tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72245663040284737442024-03-27T22:26:44.488-07:00Diligent DwarvesThe stuff I make and Interesting Tools & Techniques of Artists and Craftsmen.Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-71449884112440706792023-03-05T12:58:00.000-08:002023-03-05T12:58:05.809-08:00Greenwich armour project - Facts and figures.Now that the Greenwich armour project is nearly finished, I thought I'd post some of the weights and totals of decoration and rivets used to complete the project. <div><br /></div><div><u><b>Time line of the project:</b></u></div><div><div>Started by Robert MacPherson in 2000 (Estimated, it may have been as early as 1998)</div><div>Stopped (due to injury) in 2008 or 2009</div><div>Started by Jeff Wasson in 05/2014</div><div>Last piece completed by Jeff, 12/2021</div><div>First etching test 10/2017</div><div>Last piece etched 08/2021<br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>There are roughly 40 steps required to etch each piece of the armour, and there are over 160 pieces (<u>Not</u> counting the 84 finger lames) that make up this armour. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL6ZDisIjwljBexBwNITep4t8ik6j0bebJxmOOg_JTywc9M6IesRSzi9TK3hXfPbJoNITic47LKHRxqg8xrIxRpZx8_vVaN8XolCT4Fi6cAJlD99GzzrFF1zEIPYRtR-7geVR9lm5UZM87SHzPP6XVP0a0BsfFiSi9fDjl8tEe5NjmvdUUwMJXrTn2Gg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3681" data-original-width="6853" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL6ZDisIjwljBexBwNITep4t8ik6j0bebJxmOOg_JTywc9M6IesRSzi9TK3hXfPbJoNITic47LKHRxqg8xrIxRpZx8_vVaN8XolCT4Fi6cAJlD99GzzrFF1zEIPYRtR-7geVR9lm5UZM87SHzPP6XVP0a0BsfFiSi9fDjl8tEe5NjmvdUUwMJXrTn2Gg=w640-h344" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><b>Some figure related to the decoration;</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Gold plated rivets 1,188</div><div>598 of these are capped rivets. (A separate larger diameter brass dome is soldered to the top of the rivet)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL1WFE3jYM7albiok_qquCbS8t1ei5mNNBPt9yP0I-UWhk0-lKcM-K0Idqi9-IFCfJqzY40_8p4bS6gK3SWQMdLrLVO8-3T5C4FnfO03HG-reGX9kcA-M8yFK0PwN1ac5G01M5oOu9GSuxIIe3hx4Z4vpVMnYZyFvGLNjIsF9lw7sqaagZ93zOg58ArQ" width="180" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2yiht1xJ2eModjOpBAh8xL6cXkPUpsyqVW25A20yF-kBrgTOhgX7m5Q5YRP_j2c0vIEeGiAIPZUfYSCkoYycV5TleukNjM29ATYCmKdLngZOr-AETxzH7UbVtiDAemoVAr34lDqxM_MMcZ0nd-iZgo9vASMHDPwlYCMKz655h81_QOFyvC6LXF2JxlA" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2yiht1xJ2eModjOpBAh8xL6cXkPUpsyqVW25A20yF-kBrgTOhgX7m5Q5YRP_j2c0vIEeGiAIPZUfYSCkoYycV5TleukNjM29ATYCmKdLngZOr-AETxzH7UbVtiDAemoVAr34lDqxM_MMcZ0nd-iZgo9vASMHDPwlYCMKz655h81_QOFyvC6LXF2JxlA" width="180" /></a><br /><br /></div></div><div>64 ft. of figure eight etching</div><div>66 ft. of wavy boarder etching</div><div>316 ft. of vine etching</div><div>Approximately 352,000 hand applied dots.....</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDSSovqkwMm_bcsUTftq4543HxfVLsQRQ-xrDD8jZc59NMBF6-UFP0iDMAPfY03mareuqokFrNNIkE8MdR7faPtij2_sw-atVE3LMMMi-G-hOcXcyazNy2hMQs8rrHIB0Fy7V4mgYMyr4D31NHGxpEcGJu6bcdWJShobMp-4kwzzn0BZ8u7X-J7NMlBg" width="180" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8qEWd78SgKtA4LFe560NtewRTG5uPjFDm93-FnVtGuHd8nEGM6FMwp_Bztyj42ViA9EGjhVsXL39lhqLVh854pu0k8tzxGALZG3WGxMuILFgRx8Bq7xFKs-lCBuOuGkej2kZemqMYSPlq7xW7qvSmG9W3sFuQHXNIVcXRjsG6Sh4VNZF-_TqZ4yJI_g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8qEWd78SgKtA4LFe560NtewRTG5uPjFDm93-FnVtGuHd8nEGM6FMwp_Bztyj42ViA9EGjhVsXL39lhqLVh854pu0k8tzxGALZG3WGxMuILFgRx8Bq7xFKs-lCBuOuGkej2kZemqMYSPlq7xW7qvSmG9W3sFuQHXNIVcXRjsG6Sh4VNZF-_TqZ4yJI_g" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEN43PCn-KNtwY0e7D0Y519Te8qQNd_z7dJKHSPVxyg19_jDFh42vgQzir1JoWyB0OwWOqYpuMVaQz9EcAu4T28UHjS_BSrbkl74dLsRi3Ak37O7ztflsajvSmvdzU-vua20SSt8o_CToXIN7yY6t7_9tF_HZ56mmpT3qsCQmj3cBFP9KWPK2YBhowgg" width="320" /><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I did around 100 etching tests to develop the etching paste, and used approximately;</div><div>100 lbs of Copper sulfate</div><div>100 lbs of fine salt</div><div>13lbs Charcoal</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0UIHOjwX1V5Ycqvk3r0Ov7aK0HQ1ejnm4Wbfjx67jxS4yiJJ2NzvF1U8j8CAHzTehkDp7RqARYyRd0f793hYNeFedQH993eUXJ2tfC9qrKZhZjogW7m3holpIkvMhL_aipxbly1EA6xhq8ogndsVM3ivYfrLCrRePdWkj9o_YKlgL8ZWHYkIZ6fd2jA" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHdGhXni5JVGN2gJGmwxE5DO4l9FoeRNBsZpbAyYj10dAPQrUzLdC1Q_rQFtodu_A19p3ptIUvj14WDyZNJkckJsQKZbd4ptrTWLofG1LirdTKHHZuJ9kQMPvjQcGeEpoC9NfTIXbvhBs6jedc8Ej97ksgalQzWTG3OvWMFCJnbzUkkww-kw9EPGDeYQ" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHdGhXni5JVGN2gJGmwxE5DO4l9FoeRNBsZpbAyYj10dAPQrUzLdC1Q_rQFtodu_A19p3ptIUvj14WDyZNJkckJsQKZbd4ptrTWLofG1LirdTKHHZuJ9kQMPvjQcGeEpoC9NfTIXbvhBs6jedc8Ej97ksgalQzWTG3OvWMFCJnbzUkkww-kw9EPGDeYQ" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0UIHOjwX1V5Ycqvk3r0Ov7aK0HQ1ejnm4Wbfjx67jxS4yiJJ2NzvF1U8j8CAHzTehkDp7RqARYyRd0f793hYNeFedQH993eUXJ2tfC9qrKZhZjogW7m3holpIkvMhL_aipxbly1EA6xhq8ogndsVM3ivYfrLCrRePdWkj9o_YKlgL8ZWHYkIZ6fd2jA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><div><span face="Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u>Here are the individual component weights:</u></b></div><div>(I'm 190cm / 6'3" - 123kg /270lbs)</div><div><br /></div><div> Armet - 2.61kg / 5.8lbs</div><div> Field visor - 1.30kg / 2.9lbs</div><div> Visor reinforce - 0.35kg / 0.8lbs</div><div> Tilting visor 1.37kg / 3.0lbs</div><div> Burgonet 2.82kg / 6.2lbs</div><div> 3-Bar grill 0.36kg / 0.8lbs</div><div> Falling Buff 1.23kg / 2.7lbs</div><div> Gorget 1.23kg / 2.7lbs</div><div> Breastplate 3.45kg / 7.6lbs</div><div> Backplate 2.04kg / 4.5lbs</div><div> Fauld / Tassets 2.43kg / 5.3lbs</div><div> Pauldron (ea.) 1.78kg / 3.9lbs</div><div> Arm (ea.) 1.77kg / 3.9lbs</div><div> Gauntlets (ea.) 0.83kg / 1.8lbg</div><div> Cuisse (ea.) 1.58kg / 3.5lbs</div><div> Greave / sabaton (ea.) 1.86kg / 4.1lbs</div><div> Spurs (ea.) 0.05kg / 0.1lbs</div><div> Lance rest w/ screws 0.32kg / 0.7lbs</div><div> Grandguard 3.75kg / 8.3lbs</div><div> Pasguard 1.62kg / 3.6lbs</div><div> Manifer 1.20kg / 2.6lbs</div><div> Locking Gauntlet 1.05kg / 2.3lbs</div><div> Plackart 3.56kg / 7.8lbs</div><div> Mail Sleeve (ea.) 3.10kg / 6.8lbs</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <b><u>Here are the total weights for different configurations:</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <b><u>Field</u></b> - 29.04kg / 64.0lbs</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk833SaaWGdTi3Y_ljCK-Y6GxIdZSTyXjTy5SvlF15GNlox9kPLkLPye7XbpQyIZfyGue3qGdLsvKun-ANmO0JErXP0J3pQBDQsk0JK90g6CWn_VRG6EjVBd3hS8rP2Zv6Ec_ECjCJbsJEcuCc75nB1Vb3bVLiXbrB6Jzb2xMFInljNqQHRURBIf6JUw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk833SaaWGdTi3Y_ljCK-Y6GxIdZSTyXjTy5SvlF15GNlox9kPLkLPye7XbpQyIZfyGue3qGdLsvKun-ANmO0JErXP0J3pQBDQsk0JK90g6CWn_VRG6EjVBd3hS8rP2Zv6Ec_ECjCJbsJEcuCc75nB1Vb3bVLiXbrB6Jzb2xMFInljNqQHRURBIf6JUw" width="155" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFX1DLkAey61YWgFC9pj4I-F1hU7g4rBmFzRoLZtozV4Gh_P7YspglWvtbPHBcTQGG8crVQG6UcxMOU4lfikHPAUpCoOMYoJafZacZJGzSqPitzyAfI4cFfaiAausdP9CsSxdBzJ1l6qG9LFaX35X1cQCrAPEhBLuhkWrtK6rD9cSAF49ro-4yd0wuxQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><b><u>Lancer</u></b> <i>(w/Plackart) </i>- 29.06kg / 64.1lbs</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxFXowqZhqjAqoAQBiROCU5JeOOi7skWale5pvtiQya5tqXowQLIyJA8QkSccB5G1Yib3mpqYNiLQlSlOBphCUfsyHhXwEPjvNUp5VuykYBFYq8dqPqr6fvBicWa6Ua6q4aiui0jXeSB_ozAK5eZxCCZl9-TjkpoL4hThiRTMcyezPWWBPWFgrQ8PVwQ" width="155" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <u style="font-weight: bold;">Infantry Captain</u> - 19.95kg / 44.0lbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwgHV3XP1ipiuC0XkkZp0xzJp5jh5vYL9zSkFslMZP-Sfp0Srh74qUwYRxwiKiEOvhk26AlWp3CYGjV-mXcKXyRJXUjhnxcAsvoHbIolaLj8hzJvD9sc01Zl2dR22wN8XCkc2FyKy5qgGR3nAXFCRQ4j_qvEG83rT6mohAfrvr59Wc_pBGOn-QPSplTg" width="151" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Tourney</b> - 30.07kg / 66.3lbs</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3413" data-original-width="2047" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHgPzoS4lOY2zY4yz7K33VymLD-JVQajzWbKnYuojuYkESUBcNV5u2lJ53Gz3Ou6raA5VCEuNyyPAHnqFYvQa1Bfnz_l4ceg2uPGjm9zHb-dBKUUiwrPtxApVkpydWyR-tO5-iGevAhmeq_oXsSzk4xlM2xMHg1oSsOtTps0f6FXvU-JYdOGQZV4MTDg=w148-h247" width="148" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Joust</b> - 35.68kg / 78.7lbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img alt="" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibWokrsqjVPsdMtGLL_2ghOEyWX2fTjdYVfawy0JRpaZEyDGzYrOiNq0ZaJqPETBYQBkCvP0Kh0fHn-M1icsXK1tmIaXr2gSGMl_QMLz2QbWjD59cY-R4hOlBCoQZi-2wdR8k3u1OpCAcGXCrRN6pgFGdVFABX6QYUcwrkYHA2OLl9kdqgFFAweIuYUg" width="155" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b><u>Barriers</u></b> - 21.85kg / 48.2lbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp8JtZHzi2YerV42YWphbKypqqVulXBg4Cy_95F8BfRWi4wZvLfQUR_rzuLtqBDj75QtJt8WlHioNtPqOTuNqN7bKKm3gHXuIh4LhkbGvG3ACgS1GqN-u8TzLQyl0D2vT9j5JqR5iB0zIihc9JHVHLh-w9SxvPU1JCPWGaW-pgdVb9BYqhF57bQwYJuQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp8JtZHzi2YerV42YWphbKypqqVulXBg4Cy_95F8BfRWi4wZvLfQUR_rzuLtqBDj75QtJt8WlHioNtPqOTuNqN7bKKm3gHXuIh4LhkbGvG3ACgS1GqN-u8TzLQyl0D2vT9j5JqR5iB0zIihc9JHVHLh-w9SxvPU1JCPWGaW-pgdVb9BYqhF57bQwYJuQ" width="126" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Configured like the Buckhurst armour (A62) in the Wallace Collection - 29.62kg / 65.3lbs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Note: the original weighs 32.03kg / 70.6lbs without linings)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="5336" data-original-width="2736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjejkc1yZGsTA3ULRf2n8E7bMvQEfqXbn9Qtx-qKk_VD-KwZBsRvaGXvcABTPHtSTwuyu1uE1BpZ0R8EfKd6G8Oqq_8WXrYeVhlbBppt8WukolYZnta1FqLEYm6NhFSG9KkFU1l0vDHYWmE7K90I3cWpP4DKCiWpM9DDGatyxOtR91eQRRrGJ7_mxhl3A=w205-h400" width="205" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A couple of side by side (A62 and my replica)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiImNS-Mz4ahbDUyhaBC3hWUh9u60cQpXzuMpuRyAsN2CcFVMCO9La0kolscsqwmaFecRNXBRehRBwtuAIfF0w8EsnacfTGvH65pcTw4mhEpnlJgOBTT5Oy7gQjXEDM8bu3xPWWUMd_KqIm8ePU0QGgCFE7VCmevHl02peFyseJrwUisk0cx5dy-QGSDw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4833" data-original-width="4877" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiImNS-Mz4ahbDUyhaBC3hWUh9u60cQpXzuMpuRyAsN2CcFVMCO9La0kolscsqwmaFecRNXBRehRBwtuAIfF0w8EsnacfTGvH65pcTw4mhEpnlJgOBTT5Oy7gQjXEDM8bu3xPWWUMd_KqIm8ePU0QGgCFE7VCmevHl02peFyseJrwUisk0cx5dy-QGSDw" width="242" /></a></div><img alt="" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="2312" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUMZ4bo8HvfqzE5CYRPk8yFD7LB4JgQgTnlScGLGtvGfu9nbnHBsKYeGCZQbWA4gr5ObSGxtyhOFJBD-0rePxWZiAP9BcYOecQNOOBqRql4qXUtBCwqVnc5uD9c7-jDTAHXZ0MDLuCAEPW_iJ1_-PUcJm0bGjQn2mIqGsaYzmW8_XjmtgTRegLKRVEtg" width="236" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The completed garniture</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJYTF0l6w-cdOZm9HQ8WQVbo66PeQ9n4K_XVUlSuYkccdQJ4f1_PNlMtmgCEiB_yFYS2HYrl01qpvgGsBpGqgqs36l4rDdfNfnMb1EZN5dk6c1acwIRk0_tRTNPVAD6yCT3EcUyfeLw0VD-X6OObP5qxq2og-q30cQkNfhHJmjZw1J8POfjog2lNKrUA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="2641" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJYTF0l6w-cdOZm9HQ8WQVbo66PeQ9n4K_XVUlSuYkccdQJ4f1_PNlMtmgCEiB_yFYS2HYrl01qpvgGsBpGqgqs36l4rDdfNfnMb1EZN5dk6c1acwIRk0_tRTNPVAD6yCT3EcUyfeLw0VD-X6OObP5qxq2og-q30cQkNfhHJmjZw1J8POfjog2lNKrUA=w640-h630" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-48326764597186453732021-10-22T07:02:00.003-07:002022-02-07T05:21:40.096-08:00An Apollo Hatch<p> Long before computer operated mills (CNC) all of this was done using "a meat computer"; the guy turning the handle, knew how far to turn it.</p><p>As a kid, I hung around my dads aerospace machine shop, and watched guys on old Bridgeport mills, turn blocks of metal into amazing mechanical shapes. </p><p>The main hatch of the Apollo Command module, that took men to the moon, was a beautiful piece of mechanical art. Fabricated by guys like the ones who worked for my dad. These unassuming guys, in their plaid shirts, oil stained leather aprons, cigarette in their mouth and a cup of coffee on a nearby bench, created the millions of parts to America's Apollo Spacecraft, with no computer operated machines, just their skill and experience.</p><p>Know as the "The Unified Hatch", this was a 350 pound, quick opening "vault door". </p><p>It was called the unified hatch, because the original design, was actually 3 separate hatches, all of which had to be opened by the astronaut, in order to exit the spacecraft. After the tragic accident of Apollo One, in which a fire developed so quickly, that opening these hatches was impossible, NASA required a new design that could be opened quicker.</p><p>The redesigned hatch could be opened in around 3 seconds, and get out of the spacecraft in less than 30 seconds. A great improvement over the 60-90 seconds for the original design. </p><p>Utilizing 15 latches, a mechanical gearbox, a counterbalance system and a gaseous nitrogen operated piston, this was an incredible piece of engineering and machining. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgSAqy6Dfz9Z6xrLIqidWqwd6UKO_Tttg-sXHG4QKBTMwITgyKE-oAACZqbJn9PLQQiBPhh-Xfcuqlyte2m7gRO8VqHm1vroWft_nH0xK-kXdgkvHt0wN5NX-DncCEP6mc-wACiOK25mo/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1678" data-original-width="2048" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgSAqy6Dfz9Z6xrLIqidWqwd6UKO_Tttg-sXHG4QKBTMwITgyKE-oAACZqbJn9PLQQiBPhh-Xfcuqlyte2m7gRO8VqHm1vroWft_nH0xK-kXdgkvHt0wN5NX-DncCEP6mc-wACiOK25mo/w640-h525/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the hatch from Apollo 11, which is now on display in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In early 2019, I was talking with one of my clients, who had purchased one of my replica Apollo spacesuits, about the amazing accomplishments of America's industry, in designing and creating the massive amount of technology and hardware for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft, in only 9 years. We both were fascinated by the spacesuits the astronauts wore, but at some point in the conversation I brought upon the Command Module hatch as one of my favorite pieces from the spacecraft. He agreed and I mention how I had wanted one, just to hang on my wall, to showoff the skill of the 1960's machinists I admired as a kid. He said it was one of his dreams as well, them paused, and asked, "do you think you could build one?" At first I thought, no way. Those guys were far more skilled at machining than I'll ever be, but then realized that much of their skill and experience is sort of "captured" in the computers that run CNC mills and lathes today. For 40 years, I have been building things for film, museums and some for aerospace clients, and I thought well you have figured out complex projects in the past, why not this.</p><p>I told my client, that I thought I could....but it would be very expensive. He asked how much. I gave him a ballpark, thinking I could wriggle out of telling him I could build this, and he said, OK, think about it and give me a formal quote.</p><p>Once I had the check in my hand, I realized there was no way of getting out of it. So, like with any project, you start by gathering images and information. Having spent 30 years building replica space hardware, I have become friends with a number of retired aerospace people, and collectors. I have built full size Lunar Modules, both interior and exterior, along with replica's of just about every spacesuit that has gone into space. But, I hadn't done anything from the Command Module before. Well I had to start somewhere, so I reached out to my usual sources. Information was slim, but I did manage to acquire some original drawings and spec sheets on the hatch, alone with some high quality images of the individual hardware elements. There was also an Apollo hatch near me in the California Science Center, which I have done work for. </p><p>One big advantage I had (which had not occurred to me initially) was having grown up around the type of shop that built parts like this, I was recognizing machining details, edge treatments and surface finishes as I was looking at the photos.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8f4R99M9fkefcsGOJsCPhC5QDGM64xzF3AK-lNsJyFQiIINlaKw3L3l-5kK4Ymn-IFJp8CLpk4t7TJxNypop5TXGrbnUgJT0JHQ89LEkFrGm552l9mJ6xl-EST3KZ2QCctU9e7GQ35vH/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8f4R99M9fkefcsGOJsCPhC5QDGM64xzF3AK-lNsJyFQiIINlaKw3L3l-5kK4Ymn-IFJp8CLpk4t7TJxNypop5TXGrbnUgJT0JHQ89LEkFrGm552l9mJ6xl-EST3KZ2QCctU9e7GQ35vH/w300-h400/20190720_102410.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real Apollo hatch in <br />the California Science Center</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnPmpHiZldEjLen3mS9zrIkKNj1UaD-xI0-4O2TkjvX2WKkIlSe6cIpAkl_CFMWSQnsTAbaWy0PFmquGDp3zslaXW5pGVo7mRD-NceYFL8v3H67a2QMx8q6ONBkpPR8sY5Jm2o3WkdjJJ/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnPmpHiZldEjLen3mS9zrIkKNj1UaD-xI0-4O2TkjvX2WKkIlSe6cIpAkl_CFMWSQnsTAbaWy0PFmquGDp3zslaXW5pGVo7mRD-NceYFL8v3H67a2QMx8q6ONBkpPR8sY5Jm2o3WkdjJJ/w268-h400/dsc90963.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gearbox detail of the Apollo hatch in<br />the California Science Center</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The original hatch locking system was mostly machined stainless steel, with the body of the hatch made in aluminum. Since the intent was to hang this on a wall, I wanted to reduce the weight as much as possible, while still keeping it in machined metal. I also wanted the latches to function. So I would have most of the hardware machined from aluminum, and experiment with various finishes in order to match the original hatch.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The parts where drawn in Solidworks, a complex 3D engineering software. I had had limited experience with Solidworks, and self taught, so I new this was going to seriously test my skills. I started with some of the simpler parts and 3d print test pieces. I got a email one day from a friend who is incredibly knowledgeable about the Apollo Luna Module, and he said he had been looking into a source for information on the hatch.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It turns out, Andrew Barth, and engineering student, working with Adam Savage (Myth busters fame), decided to scan the Smithsonian's hatch and build a replica. But, this replica was to be made by dozens of different artists around the US, and out of a wide range of materials. The model files were posted on the Smithsonian's site, under free license for anyone who wanted to print a copy for themselves. The files were all solid .STL files, and were not useful for machining a working replica, but like the photos and drawings I already had, they where a useful source for information to assist my Solidworks drawings. Also, since the files were intended to be 3d printed, there where many parts that grouped together multiple parts, and had cavities which could not have been machined.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end I did about 200 drawings in Solidworks. The parts were jobbed out to CNC machine shops and as I received them, I did some machining operations for minor corrections, and edge treatments. This is where my experience in my dad's shop came in handy. The parts needed to look like they had been machined and surface finished with 1960's aerospace conventions and standards. So I did dozens of tests and various parts in order to get the appearance of the parts correct. My client wanted an "as new", or "just flown" look, so I didn't want too much aging or surface patina.</div><div style="text-align: left;">While some parts of the real hatch are made from aluminum, the parts that needed to look like stainless steel, I had electroless Nickle plated and then tumbled to match the stainless steel look of the originals. I also sourced correct cruciform, high tolerance bolts, to match the original bolts used on the real hatch. (Some cost $25 each)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y-1gc70hde3fCqM1ekz-Dwvgf0xS-GUleY8Pc9j7p-jCRTthseF7Wsm7n95_Nxe39UGDPgEpvZarevrcGo7Ca_me8Z4kdSuWeaK_TSzUu5MrXNZBwYr7HoYYP7ePYGx-vJ00CMpicxYI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1024" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Y-1gc70hde3fCqM1ekz-Dwvgf0xS-GUleY8Pc9j7p-jCRTthseF7Wsm7n95_Nxe39UGDPgEpvZarevrcGo7Ca_me8Z4kdSuWeaK_TSzUu5MrXNZBwYr7HoYYP7ePYGx-vJ00CMpicxYI/w640-h504/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My replica of the Apollo "Unified" hatch.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I wanted the latches to function, and as an added feature, I powered them with a remote control servo, so with a press of a button, you can lock and unlock all 15 latches.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='600' height='384' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxNU9Now45JH9u8664-30FLhUjwFjCFC4HW4B19PeA1Vs0n-CYQimPq6vxNrlWV_MUvgH6oooDAvj1dPW6ZEA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsfE0Sv4TXXrN-jNOdSeuJTexS0AlRYsX76PmvWcQ20ToBIIcFmcvbXCDQpfqykvqTETVtvokSyZVc7BgKIzvG8mC7tG3oDO47Xiga70nqI0mxQDpsAs1JYn8sBzkP-8CF1P72XeIT5y9/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsfE0Sv4TXXrN-jNOdSeuJTexS0AlRYsX76PmvWcQ20ToBIIcFmcvbXCDQpfqykvqTETVtvokSyZVc7BgKIzvG8mC7tG3oDO47Xiga70nqI0mxQDpsAs1JYn8sBzkP-8CF1P72XeIT5y9/" width="320" /></a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQnYf1erF8KlXwVwVpCfXBWCReWI9SBQfqXXRYihMO429PS-m2M-fybzhyUBj5Ez6OQJW2hPGjQCX_ec3DzbzwWsy7Ky3ihFfBZlo7LCHZXGs6hR6T3WIrvC0JA6EQ9pKyTdU0dyYf9zl/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQnYf1erF8KlXwVwVpCfXBWCReWI9SBQfqXXRYihMO429PS-m2M-fybzhyUBj5Ez6OQJW2hPGjQCX_ec3DzbzwWsy7Ky3ihFfBZlo7LCHZXGs6hR6T3WIrvC0JA6EQ9pKyTdU0dyYf9zl/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For the exterior my client wanted it to look just like the freshly return spacecraft. At first this was tricky, because the real hatch, looks a bit "Fake", with it discolored chrome "mylar" outer layer. In researching the original specifications of the lunar mission hatches, I learned they were covered in aluminized Kapton. Kapton is a plastic that has a very wide operating temperature, and is transparent amber in color. The "Gold Foil" you see on the outside of the Lunar Module, is neither, it's not gold, and it's not foil. What it is, is Kapton, that has been aluminized on one side, and because it's transparent yellow, when viewed from the other side, it appears gold. It turns out, the Kapton on the exterior of the Command Module (CM), is Kapton that has been aluminized on both sides, and the yellow discoloration on the recently reentered CM, is where the aluminum micro-thin coating has burned off.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, lucky me, because I just happen to have, original, double metalized Kapton film (found on eBay years ago). After coming up with ways to "burn" off the aluminum, it was nearly a perfect match to the original. