WTB THINNER Aluminum shields

[Sean Powell]

Hello,

I'm running in circles on a project for the local youth fights. I'm interested in building a kite shield for my daughter and a few loaners to gift to the barony. I've gone back and forth on how I want to build these and if I want plastic or aluminum. People keep suggesting things like blue barrel which IMHO looks like ass but also, even if you cover it the barrel tends to curve tighter over time. There is 1 nice loaner that is made from aluminum but only the largest kids use it because of the weight the edging is part of the problem.

The problem with aluminum is that to do a nice job I need a slip roller which I don't have. The problem with sheet ABS is I want to heat-form it a little and don't have an oven large enough.

Does anyone know if any of the regular shield makers stock aluminum shields in .070" to .080" thick rather than .100" thick? I'd like to buy about half a sheet of aluminum for this project, not a full sheet so I can't see someone buying material for a special order.

Any ideas?
Sean

[Janech]

Why do you need the shields to be 0.07" - 0.08" thick? Are you worried about weight?

[Sean Powell]

Why do you need the shields to be 0.07" - 0.08" thick? Are you worried about weight?

Yeah mostly weight. Kids weapons are little better than nerf or boffers. They don't need the mass to absorb the impact and lighter shields mean more fighting and less whining. I want the kids to be safe, have fun, and learn something. No need to cause asymmetric muscle strain with a 3/4" plywood shield.

Sean

[Lurker 2]

How about a framed shied, use luan(sp? the 1/4 ply used for subfloor covering under $12 a sheet) and make edge frame from multiple layers of the luan.

[Sean Powell]

How about a framed shied, use luan(sp? the 1/4 ply used for subfloor covering under $12 a sheet) and make edge frame from multiple layers of the luan.

That or a variation of that is actually high on the list, especially as I have luan in the basement and have bending jigs... I am also 17 projects deeper than I want to be with a dishwasher repair that destroyed a kitchen counter-top and re-routing plumbing to my daughters bathroom so it doesn't feed through the exterior north wall that destroyed her entire vanity... plus the new baronial thrones and needing a skid-steer to level the old garden. The thought of adding another woodworking project makes me want to eat a bullet... and I *LIKE* woodworking projects. :/

Lets label that one plan-B and try for aluminum first.

Sean

[Janech]

How about a framed shied, use luan(sp? the 1/4 ply used for subfloor covering under $12 a sheet) and make edge frame from multiple layers of the luan.

That or a variation of that is actually high on the list, especially as I have luan in the basement and have bending jigs... I am also 17 projects deeper than I want to be with a dishwasher repair that destroyed a kitchen counter-top and re-routing plumbing to my daughters bathroom so it doesn't feed through the exterior north wall that destroyed her entire vanity... plus the new baronial thrones and needing a skid-steer to level the old garden. The thought of adding another woodworking project makes me want to eat a bullet... and I *LIKE* woodworking projects. :/

Lets label that one plan-B and try for aluminum first.

Sean

If you're really that deep in projects I doubt you're going to find a better solution than ordering them from Windrose. I don't think anyone makes aluminum shields thinner than 0.090" thick commercially, so any other solution is going to turn into another project for you.

[Karl Helweg]

http://bokalosarmoury.com/ might be able to provide a hi-tech version.

On the cheap, how about your local DOT surplus road sign scrap heap/auction? You know, "fruit of the common North American road-side armor tree." Our group won an auction for 800# of old signage with maybe half being useable in some way. Just don't double the edges and channel lock them to look neat. As a general rule, the larger highway signs tend to be tougher, thinner, and lighter than the smaller street and parking signs which are easier to shape with a lead hammer.

If you want a super light "cheaper" shield try and get your hands on some of the service station sign/pump skins. We found some that are fiberglass cores with very thin, tough aluminum on both outsides. Weighs nothing but has a short life span for heavy. Might work well for youth combat.

One of our fighters has been finding scrap titanium on Amazon (where I would never have thought to have looked before.) Those should last this side of forever for youth combat.

[mrks]

titanium is 40 percent heavier than aluminum and needs to be at least 18ga to hold it s shape and not warp. without any kind of work hardening it is floppy when too long. I reinforced the edged of my 2 titanium shields with .010 Ti and decided they were not light enough 9lbs+ at 22" by 33".

my subsequent shields have been made out of reinforced edge .071 aluminum and I have been much happier with their performance.

[Marco-borromei]

For the same weight per sq ft as .08" thick aluminum, consider .025" thick 4013 steel sheet. Its more form-able, so you [or a smith that you pay to do it] could make a fat rolled edge that would both strengthen the shield AND give a blunter edge without adding weight with separate edging material. It can be heat treated with relatively low tech [kids size shields might fit in a standard home oven]. That sheet is readily available from numerous online suppliers. You could also have it made into domed shapes that are much harder with pre-heat-treated aluminum, so more variety in shields than just 2d curved heaters.

I made a 20" round slightly domed buckler with .025" 4130 that survived over a decade of use [and/or storage abuse] by kingdom rapier champions... that should be higher energy impacts from rubber blunted steel sword thrusts than kids foam weapons would produce. If you find someone who can fat roll an edge, heat and quench, then temper at 435F, I think you'll get slightly superior results to .08 aluminum plus edging.

[edited for spelling]

[Pitbull Armory]

Hi sean. You don't need a slip roller to do it nice. And i use a weed burner to shape all plastic.

[Sebastian K]

If you go 8mm (2*4mm) poplar plywood it will be plenty tough for boffer/youth style combat and it will be very light!

[Marco-borromei]

You could ask AL shield makers if you can ship them the materials [is they don't stock it]?
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... top_cat=60

[arcaneforge2]

i make .07 thick 2024 t3 blanks this material is stronger than 6061 t6 and harder than mild steel

[izzy]

Have you tried snow sleds for plastic? The link below is a 26" round for $6. They are a very common core for shields in other larps since they are cheap and sturdy. Even skinned with upholstery fabric they are very light. Plank foam is another shield type... Granted, the foam has to be 2" to 3" thick to hold up, and that thickness doesn't really give the look the sca is after.

http://hardwareonlinestore.com/index.ph ... gQodF20IZg

[Sean Powell]

Have you tried snow sleds for plastic? The link below is a 26" round for $6. They are a very common core for shields in other larps since they are cheap and sturdy. Even skinned with upholstery fabric they are very light. Plank foam is another shield type... Granted, the foam has to be 2" to 3" thick to hold up, and that thickness doesn't really give the look the sca is after.

http://hardwareonlinestore.com/index.ph ... gQodF20IZg

Snow sleds? Oh that's perfect! We could put together our own hoplite phalanx. I'm going to ask the local marshal what she thinks of a set of plastic round shields. With canvas facing they probably would look decent. They can also be used by lefties. 26" might be a bit big though.

After a lot of consideration I decided to build her a shield in 2 layers of Luan. Yeah, it's a bit heavier than ideal but not too bad. I can always cut it down smaller. This gives her the opportunity to try the style and if she doesn't like it I didn't waste a lot of money. If she does like the style we can get aluminum to replace it.

Sean