Cyberpyrot's Metal Works (Info Thread on Making Metal Armor)

[cyberpyrot]

Well I have decided to combine all works into one thread where people can ask questions and possibly try constructing there own armor. The Metal used is 3/16 Aluminum Plate that's just shy of 1/4 inch think.

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|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| colspan="3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 5052-H32 Aluminum
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| rowspan="3" valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Minimum Properties
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 33,000
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Yield Strength, psi
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 28,000
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Brinell Hardness
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 60
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| rowspan="7" valign="top" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Chemistry
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Aluminum (Al)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 95.7 - 97.7%
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Chromium (Cr)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 0.15 - 0.35%
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Copper (Cu)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 0.1% max
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Iron (Fe)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 0.4% max
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Magnesium (Mg)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 2.2 - 2.8%
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Manganese (Mn)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 0.1% max
|- style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent"
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | Silicon (Si)
| style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: top; background: transparent" | 0.25% max
|-

Here is the link to where I buy my metal the size you want ar .1875 and .09 the thicker I use for everything but backplate gauntlets and knee armor

Order Aluminum 5052 Sheet in Small Quantities at OnlineMetals.com



Tools Needed

Angle Grinder
PORTER-CABLE PC60TAG 6.0-Amp 4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinder - Power Angle Grinders - Amazon.com

Cut-Off Wheels
Amazon.com: DEWALT DW4518 4-1/2-Inch by 1/8-Inch by 7/8-Inch General Purpose Metal Cutting Wheel: Home Improvement

Sanding Wheel
Amazon.com: DEWALT DW8311 4-1/2-Inch by 5/8-Inch-11 36 Grit Zirconia Angle Grinder Flap Disc: Home Improvement

Grinding Wheel
Amazon.com: DEWALT DW4514 ral Purpose Metal Grinding Wheel, 4-1/2 X 1/4-Inch: Home Improvement

Ball Hammer
http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-30403-...e=UTF8&qid=1459341177&sr=1-29&keywords=hammer

Mallet
http://www.amazon.com/Performance-T...e=UTF8&qid=1459341213&sr=1-30&keywords=hammer

Anvil (Only needed if you plan on doing the cod)
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G8147...&ie=UTF8&qid=1459341283&sr=1-5&keywords=anvil

Letter Stamps (Only needed if you want to mark the armor)
http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-6610-3...ie=UTF8&qid=1459341283&sr=1-17&keywords=anvil

Electric Sander (this is for polishing the edges and face so paint will stick can be done by hand)
http://www.amazon.com/WEN-6313-Elec...id=1459341453&sr=1-3&keywords=electric+sander

Metal Files (For filing the LED display hole)
http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-66631-...=1459341553&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=Metak+Files

Drill (For drilling pilot holes for LED display)
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...ie=UTF8&qid=1459341713&sr=1-99&keywords=drill

Dremel
http://www.amazon.com/WEN-2307-Vari...ie=UTF8&qid=1459341758&sr=1-2&keywords=dremel


*Note None of these tools need to be top of the line if you are planning on making one set of armor.









Full Chest Displayed on Arkady Vest connected with heave duty snaps.


Some of the tools needed to construct the armor several Hammers, Mallets, Sand bags, Anvil, Vise, Grinders, Drills, Various File's, Band Saw, Power Sander, Dies, Stamps Wooden Blocks and other miscellaneous tools.
I will post more pictures of tools when I get home tonight.



The raw Metal ships as a full sheet of aluminum 3/16" thick 24" X 24" in length. I trace the templates out on and cut out. This Aluminum is also very strong it takes several minutes of hammering for just one piece.



Cutting the the plates the two main tools I use to cut the plates is a saws all and a grinder with a cutoff wheel be very careful doing this use safety glasses and gloves ideally you would want to use a vice to hold the metal.

Here is a video of using the sanding wheel to clean up the edges.

Here is the video hammering the plates

I use 3 types of angle grinder wheels to cut and clean the plates. Cutoff wheels is under to cut the plates from the metal grinder wheel to grind down and high points and a sanding wheel to clean off any burs.