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xSIKJfqzioVFi0zH86pMPeUVgdhCkMwHKqdc6mPgWIk8KFTUEDEF0Wak3fFc5CTeqs-_IK45IFEU__PgsFXXXlfSxWmcRizTM7_nJ6DR0bQ7Ly4iVACU2WTBI2GSUWbakkPrpJrSCwm/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1024" height="547" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-xSIKJfqzioVFi0zH86pMPeUVgdhCkMwHKqdc6mPgWIk8KFTUEDEF0Wak3fFc5CTeqs-_IK45IFEU__PgsFXXXlfSxWmcRizTM7_nJ6DR0bQ7Ly4iVACU2WTBI2GSUWbakkPrpJrSCwm/w640-h547/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior of the replica hatch, mounted on the wall stand, with the ablated aluminized Kapton film.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qQ2n2MqUEPO0pHh_5z5-W1N-mVYtO6_vzMwlcoWJRmCZMjCqQhKn_WCINnPSA5YVLJUpHUtvsHqKqZtXG6ygl6lGWUkA1IMLeNDqLOPWnSKa3MGoDvO4XCPsGzKnC84FKzZE0-F6qPoQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qQ2n2MqUEPO0pHh_5z5-W1N-mVYtO6_vzMwlcoWJRmCZMjCqQhKn_WCINnPSA5YVLJUpHUtvsHqKqZtXG6ygl6lGWUkA1IMLeNDqLOPWnSKa3MGoDvO4XCPsGzKnC84FKzZE0-F6qPoQ/w472-h640/image.png" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The wall mount allows the replica hatch to be swung so either the inside or outside surface can be displayed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I have made 5 of these, and have 3 still available. (as of this publish date) </div><div><br /></div><div>If interested, please visit, <a href="http://www.orbitalsurplus.com">Orbital Surplus</a> for more information. or email <a href="mailto:chris@orbitalsupplus.com">chris@orbitalsupplus.com</a></div><div><br /></div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-81680078626242161942021-03-22T17:50:00.004-07:002022-02-07T05:21:19.617-08:00 Greenwich armour; Nearing the finish line.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> After nearly 4 years of decoration, the Greenwich armour project is nearly complete.<p></p><p>I have the burgonet, falling buff and locking gauntlet to complete, but all of the other pieces are finished.</p><p>Here are some images of the finished pieces, and some in progress shots.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fijBnFidKEiPumPJxshYN4yFixzs4SbAuh8tf-VCUWt5OsZ-k44H1WdWC11GR24Iw6l-MkR6YqM0m_D36HQpF4O_2GV9vVDerp0-wsOsKUcp_ma0Eb8Udz2jwco72B3HIWkInNc74U1n/s2901/3quarter-front.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2901" data-original-width="1084" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fijBnFidKEiPumPJxshYN4yFixzs4SbAuh8tf-VCUWt5OsZ-k44H1WdWC11GR24Iw6l-MkR6YqM0m_D36HQpF4O_2GV9vVDerp0-wsOsKUcp_ma0Eb8Udz2jwco72B3HIWkInNc74U1n/s320/3quarter-front.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpRhXyiV-19mpDW9-GRGqYmFYwI5UBCslRUQ5vgF-ou7lbtNbW_LBnf0SU6mDW5Xf1Jug3E45AoPQjndj3HWhHsjX4iYyzXsdWqWRe8nLm7QN7mSy-nlpCseKzLLcwfv8_akldm5Ffs1B/s600/Armet-tilt-visor.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpRhXyiV-19mpDW9-GRGqYmFYwI5UBCslRUQ5vgF-ou7lbtNbW_LBnf0SU6mDW5Xf1Jug3E45AoPQjndj3HWhHsjX4iYyzXsdWqWRe8nLm7QN7mSy-nlpCseKzLLcwfv8_akldm5Ffs1B/w367-h320/Armet-tilt-visor.jpg" width="367" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zuQzH-KK4HXghvf0KT0XQmaWZ7LmmouGa8WtrqR67lf1xeoPGWnT4vdI_r-TOlvROrAjBPxvMyG0vdT9Dpz1k2XBdPb5Wt1Tlr1hAw5WDca_bJgtRTSr77P1BGab04mvyYQmPxoYGK5b/s760/cuirass-back.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="600" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zuQzH-KK4HXghvf0KT0XQmaWZ7LmmouGa8WtrqR67lf1xeoPGWnT4vdI_r-TOlvROrAjBPxvMyG0vdT9Dpz1k2XBdPb5Wt1Tlr1hAw5WDca_bJgtRTSr77P1BGab04mvyYQmPxoYGK5b/w330-h417/cuirass-back.jpg" width="330" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zuQzH-KK4HXghvf0KT0XQmaWZ7LmmouGa8WtrqR67lf1xeoPGWnT4vdI_r-TOlvROrAjBPxvMyG0vdT9Dpz1k2XBdPb5Wt1Tlr1hAw5WDca_bJgtRTSr77P1BGab04mvyYQmPxoYGK5b/s760/cuirass-back.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVqEw2dfQ_nlx03mlJr8RI-8IzET_1_npoE1CV8Z926dUl2EYcPjGzugtJ-3y9_vhAMm-4cpvjpkmsNuAT00_kjqL5lPZa3TBrMVTnT-5FaFEBkKOA8WbS2EbyQqUQJemZXs4fn_LKSZi/s828/cuirass-front.jpg" style="clear: left; 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margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUW6B8pfnvQi3Qbe1jG8f3ym__KPYopYjidteG5yPC0ZeuZMRrrEPUmD-17RtCtL3Xy_BSBO_ERCGo3ITSXTBcLhNiNCVjRA_Hor4nQx6-TRELMqnDY5Yrl4IHLuiuTARXv0a-zKQmp0x/w217-h291/closeup.jpg" width="217" /></a><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc6DVdpkxfcdgq8vJC9-mh5ZRltvioy3rOhoCghCCNzt_sax9nQdw7h2EcFK3HzlSC9wATDdLes4uAlgS98IEyyQc-_pat05pxoZqK25ZubyOSJvLhCfiqrOOoCRLwZq5rmbd1fY6_e3y/s2048/garniture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1359" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc6DVdpkxfcdgq8vJC9-mh5ZRltvioy3rOhoCghCCNzt_sax9nQdw7h2EcFK3HzlSC9wATDdLes4uAlgS98IEyyQc-_pat05pxoZqK25ZubyOSJvLhCfiqrOOoCRLwZq5rmbd1fY6_e3y/s320/garniture.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGS8yBJuqL393sfVbc_CX8sjjbWaXSpsSkF0S01uuRibY1SUqmRJNwAC3wQSihzNWswb7rBUip1CN8A7aF8SCGe3M4oE1mqd9Gz1MRIr7nXaOqB3TeRhs7v6EoQ7DXUQpAsQ0UQaJF9Ln/s2048/Grandguard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1741" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGS8yBJuqL393sfVbc_CX8sjjbWaXSpsSkF0S01uuRibY1SUqmRJNwAC3wQSihzNWswb7rBUip1CN8A7aF8SCGe3M4oE1mqd9Gz1MRIr7nXaOqB3TeRhs7v6EoQ7DXUQpAsQ0UQaJF9Ln/s320/Grandguard.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRMVEQzV8AEVBw8MYcQBdgRjU4HE6j3Hekj9Djh6eowrIa1FhheFF565P3KrBDwBteTO0gisqWjt6MlAX5Dmp0pAmn4HIxzObzdOoWgTz7hPhsZpua9lfnRTEK6UotBVp8AxebfwcTtr7/s2048/lance+rest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRMVEQzV8AEVBw8MYcQBdgRjU4HE6j3Hekj9Djh6eowrIa1FhheFF565P3KrBDwBteTO0gisqWjt6MlAX5Dmp0pAmn4HIxzObzdOoWgTz7hPhsZpua9lfnRTEK6UotBVp8AxebfwcTtr7/s320/lance+rest.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaPp61cREMMqyJjNrhdQ8KbPQ9hDcWJyQ-CL39-FSqpoBxS53jMpHpAf6OqocDfJ5bVp-_5RRr0WLldf-QWS3zBkg6zn_88mIpM4OA0sb0TAbwuW3tANl6PxkgRYAKfUCYsGrajoKkFCC/s2048/tilting+close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaPp61cREMMqyJjNrhdQ8KbPQ9hDcWJyQ-CL39-FSqpoBxS53jMpHpAf6OqocDfJ5bVp-_5RRr0WLldf-QWS3zBkg6zn_88mIpM4OA0sb0TAbwuW3tANl6PxkgRYAKfUCYsGrajoKkFCC/s320/tilting+close.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TCTg0oP-zLxrnBx1gvrf-i14IUiIe4WgIFcM7utICFubRy-diRQY6lNUjlax8uVeTuxuIfkKzee4Pak3bKgUmOiVXqefwwa5R9dSqeK81Sol_HVb6k-conYjXqhHDvyq9lbpZ_K3WT4p/s2048/tilting+pcs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1131" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TCTg0oP-zLxrnBx1gvrf-i14IUiIe4WgIFcM7utICFubRy-diRQY6lNUjlax8uVeTuxuIfkKzee4Pak3bKgUmOiVXqefwwa5R9dSqeK81Sol_HVb6k-conYjXqhHDvyq9lbpZ_K3WT4p/s320/tilting+pcs.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf35_zHRp8wl4CewS7OVT1mQ-XKBdTx08Li0VT7F5I4AIOVlSx12zYKouw6dgWtsx5SIfD6BYSYPvjXdBiqYjzR0SLPg3D0xkSojHYAXohZpdEHVHhPcn6UsMtrlz_3RdB5qVwS6ynLVi/s2048/wearing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1089" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf35_zHRp8wl4CewS7OVT1mQ-XKBdTx08Li0VT7F5I4AIOVlSx12zYKouw6dgWtsx5SIfD6BYSYPvjXdBiqYjzR0SLPg3D0xkSojHYAXohZpdEHVHhPcn6UsMtrlz_3RdB5qVwS6ynLVi/s320/wearing.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is a little info-graphic I made to illustrate the steps I used to decorate each piece of the armour above.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bGPXQ4FKC_1Yy2aTrX3rHXIAMkCRUavpjsXoZm1yxwgyA3pTE7jhklGAa6UuX4dmLuqRXxUySlQ4belyuz6paeFx_LrmxNayTzWL6gBE8WZEqAn7A_KZcpVmbwZaqJVk2J0AYAaFyd8S/s2048/Passguard+steps.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="2048" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bGPXQ4FKC_1Yy2aTrX3rHXIAMkCRUavpjsXoZm1yxwgyA3pTE7jhklGAa6UuX4dmLuqRXxUySlQ4belyuz6paeFx_LrmxNayTzWL6gBE8WZEqAn7A_KZcpVmbwZaqJVk2J0AYAaFyd8S/w622-h338/Passguard+steps.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-91724908306039169602020-06-08T06:27:00.000-07:002022-02-07T05:21:09.704-08:00Greenwich Armour- One step at a time My Greenwich armour project is progressing slowly, but at least it is progressing.<br />
I have been asked many times about the process for etching and plating, which I have mostly addressed in earlier posts. This is my first time doing anything like this, and as I have progressed, I have discovered better or more accurate (to the original armour) ways to do this. I have tried to update the techniques whenever I have found something that works better.<br />
At some point, at the end of this massive project, I will have to post a synopses of the techniques I use and see how my experience over the course of a couple of years working on it, have changed my approach.<br />
For now, I have a list of all the steps from getting the heat-treated piece of armour, to the final assembled piece. (For those of you who make armour, some of these steps listed are obvious)<br />
<br />
The decoration (etching, gilding & bluing) involves 40 steps for each plate:<br />
<br />
Greenwich armour Decoration steps (after heat treat)<br />
<br />
1. Polish with 400grit greaseless compound<br />
2. Polish with white “stainless” compound<br />
3. Pattern sunken areas for artwork with masking tape<br />
4. Scan masking tape patterns<br />
5. Draw or modify decoration artwork (on computer) for unique areas of the plate to be masked.<br />
6. Cut vinyl decoration masks<br />
7. Weed vinyl & add peel cover<br />
8. Clean steel with acetone<br />
9. Apply vinyl’s to steel plates. (Figure 8, wavy and vine patterns)<br />
10. Adjust vinyl, trim overlaps<br />
11. Clean surface with alcohol & window cleaner<br />
12. Add dots and any missing artwork (averages 100 dots per inch of decoration)<br />
13. Let dry 10-15 hours<br />
14. Mix paste batch let sit for 3 hours, remix<br />
15. Apply 1st paste batch- let sit for 2 hours<br />
16. Remove paste<br />
17. Apply 2nd paste batch- let sit for 2 hours (fix dots as needed)<br />
18. Remove paste - rinse with water & dry<br />
19. Apply 3rd paste batch- let sit for 2 hours (fix dots as needed)<br />
20. Remove paste - rinse with water & dry<br />
21. Apply 4th paste batch- let sit for 2 hours (fix dots)<br />
22. Remove paste - rinse with water<br />
23. Clean off vinyl decoration masks and dots (very hot water and soft metal scraper)<br />
24. Dry part and remove large area masking<br />
25. Assemble part to check artwork alignment<br />
26. Power wire wheel etched areas (from all four directions)<br />
27. Thoroughly clean with acetone, window cleaner and alcohol<br />
28. Paint black paint (<a href="https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/166311c0-2685-4cf4-86d9-e980cbc6831f/svn/black-rust-oleum-specialty-protective-enamels-233967-64_1000.jpg" target="_blank">Rustoleum high temp black</a>) onto specified areas (let dry for 12 hours)<br />
29. Wet sand etched areas with 2000 grit paper removing over-paint<br />
30. Mask areas not to be plated, with nail polish (dots and edges)<br />
31. Electro clean surface to be plated (Heated to 160 degrees F.)<br />
32. Rinse with distilled water<br />
33. Nickle plate<br />
34. Rise with distilled water<br />
35. Gold plate<br />
36. Strip nail polish masking with acetone<br />
37. Tape off plated areas with masking tape<br />
38. Re-polish areas to be blued<br />
39. Put in oven at 290 Celsius until correct blue color is achieved then remove<br />
40. Spray with surface protectant.<br />
<br />
Part is ready for straps, linings & assembly<br />
<br />
This requires<br />
1. Cut buff leather strap (first find true "buff leather")<br />
2. Split it to to half thickness<br />
3. Cover with antique French burgundy velvet ribbon and sew in place<br />
4. Make strap ends in brass<br />
5. Solder brass 10mm caps on rivets<br />
6. Scothbrite then wire brush surfaces of all (buckles, strap ends, rivets)<br />
7. Rinse with distilled water<br />
8. Nickle plate<br />
9. Rise with distilled water<br />
10. Gold plate<br />
11. Rivet buckles and straps in<br />
12. Rivet armour plates together (Also add articulation leathers)<br />
<br />
Here is the size of the dots needed. (and the ones shown here are a touch larger than the original)<br />
These are added one at a time with a needle bottle with a 27 gauge needle. (McMaster-Carr PN-1902T341)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxUT54_UyP7crTINSG5UsTJBeem_wTgwLhDejwIuqj7HW2J2CtyMhw8vUGsrWqtEuc7-bgIV_0uKLkjIIHp5n-dJ2i4jdtJX3_BxlHbCIzvbzt5ntEJM2GxJhY5TTwYO6sYNvnrNeEIHn/s1600/Greenwich-arms+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxUT54_UyP7crTINSG5UsTJBeem_wTgwLhDejwIuqj7HW2J2CtyMhw8vUGsrWqtEuc7-bgIV_0uKLkjIIHp5n-dJ2i4jdtJX3_BxlHbCIzvbzt5ntEJM2GxJhY5TTwYO6sYNvnrNeEIHn/s320/Greenwich-arms+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I was using nail polish, but recently, I have switched to a marine paint made by Duralux (purchased - Home Depot-online)<br />
The paint seems to be more durable (against the salt paste) and flows better with the needle bottle than the nail polish.<br />
<br />
Here is the right arm complete. (The left is waiting for it's last 3 rivets, I can fit the mounting pin for the jousting Passguard)<br />
I have added elbow straps, even though there seems to be evidence they did not originally, but since I am unsure of this, I added them. If they prove useless, I can cut them out at a later date.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Next, the Pauldrons....<br />
<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-82116490872841425012019-12-11T15:49:00.002-08:002022-02-07T05:21:02.187-08:00Heat treating armour - A modern wayMany amourers and knife makers heat treat their own stuff, and while I have heat treated my own things before, I'm going to a professional company for this project. Having grown up around aerospace manufacturing, I learned years ago that there is more to heat treating than just making it hot and quenching it, and making it hot again. Modern heat treating has come a long way, and because of the complexity of this project, and the other advantages I'll address here in a bit, I am using Certified Steel Treating (CST) Corporation in Los Angeles Ca.<br />
<br />
Without going into too many technical details of what heat treating is, let me outline the process for those unfamiliar with what's involved in heat treating steel. However, first off, I am not an expert in heat treating, so forgive me if I get some technical bits wrong here.<br />
<br />
The basics of Heat Treating steel.<br />
<br />
First: Heat the metal to the correct temperature, this varies with the type and alloy of metal being hardened, but with steel you are in 1500-1650 f / 815-870 c temp range. In addition; The amount of time at that specific temperature is important.<br />
Second: Rapidly cooling the piece, by quickly submersing it in a "quench" of water or oil or molten salt (see below)<br />
Third: Reheating the piece to a much lower temperature, in this case 500-750f / 260 - 400c to "temper" it so it is not brittle like a piece of glass. This is where you can control how hard or flexible the piece can be. Either hard like a file, or flexible like a spring. The choice of metal alloy you use is a big factor of these properties.<br />
<br />
For my Greenwich armour one of the factors in deciding to use a commercial heat treating company was I'm using a "modern" steel, in this case 1050, and they will know exactly how to process it to the desired hardness. If it's too hard, it will crack when struck, too soft and it will dent easily. 1050 is a close modern equivalent to what the medieval or renaissance armorer was using. This alloy of steel has just enough carbon (.50%) so it can be hardened, but is not an exotic modern alloy with lots of other types metals mixed in.<br />
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The big advantage to a commercial company, is the use of modern vacuum or atmospherically controlled furnaces, which eliminates oxygen around the heated part. This keeps the surface from oxidizing or "burning" while it's glowing orange, resulting in a "scale" on the surface.<br />
This way, your piece can be surface finished to bright or polished, and the surface will be undamaged by the heat treating process. It will turn blue, but bringing it back to "white" is pretty easy.<br />
Another advantage, is salt quenching. The advantage here is lowering the thermal shock to the piece being hardened. Going from 1500f to 80f of your oil or water quench tank, is a severe drop and can cause a lot of distortion in the work. In order to harden the steel however, you do not need to drop the temperature by 1400 degrees, you only need a drop of 800 or so. One way to do this, is to heat salt to 600 degrees and quench the piece in that. The only down side to a salt quench is you can't have any plates riveted together or other places the salt can get trapped. Because after quenching, they will thoroughly clean the parts, and any place they can't get to, that traps the salt, will corrode.<br />
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Since this process is done on a lot of material in a commercial heat treating facility, it's pretty reasonable cost wise. A batch of around 20 ponds of material will cost in the neighborhood of $200 (This is a bit of a guess from memory, but when I get this next batch back, I'll update the cost)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvgqVN_Ib2VBVxHlGKGPKT80yroGzmL9TY6FchuuIhkwMC-Nn93wOSriIeKg_Xu4C0gN92lTY0lSJYvMjICdoVdrcjnPd_H0ix20es0Vr8TPqYAeq2WwlpByj6k1b4CzpU3MIdPFdt9SR/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvgqVN_Ib2VBVxHlGKGPKT80yroGzmL9TY6FchuuIhkwMC-Nn93wOSriIeKg_Xu4C0gN92lTY0lSJYvMjICdoVdrcjnPd_H0ix20es0Vr8TPqYAeq2WwlpByj6k1b4CzpU3MIdPFdt9SR/s320/IMG_3114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I-Beam clamp from McMaster-Carr (PN-29915T81)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In order to keep the pieces from warping or distorting, you want to brace the parts with a fixture that is more rigid than the part, so it will hold the part in place. There are a number of ways to do this, but I like to clamp or pin the pieces, then weld a frame to these clamp points.<br />
On the most recent pieces, in this case the pauldrons, fauld, and arms, I found some "beam clamps" which are used for securing things to metal I-beams. These can be bought on Amazon for around $1 each, but the only ones I found are galvanized, which would have to be stripped off before using them. Another source is the company McMaster-Carr, they have unplated ones for $2.30, so I used those. These clamps come with a 3/8"-16 bolt and nut, so once clamped the nut can be used as a jam nut to lock the bolt in place. These are threaded on both sides, so another bolt can be threaded in from the other side giving you the option to pinch the part between the bolts.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84PjUxWW00fehN2jjx4EAXegVNyC324DSzOtqtDLVaE7sVjLZv-qtjY6lXtCUEs2wes-L2IgP9bQG0_iEjDNCOLURFzqB2DGYydop_oSz1KWDiJYPN2jgcW3mBuioZ8kdSh-KaIlv9cd6/s1600/IMG_3110.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84PjUxWW00fehN2jjx4EAXegVNyC324DSzOtqtDLVaE7sVjLZv-qtjY6lXtCUEs2wes-L2IgP9bQG0_iEjDNCOLURFzqB2DGYydop_oSz1KWDiJYPN2jgcW3mBuioZ8kdSh-KaIlv9cd6/s320/IMG_3110.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkQoHzgceraYjePRi25qy0V-IL6uO5K5Pkwc_bqe6DRLBRhvEPhaWLCrQSdz2pwJZDZlP7A17zguR-3GXAc9SSQm12EThvs62yU6Ntcs5ZFZXOWpqWIBOv8IZueoRSqyiczvpRYUvnC0B/s1600/IMG_3111.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkQoHzgceraYjePRi25qy0V-IL6uO5K5Pkwc_bqe6DRLBRhvEPhaWLCrQSdz2pwJZDZlP7A17zguR-3GXAc9SSQm12EThvs62yU6Ntcs5ZFZXOWpqWIBOv8IZueoRSqyiczvpRYUvnC0B/s320/IMG_3111.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The resulting clamp arrangement means you can now just "Connect the dots" with some steel bar, or in this case square tubing. The clamps can be pivoted to facilitate using a straight piece of tubing to connect multiple clamps like seen above on the fauld lames. Here is the finished bracing.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5scQ-yj6p963wr7Tb87i07mte7W2PiK2uSaPt5kUQdYd5dw0pNluwuDPNdW4uAaYdRD6Lp181yWTMrW8L7K23u5RObMHCf7Gl2KwSoRP_OO7imBqQoAkwjqf4pySOOF3fLikq8PIsk_x/s1600/IMG_3139.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5scQ-yj6p963wr7Tb87i07mte7W2PiK2uSaPt5kUQdYd5dw0pNluwuDPNdW4uAaYdRD6Lp181yWTMrW8L7K23u5RObMHCf7Gl2KwSoRP_OO7imBqQoAkwjqf4pySOOF3fLikq8PIsk_x/s320/IMG_3139.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaL0fmzwi4Zujl9oPXrBE5IN1TooWPWeXKzKmKONv1VPXZhNicTXQY5K_FTEz_ap-qpJF3T6VqFPj2c11M_Og-14Yvnf4F655psVg0isJxxPSj9znr5z2hRUFvnKIxl5ld0uVph3hqsv7/s1600/IMG_3137.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaL0fmzwi4Zujl9oPXrBE5IN1TooWPWeXKzKmKONv1VPXZhNicTXQY5K_FTEz_ap-qpJF3T6VqFPj2c11M_Og-14Yvnf4F655psVg0isJxxPSj9znr5z2hRUFvnKIxl5ld0uVph3hqsv7/s320/IMG_3137.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VlWRLnPSEMvu22QMo4MD3mhbu0pXZ0V_Uft_B_IkfmWSliJijgoVff-4QxJ-mIDzqK6zD-v0rZbqMBng0TxO6dvqaewbnWGsU4y0wZeTiC-NSy2tLmbeKB4U5qiXIdDpg-XbmhJ4xKis/s1600/IMG_3136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VlWRLnPSEMvu22QMo4MD3mhbu0pXZ0V_Uft_B_IkfmWSliJijgoVff-4QxJ-mIDzqK6zD-v0rZbqMBng0TxO6dvqaewbnWGsU4y0wZeTiC-NSy2tLmbeKB4U5qiXIdDpg-XbmhJ4xKis/s320/IMG_3136.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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I try to leave a flat stable surface on one or more sides so the parts can sit nicely in the furnace. Anywhere there are rivet holes between plates, #5 screws are used to secure the plates to each other. While a #5 is an odd size, it is almost exactly an <span style="font-size: x-small;">1/8</span> inch in diameter, which fits perfectly in the rivet holes. Once the pieces come back from the heat treater, I'll cut the clamps off the frames, so I can reuse them. This also is a great way to use up the short scraps of steel tube our shop seems to generate.<br />
