremel. Back to work now.

PB

On a side note, wearing shopglasses while wirebrushing stuff is also a very good idea. Fine brushes = spears to eyes.

Ditto glassfibre brushes, wet these with a little soapy water when you use them.

Pitbull Armory wrote:Back from doctor now, Metal removed from my eye, Rust was sanded off my eye with a small dremel. Metal removed asap = no dremel.

Hmm, a dremel you say? In my case they just scooped out a part of the cornea with a sharp spoon-scraper-thingy.

Mad Matt wrote:Never wear gloves while operating any kind of a tool that spins.

As a slightly different approach to that, I would personally reccommend that instead of fabric gloves, get a pair of cheapy fine leather gloves.

unlike fabric, if they snag, thin soft leather will tear rapidly, and pull a chunk of the leather off before dragging a hand in. I'm fortunate to have very narrow hands, so I buy ladies' leather gloves, as tight as I can comfortably wear, then snip out the fabric lining, and use them.

they resist light abrasion with some nasty scuffing, but if anything does go wrong, the cost and hassle of getting sort of glove, able tear quite easily instead of pulling you in, and still give you the required protection from scorched fingertips is priceless.

An old man once told me "There's two things you can do better with gloves on. Take off your gloves, and piss your pants."

I've found this to be mostly true.

Louis de Leon wrote:

Pitbull Armory wrote:The vision is still blurry though and Ill go get it looked at I figure.

GO DO IT ABSO-FRICKIN-LUTELY RIGHT NOW.

+1

Halberds wrote:
PS: I don't allow bare feet in my armouring shop.

I was in Cet's shop on Sunday wearing capri pants and flip flops. That was a mistake. I have a neat little gash on my calf for it... lots of sharp metal scraps around, just dying to take a bite out of flesh.

Yep, I bet you walked next to cut metal leaning against something.
Mistress Beverly sure can leave some sharp protrusions sticking out of the scrap.

I make it a habit to pick up all the curly que trimmings immediately upon cutting them.

I have a small magnet on a cord next to Beverly and I don't even have to bend over.

On another note about safety.
Drinking in the shop.
I think a few is alright, but to excess it can improve the odds of an accident occurring.

For instance I had one too many and fell over backwards into the scrap metal pile. Ouch!
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... /wound.jpg
I told my nephews it was a sword wound scar.
Muhahahah.

Hal

________________
Be Safe With Tools

No rollerblading in the shop!

Now if the damned kids would only listen to me...

A couple of weeks ago I was angle grinding and a tiny sliver of stainless bounced into the inside of my faceshield and into my eyelid. It was HOT! made my eye water. It sucks getting stuff in your eyes. I had a shovel-full of cement spit back out at me from a cement-mixer once, got me straight in the eye. Now THATS ouchy! They stick a suction-cuppy looking thing under your eyelids for a constant hour long flush...and that hurts too!! ALWAYS, always, Please use eye protection, too often I have seen guys 'just doing something quickly' and not using any, or just relying on their normal glasses for protection.

Pitbull did you go to the doc yet?

Dude, seriously. GO.

This isn't one of those "I'll walk it off" moments. You only have 2 eyes. Lose one and there goes your depth perception.

And no matter how tough you are, your eyes are a thin sack full of delicate goo. No matter who you are. Ken Shamrock's eyes are no tougher than your grandma's.

Get your butt to a doc, pronto. I'm not kidding.

Nice one with the magnet on the string. Halberds.

Louis de Leon wrote:Pitbull did you go to the doc yet?

Dude, seriously. GO.

This isn't one of those "I'll walk it off" moments. You only have 2 eyes. Lose one and there goes your depth perception.

And no matter how tough you are, your eyes are a thin sack full of delicate goo. No matter who you are. Ken Shamrock's eyes are no tougher than your grandma's.

Get your butt to a doc, pronto. I'm not kidding.

He mentioned a couple posts up that he went today and got it taken care of.