Once the armor pieces are free from the large sheet I begin hammering them from the inside to give them shape needed. Once I have the correct shape I use a high speed grinding wheel to sand the face and all the edges.

When hammering the plates use two blocks of wood to prevent the face of the Plates from getting damaged..






Next I use a power sander to remove most of the surface imperfections.





Once all of this is done I like to stamp my Maker Mark into the armor as will as some one else's name to identify who the armor belongs to



Adding the damage is the final touch this takes a whole different set of tools



Here is a link to my master gallery

https://goo.gl/photos/WZn1SmBkgabjvJwH8

Below I will post the Brasing section "Making the Gauntlets"

 

[cyberpyrot]

Well it's a start I will go into much more detail when I get home and take more pictures. if it gets stickied I will do my best to provide as much info as needed for others to be able to create there own armor.

 

[Jesster]

This is awesome!

Thank you...

 

[jonbenm]

I love this stuff!

 

[ROYSTERONE]

amazing work

 

[cyberpyrot]

Making the Back Plate.. SO I have tried to bend the templates so many different ways it just does not work well with metal cant be done here are my attempts..

Here is what it needs to look like I stole this picture from another user.



So every attempt has resulted in almost but not quite..

Attempt 1



Attempt 2



Attempt 3




Finally I decided to modify the template and weld a relief

 

[cyberpyrot]

I plan on posting instructional videos on how to make the armor. All my techniques.

 

[jonbenm]

I think the back plate looks great...I would wear it

 

[Sttryker]

Same here. That's one of the few pieces that's kind of hidden due to the jetpack

I think the back plate looks great...I would wear it

 

[cyberpyrot]

Updated some instructional pictures

 

[cyberpyrot]

I'm posting this tutorial because I'm not planing on making anymore other then my current commitments hope fully I can provide enough instruction so as others can follow in my foot steps. if anyone needs any help or has any questions fire away. I would like to provide enough information for this to be the definitive info thread on metal working armor.

 

[Filer]

So the split shoulder template came out well for the back? You're using .09 / 13g for the back plate?

 

[steoconnor]

I'm planning to make my first ever Boba Fett costume/armour and I've just sourced some sheets of aluminium for it This post and it's extended info will help me immensely. Hopefully at some point this year I will post my results.
Thanks so much cyberpyrot.

 

[cyberpyrot]

No problem. I will soon post instructions for the knee plates... I believe info should be free. Yes I can make it for you for a price but I would rather you do it yourself there is much more satisfaction in making it yourself

 

[steoconnor]

Quick Q for you.
How did you avoid warping the chest piece when doing the denting?
Also was there any danger of puncturing the metal when doing this?

Thanks again for the help

 

[cyberpyrot]

Quick Q for you.
How did you avoid warping the chest piece when doing the denting?
Also was there any danger of puncturing the metal when doing this?

Thanks again for the help

the metal im using is almost 1/4 inch thick it is very hard to warp or puncture. if you are using thin metal make sure you have the metal against a block of wood or sand bag

 

[steoconnor]

I'll experiment with the tools I'm using but would love to see your technique for this anyway
I'm going to be using a thinner Aluminium than yours (3mm or 0.12) so I'll have to be creative to make it look as good.

Thanks for the info

 

[Filer]

For thinner aluminium, I've used a bead roller to curve the edges a bit, but it takes a bit more grinding and welding to make it look clean. Just my 2c

 

[cyberpyrot]

For thinner aluminium, I've used a bead roller to curve the edges a bit, but it takes a bit more grinding and welding to make it look clean. Just my 2c

yup that's an awesome idea they have one really cheap at harbor freight

 

[Filer]

yup that's an awesome idea they have one really cheap at harbor freight

Yep, I looked at that one, and ended up ordering through Eastwood. It's a good kit, and will be putting a motor on it soon for ease of use. There are guides online to convert manual bead rollers to electric.