The arms and pauldrons are braced in a similar manner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtfxjqkmeoX0GzSMHwkwh-Yv8bVBUsA1NwRxqAtyx4-ywg_XtuChPqCOKpOr3t7hOivuiPJ-9BGLJiNMs33PHfXkrp2cUZztY4j-GIFYnp3BA65DzdC1e-NCWFQTsy2a1OpZgzqAPfCz0/s1600/IMG_3147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtfxjqkmeoX0GzSMHwkwh-Yv8bVBUsA1NwRxqAtyx4-ywg_XtuChPqCOKpOr3t7hOivuiPJ-9BGLJiNMs33PHfXkrp2cUZztY4j-GIFYnp3BA65DzdC1e-NCWFQTsy2a1OpZgzqAPfCz0/s320/IMG_3147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1eKYGwM1kk7UWBQyhws58X17AEhhi3XukYvqOWw5D_4w1Z4f_wq9bgiLms7WRZCRsuBPi9UYb_2p7kBY3e5J2jYER0By-vTOJKY5aRD9gRgxEzVrJBIOOESrt-u8EpcQDigle9aerFBw/s1600/IMG_3146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1eKYGwM1kk7UWBQyhws58X17AEhhi3XukYvqOWw5D_4w1Z4f_wq9bgiLms7WRZCRsuBPi9UYb_2p7kBY3e5J2jYER0By-vTOJKY5aRD9gRgxEzVrJBIOOESrt-u8EpcQDigle9aerFBw/s320/IMG_3146.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ENFIiZEskMYS6qu1XpXqKqzu7uYTppJNgJVQuln_UT7lG1ZFj6NeTkizgtUKHUAUhycFPfzT3ysJHnpAbMryNR_fhft516BQFmzpbZu9h2fQczz7QhE50bNkI18EOzWfcDTwy1FgeLa0/s1600/IMG_3142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ENFIiZEskMYS6qu1XpXqKqzu7uYTppJNgJVQuln_UT7lG1ZFj6NeTkizgtUKHUAUhycFPfzT3ysJHnpAbMryNR_fhft516BQFmzpbZu9h2fQczz7QhE50bNkI18EOzWfcDTwy1FgeLa0/s320/IMG_3142.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07Jo4JJewBDTPbVWmvBv9OR2Lxp25S3QI3wBtmU9Pm8rviRLr0HTJpYSZouKFS_a5w_WmfWrGHYasv5SgvrUmE6EYhco1b5gYzX0-tWSSbpsCQD1y_E0njC6i_ZKkwT01BVI1vVJJf8fI/s1600/IMG_3145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07Jo4JJewBDTPbVWmvBv9OR2Lxp25S3QI3wBtmU9Pm8rviRLr0HTJpYSZouKFS_a5w_WmfWrGHYasv5SgvrUmE6EYhco1b5gYzX0-tWSSbpsCQD1y_E0njC6i_ZKkwT01BVI1vVJJf8fI/s320/IMG_3145.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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For the cuirass, I used a technique I used before, where I make tabs from <span style="font-size: x-small;">1/8</span>" strap stock with holes, that secure to the armour through rivet holes with the #5 screws, and then I connect these tabs with steel tube. In addition, I drill holes in the steel tube and weld nuts over the holes and thread a bolt through and pin the armour. In the case of the cuirass, this requires a frame on the outside as well. I try to design it so I don't have to cut any of the tubes to remove the armour.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGUT3_2m5c9yfuhlz_I66EYLitACWMbb-oXCCme32sdAX9fnphBJO5tHBdDuQ3b_nxVgseaofCn7SNJ7VI-XWEpSgjy2f6CQtLWwNzozObTbsAXTMTYbqUZL9-fnXpveSbB6YrFfqzbsk/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGUT3_2m5c9yfuhlz_I66EYLitACWMbb-oXCCme32sdAX9fnphBJO5tHBdDuQ3b_nxVgseaofCn7SNJ7VI-XWEpSgjy2f6CQtLWwNzozObTbsAXTMTYbqUZL9-fnXpveSbB6YrFfqzbsk/s320/IMG_3150.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY64sHLwTeiaMS5nKi57HzurtU8y4SmS_RfUcroaNXvBmXsOk8qTsGXTB-7UgTbuhaVROpkW65IUwpo-KkaKwbNzKE_cPpg2GUQh_PFG_dGTwMmASgzKtrkiEpKVssxmiOkhvoaPz1io3u/s1600/IMG_3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY64sHLwTeiaMS5nKi57HzurtU8y4SmS_RfUcroaNXvBmXsOk8qTsGXTB-7UgTbuhaVROpkW65IUwpo-KkaKwbNzKE_cPpg2GUQh_PFG_dGTwMmASgzKtrkiEpKVssxmiOkhvoaPz1io3u/s320/IMG_3152.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvXMYdSe7JN30LpSYHKmjWWXAz0nF0k7YK3SWgJ2f9swrmtobDqXaCTqOM7IQNb52LIrP50vJr-AzR7E8v7z0bZE62bexzGziAjfP_M6BNl_ba-57I7_Ry9y98F6iKLnnPB19uNmccv1-/s1600/IMG_3153.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvXMYdSe7JN30LpSYHKmjWWXAz0nF0k7YK3SWgJ2f9swrmtobDqXaCTqOM7IQNb52LIrP50vJr-AzR7E8v7z0bZE62bexzGziAjfP_M6BNl_ba-57I7_Ry9y98F6iKLnnPB19uNmccv1-/s320/IMG_3153.JPG" width="320" /></a> In addition, I have added tabs on the front and back of the bottom skirt to trap it against the inner steel frame.<br />
Once these come back, I'll clean the surface back to white (shiny silver) and start the etching.Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-6333838767467787052019-09-29T08:45:00.001-07:002022-02-07T05:20:50.301-08:00Greenwich Armour: The work to get to this point.As I stated in an earlier post, this armour was started by Robert MacPherson (<a href="https://diligentdwarves.blogspot.com/2013/04/talents-i-have-seen-robert-mac.html" target="_blank">Talents I have seen</a>) and after an injury, Mac was unable to continue with the armour. Mainly because the work left to be done was all of the "heavy" work, the thicker jousting pieces and sinking all of the surfaces than needed etching & gilding.<br />
<a href="https://www.wassonartistry.com/" target="_blank">Jeffery Wasson</a> took up the challenge of completing this massive project. Massive, in that, not only was this a complex, advanced late period armour, but it was also a complete garniture. That being an armour with multiple separate components to allow the armour to be configured in multiple ways for different specific uses. In particularly, jousting.<br />
For jousting, the Greenwich armours had additional heavy reinforcing plates that mounted over the main armour in order to improve the safety of riding head to head with another jouster, who was trying to hit you with a metal tipped heavy wooden lance.<br />
Imagine riding on the freeway in the back of a pickup truck and leaping out into a street sign and hitting the sign post. The impact is tremendous. So to help keep the guys from getting injured (or killed) heavy plates were affixed over the base armour, which helped tie loose appendages together to keep your arm from being dislocated or your neck broken.<br />
Just like modern sports, jousting evolved over time with changes in rules and improvements to safety, usually motivated by serious injury or death. So by the late 16th century, jousting armour was pretty sophisticated and substantial. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first replica of a complete Greenwich garniture built in at least the last 100 years (I'm not sure if any replicas were built during the Victorian period) So there is a lot to learn by trial and error in recreating these parts and making sure they interact with each other in the correct manner.<br />
Here are some images of this process (work by Jeff Wasson):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjXoIgB72S17hedBVnmUBw5nW3PeDKa6qCPKRPq623sGjkQgZb2ymeWVUjRY7JKHowZvyTiPrPche5-DIrk_LX0z1qgQJAegmBGOUto3t92ogqA57p8uBk-v018H1FIqciDEJVaKGNEXk/s1600/11666188_10153413247624655_236370971398448995_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjXoIgB72S17hedBVnmUBw5nW3PeDKa6qCPKRPq623sGjkQgZb2ymeWVUjRY7JKHowZvyTiPrPche5-DIrk_LX0z1qgQJAegmBGOUto3t92ogqA57p8uBk-v018H1FIqciDEJVaKGNEXk/s320/11666188_10153413247624655_236370971398448995_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examining the original arm armour at the <br />
Wallace Collection. The burgonet and <br />
falling buff are in the foreground<br />
(Thanks to Dr. Tobias Capwell)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvrwqArwdRvj-_oUe0w3eqYXR81gCE5w-e5ia5vuHaGPahkWTs9-xGF3CVBQxZHhPcHcqI4HYPCBFUFm5Y5aZ2KbB7o53R6pQlKmm71tF6HDcAUhPgU4taFbfn-KWTarZBRZrK_9ijVUX/s1600/i-WqG93Nr-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvrwqArwdRvj-_oUe0w3eqYXR81gCE5w-e5ia5vuHaGPahkWTs9-xGF3CVBQxZHhPcHcqI4HYPCBFUFm5Y5aZ2KbB7o53R6pQlKmm71tF6HDcAUhPgU4taFbfn-KWTarZBRZrK_9ijVUX/s320/i-WqG93Nr-X2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fitting of the close helm visor. (one of two)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The garniture has two helmets and 4 visor options. The burgonet has a bar grill and a falling buff and the close helm has a tilting visor and a field visor. The close helm locks onto the gorget, via a rolled top edge on the gorget and the ridge you can see on the bottom of the close helm. When properly made, the rotation is effortless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGnxXNGH5XtJf6ndqumICgiC8On1NPlJDMadDnJWroAo9prqLimcdeTHAVBrj2pZRvurG4PoS-E3hvN2HPzClnOPo6YvMaFq4sQI_Fm13tGqZPkMCSPYTV8EjSlThKgoYHQSThcl4h_r9/s1600/i-CwSxcTd-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGnxXNGH5XtJf6ndqumICgiC8On1NPlJDMadDnJWroAo9prqLimcdeTHAVBrj2pZRvurG4PoS-E3hvN2HPzClnOPo6YvMaFq4sQI_Fm13tGqZPkMCSPYTV8EjSlThKgoYHQSThcl4h_r9/s320/i-CwSxcTd-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The burgonet with it's falling buff. The bar grill <br />
fits beneath this. The black pen lines, show<br />
where the decoration areas need to be sunk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhgqJ2sC_pJodr_p1jPAw8UkwArUsLI9xKSfZKh_L-BHp-K_8M2EgaAcRPdKMpqe7qD_0A3V51sazkKBepV3netQpIWtJITMxVFU_6OiX9Mp6BKslnNtfznimnYsKFbFABkIZknP4uMCQ/s1600/0-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhgqJ2sC_pJodr_p1jPAw8UkwArUsLI9xKSfZKh_L-BHp-K_8M2EgaAcRPdKMpqe7qD_0A3V51sazkKBepV3netQpIWtJITMxVFU_6OiX9Mp6BKslnNtfznimnYsKFbFABkIZknP4uMCQ/s320/0-10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The close helm with the tilting visor.<br />
Again, the lines indicate areas to be sunk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdY34r7kmG1J2OhsW5ZxrgiJ3cbiz3jXGofRD9ixWih_Xbs0-s44ilva0RSbJc_XkPfVw4Whawbi3lT9jpoVqbmtFHVv_YdhGtMCTUbREI7YyDfjskC9vf2zveL0yuVMbNqhkX3185zyd/s1600/IMG_7220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdY34r7kmG1J2OhsW5ZxrgiJ3cbiz3jXGofRD9ixWih_Xbs0-s44ilva0RSbJc_XkPfVw4Whawbi3lT9jpoVqbmtFHVv_YdhGtMCTUbREI7YyDfjskC9vf2zveL0yuVMbNqhkX3185zyd/s320/IMG_7220.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The close helm being fit the gorget or "collar"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-asowv1O2w-suGnWkEDvL3AeuvHJ4EJe-N9a2X2yty16h0IEpVk8QrDyjLkQeDPT1XXZAG5eDNZiVI7jqf1rxaBmS_gqBZtb8o80xHaElddM9Bu2FxCqhlPVfMpmqF9IFszno-RMgYA2m/s1600/unnamed-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-asowv1O2w-suGnWkEDvL3AeuvHJ4EJe-N9a2X2yty16h0IEpVk8QrDyjLkQeDPT1XXZAG5eDNZiVI7jqf1rxaBmS_gqBZtb8o80xHaElddM9Bu2FxCqhlPVfMpmqF9IFszno-RMgYA2m/s320/unnamed-8.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The burgonet with it's sunken boarders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_VCjt-x7dEzy0q_QS9Uwv4E2DFCsWF0G9xzf50MKlDBYFgULE-QeujArk3nvj-Lg4-oIYOrQzN9z8J-augBmq5TWMvA9ehyphenhyphenst3BpW8pxm77bSSKCP-UOT0ZwjmLvxAYeewOhm_caUBKu/s1600/unnamed-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_VCjt-x7dEzy0q_QS9Uwv4E2DFCsWF0G9xzf50MKlDBYFgULE-QeujArk3nvj-Lg4-oIYOrQzN9z8J-augBmq5TWMvA9ehyphenhyphenst3BpW8pxm77bSSKCP-UOT0ZwjmLvxAYeewOhm_caUBKu/s320/unnamed-18.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rough ground breast with its sunken boarders.<br />
Sinking the boarder moves the whole piece<br />
often requiring the piece to be reworked<br />
in order to refit it to its mating pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WJ5bPobFFf6srhZhodpRbnV0clHAGVrz2CZSOZ3y01EDh8SfS5MG3wxehRInOQANcFMY6EipMkPWWNyrKr1m-tJYstoM4WeaWisDoBOnSB3yzm57mOYliinqWx2RGEZg3sIwhO3vZ9XJ/s1600/unnamed-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WJ5bPobFFf6srhZhodpRbnV0clHAGVrz2CZSOZ3y01EDh8SfS5MG3wxehRInOQANcFMY6EipMkPWWNyrKr1m-tJYstoM4WeaWisDoBOnSB3yzm57mOYliinqWx2RGEZg3sIwhO3vZ9XJ/s320/unnamed-15.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The breastplate being heated in order to sink<br />
the decoration areas. Heat is required<br />
because the breast is about 2 mm thick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnP3gxJhOaPSwD5OmeVqqGh_inJlxqYDAAyugpXbA4-Dx7UjnXDhv3XBplm7EdLJV72g79qLf5UCRR0NUxOhoydTjl2TNBhQGjzMqXX3dRSFkGHGeP68Hu-GHjyHBSlLdEuQEiwWA4Vjt-/s1600/reinforce5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnP3gxJhOaPSwD5OmeVqqGh_inJlxqYDAAyugpXbA4-Dx7UjnXDhv3XBplm7EdLJV72g79qLf5UCRR0NUxOhoydTjl2TNBhQGjzMqXX3dRSFkGHGeP68Hu-GHjyHBSlLdEuQEiwWA4Vjt-/s1600/reinforce5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnP3gxJhOaPSwD5OmeVqqGh_inJlxqYDAAyugpXbA4-Dx7UjnXDhv3XBplm7EdLJV72g79qLf5UCRR0NUxOhoydTjl2TNBhQGjzMqXX3dRSFkGHGeP68Hu-GHjyHBSlLdEuQEiwWA4Vjt-/s320/reinforce5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uIgZIv1sxOyEwjdk7ZLzr19343Do52wQReYgS5AMukPpR1jd2LZwHQclGeXaRJor0jOXdjnCKI3Ir46yeNlY63jJz9s2zOETVxr3gU0q5A9sVFl_FzkZ-t0JzhP3Zi8sc-15WPbZcIeD/s1600/reinforce6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uIgZIv1sxOyEwjdk7ZLzr19343Do52wQReYgS5AMukPpR1jd2LZwHQclGeXaRJor0jOXdjnCKI3Ir46yeNlY63jJz9s2zOETVxr3gU0q5A9sVFl_FzkZ-t0JzhP3Zi8sc-15WPbZcIeD/s320/reinforce6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If all this isn't difficult enough, an optional second <br />
"reinforcing" breastplate is also fit over the main one.<br />
The reinforcing BP is 3 to 4mm thick and is intended<br />
to be proof against heavy rifle rounds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQglmZ22YLEwOgd6g6IhNlesk7jJtK-WUZwTNx0p3EPtwobQl08rbcjqKD9apVoezlbJnATxBzlavd4QLHr7r9CszNdjl98HTXOvWPHbBoMKfK8gbQugLWd5uDP-Df4PtevpOXuErrYoIn/s1600/reinforce3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQglmZ22YLEwOgd6g6IhNlesk7jJtK-WUZwTNx0p3EPtwobQl08rbcjqKD9apVoezlbJnATxBzlavd4QLHr7r9CszNdjl98HTXOvWPHbBoMKfK8gbQugLWd5uDP-Df4PtevpOXuErrYoIn/s320/reinforce3.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reinforcing BP also needs sunken boarders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_FxHbOUSIizFTNSp5M3LGuajngrLFyC8fMqvWMD5mtgivtBIzRp47wQFJzBA83FYYYckXImXo2SQfyOzXZUQPnxnQE1lmf_1bjqiFd3XH3QbgTUoV8PChk2inM_twI-OGF-xnbVauBzY/s1600/IMG_7114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_FxHbOUSIizFTNSp5M3LGuajngrLFyC8fMqvWMD5mtgivtBIzRp47wQFJzBA83FYYYckXImXo2SQfyOzXZUQPnxnQE1lmf_1bjqiFd3XH3QbgTUoV8PChk2inM_twI-OGF-xnbVauBzY/s320/IMG_7114.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once the decoration areas are sunk,<br />
the reinforcing BP needs to be refit to<br />
the main breastplate. Areas that should not<br />
touch are marked with soapstone and corrected.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKybomFkwsWfOWhEhKuVZ55uRBC2F8gxs5Cwav0IgMUyH-VYxXzpUOV6_-sqZHXouCqEp5S4ibzP7HNHzzha0tNoPpxohfHMWPkHpPPdk-akWIwAUYTO49WZVi6GDfK_h2yOBy_AMtfN4/s1600/Forming+hem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKybomFkwsWfOWhEhKuVZ55uRBC2F8gxs5Cwav0IgMUyH-VYxXzpUOV6_-sqZHXouCqEp5S4ibzP7HNHzzha0tNoPpxohfHMWPkHpPPdk-akWIwAUYTO49WZVi6GDfK_h2yOBy_AMtfN4/s320/Forming+hem.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In addition to sunken areas, the more traditional <br />
rolled edges need to be added to many <br />
of the plates.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpglPl2o41YvakQtPV-mBdp4cWSie8Tlqz2CzAa1Wcw1oePLxm2kysyy8WMBtHjTWtpc44QkkgvnTocA41Ca6Fu3VEhkiC1pStx5CG28kcHflnHWSjR4PXBJK_TGghgOieW6aVt-ggMpD/s1600/i-4CGjDqq-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpglPl2o41YvakQtPV-mBdp4cWSie8Tlqz2CzAa1Wcw1oePLxm2kysyy8WMBtHjTWtpc44QkkgvnTocA41Ca6Fu3VEhkiC1pStx5CG28kcHflnHWSjR4PXBJK_TGghgOieW6aVt-ggMpD/s320/i-4CGjDqq-X2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The backplate is considerably thinner, but still needs<br />
sunken areas for decoration. The rolled edges also<br />
get grooves hammered in, called "roping".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ5CAbHw7my8VpXPxdLd67RX3ZK6rYUHuho_WAGJTABVPlXcHmNuYmg3IKnMeNDeb0Hg4GMB9F8fcYRJX4L2iDtfq_MRj1xxd4YTWhz-6PQukccbjLB76eGfAofSJ89UjL1g19y3eTMGS/s1600/IMG_8293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZ5CAbHw7my8VpXPxdLd67RX3ZK6rYUHuho_WAGJTABVPlXcHmNuYmg3IKnMeNDeb0Hg4GMB9F8fcYRJX4L2iDtfq_MRj1xxd4YTWhz-6PQukccbjLB76eGfAofSJ89UjL1g19y3eTMGS/s320/IMG_8293.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An earlier test fit of all these pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs53G_0MXPBtnSv9R3U2Yi5g-mX19WC70JvVdePNtc0r6gl8LDcYWz2STb_ZNu0gNPD4EAR4kucccAXOL8yv4maPgPqc3n2Cln2as4jDVr_WrK9uBAFDBZOy7Mmah3mbZZauaucMhe_Tn/s1600/unnamed-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs53G_0MXPBtnSv9R3U2Yi5g-mX19WC70JvVdePNtc0r6gl8LDcYWz2STb_ZNu0gNPD4EAR4kucccAXOL8yv4maPgPqc3n2Cln2as4jDVr_WrK9uBAFDBZOy7Mmah3mbZZauaucMhe_Tn/s320/unnamed-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pauldrons (Shoulder defences) are particularly tricky.<br />
Not only do these need to fit perfectly, they also need to be<br />
the correct proportion for the period of armour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBlvs7ePw8ORezz8GZGVnjZqmxh3E58oMPEQpONpWmn77f7DsaUHEhRvr1x2WGHcFUhPdqb0-F5uZ9EOI0b_7l0JE6Iu1pKDM5iOgwL5mLwRpydbBsREWwKRDOeBqPUFeOwERJG_NEqZI/s1600/i-tptRKxH-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBlvs7ePw8ORezz8GZGVnjZqmxh3E58oMPEQpONpWmn77f7DsaUHEhRvr1x2WGHcFUhPdqb0-F5uZ9EOI0b_7l0JE6Iu1pKDM5iOgwL5mLwRpydbBsREWwKRDOeBqPUFeOwERJG_NEqZI/s320/i-tptRKxH-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roping being added to the rolled edge<br />
of the couter (elbow)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjWV3gGz9EJFc7wNnW34zuNP7W8_MnA1vN74Yuq1_AwKYi6QwmfnQU-AFw5zQZf3v9WiH2yWKfBCGtKC7ju-jRltThhY1fuVlhrsSQmti6BSJSe1Gej7jZjz5iwU5pOWdJUcuJ-gORKiV/s1600/unnamed-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjWV3gGz9EJFc7wNnW34zuNP7W8_MnA1vN74Yuq1_AwKYi6QwmfnQU-AFw5zQZf3v9WiH2yWKfBCGtKC7ju-jRltThhY1fuVlhrsSQmti6BSJSe1Gej7jZjz5iwU5pOWdJUcuJ-gORKiV/s320/unnamed-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we have the gorget, burgonet, falling buff, spurs<br />
arms and tassets all ready for heat treat and decoration.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsHWwZGubkpkMdEvhpFfX8YQvI2etLESzkky4_RTJmyqamQHY3ObA9DKoThkRBZuZCa1ZS46EMK7zpf3ybuH7y4oQ-Ern9ozDuhQ3sxEcmhDbkJXFYEC5jhjLVH5fnWednf3hvF9L0Pmj/s1600/IMG_7452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsHWwZGubkpkMdEvhpFfX8YQvI2etLESzkky4_RTJmyqamQHY3ObA9DKoThkRBZuZCa1ZS46EMK7zpf3ybuH7y4oQ-Ern9ozDuhQ3sxEcmhDbkJXFYEC5jhjLVH5fnWednf3hvF9L0Pmj/s320/IMG_7452.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In addition to all that, the jousting plate known a <br />
grandguard is patterned over the breastplate<br />
and pauldrons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ak9VMekiuBYhlP4ImxeXGf_1pqJHNEnzrMR_K7-ub2IlpWnkm55H3KzSQ7To2qpTFTSZhrmDd24g99a3-v5KrntiMHZduOCV26RBJQjdB9cxcEVkKR6wURsB9vnl2gOSr8dYkQgXp0OQ/s1600/40838680_10156628917724655_7166015889559519232_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ak9VMekiuBYhlP4ImxeXGf_1pqJHNEnzrMR_K7-ub2IlpWnkm55H3KzSQ7To2qpTFTSZhrmDd24g99a3-v5KrntiMHZduOCV26RBJQjdB9cxcEVkKR6wURsB9vnl2gOSr8dYkQgXp0OQ/s320/40838680_10156628917724655_7166015889559519232_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the formed grandguard, now, continuing<br />
up over the left side of the helmet, again with the <br />
to be sunken areas indicated with soapstone lines.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSle6GmrTGIAHXyDX1KjtNHbSlut4-4kMvSRLchY-MXLSCDeDrXSnNGTkib4jqz6CYtXmkPb0PQfu9MCgrcgodSaDiixMRIWJ5UWZYq84vkDQIi8Prsyipq8W2f2tYGpxXiP7MoP1pjl2/s1600/40820127_10156628917734655_528429420067684352_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSle6GmrTGIAHXyDX1KjtNHbSlut4-4kMvSRLchY-MXLSCDeDrXSnNGTkib4jqz6CYtXmkPb0PQfu9MCgrcgodSaDiixMRIWJ5UWZYq84vkDQIi8Prsyipq8W2f2tYGpxXiP7MoP1pjl2/s320/40820127_10156628917734655_528429420067684352_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the specialized tilting pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQurB2gQ5GfPbD2F1NYGkGJzwvNhxRk3uZWXWJOfm8g5lskEH6basuUzoxZpnbx8dxp0NoAlZwRynNDmmBakN7srtMzV5CyOPJ1itH9U7kRW77A-YzVwVMKRQGmB4kTeeYp2iDC4-BFCby/s1600/0-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQurB2gQ5GfPbD2F1NYGkGJzwvNhxRk3uZWXWJOfm8g5lskEH6basuUzoxZpnbx8dxp0NoAlZwRynNDmmBakN7srtMzV5CyOPJ1itH9U7kRW77A-YzVwVMKRQGmB4kTeeYp2iDC4-BFCby/s320/0-7.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the pieces for the torso defense.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-30582602823307869282018-06-17T12:07:00.001-07:002022-02-07T05:20:28.698-08:00Fitting the Greenwich armour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Crafting a suit of Armour is equal parts;</b><br />
Metal Smithing, Sculpture, Engineering and Tailoring. Most people making armour today either underestimate this, underestimate the level of skills required, or in some cases lack one or more of these skills completely. The result is armour that may look good to the untrained eye, but is found wanting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hBAdDtWOYucrZAr9JGwBSri4s6eXIe1liMKugaV8PsXupoPYNC6_wdBY_S5O7BFN1q1TMQZJoZ4eDwMksrwdlGEe68xr2Y3nPLn4RQvT4CFrblGIi4_shqxn2kzDjtEEVbLHdJ76CJNz/s1600/9b032bfea0b7791f162915ffb711110b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="564" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hBAdDtWOYucrZAr9JGwBSri4s6eXIe1liMKugaV8PsXupoPYNC6_wdBY_S5O7BFN1q1TMQZJoZ4eDwMksrwdlGEe68xr2Y3nPLn4RQvT4CFrblGIi4_shqxn2kzDjtEEVbLHdJ76CJNz/s200/9b032bfea0b7791f162915ffb711110b.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...from the front, it clearly would not <br />
fit a human head correctly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Perhaps the armour is close in form, but isn't the correct proportion to the human body. As an example, with a trained eye, 19th century fakes can be instantly spotted by this error.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwXfb4xZQBFt1B_0gbwG3MYPn9fhR3grK1iMUZ0hNzmwvzrvnIsPXcrkDMYI6trphl-KN1VkDlloxBcGFUyPynahERLoX8s8Pr68UjBSDlUxcykmUU_vXpKIpi57DuYPKub0BTPWh8CMw/s1600/f99f9232499e11d5e36cd12646f8a016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="564" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwXfb4xZQBFt1B_0gbwG3MYPn9fhR3grK1iMUZ0hNzmwvzrvnIsPXcrkDMYI6trphl-KN1VkDlloxBcGFUyPynahERLoX8s8Pr68UjBSDlUxcykmUU_vXpKIpi57DuYPKub0BTPWh8CMw/s200/f99f9232499e11d5e36cd12646f8a016.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While this Sallet look "OK" from the side..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then, some armour is much closer to their historic examples, and it is harder to spot the issues. But with a the experience of looking at hundreds of surviving examples, these are often reveled by their poor function, minor atheistic errors or a "gut feeling".<br />
While other armour doesn't even bother to be critical of form or historical function and is built as "sport" armour, which requires or is given little "tailoring". This results in an armour that looks very little like it's historic counterpart and often has a sloppy look.<br />
Then there is movie armor, but we won't go there.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGP6iUWhDLu7hdg_pcym6fAzaN-9Th_rnXW-lg95ElPyS-B81WKpgRbQvG7LthplPVfquCQVPhEP5EkUaTdg4Oq8yqzFDg2Cxg6-AxWCy4DSlppMXuSxZB8uKBlGS6yGGYFUMkhIakZZN/s1600/Pennsic35_TCT_16-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="800" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGP6iUWhDLu7hdg_pcym6fAzaN-9Th_rnXW-lg95ElPyS-B81WKpgRbQvG7LthplPVfquCQVPhEP5EkUaTdg4Oq8yqzFDg2Cxg6-AxWCy4DSlppMXuSxZB8uKBlGS6yGGYFUMkhIakZZN/s200/Pennsic35_TCT_16-L.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While "shinny" and perhaps "cool looking",<br />
most sport armour is not very close<br />
to it's historical counterpart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even good armour, which is very close in form to extant examples, functions well, but is not as comfortable as it should be and sometimes "bites" the wearer.<br />
Getting all of these right, is what is required to make armour "correct".<br />
A few modern armourers have recognized the necessity of these skills and have worked at rediscovering and developing them all. (The internet has helped with this immensely)<br />
When armour was being used on a regular basis, (Full armour pretty much fell out of use in the mid 17th century) these skills were handed down master to appentice, or sussed out work shop to workshop in the same way automotive technology is today.<br />
<br />
As a contemporary example; In less than 50 years, a modern sports sedan, has higher performance, than a purpose built prototype race car of the 1970's. This is because lessons learned are remembered, developed and built on with each new generation. With armour, these lessons have been lost and are not easily divined from just looking at pictures, and only a little more apparent, when studying armour first hand. It really takes careful analyses of armour mechanics, while possessing a good understanding of human physiology, to even start to understand what our ancestors knew as matter of fact, through hundreds of years of development.<br />
<br />
In the modern age of armour making, 99% of modern armourers are not using techniques used by our ancestors. We have the luxury of machine made sheet metal at our disposal. The medieval or renaissance armourer, did not. He started with thicker plates, that he worked it into shape by thinning areas that didn't need to be as damage resistant, in order to save weight, while keeping some areas extremely thick (By today's standards). The modern armourer starts with a uniform sheet of metal and either stretches or shrinks it into shape, but in the end, each piece is still fairly uniform in thickness. Also, the modern armourer, generally does all the work himself, while our ancestors often used specialist workshops to polish, heat treat, create padding & linings or decorate their work.<br />
