Sheet metal...?

[Jace Evans]

Anyone know where I can get sheet metal?

Since I have like no experiance with vacum forming and molding I have decided to go the metal route. I do not need think metal, just something thin but not that thin either. If anyone has any links I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Alkal1ne]

I do believe home depot or lowes have sheet metal, you might want to check it out there. Thats the only place I can think of with out ordering online.

 

[Jace Evans]

Gracias Amigo :mrgreen:

 

[Sigma LS]

Anyone know where I can get sheet metal?

Since I have like no experiance with vacum forming and molding I have decided to go the metal route. I do not need think metal, just something thin but not that thin either. If anyone has any links I would greatly appreciate it.

metal huh?

looks like you're going to have to beat your armor into shape

better have an anvil and a good mallet

 

[Jace Evans]

Already done ;-)

 

[link4044]

send pics of your in progress, would love to see metal armor....you doing the marines armor right?

 

[Chewdog316]

Very interesting directioin.

 

[Jace Evans]

I will I might cut out the patter on cardboard tonight...

Anyone doing a Halo Wars Marine? That would look cool but at the same time very hot... Since it is a Winter Marine.

 

[epoch9]

before you go to home depot, you might ask around at a few of the metal fabricators, or construction companies in your area, Home Depot tends to mark up the prices on their stock.

 

[Sean Bradley]

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Go check out McMaster Carr online. They have everything you could ever want for fabricating and building. Their website is Java (I think) so I can't link the page you need to go to, but just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Metals under Raw Materials. The next page is a comparison of the different metals that they carry, with notes on how each is used, and properties of each. This should help you decide which one you want to use for this project. Click on the category you want and you can choose whatever form that you want it in...

I use these guys when I'm building custom equipment.... they have it all. ;-)

 

[Jace Evans]

Sweet thanks Sean

 

[Jace Evans]

Hey Sean what would you recommend for widths and lengths? of Metal?

 

[Sean Bradley]

I dunno, it really depends on what kind of equipment you have for fabricating, and just how tough you want the armor to be.

Copper is nice because it's maleable, you could shape it easily, and you can solder it without expensive brazing tools. But it might not maintain it's shape that well... I guess thats dependant on thickness.

This really sounds like a question for one of the real armor manufacturers here... I'm not going to be of much help in this respect... I know much more about metal casting but just a little bit about fabrication.

Some of the folks here who work with Westerfield would know much more about this than me. :$ops:

 

[Jace Evans]

Gracias Sean.

 

[Ericm]

Sheet metal(kinda long)

Jace,
I've built medieval replica armor in the past. You could probaly use 18 Ga. (20 ga.could probably work too)sheet stock . It has enough mass to not be fragile and should be light enough that it wont be a pain in arse to wear. Depending on how your planning on joining it will determine alot. If youre going to weld it try TIG(tungsten inert gas)welding with lots of heat barrier to keep the parts from warping. There was a product out a while ago called Everdur(I think its a brand name , I cant remember) that we use to use to braze (with a TIG torch) sheet metal. It worked geat and used a lot less heat than welding. If your going to Oxy-Acet weld then be prepared to ding out lots of warpage.
Ive started patterning the chest plate for some steel MC armor but thats on the back burner till I get my suit and my kids done.

BTW a GIANT thanks to Sean for the helmet I got from him, fits me real snug but fits my daughter near perfect.

Harbinger

 

[Alkal1ne]

Re: Sheet metal(kinda long)

Ive started patterning the chest plate for some steel MC armor but thats on the back burner till I get my suit and my kids done.

Hmm so how long does it take to concede a child then?

Sorry but Thats the first thing I thought of when I read that.

 

[Ericm]

LOL. Depends on your level of experience the longer you try to make kids the longer you want it to take . Kids are never done I ll be working on em till I leave this place.

Harbinger

 

[silvercookie]

well you could just make the suits a few sizes bigger and perfecto, never needs upgrades

just a thought

 

[Sean Bradley]

EricM wrote:

There was a product out a while ago called Everdur(I think its a brand name , I cant remember) that we use to use to braze

Thats funny because Everdur is the name of the alloy I used for casting when I was actively making bronze sculptures.. I know that they make all sorts of alloys, I wonder if the one you used was a brass brazing compound.

BTW a GIANT thanks to Sean for the helmet I got from him, fits me real snug but fits my daughter near perfect.

Yeah those helmets are designed to fit my head real snug too. It's my way of approaching the MC bobblehead issue, trying to keep the helmet proportional to the rest of the suit. Many people make their helmets too big simply for comfort, but it starts to look a little silly when it gets really disproportionate.

 

[link4044]

:agree: with the helmet