Aluminum Armor

darthgaul

New Hunter
Hi guys,
I'm new to this board. This is my first post ...hi :) I found the 501st legion website a week or two ago and then found this site. After looking around for a while I decided to start working on a Jango Fett costume.

Anyway on to the question: Has anyone ever tried to use aluminum to form there armor? It seems like it would be light, already the right color for Jango and not too hard to bend (depending on the thickness you picked.) Anyone ever try? Is this a completely foolish idea?

I also found a site that has aluminum sheets of various sizes http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=239&step=2&top_cat=60

thanks
 
i'm making part of my armor from aluminum sheets I picked up at ace hardware. have you ever worked with metal before? check out my armor progress thread for a few ideas. the biggest problem I'm seeing is making the chest armor due to the compound curves involved.
 
the biggest problem I'm seeing is making the chest armor due to the compound curves involved.

This is the key statement here, because it takes quite a bit of time and learning to be able to "dish" that compound curve into the metal. I use 14 gauge aluminum for my armor, but I'm also an experienced SCA armorsmith of many years so it didn't take much to learn the curves in this type of armor.

My advice is that if you have the money to spend on the aluminum (and aluminum is more expensive than steel) then practice, practice, practice! You'll need some specialized tools: Dishing stump = stump and a 1/2in drill bit, Hammers = NEW ball-peed and a flattening hammer, Half-football shaped auto body dolly for simple forming. Thats the basic basic beginners tools. =)

Below is a link to a series of YouTube tutorials from the Mercs AZ chapter CO on building a set of aluminum armor.

Hopefully you find that useful. =)
 
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This is the key statement here, because it takes quite a bit of time and learning to be able to "dish" that compound curve into the metal. I use 14 gauge aluminum for my armor, but I'm also an experienced SCA armorsmith of many years so it didn't take much to learn the curves in this type of armor.

My advice is that if you have the money to spend on the aluminum (and aluminum is more expensive than steel) then practice, practice, practice! You'll need some specialized tools: Dishing stump = stump and a 1/2in drill bit, Hammers = NEW ball-peed and a flattening hammer, Half-football shaped auto body dolly for simple forming. Thats the basic basic beginners tools. =)

Below is a link to a series of YouTube tutorials from the Mercs AZ chapter CO on building a set of aluminum armor.

Hopefully you find that useful. =)

i consider myself to be pretty skillful with making costumes but i'm not to that point yet with my skills. i know my limitations, and i also know that by the time i get everything i need for that i'll have spent as much, maybe more, than if i had ordered a cold cast chest set from bobamaker or cruzer.
 
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