So in addition to figuring out the sophisticated mechanics and tailoring of historic armour, the modern armour has to develop techniques for moving the metal precisely and efficiently into the forms he requires, then learn heat treating and polishing. Not to mention, riveting, strapping, padding and decorating.<br />
<br />
Then, once you think you have a little understanding of all of this, and you have made some armour, you need to be self critical of the pieces you build to learn even more, by looking for what <u>isn't</u> right and figuring out how to improve all the above mentioned skills. Many armourers are happy to make a piece, sell it and make another, as long as it sells. However, with the world wide web, the demand and therefore the availability of better quality reproductions has gone up considerably. So has the quality. Ten or twelve years ago, I could count on one hand, what were considered the "skilled" armourers, now there are three or four times that many. (So much good armour, so little time!)<br />
<br />
The Greenwich armour;<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j327WDrBxbXMEPTpNfv9we3Xdb7aNajBDQCJdMWHQy3YTjSEFzJQVlv2CCCDCD6eYU6tUd4UUq-Chbgq4j1JzdHYMDcbmFoYNjtCFe-yDGobGSPLpDial8FuO2Mv3i-Uqxb4gHAOL5s7/s1600/IMG_5545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="321" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j327WDrBxbXMEPTpNfv9we3Xdb7aNajBDQCJdMWHQy3YTjSEFzJQVlv2CCCDCD6eYU6tUd4UUq-Chbgq4j1JzdHYMDcbmFoYNjtCFe-yDGobGSPLpDial8FuO2Mv3i-Uqxb4gHAOL5s7/s320/IMG_5545.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The A62 "Buckhurst" armour<br />
Wallace Collection London</td></tr>
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With reproducing an armour of this type, with all it's decoration, it is common to see modern examples, with extensive etching and gilding, but with poor form and function. In the modern vernacular, "Lipstick on a pig"!<br />
<br />
As I talked about in my last post, I made this mistake with my first Vendel helmet (and others) poor form covered in decoration. On a project of this scope, I really wanted to make sure the form and functionality of this armour was as good as it could be, before, I invested the required time and money to decorate it.<br />
When I started this project, <a href="http://diligentdwarves.blogspot.com/2013/04/talents-i-have-seen-robert-mac.html" target="_blank">Robert MacPherson</a> was one of those armourers you could count on the one hand. Mac started the garniture, crafting it from a steel that we feel is a modern equivalent of renaissance hardenable steel, AISI-<a href="http://www.rolledmetalproducts.com/carbon-steel-1050/" target="_blank">1050</a>. Mac built most of the main armour, but before he could finish, and start on the exchange pieces, he hurt his elbows and needed to retire form the heavy metal forming required for these pieces. The project was "on hold".<br />
After a number of years sitting in my shop, I commissioned Jeff Wasson, of <a href="https://www.wassonartistry.com/" target="_blank">Wasson Artistry</a> to complete the armour. Jeff is extremely talented and I feel he has the skills required to complete this in the manner it requires.<br />
<br />
What is a garniture?<br />
In the late 16th century, a number of English armours were produced for the the English nobility in preparation for the defense against the Spanish armada, these garnitures had "exchange" pieces so the base armour could be configured for different military requirements, but also for use in the sport of jousting.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVdZEye1qMHBcLtZVGjJt6NgtkCnPeq-BojWJky0JUNS5Ln8DFCByRRT4ADpvrbjZkwHMwGYKNaNFhu1We7_LuqquVah_Gk0LRVHNbw1Vu6ZCQ4er7POzwfQmZ7GzPo9sf-bW7ycC9KLu/s1600/917ThxDHNZL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVdZEye1qMHBcLtZVGjJt6NgtkCnPeq-BojWJky0JUNS5Ln8DFCByRRT4ADpvrbjZkwHMwGYKNaNFhu1We7_LuqquVah_Gk0LRVHNbw1Vu6ZCQ4er7POzwfQmZ7GzPo9sf-bW7ycC9KLu/s320/917ThxDHNZL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An illustration from the book<br />
"<a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/A/bo24173694.html" target="_blank">Arms & Armour in the Collection </a><br />
<a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/A/bo24173694.html" target="_blank">of Her Majesty The Queen: </a><br />
<a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/A/bo24173694.html" target="_blank">Volume I: European Armour</a>"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My Garniture would consist of the main armour like the Buckhurst armour, <i>cap-a-pie</i> (head to toe), plus:<br />
<div>
<u>Reinforce breastplate</u>; A second breast that fits over the main one, to make it proof against firearms for use in battle.</div>
<div>
<u>Close helm with 2 visors</u>; 1 for field (more openings) 1 for tilt (jousting, less openings)</div>
<div>
<u>Grandguard</u>; An additional plate mounted to the breastplate and helmet, to lock the two together for jousting.</div>
<div>
<u>Passguard</u>; An additional large elbow piece that mounts over the left elbow and arm.</div>
<div>
<u>Manifer</u>; A heavy gauntlet with flared cuff for the bridal hand.</div>
<div>
<u>Locking Gauntlet</u>; Like it sounds, a mitten<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJW_PyNmYNmmxzmbUeObVZlUsAuv4ic3vuZXy7iKw1EcGTIoJdRPOJIh5ZgOOYfuD7EMuDRI7giE90ynar_l2a8A6N3kb4xaO85naWwxiGPnr1NuTBG1GaaYo8-K2sh-JdYkcXqUVq2AC_/s1600/2006AV8287_2500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJW_PyNmYNmmxzmbUeObVZlUsAuv4ic3vuZXy7iKw1EcGTIoJdRPOJIh5ZgOOYfuD7EMuDRI7giE90ynar_l2a8A6N3kb4xaO85naWwxiGPnr1NuTBG1GaaYo8-K2sh-JdYkcXqUVq2AC_/s320/2006AV8287_2500.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
gauntlet for the right hand with an extra long last finger plate that latches to the cuff, to "lock" the sword in your hand. (Which when you wear it, it feels pretty scary, since you have this big extension locked to your hand and wrist, you cant let go of!)</div>
<div>
<u>Vamplates</u>; The bell guard on a jousting lance. (I have just added these to the list)</div>
<div>
I sent all the pieces to Jeff and he and both gathered all the research on this type of armour we could find. Jeff also had a conversation with Robert MacPherson, who had started the project.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
As you can imagine, it's tough enough to make the basic armour fit and work correctly, but when you add the jousting exchange pieces it starts getting into new territory that few today have experience with. Too make it even more difficult, I live in California and Jeff lives in New York. We would have lots of fittings.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm sure this project was a little daunting to Jeff, in not only it's complexity, but the fact he was taking over from Mac. (Mac has a reputation as one of, if not the best modern armourer in the world) Jeff had come up to speed on the project and had started to make the missing pieces of the main armour. The first of our fittings happened at a medieval event I attend every year in Pennsylvania know as <a href="http://www.pennsicwar.org/" target="_blank">Pennsic</a>.<br />
<br />
Fitting #1<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY5efI3GcxPozedepryh5HFl0RXm5o6NQWgGrIpZOC8zEwd03yj_FkoaifowEmjgU9Uzncs-RAv8HsspqczIldblMzFIzCbcotrITIBNOGpeVpR0vZ9aYSd5h6idf6sjWXrpJtEz_cTYz/s1600/Fitting-One+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1008" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY5efI3GcxPozedepryh5HFl0RXm5o6NQWgGrIpZOC8zEwd03yj_FkoaifowEmjgU9Uzncs-RAv8HsspqczIldblMzFIzCbcotrITIBNOGpeVpR0vZ9aYSd5h6idf6sjWXrpJtEz_cTYz/s320/Fitting-One+%25281%2529.JPG" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea2cioTCPbhaDv2aRVvQM18ZNqirQXGHAUrCqm8C7ffw_D2Ok8fBKKGOOKM5A9cyJd-CQpOTf9yKCvfDGp5-uAg4O6HhLgIo_42DtkAJbB7l4ZntIcdF_sQrt3-irBYYdkFa-nuLv6t-h/s1600/Fitting-One+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="708" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea2cioTCPbhaDv2aRVvQM18ZNqirQXGHAUrCqm8C7ffw_D2Ok8fBKKGOOKM5A9cyJd-CQpOTf9yKCvfDGp5-uAg4O6HhLgIo_42DtkAJbB7l4ZntIcdF_sQrt3-irBYYdkFa-nuLv6t-h/s320/Fitting-One+%25283%2529.JPG" width="224" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mac looking over the new pieces.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQ1Rn7D2jr2zKpOXjcVLCVl4_kK_z3UHNbMn6OIPsnDi9XSPBYDnMO5jaX8xzAJLCqJyNx9oX6tCr8yw1gYXkpcLM26rYxWSQR9XeEpadPmxBh0GulvGOGP6IPR7E3M-tt7Eujne8JXVX/s1600/Fitting-One+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQ1Rn7D2jr2zKpOXjcVLCVl4_kK_z3UHNbMn6OIPsnDi9XSPBYDnMO5jaX8xzAJLCqJyNx9oX6tCr8yw1gYXkpcLM26rYxWSQR9XeEpadPmxBh0GulvGOGP6IPR7E3M-tt7Eujne8JXVX/s320/Fitting-One+%25286%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a><br />
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The pauldrons (shoulders) were pretty tricky and we learned from the first fitting they were not correct and would need to be remade. </div>
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Our next fitting was the following year at Pennsic. This time we were doing the fitting in my early 16th century house.<br />
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Fitting #2<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp1I4iNhGn58GUY2NmMubnBiEKkkeqisObzBmALT5Yk6e2GRF-HsfZ9yKU0mZf2jKyoAZokehhzpcfimsYNgNTfzYGLy7NNucJOza2TTbgQ5ULAkJCAnW6fZ3TONoUO4QlTu_8w5bU-z-/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp1I4iNhGn58GUY2NmMubnBiEKkkeqisObzBmALT5Yk6e2GRF-HsfZ9yKU0mZf2jKyoAZokehhzpcfimsYNgNTfzYGLy7NNucJOza2TTbgQ5ULAkJCAnW6fZ3TONoUO4QlTu_8w5bU-z-/s320/IMG_0073.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XgsEQ2ot9IG2E0HmD3aSiR-mgti1BeySzNFovhIVTfpfa7mu9NVHAFcyjQfyq_XcqcKtOvDR9fUOctveBtI37AlU52l-cYtYFFhLHNhqkP0J1oJqmoGXXJ2d9mVW8akQdRL2NzFLeLj1/s1600/IMG_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XgsEQ2ot9IG2E0HmD3aSiR-mgti1BeySzNFovhIVTfpfa7mu9NVHAFcyjQfyq_XcqcKtOvDR9fUOctveBtI37AlU52l-cYtYFFhLHNhqkP0J1oJqmoGXXJ2d9mVW8akQdRL2NzFLeLj1/s320/IMG_0106.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff had the oppertunity to handle the A62 at the<br />
Wallace and is showing me some of his findings.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmBJLI4qZ6jb7Ia-ur03oGyrs9obV7Mrd9urUh4OPnNYXMLtDgmWPVt_bXcRwgpi_66jZ_21aB4Enc9moshGLlEGdIP2pcbUYZ0AHczlvLWrW7doV9D5KM7KGV9yH8zB1nbSpFVd7-Mwu/s1600/IMG_0120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmBJLI4qZ6jb7Ia-ur03oGyrs9obV7Mrd9urUh4OPnNYXMLtDgmWPVt_bXcRwgpi_66jZ_21aB4Enc9moshGLlEGdIP2pcbUYZ0AHczlvLWrW7doV9D5KM7KGV9yH8zB1nbSpFVd7-Mwu/s320/IMG_0120.JPG" width="239" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey3M37Pv1xlqPy38s58csXRR4lWr5xZe-AydeoZPxl8hCDz_wUvRq9ONTl7Arh8mUslL83YFZhHYc4ZiraY7Iy5apEqZvHdSTPG-cx6OUZxXJeBBSNSzPIq_xoO7-d_VJVEUSXAovyMaF/s1600/Research.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey3M37Pv1xlqPy38s58csXRR4lWr5xZe-AydeoZPxl8hCDz_wUvRq9ONTl7Arh8mUslL83YFZhHYc4ZiraY7Iy5apEqZvHdSTPG-cx6OUZxXJeBBSNSzPIq_xoO7-d_VJVEUSXAovyMaF/s320/Research.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff looking over the A62, thanks to the <br />
generosity of Dr. Tobias Capwell.</td></tr>
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Getting a chance to handle and examine the original armour is always a treat and is an opportunity so rarely available to most armourers. Along with the the increased acsess to better images and research, the internet has also allowed many museum curators to find the serious amateur researcher and dedicated reenactor, so they can share these pieces with those people.<br />
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Later in the year I was in London, so I took the opportunity to visit the Wallace, but also the Tower of London and the Royal armouries in Leeds. (Many thanks to Jonathan Ferguson and Bob Savage for their generosity in sharing their day with me.)<br />
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While at the Tower of London, I took photos of one of the only "plain" Greenwich armours, lacking in the usual decoration found on virtually all other surviving examples. In some of these picture, i positioned my iPad showing my armour from the same angle for comparison.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8TO7XLiLnY3j7VLGpKCHRkMIT2A2Mkb1srZxIbOf12w9H2Uhu-BQTLWLhUuBhHTV8pmS999i8S2gajZaYdESFwr0fZ2Ehm8KOgKbmFtnd67Q2ochl-NaJ6nFaisRsMZCozONRnGLfDCh/s1600/Research%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1113" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8TO7XLiLnY3j7VLGpKCHRkMIT2A2Mkb1srZxIbOf12w9H2Uhu-BQTLWLhUuBhHTV8pmS999i8S2gajZaYdESFwr0fZ2Ehm8KOgKbmFtnd67Q2ochl-NaJ6nFaisRsMZCozONRnGLfDCh/s320/Research%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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It had now been about 12 years since this armour had been started. While the fittings were yielding positive results, but because the distance between us, and Jeff's other commissions, it was a slow process. To add to the issues, I am not getting any younger. </div>
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With the additional research and Jeff refining the pauldrons, the main armour was progressing nicely, so it was time to tackle the jousting pieces. This is the first time for Jeff making anything like this and I am unaware of anyone else who has tackled a full garniture, so, I knew I needed to be patient. </div>
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In early 2016 I was in NYC filming a commercial, so I took the opportunity to set up a fitting with Jeff.</div>
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Fitting #3</div>
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This was the first time in the full set with the jousting pieces in place. It was pretty good. It became apparent that the grandguard needed to sit right on the breastplate at the bottom, to keep it rigid, but strategically move away from the breast further up, to allow a bit of movement in the shoulders.</div>
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We were both pretty happy an excited at the results, but there were some issues with the grandguard that needed further development.<br />
<br />
Come August, it was time for Pennsic again and another opportunity to fit the jousting plates.<br />
The main armour seemed pretty close, but the extra pieces were a little more trial and error.<br />
Along with finishing the individual bits for fit and function, there was the task of "sinking" all of the boarders where the etched and gild decoration needed to go. This involves stepping the steel surface down about a sixteenth of an inch using a fluting stake and a hammer, so when the decoration is complete, this area is recessed enough to help protect the gold from undue wear.<br />
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This fitting happened in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5eJu45WDvk" target="_blank">Bardicc</a>i great hall under it's Sistine chapel ceiling.<br />
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Fitting #4<br />
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<b>Life, the race car and paying bills....</b><br />
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After Pennsic, in late 2016 I realized I was going to live longer than my father, and being the youngest of his sons, it made a bigger impression on me than I expected. I also realized the race car he and I built, which he never got the opportunity to race, was going to have it's 40th anniversary in 2017 and the track it first ran on was to have it's 60th. So I told Jeff I was going to take a year off from the armour and rebuild my dads race car. (<a href="http://diligentdwarves.blogspot.com/2017/02/polish-eagle-racing-fiat-128-ski.html" target="_blank">Here is that project</a>) Plus, I knew he had other projects that needed to be completed.<br />
<br />
Over the years I have gone up and down in my weight and "letting out" armour is not so easy. The weight change has affected out fittings a couple of times.<br />
So in addition to making sure I fit in the armour, I have to start thinking about not only finishing it, but using it. If I want to joust in this, I have start improving my equestrian skills.<br />
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Now that I'm getting closer, I need to get the weight off and keep it off. Because our most recent fitting has shown I am going in the wrong direction on that front.</div>
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<b>Next:</b></div>
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<b>The process and the work to get to this point...</b></div>
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Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-53853122912064067372018-05-27T20:32:00.001-07:002018-05-28T05:58:03.664-07:00Things I've made: Tale of the two Vendel helmets This is a project I did a number of years ago, but was recently asked about it, so I thought I'd post something about the helmets I made.<br />
Years ago I made a pre-Viking age, or "Vendel" decorated helmet for a TV producer as a private commission. At the time, I was pretty happy with it. It was only the second time I did "repousse', the tooling of metal. The first time was for the "Viking" box used to hold the Loki Mask in the movie "The Mask"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipJ6k7_Mnm3ZvMrl1Sp0wLsHFUlM3l5KA3YWsATQiCaIbtD-9yqHWsDdaL7551s20CyU0fGUvxMAGLleDR99vjSjy2-Xw4mx_JGMDzWUdSrd5u5YiymrNhh2kfpYmKoVndZWm9d1Xg2FC/s1600/The+Mask+%2526+Box.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="406" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipJ6k7_Mnm3ZvMrl1Sp0wLsHFUlM3l5KA3YWsATQiCaIbtD-9yqHWsDdaL7551s20CyU0fGUvxMAGLleDR99vjSjy2-Xw4mx_JGMDzWUdSrd5u5YiymrNhh2kfpYmKoVndZWm9d1Xg2FC/s320/The+Mask+%2526+Box.tif" width="320" /></a></div>
However, as time goes on, hopefully, one learns more, and sees things in a new light. As I became more educated in the Vendel period, the light came on, and I realized this helmet was not very good.<br />
Now, of course, I was compelled to make one that was better. But my life is a busy one, and was many years before I would make the time to do this.<br />
<br />
Finally,<br />
just as I started gathering materials on the Vendel period together and planning what I would make, a friend who was managing my rental department, expressed his desire of owning one of these decorated helmets or "field crowns". Skip, who, was heavily into Viking history, had been doing a great job running the department and I always felt I couldn't afford to pay him enough. I felt this would be a nice thank you. Plus, if he knew I was making one of these, he would be jealous, so I thought, I'll just make two!<br />
This is how my life often goes; No time to build one of something, but two of them, I'll figure out how to do it. (Although, I'm still trying to figure out how to get those two Ferrari's!)<br />
The trick was, how to keep Skip from discovering what I was planning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4IqIs4QnG3-fMqKD8Elz9eese6bogO7n8Asf53JakHzNRo7uwqyTrGQtKfWwegWCg4X1ikDCboH2O_GjcnvQZvztWLYCFEW6RU5UoFfIs3VEw_h9gmHHq-Ut2uB5Hkm8VcyrLyyClMEA/s1600/Vendal%25252001%252520f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="850" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4IqIs4QnG3-fMqKD8Elz9eese6bogO7n8Asf53JakHzNRo7uwqyTrGQtKfWwegWCg4X1ikDCboH2O_GjcnvQZvztWLYCFEW6RU5UoFfIs3VEw_h9gmHHq-Ut2uB5Hkm8VcyrLyyClMEA/s200/Vendal%25252001%252520f.jpg" width="147" /></a>The Vendel period is a modern scholarly classified age in Sweden from 550 to 790 AD. Many of the extant swords and helmets are highly decorated and had similarities to late Roman ridge helms.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0GmYCpGDwnWz6qT3x2Pihb1fZw14RZGQwPpC0BoeMLma_wodrns1AlVJ4HU-gA6UNA8rjzMot8-IV-9-kQgXY0_Mw6rvmksXj3cYowdkUX_mpf6GpzKBVRewZhTiFSTHGyvW3bXhV3Iv/s1600/Taf%252520001%252520Helm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1164" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0GmYCpGDwnWz6qT3x2Pihb1fZw14RZGQwPpC0BoeMLma_wodrns1AlVJ4HU-gA6UNA8rjzMot8-IV-9-kQgXY0_Mw6rvmksXj3cYowdkUX_mpf6GpzKBVRewZhTiFSTHGyvW3bXhV3Iv/s200/Taf%252520001%252520Helm.jpg" width="145" /></a>There are around 26 helmets or helmet fragments that have been found across Scandinavia, Northern Europe and eastern Russia. I don't know how many swords have been found.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrNaoDhE3u9BwEe3oeqU7Blo6l3a2vPvJUQh1QiG5cE8cnjNBTVlLih0K4YJggeqodyxpIgWlv8Q2KVbKbiTPSzJuq7ro3YoDpVbkPeE-IjTmwDqQy1r2P_2VfIfuTcj_C11HvpW5p9MA/s1600/Helmet_from_Vendel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1179" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrNaoDhE3u9BwEe3oeqU7Blo6l3a2vPvJUQh1QiG5cE8cnjNBTVlLih0K4YJggeqodyxpIgWlv8Q2KVbKbiTPSzJuq7ro3YoDpVbkPeE-IjTmwDqQy1r2P_2VfIfuTcj_C11HvpW5p9MA/s200/Helmet_from_Vendel.jpg" width="193" /></a>Finds from graves at Vendel and Valsgärde show that Uppland, or the east-central part of Sweden, was an important area during this time and many of these finds are very well documented.<br />
Although detailed documentation was difficult to come by, back in 2004 when I started, but I did manage to find a couple of Swedish publications that had some excellent photos.<br />
Eventually I decided to make a helmet for myself similar to the Valsgärde 5, but I had to find out what Skip fancied. Skip is a stickler for authenticity and I had planned on letting him see what I was making for myself, but I needed to keep him in the dark about the second one for him, while still get feed back on what he was dreaming of. After some surreptitious questioning, I found out he always liked the Vendel 14 helmet.<br />
Interestingly, when I showed him an image of the Vendel 14, as it is now in a museum, he said, no, not that one. As we flipped through the book, he spotted a drawing of the one to which he was referring. The helmet he had admired for all those years was an early archaeological drawing of what they thought the Vendel 14 helmet would look like, once it was removed from the dirt and rust in which it was entombed. Once it was cleaned and reconstructed however, it looked very little like this drawing. (This incorrect drawing is still being published as a depiction of the "Vendel 14" helmet.)<br />
Skip was pretty bummed because he realized he was in love with a helmet that was not a real thing. But I pointed out, the drawing is in keeping with the style of other helmets that had been found and it was still a viable choice. I really hoped he agreed with my assessment, because I really didn't like the real Vendel 14 helm. (Although, now it's grown on me a bit) He did and so I continued my research and planning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKksOdgRPAGOwJYujmPwUsWn6ox55VBtnZB6Aa9ek_m42e6l4QjHx23WLWeSIO5T6mQr7NWOCCYBk0oFS82vZ_7cmfaBU1wJIzyrGZWkGjyljDhb5gCVNtcNhmja5RwKukxNnGg7MzKHZ/s1600/valsg5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKksOdgRPAGOwJYujmPwUsWn6ox55VBtnZB6Aa9ek_m42e6l4QjHx23WLWeSIO5T6mQr7NWOCCYBk0oFS82vZ_7cmfaBU1wJIzyrGZWkGjyljDhb5gCVNtcNhmja5RwKukxNnGg7MzKHZ/s320/valsg5.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valsgärde 5</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhUWrfTXYOTfCXi5mMA1G-qEmW2HeABZKejVxmu71ZlAGwDFiPsWrdDpAShyphenhyphenTbgJ47SvqoK31ncJUvWeprIsuwVEkcOgEz9cXWCVZ2tbsINytCQaRinfzUm76ntiqR3jnZHQ5VAodxr3f/s1600/Vendel_XIV_helmet_17430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhUWrfTXYOTfCXi5mMA1G-qEmW2HeABZKejVxmu71ZlAGwDFiPsWrdDpAShyphenhyphenTbgJ47SvqoK31ncJUvWeprIsuwVEkcOgEz9cXWCVZ2tbsINytCQaRinfzUm76ntiqR3jnZHQ5VAodxr3f/s320/Vendel_XIV_helmet_17430.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vendel 14</td></tr>
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I would make the helmets from modern sheet steel, and since we were likely to use these in reenactment battles in Europe, I chose to make them in 1050 spring steel, so the steel could be hardened. This process was all pretty straight forward, although the lattice work on the Valsgärde 5 turned out to be a little tricky. I needed to make sure all of the small bands lined up nicely with each separate panel. (Now, new research I have found, suggests that these areas were covered with fabric, and not visible!)<br />
The decoration was more unfamiliar to me, so that was the biggest hurdle on this project.<br />
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First, I had to find out how these were made in the period and then see if I had a way to make them with the skills and tools I had available to me. The main decorated panels were made of thin "foil" sheets of metal, pressed over bronze relief plates. The center crest seemed to be fabricated or cast and the eyebrows and crest terminals were cast. All of the helmets I have researched have some type of copper alloy for these decorations, but Skip wore tons of really nice silver Viking jewelry. So I planned to make his decorations with fine silver.<br />
To save time, I came up with a technique of making the pressed decorative panels by using a etched magnesium plate. These were used for creating rubber stamps and in the printing profession. The advantage to the acid etched magnesium, is the magnesium cuts extremely fast with the correct acid, so fine details can be made right next to deep, large details. If you are interested in this process, here is a nice <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-QA7wrPOE" target="_blank">video</a> on how these mag plates are made.<br />
Once I drew the artwork, I scanned it into the computer and did some corrections and scaling. I then printed out full size artwork to check porportion and spaceing of the design elements.<br />
I would need to test metal thickness for the finished foil plates and how the size and depth of the etching worked with this foil.<br />
There were a lot of tests. But, eventually, I decided to use .005" fine silver and brass pressed into the mag plates. People have asked, why not Sterling Silver; Sterling is a harder alloy that contains 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% of other metals, usually copper, so it is harder. Fine silver is 99.9% silver, so it can be made softer. This turns out to be critical with my process. To impress the foil, I used wet leather and my 20 ton mold press. The wet tooling leather (flesh side down) was chosen over rubber, because the rubber acts as a "single surface" and would bridge certain fine detail. The wet leather on the other hand was more granular and pressed into these details nicely. Once the foils were pressed, I used small metal ball and spoon shaped tools to press or "sculp" more dimension into the foils by working the backside of each foil panel, while it was supported in pitch. Another element is the ribbed strips that boarder the panels. This was made by turning a rolling die on my lathe and rolling each strip through the mill. This of course required a few steps, annealing, straightening and re-annealing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40zaFMLdw10M6JnPnTNOO5-o9ifpGkrlsqsom_2aHLe0g9MNiBKtTbpj56Vu6rU_n7jP5kz4DpC7iSV2Mw45rOABRzsy65hVSBkaFbDYbpB1izq7XFO1IxJzhg_3sFSV_80f4Z1wc8XEX/s1600/DSC03021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40zaFMLdw10M6JnPnTNOO5-o9ifpGkrlsqsom_2aHLe0g9MNiBKtTbpj56Vu6rU_n7jP5kz4DpC7iSV2Mw45rOABRzsy65hVSBkaFbDYbpB1izq7XFO1IxJzhg_3sFSV_80f4Z1wc8XEX/s320/DSC03021.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQNFN39-wbtsfMRQfVQViOXhYO3jcY4QM4_BVYC1G5E8s5OMfngpI9-KAfs-FMKBZa3cjDR0UauWWf9AZfcrl_foFEPh8nyENlNagQuvzx7fHd9f3P2eSfjJvROjObyzx1gtIDRZVdPm0/s1600/DSC03024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQNFN39-wbtsfMRQfVQViOXhYO3jcY4QM4_BVYC1G5E8s5OMfngpI9-KAfs-FMKBZa3cjDR0UauWWf9AZfcrl_foFEPh8nyENlNagQuvzx7fHd9f3P2eSfjJvROjObyzx1gtIDRZVdPm0/s200/DSC03024.JPG" width="200" /></a>For the cast details I carved waxes instead of carving the mold from soft stone, like the originals had been made. Part of my job making props is to figure out techniques that can achieve a specific look, but can produce the item faster or in a way more familiar to my skill set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5VaI4W7Frot2xuUtv08qYTaZ0WwCtcwNwDfC3iovS20jXbRRheRKG_qnMArziEU0PT71i6mNB-qEdH-Ijjn_Mp_SRHf8doHS-BisIicYKe3U1PpHAZ2HjK-i2pauiwyY_Q6QVlHdSBeR/s1600/Helmet+edge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="454" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5VaI4W7Frot2xuUtv08qYTaZ0WwCtcwNwDfC3iovS20jXbRRheRKG_qnMArziEU0PT71i6mNB-qEdH-Ijjn_Mp_SRHf8doHS-BisIicYKe3U1PpHAZ2HjK-i2pauiwyY_Q6QVlHdSBeR/s200/Helmet+edge.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9gTH6zbxfpz3H-EiIKdxJvt978v446ad-79RDFGjQhXzmI0hM_X4jJDb_LZ-NCZc1Iwo9t24TrOvtFtOYa2Fn2HcC2V1PxLLWt2v7K5l15KpkkppZsyx7oRFpJ_551UrSMINLB799rcW/s1600/DSC03019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9gTH6zbxfpz3H-EiIKdxJvt978v446ad-79RDFGjQhXzmI0hM_X4jJDb_LZ-NCZc1Iwo9t24TrOvtFtOYa2Fn2HcC2V1PxLLWt2v7K5l15KpkkppZsyx7oRFpJ_551UrSMINLB799rcW/s200/DSC03019.JPG" width="200" /></a>Since Skips persona in the living history was more Viking then Vendel, I formed the fine silver eyebrow pieces from thick sheet and did punch decoration, which was more the style of Viking work in later centuries. These pieces were placed in pitch for support and I made a variety of steel punches with the needed shapes.<br />
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The other trick piece to make was the support for the mail drape across the back of each helm. This needed to be a hollow tube, curved in a semicircle, with a set of flanges sticking up, in order to fit the "tubes" to the lower rim of each helmet. In addition, each tubular section needed to have slices cut in at intervals in which to fit each ring on the top edge of the mail. The links of the mail are then held in place with a wire threaded through the links inside this tube. Nearly all the edges have a rolled boarder of brass or silver. This was fabricated by starting with strips, then pulling them through a draw die so they curl up like a tube, Once annealed, the can be formed around the edge of the plate.<br />
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The last task, was making rivets for the silver helmet, since I never found a source for silver rivets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4UO6mp5pldF2_oqmYO5DGtAeVuWMWvCDktqAE1zj6nuFLPNt54-3TBY9RhGN3sXX2twvnSyvHcAokv9DqK37xCq2nMLues3YNLni8WoutbzHvXte0LakPOvEw_PMD_-Dmn9TbUUrSCCf/s1600/DSC03050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4UO6mp5pldF2_oqmYO5DGtAeVuWMWvCDktqAE1zj6nuFLPNt54-3TBY9RhGN3sXX2twvnSyvHcAokv9DqK37xCq2nMLues3YNLni8WoutbzHvXte0LakPOvEw_PMD_-Dmn9TbUUrSCCf/s320/DSC03050.JPG" width="213" /></a>In the end, I finally did get both helmets completed. Here they are.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvaondd5UEMHTDxkT47Mrqmb0GrU2l8T2vBpdgV8y7FjuZWHIWx2tNzzQCKd0M6acJiICz857-5Y47h84xVR638FJnzM5wQcJeLy-GyCZ1TMqy-cMeOV8967G_XwCBZ1fDqAdAVW3EF7i/s1600/DSC03049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvaondd5UEMHTDxkT47Mrqmb0GrU2l8T2vBpdgV8y7FjuZWHIWx2tNzzQCKd0M6acJiICz857-5Y47h84xVR638FJnzM5wQcJeLy-GyCZ1TMqy-cMeOV8967G_XwCBZ1fDqAdAVW3EF7i/s320/DSC03049.JPG" width="213" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcEhc4DGMwBiwOUkVBkBYJmJP-rzhbuyyQgl353lMySrtuYjPBiYcZSCDrhVLHYpA-6ZDUNXpD76JaW3B3FvF-7UAcfSOKs8RNt-ukIfmQJMEUWeUfhyphenhyphen_eRrVkYUI1zxJovUAmwYpiP15/s1600/DSC01790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcEhc4DGMwBiwOUkVBkBYJmJP-rzhbuyyQgl353lMySrtuYjPBiYcZSCDrhVLHYpA-6ZDUNXpD76JaW3B3FvF-7UAcfSOKs8RNt-ukIfmQJMEUWeUfhyphenhyphen_eRrVkYUI1zxJovUAmwYpiP15/s200/DSC01790.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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I told someone that these came as a kit: All flat material, no instructions and one of them was missing the rivets!....their response......"Where did you buy the kits?"<br />
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Thanks for looking.Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-83754207122673650362018-05-26T09:55:00.004-07:002021-07-27T05:32:27.769-07:00Decorating a full Greenwich garniture: Part 4: The Aha moment.At this point I have done well over 60 tests of formulas and application times of this period etching paste, but I'm still very frustrated by the inconsistencies of my results. Something is affecting the cutting ability of the paste, and I have not pinpointed what it is. There have been very few times in my 40 year career of learning a craft, that I have encountered something that, while it works, it does not work as well as my gut tells me it should or as constantly as it should, within obvious parameters.<br />
In all of these experiments, I have been guided by research originally done by Jonathan Tavares and Robert MacPherson (Mac). In Mac's research, he has gathered together many sources and recipes <a href="http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=186776&hilit=etch+paste" target="_blank">here</a>. While Mac's research shows a variety of recipes, with a wide range of ingredients, it seems the copper sulfate / salt & vinegar shows up a often. It is also the one that Jonathan Tavares used for his etching, for the Nova special "Knights In Shinning Armour".<br />
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Mac's research shows one of the additional ingredients for the C.S./salt & vinegar recipe is charcoal, so this is why I have been trying it in the more recent tests. So far, I have been creating my paste batches using volume as a measurement. With the inconsistent results I had been getting, perhaps I'm not being as accurate as I need and I'm sure my notes have been insufficient.<br />
For the new tests, because I was going to make very small batches, and in an effort to be more accurate and consistent, I switched to proportioning my ingredients by weight.<br />
In switching to weight, I overlooked the fact that C.S. and salt are much denser (heavier), than an equal volume of charcoal. As a result, these small batches, now proportioned by weight, ended up with significantly more charcoal than my past mixes. At first I thought, this was way too much charcoal, but I figured, since they are already in the cup, I may as well test them as they are.<br />
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Turns out, of the 15 different formulas in this test, the best results came from the recipe with the large proportion of charcoal:<br />
This is the formula that etched the deepest:<br />
20g - Copper Sulfate<br />
20g - Salt<br />
5g - Bone charcoal (same granular size as the CS)<br />
5g - Activated charcoal (Powder)<br />
15% vinegar (to wet to damp sand consistency)<br />
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This paste etched deeper and was less damaging to the resists than the others.<br />
In hindsight, this was nearly 4 times the volume of charcoal than my previous recipes.<br />
I did another small test and got the same results, so I decided to etch my next piece of armour, the right cuisse.<br />
Here are all the pieces "masked" off with the vinyl and asphaltum dots.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI4G7ovBBm8mkxS72d10QpolPTZgDtO1JVvS8-HWXX_0eMXgWpVnTW4LdiWJssUy-0Ca_PuYa_K0EOuAiYDRlH0eW61KYi6f1GdtOIpERWYXU3ADwr08-Bik5Ri66vpMEutQqYeEMA0_7/s1600/IMG_1744.JPG" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI4G7ovBBm8mkxS72d10QpolPTZgDtO1JVvS8-HWXX_0eMXgWpVnTW4LdiWJssUy-0Ca_PuYa_K0EOuAiYDRlH0eW61KYi6f1GdtOIpERWYXU3ADwr08-Bik5Ri66vpMEutQqYeEMA0_7/s320/IMG_1744.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36t0Rh-yU5tvQP_3xnIHmq1ARVkSgf5DjP0QCo_TG9OndIjbAClYG3mgSeFLcbZQWAP9qOupkXzwtvV8mKsuYlwsRQ4rsPYDQcOiNev6HhVzTA0JNEqhtF8Tckx3rWa0Oni5K6L08I11X/s1600/IMG_1746.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36t0Rh-yU5tvQP_3xnIHmq1ARVkSgf5DjP0QCo_TG9OndIjbAClYG3mgSeFLcbZQWAP9qOupkXzwtvV8mKsuYlwsRQ4rsPYDQcOiNev6HhVzTA0JNEqhtF8Tckx3rWa0Oni5K6L08I11X/s320/IMG_1746.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
With the amount of surface area and the necessity to apply three consecutive batches of paste,this meant I would be mixing up one of the largest batches I have made. So I estimated a volume, 40 times my sample batch.<br />
800g - C.S.<br />
800g - Salt<br />
200g - Bone charcoal (same granular size as the CS)<br />
200g - Activated charcoal (Powder)<br />
600g - 15% vinegar<br />
Outside temp was 92f / 30c<br />
(While the pieces were initially in direct sun,<br />
I put up a piece of plywood to shade them.)<br />
3 - 90 minute etches<br />
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The results were fantastic!<br />
Very deep etch, very little damage to the resists (In fact no repair required)<div><br /><div><b><i>EDIT-Current formula (as of July 2021) After over 100 tests and 99% of the armour complete, the formula I'm using now with satisfactory results is:</i></b><div><b><i>100g fine salt (Salt flour)</i></b></div><div><b><i>100g Copper sulfate fine crystals</i></b></div><div><b><i>25g Bone charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>13g activated wood charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>Distilled water to make it a thick paste.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The reaction with the salt, will cause the material to freeze, so after mixing, you need to let the paste sit for and hour or so, and then t\remix it. NOTE: Do not make your initial mixture too wet, as after you remix it, the salt gives up some water, and the paste gets wetter.</i></b></div><div><b><i>If it is too runny, you can add charcoal to thicken. I have found 3 or 4 90 minute etches (fresh paste for each) gives you considerable depth, equivalent to late 16th C armour.</i></b></div><div><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5pItR0nSFLwriRLbZXM7WvdmxMgoTaA3rfwLesXiI65jeQQqEl6Xd6yhB492OMcgCaSOhEwkKziRy5YnjUwh1dp-kfwpVY6ONowz3djGFA_lUlRprp8aBjpQb3ONkY6Dyp_kS7Y-y4Uy/s1600/IMG_5330.JPG" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5pItR0nSFLwriRLbZXM7WvdmxMgoTaA3rfwLesXiI65jeQQqEl6Xd6yhB492OMcgCaSOhEwkKziRy5YnjUwh1dp-kfwpVY6ONowz3djGFA_lUlRprp8aBjpQb3ONkY6Dyp_kS7Y-y4Uy/s320/IMG_5330.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOdgz2-oAOpeCEHXlpx7Ot20iWmGMkWHb4sKgTJk0JJZdmSQog19z1IKFk-1MDmTVxx3flu90qvhmnJUSEOBcwh93ShJ06GDtNF2-tVfpS8aoUbx3qSImB7w5udbmKVonpPRI-OQyFKsZ/s1600/rightknee-etch.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOdgz2-oAOpeCEHXlpx7Ot20iWmGMkWHb4sKgTJk0JJZdmSQog19z1IKFk-1MDmTVxx3flu90qvhmnJUSEOBcwh93ShJ06GDtNF2-tVfpS8aoUbx3qSImB7w5udbmKVonpPRI-OQyFKsZ/s320/rightknee-etch.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Now this etch depth is more in line with the real armour. Because the Buckhurst armour has a painted background, behind the central gilded area, a very deep etch makes adding paint to these backgrounds much easier.<br />
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While I'm delighted with the success, I'm still not 100% convinced it is only the charcoal content that is giving me this great result. I also suspect the temperature may have something to do with it. Because of my scant notes, I'm not sure if my earlier successes were a result of a warm sunny day.<br />
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But, given these stellar results, I started on the left cuisse.<br />
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Of course, as soon as I get the left fully masked and ready to etch, the weather in Southern California is overcast and drizzly, for the whole week. Then, we get some nice warm days and I get tied up with real work. Finally a sunny warm weekend and I'm able to etch the other leg. Using the same formula I apply the first batch. But this time the asphaltum resist, is not surviving perfectly as it did previously. WHAT THE H#$@!^<br />
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I'll have to reapply dots. While I have gotten pretty quick at this, there are 2400 dots just on the knee. This puts me back another day so I can make sure the dots are fully dry. The second two applications go well.<br />
But, during the cleaning of the paste, I change my approach. I had been carefully scraping a majority of the paste off with a tongue depressor into a bucket, and then rinsing the remaining paste off under running water. I had been doing this to avoid washing too large a volume of CS and salt onto the ground or into the drain. However, I was now concerned with damaging the resists and was not enthused with the idea of another ten thousand dot repair job. So I used just water on a couple of pieces to see how this affected the outcome. While one of these pieces was under the running water, I saw a glint of copper within the volume of paste. Upon closer inspection, I could clearly see metallic copper crystals forming up into the paste, away from the steel.<br />
That was the aha moment.<br />
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What is the most important part of a sponge? The holes.<br />
I had been adding the charcoal as an "ingredient", but now, with the increased volume, it was more of a "filler". The result was, the metallic copper was no longer forming directly on the steel surface, blocking the effectiveness of the paste. The copper was now being drawn up into the "holes" the charcoal was providing, keeping the steel surface clear, allowing the paste to remaining active and aggressive. I had not noticed this earlier, because I was scrapping this formation off. When the copper is drawn up into the paste, it also means the paste can be left on much longer and still be effective. This now explains the other thing Mac's period sources say, which is too apply the paste a small fingers width in thickness. When the copper was forming on the steel, and keeping the paste from working, it was clear to see this extra paste thickness was being wasted, something one wouldn't expect from a period process, the wasting of material. Now, all of the "finger thickness" of paste was being utilized. The second aha moment.<br />
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Other than why the asphaltum dots came off on the second leg, and not the first, I feel I finally have a handle on making this paste work consistently and effectively. I plan to test the limits of paste application times by doing multi hour tests, but for now, I'm confident I can move on.<br />
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Both legs are now completely etched and I'm pretty happy with the results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfn13SBsHRoNK-eCRJ6FwjHZPeWM6nEUZtruRJYkYR6wrXxeAgp1PtuxnCsZElMN4pSG-U10EMlWyc-wP5_f1cf1-vyAau1zQ6OADH4Cbv8B2vAKZJjKs1XKHQdi48N4JMQRbno0yQaBa/s1600/bothcuisseonly.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfn13SBsHRoNK-eCRJ6FwjHZPeWM6nEUZtruRJYkYR6wrXxeAgp1PtuxnCsZElMN4pSG-U10EMlWyc-wP5_f1cf1-vyAau1zQ6OADH4Cbv8B2vAKZJjKs1XKHQdi48N4JMQRbno0yQaBa/s320/bothcuisseonly.jpg" width="263" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3I6Ffcls-ej6ooOfi6G5ysKzuAGhyphenhyphenhS3K7mDbWjV0yOCMLsO6HcjOrYfMbKq_rRVreRbh8HRnYERfRm1haKcmv8EwfhTLrWKxlFUzt5WA_anoGymv2YSbD8wW6At5NE2AAzQreqLQ5wI/s1600/cuisse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3I6Ffcls-ej6ooOfi6G5ysKzuAGhyphenhyphenhS3K7mDbWjV0yOCMLsO6HcjOrYfMbKq_rRVreRbh8HRnYERfRm1haKcmv8EwfhTLrWKxlFUzt5WA_anoGymv2YSbD8wW6At5NE2AAzQreqLQ5wI/s320/cuisse.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR9FGIqUPHKKM62nADtzWkNiYFm4ML7XjUL_XHziYkd23amEZtpuxKWYuzFkZRKaxGSqDDszqcI0NAsL2rjTzpidrGMcrHv2bZ4Xj4bfzKdKvx6DHipi4JDYXH0WvX8195leXmOED8C98/s1600/cuisseclose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="673" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR9FGIqUPHKKM62nADtzWkNiYFm4ML7XjUL_XHziYkd23amEZtpuxKWYuzFkZRKaxGSqDDszqcI0NAsL2rjTzpidrGMcrHv2bZ4Xj4bfzKdKvx6DHipi4JDYXH0WvX8195leXmOED8C98/s320/cuisseclose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The etching I see on extant armour seems to show etching depths increasing over the 16th century and by the 1580's the etch depths are significant. There also seems to be less etch depth on Italian armour than on German armour. With my findings, of what the charcoal is doing, I'm wondering if this same "discovery" happened over many years in the development of this paste. Or the different workshops handing down what they knew, resulted in one formula being more effective than another.<br />
<br />
On to the gauntlets......<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div></div>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-80955600292585167912018-05-12T16:43:00.003-07:002021-07-27T05:34:54.705-07:00Decorating a full Greenwich garniture: Part 3: Still things to learn.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, by a fortunate series of work related events, I found
myself needing to go to South Africa, by way of London. This would mean, with an added lay over, I could visit the Wallace museum in London, where the original armour resides. It would also be nice to visit with Dr. Tobias Capwell, the armour curator at the Wallace. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dr. Capwell was gracious enough to
take time out of his Monday morning to open up the A62 case and allow me to
compare my etching samples to the original. While I was excited by this fortuitous opportunity, putting your work up next to the original can be scary, since no matter how close you think you
are, a side by side comparison will almost always reveal
differences instantly. (some times major ones)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was the case with my etching samples. While my armour
is considerably larger than the original, and as a result I have had to enlarge
the decorative pattern, I was not prepared to see such a huge difference in dot
size.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The original Greenwich armour was considered a moderate decoration option when it was made in 1585. I have learned from Dr.
Capwell, there are 4 or 5 known surviving (incomplete and complete) examples with this same etched design.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The example in the Wallace, which I have been using as my main reference, has dots that are about half the size of the ones I have done. Being half the size,
there are also about twice as many.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The main part of the etched design
seem to be pretty close between mine and the original, especially when you take
into account my suit is so much larger. But, I will have to experiment with
application and etching of these new smaller dots, since the resist can come
loose after a number of paste applications.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECye1l2LmXl_2d1Lo5kB5Fb72IUkJLn6GW7YuFmH96JfoNhQF94PQurKaIulCRsFyf7sxgzyuLvXmt_dE6Jhdc2gFU-X3_UVgGF6gvUox3nXLZXsFAeQgy_58pSSlhJcVoAVwLYi5L9Ng/s1600/33.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="553" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECye1l2LmXl_2d1Lo5kB5Fb72IUkJLn6GW7YuFmH96JfoNhQF94PQurKaIulCRsFyf7sxgzyuLvXmt_dE6Jhdc2gFU-X3_UVgGF6gvUox3nXLZXsFAeQgy_58pSSlhJcVoAVwLYi5L9Ng/s400/33.jpg" width="276" /></a>It was not possible to open the front of the display case, only the shallow side sections, so
some of the pictures had to be taken at odd angles or through the glass of the
case, but they are still very useful in showing the differences.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the Left lower leg, next to the original. It is a
little deceiving because my ungilded piece has more contrast in the etched
areas, but I'm pretty happy with the general pattern. It is also clear to see how much bigger my armour is. Now the average height at the time was maybe 5'8" and today it's 5'9" to 5'10", but at 6'3" I'm still tall for today, so my leg armour looks giant next to this one, made for a fellow 5'6". (Yes, they are side by side)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the exact reason I started with the greaves, because, while I thought I had a good idea on what needed to be done, I figured if there was any adjustments to be made, better to figure it out before I got to the upper part of the armour. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcLUR-_R9vvUbruvuSFFt3LeGB8BcOZBBx31Eua0vOYCl54EK5N3J_zQ4aoMrqy0kti_5gaDMAIwdwynDPD4D-1DGPUM7lyzHEcnM2M4an-hhTDkUKkq37oNIeFsOnV4qu9lc2spLfgl1/s1600/35.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="800" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcLUR-_R9vvUbruvuSFFt3LeGB8BcOZBBx31Eua0vOYCl54EK5N3J_zQ4aoMrqy0kti_5gaDMAIwdwynDPD4D-1DGPUM7lyzHEcnM2M4an-hhTDkUKkq37oNIeFsOnV4qu9lc2spLfgl1/s320/35.jpg" width="320" /></a>The is one of my earlier test pieces next to the decoration
on the reinforce breastplate. Being an early test, I didn't worry about lost
dots in the pattern, but here you can clearly see my dots are much too large
and not nearly dense enough, even given the scaled up main pattern. Also, this
being the larger part of the pattern on the original breastplate, the floral
work inside the figure eight is denser than my sample, which is a copy of the
greave pattern, which has smaller floral work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_47" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:468pt;height:333.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg"
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My sample also has the two different boarder vine patterns. Clearly the right side one is closer to the original armour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The plan , if I can produce the smaller dots consistently,
is to gradually make them smaller and denser as I work up the armour. So that
the upper part of the suit is closer to the original. Given the over all
enlargement of the design, I probably won't go exactly as small as the
original, but I will try for something much closer than I am now. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have not been satisfied with the overall depth of my
etched pieces. While some pieces seem pretty good, others are not. Consistency seems be elusive. Longer etch times seem to damage the vinyl resist, partially due
to the metallic copper deposits and this causes the paste gets underneath and
degrades the original surface. Mac's research into etching pastes has recipes
which include charcoal. We have suspected this may have some type of conveyor
like effect, either to bring the active etching ingredients to the surface of
the steel, or remove copper. Before my trip, I ordered some to experiment with.
I received both "activated" charcoal powder and the Cowboy charcoal
Mac referenced. The limited test I have done do not show any clear advantage of
one over the other. They both seem to reduce the metallic copper deposits on
the steel surface when the etch paste is removed. This makes surface cleaning
between etchings much easier and less destructive to the resists. (My ratio was
4 prts. CS / 2 prts salt / 1 prt charcoal powder)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My brother, who does a lot with 19th century guns, mentioned
bone charcoal as being very desirable for case hardening. A little research on
bone charcoal revealed some research done in using this type of charcoal to
absorb copper contamination in water and found it to be very effective. I
ordered some and will test it this week to see if it improves the copper
absorption from the steel surface.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other issue I wanted to address is the size of the dots
on my samples. Since my trip to the Wallace showed my background dots where
considerably larger than the original. I had spent the long 10 flight back to LA pouring over my reference pictures again and comparing those to what I had just shot with my example next to the A62. I was also going over in my mind what I needed to change, as far a technique, in order to apply the tiny dots.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Using the "hena" plastic bottle to apply the dots smaller turns out to be
quite easy and in fact, I have gone the other way and the dots now may be too
small, given that the pattern for my armour has been enlarged to account for
the armour being bigger. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: right;">Here are tests with smaller dots:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91ondWigIo7ARAcrzzMgut0_B0F5yA_dPH0IZvdsgkvcENr5cUTFQL8dr738ao0Cn5qvpiZBlOqDWTABDKaU-aXMa9nu5I2i9JgYQYcfwKnVJ8_2h7JEwUZVdE2RAQQuDAoEDsKA9Wjt_/s1600/36.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91ondWigIo7ARAcrzzMgut0_B0F5yA_dPH0IZvdsgkvcENr5cUTFQL8dr738ao0Cn5qvpiZBlOqDWTABDKaU-aXMa9nu5I2i9JgYQYcfwKnVJ8_2h7JEwUZVdE2RAQQuDAoEDsKA9Wjt_/s320/36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqL-m_3yxKN-ViRvCs2YGiBEe51VhQYDE1XVvr6lIwgjOxmTt5LLu0Ov0YO9jIEM6N2EXvQ9W-hxK3k88OaCsq5DtZgDPAt63VAMvchS7Bs6S962AOHEI3-n4tApdG9fHtjNcPMfw8JFs3/s1600/37.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="800" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqL-m_3yxKN-ViRvCs2YGiBEe51VhQYDE1XVvr6lIwgjOxmTt5LLu0Ov0YO9jIEM6N2EXvQ9W-hxK3k88OaCsq5DtZgDPAt63VAMvchS7Bs6S962AOHEI3-n4tApdG9fHtjNcPMfw8JFs3/s320/37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_52" o:spid="_x0000_i1033" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:468pt;height:351pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg"
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_54" o:spid="_x0000_i1032" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:468pt;height:297pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image008.jpg"
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<div class="MsoNormal">
While the overall size is a pretty good match, I'm not sure
the smaller dots work as well, so I'll probably split the difference.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other thing I'm not happy with is the gold. It is not
nearly deep enough in color. As you can see by the above photograph, (more
apparent in the side by side images in my earlier post) the original has a much
yellower gold, a result of the much heavier gold deposit using the fire gilding
process. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this sample, I used a torch to blue the edges and as a
result the gold was slightly discolored. I may be able to use this to my
advantage, given that the salt bluing, with its more controlled temperature
gave the gold an even orange hue. With a reapplication of gold, this color was
corrected while still retaining a little of its darker color.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_56" o:spid="_x0000_i1031" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:450pt;height:600pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image010.jpg"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lYPe5bUL8ku1xAtBxLoDmYOfMYOcik8MM-_okuGxFMMjW9UKEKxc3dYIko_t-1rZTjYVKIt1JfDugR0Z6L6itCCZpGR33wV8H9_zPHQR1OWYMyiP5sTjXCzUD_GTMYZqSdylzssqj1wG/s1600/38.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lYPe5bUL8ku1xAtBxLoDmYOfMYOcik8MM-_okuGxFMMjW9UKEKxc3dYIko_t-1rZTjYVKIt1JfDugR0Z6L6itCCZpGR33wV8H9_zPHQR1OWYMyiP5sTjXCzUD_GTMYZqSdylzssqj1wG/s320/38.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This latest sample has very good depth. A result of 5 paste
applications at 1 hour each and a 6th application at 12 hours. With the
charcoal added to the paste, the vinyl was less effected by the copper
deposits. I also brushed some of the asphaltum resist over the entire surface
and cleaned it off with solvent. My hope was this would leave trace amounts in
the corners where the vinyl met the steel, hopefully "sealing" the
vinyl to the steel a little more effectively. The combination of this and the
carbon defiantly improved the vinyls ability to survive repeated cleanings. The
last 12 hour etch did get under both the vinyl and the asphaltum dots, so it
may not need to be left as long. Perhaps 6 hours will be better.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have the artwork and vinyls cut for the right greave and
will get those applied this week and should have the second greave completed in
the next few days. Then on to the cuisses.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've done some more tests and it seems the bone charcoal is
pulling more of the copper away from the surface, or at any rate, it makes
cleaning the copper deposit off the steel much easier between etches. It also
seems to allow for longer etch times with greater affect. The bone charcoal I
have has a slightly larger grain than table salt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've completed the right greave front plates and used the
bone charcoal mix for 3 hours and it seemed to etch effectively.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My ratio for these tests was 4 parts (By volume) Copper Sulfate - 2 parts salt - 1
part bone charcoal -1 part 15% vinegar. I put the powdered components in a
bucket with the snap on lid, then shake to mix thoroughly. Then add the vinegar
and shake again. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours, shake vigorously again. 12 to 24
hours later, the paste is like guacamole. With the charcoal, age does not seem
to effect the paste's etching rate noticeably.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have made some tests with smaller, more consistent dots
and these are looking much better. Although, I now see I have the dots too
dense.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bluing: The study that was done of the Buckhurst's color,
concluding it was steel exposed to atmosphere at 250 c, this temp does not seem
to work, with the technique I'm using. In the salt, at 250 c (482 f) the color
was very pale straw, barely perceivable. It wasn't until 300 c or 580 f that it
shifted to blue. I got an amazing color and the pen plated gold got a little
yellower, not as orange as the previous test at 650 f. The photo doesn't show
the gold as well as it looks in person, but, it's still "weak". Mac
has pointed out that over time (unknown duration hours or weeks) the blue color
may be achieved at the 250 c temp. But in the salt, the color was reached in a
minute or so at this higher temp and seemed controllable. Of course, this mean
a very big container of 500 degree salt for the breastplate and such. The heat
treat company may have a tank with a material I can use, if they are willing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a little bit of spotting, which I believe was
surface contamination. The surface is also sensitive to finger prints, even
with two coats of paste wax.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ_FtMPTaGu0jq39Q-pGaTk70d3e8Vkd7o7cyZWtPSngnyuZYif3c6QkF0rE8C1ya4Cwj2HIUe5eklw6PCK37JTh8sMU33-oEkvw_aPPr55__c5ZIErprJQvOffgIwgwBTJ3w6BSB5zLu/s1600/39.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ_FtMPTaGu0jq39Q-pGaTk70d3e8Vkd7o7cyZWtPSngnyuZYif3c6QkF0rE8C1ya4Cwj2HIUe5eklw6PCK37JTh8sMU33-oEkvw_aPPr55__c5ZIErprJQvOffgIwgwBTJ3w6BSB5zLu/s320/39.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_57" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:417pt;
height:600pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The test here was pen plated with 24k gold and I was not
thinking and forgot to wire brush, per Mac's advice, the etched areas before
plating, resulting in the background areas being a bit gray. The pen plating is
still paler than the real armour, but, it does shift a bit in color with the
bluing, and gets a touch richer yellow, which is desirable. I'm still on the
fence about fire gilding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the real armour shows no signs of gold on the
background dots, this means they were either blue, like the rest of the bare
steel, or had been cleaned off to be silver. After gilding, I cleaned off an
area of dots, in the upper left and let the dots turn blue. The effect in my
opinion was a bit drab looking, so, rather hastily, I sanded the blue off to
see the effect. I think I like the silver dots.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I finished etching the right greave. While I'm happy with
the improvements in artwork and scale of the design elements, I'm still not
completely happy with the consistency of the etching, nor the ultimate depth
I'm getting. There is some variables I have been unable to pin down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is a good look at the progression I've made with the
quality and neatness of the artwork and the gold plating. (Old to new - left to
right)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2gxQClvvbcs_Wro7xfwqfQG2-oQ7jp6aNlFpICZ2-DarxhZrolOr_bhosj6uddSafXlkSUMuBephb60Lu178TEaQamr2fAZ4-g2-t13qH4bJWkVTXSmL1SUe8ZYaTkCFIvPlTbB_hlnk/s1600/40.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="800" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2gxQClvvbcs_Wro7xfwqfQG2-oQ7jp6aNlFpICZ2-DarxhZrolOr_bhosj6uddSafXlkSUMuBephb60Lu178TEaQamr2fAZ4-g2-t13qH4bJWkVTXSmL1SUe8ZYaTkCFIvPlTbB_hlnk/s640/40.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To address the etch depth and consistency, I thought I would
do a formula test.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I made three different formulas of etch paste (by weight):<o:p></o:p></div>
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#1- 20 grams of Copper Sulfate / 60 g of salt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEf5LObAXYvUARxZQXZq61mIKwbTzyoTjrQLib5WvhG17-TotPkyLJuOnbyHVti_b-dX8pSch2ygMRV6hzU8mI27fVeuhbwM3FfKbqOUz0w_9xNINBxj3_MmyFablAXm15CVdINBUgSbr/s1600/41.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEf5LObAXYvUARxZQXZq61mIKwbTzyoTjrQLib5WvhG17-TotPkyLJuOnbyHVti_b-dX8pSch2ygMRV6hzU8mI27fVeuhbwM3FfKbqOUz0w_9xNINBxj3_MmyFablAXm15CVdINBUgSbr/s320/41.jpg" width="264" /></a>#2- 40g C.S / 40g salt<o:p></o:p></div>
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#3- 60g C.S. / 20g salt </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then after thoroughly mixing the two powders together, I
split these into two sets. To one set I added 15g of bone charcoal to the 2nd
set I added 30g of bone charcoal. The 30g set I labeled "A" (1A, 2A,
3A)<o:p></o:p></div>
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To these 6 batches I added 15g on 15% vinegar and mixed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I had final mixtures of:<o:p></o:p></div>
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#1- 10 g C.S. / 30 g S. / 15g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#2- 20g C.S / 20g S. / 15g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#3- 30g C.S. / 10g S. / 15g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#1A- 10 g C.S. / 30 g S. / 30g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#2A- 20g C.S / 20g S. / 30g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#3A- 30g C.S. / 10g S. / 30g B.C. / 15g V.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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After 2 hours I remixed and let them sit for 12 hours. I
then remixed them a final time and applied them to the test plate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As the bone charcoal has consistently reduced the metallic
copper deposited on the surface of the steel, I decided I would do this test as
long duration etches. (verses 1 hour, then clean, repeat).<o:p></o:p></div>
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style='width:442.5pt;height:535.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
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id="Picture_x0020_62" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:453pt;height:525pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image015.jpg"
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The first was 7 hours & 20 minutes. I cleaned off the
paste and noted the damage to the resist (vinyl & asphaltum resist)<o:p></o:p></div>
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id="Picture_x0020_63" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:375pt;height:525pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image016.jpg"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeb_lLuNNruE02ty7bhptbOhhgHC0bp04qnEk3ytJL5ByeK0rMxhbhIDfqWaf7BQzpiQbr2qXBM4_1wzMw535r10dywIxHfmmmizA6JbQNz1b41kk1m5bMfop2Tvt7KhwlWUvCWoPH6Jj/s1600/42.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeb_lLuNNruE02ty7bhptbOhhgHC0bp04qnEk3ytJL5ByeK0rMxhbhIDfqWaf7BQzpiQbr2qXBM4_1wzMw535r10dywIxHfmmmizA6JbQNz1b41kk1m5bMfop2Tvt7KhwlWUvCWoPH6Jj/s320/42.jpg" width="276" /></a>I used an older vinyl resist sheet (orange) that had some
dots on it, so I left these and just added asphaltum dots to some of the
surrounding area. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I then did a second etch for 16.5 hours. This time all of
the resist, both vinyl and asphaltum was failing. I cleaned the surface and
gave a lite sand to the high points with 600 grit paper. While the etch depth
was good, the results were frustrating, as I did not see very much difference
in the etch depth, which I was expecting given the wide range of ratios I had
used. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nS_NFt1N79ZUpla0ZzWmJcmLCTOC5O6yBgrTf5kB6QQDNui2BMfM0t_EeJHDuE_AXSmHqWj_RuHb6n8MTMpU_WqfsVmlpEBdgfQ0SIuIUFVG3vUdy1gaTqCee6yEdJEuG7hlNp-bACYp/s1600/44.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nS_NFt1N79ZUpla0ZzWmJcmLCTOC5O6yBgrTf5kB6QQDNui2BMfM0t_EeJHDuE_AXSmHqWj_RuHb6n8MTMpU_WqfsVmlpEBdgfQ0SIuIUFVG3vUdy1gaTqCee6yEdJEuG7hlNp-bACYp/s320/44.jpg" width="175" /></a>I cut the piece in half to see if I could better see a
difference in etch depth, but not really. The only noticeable thing was
background coarseness, due to the large quantity of bone charcoal which is
coarser than the other ingredients and of course does not dissolve in vinegar.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I'm going to do another test with the same C.S / salt ratio,
but this time use different charcoal, wood and powdered Also 10g of bone
charcoal, 5g and 0 bone charcoal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have tried wood
based charcoal and it did not seem as effective as the bone charcoal. I only
tried the bone charcoal after my brother mentioned it was prized for it
properties when case hardening gun parts in the 19th century. When I did some
research, I found where it had been used to absorb excess copper from
contaminated water and was very effective. Now, I only did one or two tests
with the other charcoal, and in minor amounts. This recent test was to see if a
larger percentage of the charcoal effected the aggressiveness of the etch. Until
I do some other tests, I feel this question is still unanswered.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>EDIT-Current formula (as of July 2021) After over 100 tests and 99% of the armour complete, the formula I'm using now with satisfactory results is:</i></b><div><b><i>100g fine salt (Salt flour)</i></b></div><div><b><i>100g Copper sulfate fine crystals</i></b></div><div><b><i>25g Bone charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>13g activated wood charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>Distilled water to make it a thick paste.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The reaction with the salt, will cause the material to freeze, so after mixing, you need to let the paste sit for and hour or so, and then t\remix it. NOTE: Do not make your initial mixture too wet, as after you remix it, the salt gives up some water, and the paste gets wetter.</i></b></div><div><b><i>If it is too runny, you can add charcoal to thicken. I have found 3 or 4 90 minute etches (fresh paste for each) gives you considerable depth, equivalent to late 16th C armour.</i></b></div></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next: The Ah Ha Moment!</div>
<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-29220333210812489782018-05-06T15:14:00.003-07:002021-07-27T05:35:46.243-07:00Decorating a full Greenwich garniture: Part 2<br />
<h4>
<i>Now, as I said in the first post, these are notes from a few months back, so some are a little out of date. I only post them as a record of the process I went through to get to a solution. I have edited out some of worthless stuff and added notes to things I have since changed or discovered better solutions for. You may skip though as much as you see fit, or do like I do and just look at the pictures. </i></h4>
Working on the computer has advantages, but because you can zoom in on the computer screen to such an
extent, it is easy to loose a sense of actual size of the artwork. Elements you
think are "big" turn out to be far too small. So the first test (on
the right) resulted in the lines being too thin. The second test yielded a much
better result.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW8oecVo_AEF1R9R6lfoYAGM6ybwFycEV3SidiMt2EtqeEFaOD_ZmkmA86Wq4Ee9Ajt7TYcu7Afkf7tFIGZ2HwFlzZA7PRRBoJbWgow1UlX0D0WB3woO7_BLDJI5jQqHDaplZXT6574TL/s1600/16b.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW8oecVo_AEF1R9R6lfoYAGM6ybwFycEV3SidiMt2EtqeEFaOD_ZmkmA86Wq4Ee9Ajt7TYcu7Afkf7tFIGZ2HwFlzZA7PRRBoJbWgow1UlX0D0WB3woO7_BLDJI5jQqHDaplZXT6574TL/s320/16b.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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I still have to draw the vine pattern down the center of the
figure eights, as this amount of curve change using the envelope tool will
distort the pattern to greatly. The result I fear, would look too
"computerized". Also on this test, I added the dots with paint pen
and they are too sloppy. Part of this was my not taking enough care when
applying them, the other issue is the pen does not deposit enough paint in a
small dot. It has been suggested that I use a tube style applicator which is likely the best tool for the job.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I received the 99% acid, so I'll make up a new
batch of paste with a 50% "vinegar" and see how this affects the
etch. I also opened my 20lbs bag of copper sulfate and the grains are much
smaller than the sample material I had purchased from McMaster Carr. This
should help in the material going into solution quicker. They also sell salt
flour or popcorn salt, which is also finer grind. At some point I'll try this.
I chose to buy "raw" copper sulfate and not to use "root
killer" CS just in case there were other additives or some type of
dilution.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I may increase the ratio of salt, in a separate test, since
my first test (test 1) I had not had the recipe in front of me and I mixed the
CS and salt 1 to 1 and the etch seemed a bit more aggressive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did some new tests. I have made a few different batches of
paste with the 5% and 50% vinegar and there is not a noticeable difference. I
have tried 60, 90 & 120 minutes etches, as well as a few in the 4-6 hours
range. It seems multiple 60 minute sessions are better than fewer longer
sessions. The issue is the copper build up on the etched surface, which needs
to be cleaned off between applications of the paste. <i><span style="color: blue;">(Found a solution for this)</span></i> If this copper deposit
gets too thick, it seems to get under the vinyl masking easier and lift the
mask off. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27qA0D3JnFYj8gcmKI_vruITJ_iRP1nK4WHwzaoUqKhVU4ezJGz3oNtAk34Dn8GkzX4B3Sl5TdtViEspA6osN_bybpeZnXuffo26-nN72WTILlz3gxfX6RToztkgxg2e3-0fP7NPYrtip/s1600/17.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="709" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27qA0D3JnFYj8gcmKI_vruITJ_iRP1nK4WHwzaoUqKhVU4ezJGz3oNtAk34Dn8GkzX4B3Sl5TdtViEspA6osN_bybpeZnXuffo26-nN72WTILlz3gxfX6RToztkgxg2e3-0fP7NPYrtip/s320/17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have also tried a new, thinner vinyl and a special paint masking
vinyl. As suspected, the paint masking vinyl does not have aggressive enough adhesive
and weeding it on the steel is unsatisfactory. This masking vinyl is very
expensive and luckily the shop gave me a sample to test.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The thinner vinyl is an inexpensive product from China and
works well. It's adhesive seems very good, although I suspect a name brand
material may be a bit better. <i><span style="color: blue;">(turns out, maybe not)</span></i> This test was 4 applications at 60 minutes each.
Perhaps 3 applications at 90 minutes may also work. The dots are, I think, as
small as the vinyl will tolerate, without being pulled up while weeding the
background. They are about 1 mm (.040") in diameter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also tried a simpler vine pattern on the sides, but I don't like it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Test 8: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivD_v19cr3uXy_Cq8yJ1zlIZ9NaWuMkoSMs3wAtI6yuDu-VgFnjvOHgzylxB1Yf_0L2uc9bobsq3SahyphenhyphenWgWt7gJawlGbuesvBPq9DhyLLtTLztr8ZdFZiNffI9Uz9nDcAJnMCCtq9nfJOh/s1600/18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="760" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivD_v19cr3uXy_Cq8yJ1zlIZ9NaWuMkoSMs3wAtI6yuDu-VgFnjvOHgzylxB1Yf_0L2uc9bobsq3SahyphenhyphenWgWt7gJawlGbuesvBPq9DhyLLtTLztr8ZdFZiNffI9Uz9nDcAJnMCCtq9nfJOh/s320/18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUkSiQI4iZ7fIVgu4O2TKl2ts6joA-oTXDhyZkJBqeyn2GXgpzhsCDBML4CGpJ_EncX5lMYngkNTw5MtkUHU4VrDnQX7SDZgZlhAYJplaI4BvnHKDuvT1uhaUuwW67J6oiunxQmj_SLlg/s1600/19.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUkSiQI4iZ7fIVgu4O2TKl2ts6joA-oTXDhyZkJBqeyn2GXgpzhsCDBML4CGpJ_EncX5lMYngkNTw5MtkUHU4VrDnQX7SDZgZlhAYJplaI4BvnHKDuvT1uhaUuwW67J6oiunxQmj_SLlg/s320/19.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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Robert MacPherson has done some research into these pastes and how they were used. He told me, one of the period descriptions he read, said that the paste was
applied about the thickness of one's little finger. That seems to be what I'm
getting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I'm pretty happy with this recent test and it seems I'm back
on track with a technique that works consistently. I have ordered some pen plating supplies with guidance from
Mac. So when it arrives, I start plating tests. Then the bluing salt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, I'm finishing up the artwork for the front
of the greave and will start etching the sabatons. I have been finishing the figure eight/ lighting bolt design
and testing different mixtures of paste and different etch duration's.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Notes:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>1: Ratio- 1 parts
salt / 2 parts Copper Sulfate / 1/2 part Vinegar. </b><i><span style="color: blue;">(I have a newer version of this)</span></i><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix well and add more vinegar as needed when solids start to
dissolve.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODsmmqVIqsx00s5TccaUiLidxRxUDTMKcv0mrKbQcRyAuOABtFYMixmQ_L719ULkaJmw_evY47Sc3LtDFRm8WXi68So4x8iLuF-g_a4N_wOOzDQ3NBJUl_R-QRoJ07dAnIHyViVNXKVne/s1600/20.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODsmmqVIqsx00s5TccaUiLidxRxUDTMKcv0mrKbQcRyAuOABtFYMixmQ_L719ULkaJmw_evY47Sc3LtDFRm8WXi68So4x8iLuF-g_a4N_wOOzDQ3NBJUl_R-QRoJ07dAnIHyViVNXKVne/s320/20.jpg" width="240" /></a>As the solids dissolve, the mixture changes color from aqua
green to lime green and gets creamier. To aid in liquefying the solids, I
ordered Copper Sulfate on Amazon that was a finer grind than the "root
killer". I have been using regular table salt, but I think if you use
popcorn salt or "salt flour", (finer grinds of salt) this may be
beneficial. I did a side by side test with too pastes, one with table vinegar,
5% and the other with 50% Vinegar. There seemed to be little difference in the
etch depth over the same amount of time. However, the 50% paste did more damage
too the vinyl material, causing more tiny elements (dots) to come off. I also
tried 1 part CS to 1 part salt, but this did not seem to increase the etch much,
if at all. Temperature; My first tests were during some hotter days here in LA,
so I though this may be affecting the etch depth. I tried heating the plate
during the etching with a light bulb and just at the cooler room temp. (70 f).
I observed no significant effect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2: Fresh etching paste seems to be key. <i><span style="color: blue;">(Maybe not)</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm not 100% sure on this (I'm testing fresh verses old
material now), but recently I had a number of tests that were not as deep as my
early tests. When I compared them, in date order, it seems the older the paste,
the less aggressive it became. I was getting frustrated since it seemed, as I
advanced in developing the artwork and masking techniques, I was going
backwards in the effectiveness of the etching. It does seem like 4 to 5 day old
paste is the culprit. If there are any chemists out there, I'd be curious to
hear why this may be.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3: Etch times 1 hour to 3 hours each application.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my first tests, I had been etching 60 to 90 minutes per
application. Being careful not to destroy the resist during the cleaning. The
etch process leaves a copper build up on the surface. This layer seems to
either get under, or stick to the vinyl masking. If it gets too heavy, it pulls
more vinyl off.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have found 3 to 4 applications at 90 minutes each worked
very well. However, last night, I left one test plate overnight for the 4th and
last application of paste, and it came out perfect. So I'm testing two &
three, 3 hour applications to see if I can leave it this long and still
preserve the masking. I think the paste can be left on until it all turns brown
/ black. Over 90 minutes, only about have the material has blackened. The
uppermost surface is still green. Mac mentioned a period source saying the
paste was applied at a pinky fingers thickness. I believe this may be to
facilitate longer etch times, since once the paste is black it seems no longer
effective. The most recent test over night (about 7 hours) most of the paste
was black and much of the masking lifted during surface cleaning. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i>EDIT-Current formula (as of July 2021) After over 100 tests and 99% of the armour complete, the formula I'm using now with satisfactory results is:</i></b><div><b><i>100g fine salt (Salt flour)</i></b></div><div><b><i>100g Copper sulfate fine crystals</i></b></div><div><b><i>25g Bone charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>13g activated wood charcoal</i></b></div><div><b><i>Distilled water to make it a thick paste.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The reaction with the salt, will cause the material to freeze, so after mixing, you need to let the paste sit for and hour or so, and then t\remix it. NOTE: Do not make your initial mixture too wet, as after you remix it, the salt gives up some water, and the paste gets wetter.</i></b></div><div><b><i>If it is too runny, you can add charcoal to thicken. I have found 3 or 4 90 minute etches (fresh paste for each) gives you considerable depth, equivalent to late 16th C armour.</i></b></div></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Masking, Better vinyl works better and lasts longer. I have
the cutter now effectively cutting background dots at less than a mm and
adhering to the metal sufficiently to arrive at an acceptable etch depth. The
new vinyl can be mostly weeded on the backing paper, which is much faster than
pealing the excess material off the metal. It's only the areas with the dots
that have to be removed from the steel now. Because if this is done on the
backing paper very few of the dots stay.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still have not picked up the name brand vinyl sample from
my graphics guy, but this generic material seems to work pretty well. If you
get the cutting knife depth dialed in along with the cutting pressure, the
machine cuts the vinyl without lifting up too many dots. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still do not have an effective paint type mask that lasts.
Testors model paint, fingernail polish, enamel spray paint, paint pens,
sharpies, work for perhaps one etch application, but come off fairly easily.
The fingernail polish is the most effective of the materials I've tried. I have
ordered some asphaltum to try. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x7bR5zcB_8bo6QCDiXfxco5-GxANaXGAQQPYz3S1VK4WWsQgN8QRsUtr7UZsA9FcvlhjVGBweC_fHjJAUiK8yjZKtC-dX7i_o_9wGEikrdi3FaBcHpB94ItsV2E3QZqt29PmYoIRP3sW/s1600/21.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="736" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x7bR5zcB_8bo6QCDiXfxco5-GxANaXGAQQPYz3S1VK4WWsQgN8QRsUtr7UZsA9FcvlhjVGBweC_fHjJAUiK8yjZKtC-dX7i_o_9wGEikrdi3FaBcHpB94ItsV2E3QZqt29PmYoIRP3sW/s320/21.jpg" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm sure if I had the drawing skills, this would be a faster
process with the proper masking medium and a pen or brush. But I'm forced to
use the tools I have the skills with when faced with this much artwork.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the latest test: 3 applications of fresh paste for
90 minutes each and a 4th application for 7 hours. (You will notice a
misalignment on this vinyl mask cut)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-hdzFzE9TQFoL5Htxv6F7718oU-wd989HV2DTx8GdTNfkjyN3KgGBFTrBPZ169OzL8qD8TGDwxHFt6v8BBCiu5_cHEQSkPzbqm9CR9z772vwKOuyp_1DBrFkuIHcqYos3DzCEq-7zJg3/s1600/22.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="760" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-hdzFzE9TQFoL5Htxv6F7718oU-wd989HV2DTx8GdTNfkjyN3KgGBFTrBPZ169OzL8qD8TGDwxHFt6v8BBCiu5_cHEQSkPzbqm9CR9z772vwKOuyp_1DBrFkuIHcqYos3DzCEq-7zJg3/s320/22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>The etch depth is the best I have gotten so far. It's about
.008" deep. This is now looking like the etch depth of the real armour. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had considered bees wax as a way to get specific
dots. I'm not sure the best way to apply them. It may be as easy as a large
straight pin.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the test, I used fresh, 1 day old and 2 or 3 day
old. They were nearly a factor better than each other, the newer the paste
cutting at least 10 times the depth of the 3 day old paste.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Here is a close up of the real armour, it seems I'm getting close.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFAklDnj328DWZC8p1lUAAJKlXICk006lxg_575yhkqUnrFrauWzGxRYIG79QZLK_VympNCxovAV63wPnQTsoMRXjd8iWFrCjjqb2jJouq1YduR9V8FLUqdbAd5W20Y1baQdIc3JtDpBT/s1600/23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFAklDnj328DWZC8p1lUAAJKlXICk006lxg_575yhkqUnrFrauWzGxRYIG79QZLK_VympNCxovAV63wPnQTsoMRXjd8iWFrCjjqb2jJouq1YduR9V8FLUqdbAd5W20Y1baQdIc3JtDpBT/s320/23.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6Q4GCOZsgBAFHXHxBkOJ4FKBYVgOxV2JlvUX-KyTu8RGNqb1B08RXqKzROqDHXxpmahYU_JOLNG-Zm1QvZWlqvGuLM87AEOz0ZSMz6gA80Czc7YLOHQqJDDMt7fsP_8Z-wPE64DnxmN0/s1600/24.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="531" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6Q4GCOZsgBAFHXHxBkOJ4FKBYVgOxV2JlvUX-KyTu8RGNqb1B08RXqKzROqDHXxpmahYU_JOLNG-Zm1QvZWlqvGuLM87AEOz0ZSMz6gA80Czc7YLOHQqJDDMt7fsP_8Z-wPE64DnxmN0/s320/24.jpg" width="238" /></a>I also received the pen plating supplies and at first I
thought my rectifier was not working, but it was just that it had been sitting so long (10 years probably) that the variable resistor coil was corroded and needed cleaning. So I
plated a couple of the earlier test etchings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also got out the bluing salts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's hard to see in the photo, but the blue is electric when
the light hits it just right. The gold also yellows considerably with the 600
degree heat. Again, it is hard to tell in the images, but I went over one band
of gold with fresh plating to bring it back to a lighter, less orange gold.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNAOXpnnSGxnx_-z_Ow3TfBch1z2DeXbnmWdDo2Mx-OX2riKnSHBmi9-dLqI-BCJz5UF8qyGdr9-OVFjLE4m_xQzrUd3a44P2p_yd4zzBSCM_F_6ZSO1RSXLX86uwsrT2hzjnL5tUrA90/s1600/25.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="733" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNAOXpnnSGxnx_-z_Ow3TfBch1z2DeXbnmWdDo2Mx-OX2riKnSHBmi9-dLqI-BCJz5UF8qyGdr9-OVFjLE4m_xQzrUd3a44P2p_yd4zzBSCM_F_6ZSO1RSXLX86uwsrT2hzjnL5tUrA90/s320/25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgRMaQRKD1I1Yj5X1pMKQTQPvQWoQJlvv7mXIMXSb0bptPiN98S9VSSamVDiN0uZblyyTrYcIaS2Nk-pQ9kDSBRrlhMogFCznfZtvu2P6WY77jGDqPCj7LEHNGG6jnRmk1euptYHtf-GX/s1600/26.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="657" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgRMaQRKD1I1Yj5X1pMKQTQPvQWoQJlvv7mXIMXSb0bptPiN98S9VSSamVDiN0uZblyyTrYcIaS2Nk-pQ9kDSBRrlhMogFCznfZtvu2P6WY77jGDqPCj7LEHNGG6jnRmk1euptYHtf-GX/s320/26.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Controlling the color on the big pieces will be difficult,
but on this first try, one piece went through blue, to a grey color. The piece
pictured above was a shorter duration and the salt had cooled down some. It
turns out the salt wants to be at 550 f, not 650f as suggested. So if I find
the sweet spot as far as temperature goes, the color may be easier to control.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was cutting masks and adapting them to the greave. I
have to start with the main pattern on the front plate, so I can cut sections
to fit the lames while matching the main pattern. I still need to add the wider
vine boarder on the sides and mask the large area on the main plates.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfy75ejrAsqTt7X2mL6T9QbnB6Pa5uB0QNCAmQ9RLsktyWZVOM4RaQaSe1MseCyyT78l6B6OJinwhPCwcsFyVzoYwWuc_SmnTHpw1lLL_WrOFL9FAMt7NI5kgKx6DXH99_H6zRMsLovKB/s1600/27.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfy75ejrAsqTt7X2mL6T9QbnB6Pa5uB0QNCAmQ9RLsktyWZVOM4RaQaSe1MseCyyT78l6B6OJinwhPCwcsFyVzoYwWuc_SmnTHpw1lLL_WrOFL9FAMt7NI5kgKx6DXH99_H6zRMsLovKB/s320/27.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIB-CNnq5d-sNDka0p-hjAnStHtQRwqNHx_YHkwU5V4-hwVUpry-N1TWApzaVCYP2oaPoaadmwitwCZ7kKCoSQuoyuAIGX9XFeKHZy8f5C_ueB35Jwug0gunwjlga63j54Z9YusbaNPOuF/s1600/28.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="780" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIB-CNnq5d-sNDka0p-hjAnStHtQRwqNHx_YHkwU5V4-hwVUpry-N1TWApzaVCYP2oaPoaadmwitwCZ7kKCoSQuoyuAIGX9XFeKHZy8f5C_ueB35Jwug0gunwjlga63j54Z9YusbaNPOuF/s320/28.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I have done about 40 different tests, using a combination of
ingredients and ingredient ratios, (Copper sulfate, Copper acetate) as well as
different etch times and number of etchings. I have also practiced ways to
repair the vinyl resist with asphaltum resist, since with multiple application
of etching paste, the material can start to lift, or at a minimum, I loose
dots. The best applicator for the I have found for the asphaltum resist is a
"Henna" applicator bottle, available as a kit from Amazon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The batches I have been mixing are: (by volume) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">(I have since developed a better recipe)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 parts fine salt (I bought a large 196oz. container from
"Smart & Final" a local restaurant supply)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6 parts Copper Sulfate This is a much finer grind than the
"weed killer" variety.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 to 1.5 parts 7.5% Vinegar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The trick is to mix the salt and copper sulfate together,
then add the vinegar and mix. It will seem like too little vinegar, but after
mixing, let the mixture sit for 1 to 11/2 hours and re-mix. There is water
trapped in the salt (and possibly the CS) and as the solids dissolve the extra
water is released and the mixture changes from a "wet sand"
consistency to a smooth paste. This is important if you want to make it stick to a
vertical surface. Too much vinegar and the paste will get runny after it sits
for awhile.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvH_R028xwcZvARUTff6qRy0BZTAw21cCBjGZC3VUKIcsek8dc2mqku0hiQetJrTa57XyRwEqNd09R1_EqI0FPbTPhXjPMDO3d8GFiIuMzlmkfG91oShQBqXuoSJcf2E4TgGNkYzL2mYZ/s1600/29.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="373" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvH_R028xwcZvARUTff6qRy0BZTAw21cCBjGZC3VUKIcsek8dc2mqku0hiQetJrTa57XyRwEqNd09R1_EqI0FPbTPhXjPMDO3d8GFiIuMzlmkfG91oShQBqXuoSJcf2E4TgGNkYzL2mYZ/s400/29.jpg" width="186" /></a>Here is the first section of the armour to get etched. It's
the front of the left greave with the ankle lames. I had etched this piece
earlier, but the copper buildup from the etching process was difficult to
remove and I was concerned about damaging the vinyl resist so I let the paste
sit longer and this did not work well. As a result, I had to very carefully
sand down the etched areas and re-polish. Thankfully Mac and Jeff planish very
well before sanding, thus the already thin metal was consistent in thickness
and I didn't run into thin spots while sanding. (Something that cost me two
greaves when I had made them for my 1330's kit. :x )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQi773XwhL821KKf6CWgkWvn78vIsdUuDQvFNWAgI0qfLGmgmsobUEpS63EABOi0VhoTnqylYlMRNOf-txXlrFyOxSCjekGoJKPNRA9hqjYq5IKCXa5dv4f_IlO9ZoY11RfO37TrdAexQ/s1600/30.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="567" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQi773XwhL821KKf6CWgkWvn78vIsdUuDQvFNWAgI0qfLGmgmsobUEpS63EABOi0VhoTnqylYlMRNOf-txXlrFyOxSCjekGoJKPNRA9hqjYq5IKCXa5dv4f_IlO9ZoY11RfO37TrdAexQ/s320/30.jpg" width="226" /></a>Here is a close up of the center of the greave. This was 4
applications of paste at 60 to 70 minutes each. You can see some of the
"repaired" dots. I may abandon the dots in the vinyl and just add
them with the asphaltum resist straight away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_32" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:425.25pt;height:600pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image010.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVVRc1X2JXA1HBH4Ygyo6zsoh-xvr5p_fjSacELCv81eFoBr8ByYy43rQFmbtNskXxZEft94Xm9sh_udbgW0hjMnx5DE9wLZces5K1o3jBwAZVDVR7kQXsxU16EYuworWb02v-Ww3PN2j/s1600/31.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVVRc1X2JXA1HBH4Ygyo6zsoh-xvr5p_fjSacELCv81eFoBr8ByYy43rQFmbtNskXxZEft94Xm9sh_udbgW0hjMnx5DE9wLZces5K1o3jBwAZVDVR7kQXsxU16EYuworWb02v-Ww3PN2j/s320/31.jpg" width="169" /></a>I would like it a little deeper, but the vinyl is so fine,
it begins to lift on the 3rd application. Longer times seem to be less
effective. 60 to 90 minutes gives a good etch and still allows the copper
deposit to be removed easily. On the larger pieces, where the pattern is
larger, I can probably etch 5 or 6 times, to get it deeper. In the close up
images I have of the original armour, it looks like the breast & back are
etched deeper. I have fully etched to front of the left greave and have most of
the back masked.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
You can see the real armours lower leg on the screen and if
you look close, you'll notice the negative space on the outsides of the figure
8 pattern are a little larger on mine. This is something I'll correct on the
rest of the armour as I work my way up, but I will make the right greave match
this one. Now, back to applying the vinyl to the
rest of the greave & sabaton pieces.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGZ2uj08W6WKu3BIriBabopz79nF5pKaRNa_S4bHA0QooiPY107z4ILaThhneye3bE1YRt56-2V5FFGHPlTtnY5EbvnksVMUyiHRFd_CmWbW4a8jYt_ih082Pl11cckvFQIQiRWfOw4ro/s1600/32.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="800" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGZ2uj08W6WKu3BIriBabopz79nF5pKaRNa_S4bHA0QooiPY107z4ILaThhneye3bE1YRt56-2V5FFGHPlTtnY5EbvnksVMUyiHRFd_CmWbW4a8jYt_ih082Pl11cckvFQIQiRWfOw4ro/s320/32.jpg" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have taken to putting the background dots on with the
asphaltum resist, as this makes them more durable and makes cutting and weeding
the vinyl easier. I am also reinforcing thin areas and loose ends of the vinyl
masking because these are the areas that are the most vulnerable during
cleaning between paste applications.
This is the back plate of the greave and the different tools I'm using
to apply the resist. Now that I have the system down, I should be able to get the
right greave done in 2 or 3 days, <i><span style="color: blue;">(Yeah, Right!)</span></i> unless I get interrupted. (Like I may have to
go to South Africa next week)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Next: <b><i>Viewing the Master's work....Well, I thought it looked good....</i></b></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-71653174135339777512018-04-30T06:41:00.001-07:002018-06-17T08:32:01.603-07:00Decorating a full Greenwich garniture. (Late 16th C. Armour)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few years ago I posted a bit about this armour, but I
thought I would start a specific thread on it, now that I'm working on it again
(I took time off the restore my dad's race car for it's 40th anniversary)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a copy of a Greenwich armour with medium decoration.
Most closely styled after the armour of Sir Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst.
The "Buckhurst" armour that is currently in the Wallace collection.
(A62)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHLUteRjSxhTouEwT9YUk9SLOrQ45kceGzk5xqGWmcZZURIkuvvZJcT5c2kjmrMi7oTfbaql0x141R7WYVtoNKJmWpI5UTxcXvvEiIehLMPbNCifhQ988RsKTES000N8ZcZEJ7qSaVpkN/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="321" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHLUteRjSxhTouEwT9YUk9SLOrQ45kceGzk5xqGWmcZZURIkuvvZJcT5c2kjmrMi7oTfbaql0x141R7WYVtoNKJmWpI5UTxcXvvEiIehLMPbNCifhQ988RsKTES000N8ZcZEJ7qSaVpkN/s320/1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
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alt="Image" style='width:240.75pt;height:321pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a nearly identical armour at the Metropolitan
museum in NYC, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_53"
o:spid="_x0000_i1039" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image" style='width:273pt;
height:468.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFVjqAjN-RXvdv6iWnjce-xCXYqRa87k6IPF4Kzh2cuVJNwwYSgP9XkV3EGty2b7yKY2D0Etgj92QnhhFnnARh2wXHBRNlkvRKm81mgOfK1naUQP3rK7NNaW9D_f_L4hTRNuzptpfGn32/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFVjqAjN-RXvdv6iWnjce-xCXYqRa87k6IPF4Kzh2cuVJNwwYSgP9XkV3EGty2b7yKY2D0Etgj92QnhhFnnARh2wXHBRNlkvRKm81mgOfK1naUQP3rK7NNaW9D_f_L4hTRNuzptpfGn32/s320/2.jpg" width="186" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Also a half armour in Art institute of Chicago. (this was
recently featured in the NOVA special)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_51" o:spid="_x0000_i1038" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:4in;height:225pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.png"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zKdTFNvPaYv8YokUHHhJp86bjxKydOjOP6_aSwep9K3r1-fhJZWGVlWpMXIze7GwtrzeP7gUKKCUnKocZE_gEFpLC4xLveqlZODnUm9xEaBwmvcqVk-HcKJEOQr14_w2zP7ACjVkT3Jl/s1600/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="384" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zKdTFNvPaYv8YokUHHhJp86bjxKydOjOP6_aSwep9K3r1-fhJZWGVlWpMXIze7GwtrzeP7gUKKCUnKocZE_gEFpLC4xLveqlZODnUm9xEaBwmvcqVk-HcKJEOQr14_w2zP7ACjVkT3Jl/s320/3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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I commissioned <a href="http://www.lightlink.com/armory/armory.html" target="_blank">Robert MacPherson</a> (Mac) in 1999? for this armour, but during it's
construction Mac injured his elbow. So it sat for awhile. About 3 or 4 years
ago I approached <a href="https://www.wassonartistry.com/" target="_blank">Jeff Wasson</a> about finishing it. At the time, approximately 70%
of the main suit was complete, but I really wanted a full garniture so there
was quite a few pieces left to make.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The suit is being made from 1050 and will be fully
heat-treated, acid etched and either gold plated or fire-gilded, then salt
blued.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It will consist of: the full suit, with burgonet and falling
buff, like the two complete extant suits. In addition, there will be a close
helm with interchangeable field & joust visors, reinforce breast, grand
guard, couter, manifer, & Locking gauntlet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As of now, all the pieces are formed and about 70% are ready
for heat-treat. Last year, Jeff has delivered the the cuisses, greaves &
gauntlets, which I have already heat- treated. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am currently working on the etching process. Due to my
lack of drawing skill, and the massive amount of etching on this suit, I
decided to use a computer to generate the artwork. To start, I trace the etched
patterns from closeup images of the extant armour and then use a plotter/cutter
to cut vinyls as a mask/ resist. This is working very well and I can maintain
the very fine hand drawn look, but pretty quickly make the hundreds of inches
I'll need for all the boarders. In some places, I have made masking tape
patterns of the sunken boarders where the patterns need to match specific
curves or tapers, I scanned those patterns and using Corel Draw have adjusted
the artwork accordingly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For the etching, I'm using the same etch paste recipe that
was used on the replica breast & back that Jeff built for the NOVA special,
copper sulfate, salt & vinegar. This recipe I understand was derived from a
period source and translated into modern chemicals by a scholar who specializes
in medieval chemistry. Perhaps Jeff will chime in with additional info here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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To create the artwork, I am using a Microsoft
"Surface" so I can draw on the screen over hi-res images of the real
armour. I figured, for me, this would be the best way to capture the correct
style. I'm creating the artwork in Corel Draw, a program I've been using for
nearly 30 years. (I highly recommend it) Then I'm using a "Zing
Orbit" desktop vinyl cutter to cut the masks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSZkJj_GrC_jivmDknFxNOBRz62NrWJCET2atjJhNZEpHrFfrIEcGZQF3_sUJDSQqQGQF7JWq3_bzVPEnEfNChUQuxXm_-847v2bspXE2umHCVv7-3KUOw18WIbr59YkfaMEYA66y6FwM/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="653" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSZkJj_GrC_jivmDknFxNOBRz62NrWJCET2atjJhNZEpHrFfrIEcGZQF3_sUJDSQqQGQF7JWq3_bzVPEnEfNChUQuxXm_-847v2bspXE2umHCVv7-3KUOw18WIbr59YkfaMEYA66y6FwM/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_50" o:spid="_x0000_i1037" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:468pt;height:351pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I had some old vinyl left over from "Power
Rangers" , (Pink-PR) but it was too hard to "weed" (remove
unwanted vinyl after cutting) so I bought some from Michel's art supply and
this is working very well. I'm going to order some higher quality stuff and try
that, but at the moment I have been tackling the etch process and how well the
artwork translate to the final etched metal. I am very impressed at how small
this cutter can cut and it's accuracy. Here is the cut mask on the metal:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_49" o:spid="_x0000_i1036" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:461.25pt;height:331.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I'm also using an oil-based paint pen for dots. This still
needs some experimenting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwNIQVy1yjCV7OrUeytrC1ZAlcgQjLctVnO7WxMQ7mhzQOD4OQslGp04WsuoasjuLfyKwUp9t5waOyb1doP_B8HIm_vHi6CQx37AsNSNeCsbUDsJbng6FRulGn61deumyOgRz2miOYiyg/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="615" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwNIQVy1yjCV7OrUeytrC1ZAlcgQjLctVnO7WxMQ7mhzQOD4OQslGp04WsuoasjuLfyKwUp9t5waOyb1doP_B8HIm_vHi6CQx37AsNSNeCsbUDsJbng6FRulGn61deumyOgRz2miOYiyg/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGpPEmWJd1xkktrPtanhsk_h-yplYK6jE_5cP6yeLCMmQegLvqqL9w7XSvmoRaYxTFWsu4FAKZ00smWNED0JhiSgaiLTphpu5eYvoZdQqxhuJL1vqHjxmStGJslGW_piMCMs0SwlDb4EC/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGpPEmWJd1xkktrPtanhsk_h-yplYK6jE_5cP6yeLCMmQegLvqqL9w7XSvmoRaYxTFWsu4FAKZ00smWNED0JhiSgaiLTphpu5eYvoZdQqxhuJL1vqHjxmStGJslGW_piMCMs0SwlDb4EC/s320/6.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_48" o:spid="_x0000_i1035" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:282pt;height:300.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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So, as I said, I'm using an etch paste made of 2 parts -
Copper Sulfate, 1 part -Salt, and enough Vinegar to make a paste. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3xUqaIU6cWMYlF0LVCzyhEhzpJYRJjjLuHA_D7-32OjxVjZXCvf2BUkIVEWzr98IIruyzxRXIAiQ7_qktLHnqlg_jOki98JCpWwuM4GIm3bO140NKQcufUd17rSQ_E9A3W37rMzbi_lo/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="653" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3xUqaIU6cWMYlF0LVCzyhEhzpJYRJjjLuHA_D7-32OjxVjZXCvf2BUkIVEWzr98IIruyzxRXIAiQ7_qktLHnqlg_jOki98JCpWwuM4GIm3bO140NKQcufUd17rSQ_E9A3W37rMzbi_lo/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_46" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image"
style='width:468pt;height:273pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/Chris/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image007.jpg"
o:title="Image"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I did the first test, I was using the old vinyl and it
was easier to "weed" the "vine" part and leave the
background. So I used the vinyl as a paint mask and used Krylon spray paint as
the etch resist. When mixing the etching compound, I just wet the
"sand" textured salt and CS with enough vinegar to make a grainy
paste. I used 2 applications of paste for 60 minutes each. Test one:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTf5gPPQ7mrjlVfLPp8jIGCabpMTCujKVFMLzqh2PzyZ6n0iMsZfs64JMdKzZNQq8Qn7iS2vCrhIPATtHATGKFYJxEqlNeXpvXo_n7tD-jab69jWJ8FAO4MHEMz4ETfoX5-V8NqcXJXOO/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="495" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTf5gPPQ7mrjlVfLPp8jIGCabpMTCujKVFMLzqh2PzyZ6n0iMsZfs64JMdKzZNQq8Qn7iS2vCrhIPATtHATGKFYJxEqlNeXpvXo_n7tD-jab69jWJ8FAO4MHEMz4ETfoX5-V8NqcXJXOO/s320/8.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
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The graininess is an issue as the real suits etch has a nice
smooth background, no real texture. Because the background was so
"pebbly" I figured I would need to grind the salt and CS finer. I had
a nice mortar & pestle from <a href="http://historicalglassworks.com/" target="_blank">Historical Glassworks</a> so I gave that a try. After
considerable work, the mixture was not significantly finer. But, while at
Micheal's for the new vinyl, I picked up some "Armor etch" acid
paste. That's gotta work Right?! Here is that test. You can see the graininess
of the green past, the "armor etch" is the white material.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRQpfq43xTrlZyA7cr_WkljvzKr_2pAS9ZNlEnWGWu0vMh0ohtPVh1FpFR5zgEsMCyP335os1czYzSC6YX5ZsyM3kOnRZB7XtDsONT-FXNsOO9NuoSasoARU47s7FXOBR4OG5M4TTwr3q/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="478" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRQpfq43xTrlZyA7cr_WkljvzKr_2pAS9ZNlEnWGWu0vMh0ohtPVh1FpFR5zgEsMCyP335os1czYzSC6YX5ZsyM3kOnRZB7XtDsONT-FXNsOO9NuoSasoARU47s7FXOBR4OG5M4TTwr3q/s320/10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This test was over an all paint pen artwork and the Armor
Etch was not very effective. So I have relabeled the bottle "Not, Armor
Etch" This test was not useful as the paint had not dried sufficiently and
was mostly obliterated while washing off the first application of paste. But I
did notice how much crisper the etch was where I had masked the plate with a
piece of vinyl. It also turned out, the new vinyl was easy to weed once the cut
vinyl had been adhered to the metals surface. So the next test, with the finer
ground material, the paste was applied over the cut vinyl. Test two:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikduawS1BPWpp3NqIGLk5PyJxJGbMSs2UHnIb2JvugPI5QrLtAXLblOnMjpYqRYhj5nKrsOVMRSW9fTgvI8F0xM_GPmD6mutVhEcr5glit8DBZnKJIpz2ur9YUhHv8-JAwap77MJjYnZ4o/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikduawS1BPWpp3NqIGLk5PyJxJGbMSs2UHnIb2JvugPI5QrLtAXLblOnMjpYqRYhj5nKrsOVMRSW9fTgvI8F0xM_GPmD6mutVhEcr5glit8DBZnKJIpz2ur9YUhHv8-JAwap77MJjYnZ4o/s320/11.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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I also thought the etch needed to be almost twice as deep,
since in the close up images of the Buckhurst, you could see a significant
shadow caused by the etch depth. My etching didn't seem to be nearly this deep.
So, I'd try 2 things; First, leave the paste on much longer. Second, get some
stronger vinegar. Household vinegar is 5% acetic acid and I found 30%
concentrate on Amazon, but I also found some 99% acetic acid, so I ordered
that. Now as the strength goes up, so does the dangers with acid, so my plan is
to cut it to 50% as soon as I get it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also did another test, this time leaving the second
application of paste overnight. It cut deeper, but the texture got worse. Test
Three:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2oufTTO1jUxAMGLgNGw8bw-NN6xd5U8JhsR3jvEBGQXeX3bI0qkgwTz6FbQhL6gI5HgHLa_Wb_g7rrgJRDkDYULQqCcYO175yWf-TKz9_7-vcWvB0BsCZIGC6lluwbVsczoRG3NMbGR5/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="466" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2oufTTO1jUxAMGLgNGw8bw-NN6xd5U8JhsR3jvEBGQXeX3bI0qkgwTz6FbQhL6gI5HgHLa_Wb_g7rrgJRDkDYULQqCcYO175yWf-TKz9_7-vcWvB0BsCZIGC6lluwbVsczoRG3NMbGR5/s320/12.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>
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This was going in the right direction, but I had solve this
textured background issue. Chemistry was not a subject I was excited about in
High school, so I had to look up if water was a solvent for Copper Sulfate. It
is of course, and I realized my error; I needed to fully dissolve the crystals
into solution before using them. I mixed the salt and CS with distilled water
and after 5 minutes of mixing, I had a creamy green paste. I had also distilled
some vinegar by boiling it on the stove, in an attempt to increase the
strength. I added this to my paste, so, because of the distilled water added to the mixture, I figure I was likely back to 5%+
concentration. This worked very well. No serious texture and it was starting to
look like the real thing. Test Four:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yepa1YtLOvbMAJyoSSqWp7M8vz13Y4_o3LNfmXfE3QPMy2iMQZbyvFYjpHVV2_wceLyVvRLS4Esm5HKLZZG0mcpDWBW8kwiX5hUcpl5V0ELUjyj5-PEXspXmT7061ecECnR_Nd2ab6YF/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="574" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yepa1YtLOvbMAJyoSSqWp7M8vz13Y4_o3LNfmXfE3QPMy2iMQZbyvFYjpHVV2_wceLyVvRLS4Esm5HKLZZG0mcpDWBW8kwiX5hUcpl5V0ELUjyj5-PEXspXmT7061ecECnR_Nd2ab6YF/s320/13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsQHWte1MiqCfkkSTe14476Ckre7Qcunt3Hx0d4gGFZepHfzBO1km-j0Lo-GhOvyFRc9gm4NcvqobUOdnxgwhceBQMAbN18_BB2VXFmZ2aA1RA0IGeCK6JuUGNv2hRluNKNGBfbiCSGFa/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="806" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsQHWte1MiqCfkkSTe14476Ckre7Qcunt3Hx0d4gGFZepHfzBO1km-j0Lo-GhOvyFRc9gm4NcvqobUOdnxgwhceBQMAbN18_BB2VXFmZ2aA1RA0IGeCK6JuUGNv2hRluNKNGBfbiCSGFa/s320/14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the closeup, you can see how fine a line the vinyl will
"protect" from the etching paste. I may try heating the paste a
little.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Since the water dissolves the copper sulfate fairly quickly while mixing, I found I could make up a batch of the paste and let is sit
over night and the crystals would dissolve into a smooth paste. I store it in a
glass jar, but I need to find something with a non metallic top for long term
storage. Here is the paste:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKE00gxFLqlYzcS_27ixuSTGDASSjZzwvl0tzgiwRnkI68rN28auWv2Dtq7htvMpdAZN8oscpDYIW3GK80NS3374Ywi454zi8e8OeX6EStKRN7xIFKFxJKZvTJWFFbwYALiQxoQltDlhb/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKE00gxFLqlYzcS_27ixuSTGDASSjZzwvl0tzgiwRnkI68rN28auWv2Dtq7htvMpdAZN8oscpDYIW3GK80NS3374Ywi454zi8e8OeX6EStKRN7xIFKFxJKZvTJWFFbwYALiQxoQltDlhb/s320/15.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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I had been using a tongue depressor to apply the paste, but
this batch was a little thin, so I tried a brush. It turns dark brown upon
contact with the steel. I added another batch of salt & CS to thicken the
paste.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-jigSosQTS7USlKhYIj5bI2OT1T_DVAsMA0ffe8R-D-3rf-OTrf5gbinYjP1ndafp_6x5c5lfxmleRc-ZigncDok4S1Ft4p9OYj7yh_FeHoZ3gBVs8g74T6YFq1bV8wODLSWfiTaxAHH/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="653" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-jigSosQTS7USlKhYIj5bI2OT1T_DVAsMA0ffe8R-D-3rf-OTrf5gbinYjP1ndafp_6x5c5lfxmleRc-ZigncDok4S1Ft4p9OYj7yh_FeHoZ3gBVs8g74T6YFq1bV8wODLSWfiTaxAHH/s320/16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This works well on these small areas, but I really need to see if I can control the etch on larger areas. </div>
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Next: Creating artwork for the center greave and testing the bigger patterns.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-77535914863256694452017-05-29T22:02:00.001-07:002018-05-27T17:33:15.140-07:00The Polish Eagle Racing Team & the Fiat 128ski will be at Lime Rock, but, I'm waiting for parts...I received an official acceptance letter from the Lime Rock Historics and my entry is confirmed. So baring any unforeseen circumstances, the Fiat 128ski will make it's debut at <a href="http://limerockhistorics.com/" target="_blank">Lime Rock</a> in September.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICxfDkOk02-R8QGWD8wQ2n9DpVwhLDgTIUteWlrIp7RUOuWjgFJnL2v3c3tlqpt0uVhQrLmQ_NRKBzXf_ESywzoilGZO_yAtP77xyvy-jNqEGemQoR2K_M8krfhyphenhyphenlW7I78aUKgN2K7tDO/s1600/IMG_sm1242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICxfDkOk02-R8QGWD8wQ2n9DpVwhLDgTIUteWlrIp7RUOuWjgFJnL2v3c3tlqpt0uVhQrLmQ_NRKBzXf_ESywzoilGZO_yAtP77xyvy-jNqEGemQoR2K_M8krfhyphenhyphenlW7I78aUKgN2K7tDO/s320/IMG_sm1242.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left front</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
However, progress has been slow the last few weeks. I did manage to check off a number of things, like machining the new swing arm pins and rebuilding the Girling brakes.<br />
But...<br />
The company who was plating the suspension, made everything bright chrome, not satin chrome as they had said they would. When asked how this could be rectified, he said he could nickle plate it, brush it then lacquer it so it wouldn't tarnish. I told him no, this is for corrosion protection and I need satin or matte chrome, I don't want lacquer chipping off and the nickle tarnishing. A few days later, he showed me a sample of a brushed finish in his dimly lit office and I said OK. Once I got the pieces home, and next to the original parts that have been waiting for shocks, in order to get plated, I realized he did what I asked him not to do. He nickle plated them and added a lacquer. By the time I discovered this, pieces had already been assembled. In order to correct this, all the pieces would need to be stripped and replated and I can't wait another 3 weeks for this to get done.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuQlvu_BH0IZrSTtqstiT3egN1KXysm1ZSEnKoXYU6Vre1UdOg8BZTJhBflPnVH1SN-IV-r446-GcKvHTKzs-EZY6jf_b-09WRcplk1Sbe_Glp7NZ8mghHxOIag-VgBdFeawVrBVSnoMK/s1600/IMG_sm1250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuQlvu_BH0IZrSTtqstiT3egN1KXysm1ZSEnKoXYU6Vre1UdOg8BZTJhBflPnVH1SN-IV-r446-GcKvHTKzs-EZY6jf_b-09WRcplk1Sbe_Glp7NZ8mghHxOIag-VgBdFeawVrBVSnoMK/s320/IMG_sm1250.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right rear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I got the dampeners back I had asked the shop not to assemble them into the strut housings, as I had to plate them. But they did anyway, so I needed to take them apart. I wanted to bring the struts right to the plating shop, however my custom spanner wrench was at home. "Well, I guess tomorrow will be OK." Turns out, the home made spanner is inadequate to remove the glam nuts. So I ordered a proper spanner wrench and now I'm delayed two days in getting the last of my suppression parts to the plater.<br />
Once I did get them apart, I picked up the strut tubes to put them in a box, and a spacer fell out of the strut. Did these guys cut the shocks down? I thought I told them to nix that idea and leave them the original length? Turns out, the new dampener seals are 1.125" shorter than the originals. I had wanted to shorten the housings in the beginning by 1.250" and decided against it. So, instead of calling me, and letting me know they shortened my shocks, by nearly the amount I had originally asked for, they just made spacers and screwed them together.<br />
Since I really don't need, or want spacers below the dampeners, I need to shorten the strut tubes. Using my cold saw, I cut out most of the spacers my dad had welded in when the dampeners originally came from Koni, too long, and TIG welded the strut tubes back together. This will give me more space for shock travel and I may at some point change the top mountings and return them to my dad's original design. But I really need to get it together and test things before I run out of time.<br />
After I cut and re-welded the housings I ran them over to the plater Thursday last.<br />
The plater says, next week, so I gave him the whole week. Friday afternoon I go in, he says they will be done by 3:30-4. OK. I come back at 4:30 and...."Oh, my machine broke....my guys left early..." BULL SHIT! Not only has this guy not done the work he promised, but he has been late every time I go to pick up. I had planned on using this 3 day weekend to do final assembly on the suspension.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqsMYvrYp_BxGfAKnB9OLM_R752gudtEMU9CLKlO7vm6hOKIG23M7EcHCqPegFtYxd3YcgDeiiobshfhN7nnom3xdfTWFDpEl3Vhkf9jqsPtZA_sQHPy8maCFuue0IraHax4IfBIGKMLb/s1600/HANS-1252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="595" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqsMYvrYp_BxGfAKnB9OLM_R752gudtEMU9CLKlO7vm6hOKIG23M7EcHCqPegFtYxd3YcgDeiiobshfhN7nnom3xdfTWFDpEl3Vhkf9jqsPtZA_sQHPy8maCFuue0IraHax4IfBIGKMLb/s200/HANS-1252.jpg" width="166" /></a>Most race organizing bodies require, or Strongly recommend, some type of HANS device for restraining your head in case of an impact. My mother has been friends with one of the co-inventors of this life saving device, and I got a surprise phone call from Jim Downing, asking how big my neck was. I figured out pretty quickly my mom was behind this and Jim assured me "It is a gift from your mother". I have to thank Jim as well, since I'm pretty sure he sent this to me at no charge to my mom. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1EF28DL28EXrd586psWI-aRxpImSHXMo1XQgf_ZMzau3IwudjlD9LM-xHlTvqoeAkxxKo-PJdPf2p8gQYbp9MK5FhZPnrnpOMgmPvTQKMEiGvgUqn-4KGuMV1e8vkmbRPV4nq9ZnyU90/s1600/IMG_sm5241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1EF28DL28EXrd586psWI-aRxpImSHXMo1XQgf_ZMzau3IwudjlD9LM-xHlTvqoeAkxxKo-PJdPf2p8gQYbp9MK5FhZPnrnpOMgmPvTQKMEiGvgUqn-4KGuMV1e8vkmbRPV4nq9ZnyU90/s200/IMG_sm5241.jpg" width="200" /></a>I did ask him to sign it, normally I don't ask for autographs at least not since I was a kid. Especially in my work, it's considered bad form to ask movie professionals for their autograph, but, how often to you get such a device, right from the inventor. I tested it in the car and I think I'll need to loose the original head pad my dad had made for the car. I will consider a new one of the same design, but much thinner.<br />
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New fuel cell arrived from ATL. I had planned to keep the cell exactly as it was originally, since this was a very early ATL fuel cell, from 1973, only 3 years from when the company was founded. But, the stock modern cell was about $480 and they quoted me $1600 for a custom one to match the original.<br />
So, the 128ski get s a modern "Saver-Cell". The cell is 3/4" taller, but a tube spacer was all that was needed and it dropped into the original metal box.<br />
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Hopefully I can get the last of my suspension parts this coming week and finally get the wheels on. I ordered tires from Tirerack, because they offer a heat cycling service. Racing tires need to be heat cycled in order to get the most life out of them. This would normally require the tires to be mounted on the car, the car driven a few, slow warm up laps, then a quick lap to get the tire up to full temp. Then the wheels should be taken off to let the tires "cure" for 24 hours before you use them. Well this would totally wreck my first test day, so the heat cycling means I can use the tires right away. These should be here next week so if all goes well, I may have the car on it wheels by next weekend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoOrHV0A9rePmYzFYZOKy7kRh2hIgGKOVMQ34z0n-3u6J-QZCXOwI-K5cPwLPMGjHb2li2LIZLN0rIVtmAVhxnT3e1bffRsZa2nM370iRtCbum_aLhA46oe_u6gyQH3eQQLc3IeFga3cB/s1600/IMG_sm5237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoOrHV0A9rePmYzFYZOKy7kRh2hIgGKOVMQ34z0n-3u6J-QZCXOwI-K5cPwLPMGjHb2li2LIZLN0rIVtmAVhxnT3e1bffRsZa2nM370iRtCbum_aLhA46oe_u6gyQH3eQQLc3IeFga3cB/s200/IMG_sm5237.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
I did source a spare, stock 128 transmission, as the racing gears won't be done for some time. This will allow me to test the car and I should be able to run it in this configuration if the racing gears are delayed beyond my Lime Rock event. For this temporary solution, I need a stock pressure plate, since the racing flywheel is getting plasma sprayed and also won't be back for a couple of weeks. If I'm lucky, I can assemble the gearbox and engine and put that in as well this weekend. Then all that is left is the intake manifold repair.<br />
I was going to leave it till the car was fired up, but since I am running out of things I can work on till other parts arrive, I installed the original Fiat Emblem in the hood. It's supposed to be chrome, but so was the suspensions, plus, the car and I are both heading for our golden years.....Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-85862995283717008492017-04-26T22:19:00.000-07:002018-05-27T17:33:15.171-07:00"Bob's your Uncle" & The new white 128ski.Well, I have officially passed the Bob Bondurant's Forza Motorsport Grand Prix Road Racing Class.<br />
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Over the 4 days; I didn't wreck any of the cars. Got the tail out a little in both the Viper and the Formula Mazda and the "skid cars" are more fun then any mere mortal deserves!<br />
I was a bit worried about fitting in the cars. The first day, we didn't need helmets in the Vipers and although they were going to reserve the "lowered seat" Viper for me, there was another fellow who was using it. I had the regular seat version and it's a good thing I didn't need my helmet, because I would have had to drive with my head tilted. The next day, I did get the lowered seat car, and with my helmet, I just fit. The problem was, the seat didn't move and my instructor could not drive the car. So Mike McGovern, the chief instructor drove and coached me (as I sat in the passenger seat, with my head tilted)<br />
On day four, we where introduced to the Formula Mazda. This was a big worry for me, could I fit in this small formula car. It was a little snug, but I did managed to shoe horn myself in by tucking my shoulders behind the side roll bar supports. I wish my Mom's significant other, Damon Barnett was still with us, as he was Mazda's first competition director. He would have gotten a kick out of me driving the Mazda race car. (Damon died in 2011)<br />
In the formula Mazda, I did a 108.3 lap. Now a 1 minute flat is a winning lap, and 8 seconds is a huge difference, but it was my first day in the car and I have at least 100 lbs on the driver who turned that lap. (At a race on the same track, not in our class) So, although I could see where I needed to go faster and how I have to improve my sight, I feel I did OK. I highly recommend the course for anyone interested in better driving skills.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65JagPY4USftOZSYCcCO0-9K2gi1muqvWvFOXF1YEjPuafmMnMbOw0UAfjrPrKbKPo7rT4dWpVFnQG__w5cD4b8w2W1rxdvjGe_xvGKHygeaZC-2r3fVKeB0Ko33ex8oGkAa3eBbrn_LX/s1600/IMG_1180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg65JagPY4USftOZSYCcCO0-9K2gi1muqvWvFOXF1YEjPuafmMnMbOw0UAfjrPrKbKPo7rT4dWpVFnQG__w5cD4b8w2W1rxdvjGe_xvGKHygeaZC-2r3fVKeB0Ko33ex8oGkAa3eBbrn_LX/s200/IMG_1180.JPG" width="200" /></a>I put my "diploma" on the wall of the shop, next to some old drivers I knew.<br />
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When I got back from Phoenix, the Fiat 128ski had been color sanded and could ride home in it's new enclosed trailer. (eBay find in Phoenix). My wife (a graphic designer for Walt Disney Imagineering) is restoring the "Polish Eagle Racing" logo my oldest brother designed and silk screened for the car back in the day. In addition to using it on the car, the plan is to apply it to the new trailer.<br />
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Once home, I couldn't wait to start putting pieces back on the car. So Saturday and Sunday was about 12 hours each, of boltin it back together! Lots still to do, but it is so nice to see it clean and new looking. It's been nearly 40 years since I saw it like this. I modified the peddles to better suit my size 12 feet and went to put in the safety belts, when I realized they where not correct. I called Summit Racing and they where more than helpful in finding what I needed, processing the new order and making the return super easy.<br />
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Put in the brake lines, fuel lines and the fire suppression system. Also started reassembling the Girling calipers. Installed the new Plexi side and rear windows as well as the retaining straps. The windshield should be arriving soon, the gearbox replacement gear and lower final drive will be here in a couple of months, so I'm sourcing a stock 128 box as a stand-in for testing. I was told the suspension was ready, but they bright chromed it, instead of matte chrome, so maybe later this week that will be remedied. So far, I have only had to replace a small number of parts, so the car is going to be very original. I even managed to save the original rubber trunk hold downs.<br />
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Now I have to figure out which oil line goes where. My brother took the car apart and put tags on the parts, but it's been so many years, most of the writing has disappeared. The dry sump has 5 ports and I'm not clear on what does what. Time to find out, since poor oil pressure is NOT what you want in a race car, specially when it revs to 10,000 RPM!</div>
Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-65386878328587914092017-04-13T23:01:00.003-07:002018-05-27T17:33:15.108-07:00Fiat 128ski - Really, even that I can't find?!So, as I worked on the "refreshing the engine, things where going pretty well.<br />
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The body is being painted and Enrique, the painter, is invested in the project, and seems like a true "Craftsman" who wants to do his best. So even though I worked on the body, to a level I thought was acceptable, he worked over it some more. Now, all that is needed is to color sand it, and it comes home to be assembled! So back to prepping parts for assembly.<br />
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The original MiniLite wheels got stripped, and we found a Burgundy that matches the original wheel color. So they where powder coated in this, then I set them in my lathe and cleaned off the rim, then they would get cleared, giving them a shiny aluminum rim against the burgundy center. <br />
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Turns out my powder coat guy had not a clue. He didn't preheat the rim to off-gas them, so they bubbled. Then tried to BS me about not being able to clear coat them because there where finger prints on the burgundy centers. Had no clue of chemistry or how to clean the surface, then the clear came out blistered. I finally said, just give them to me, and I'll fix them.<br />
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Girling AR 1 Brake Calipers: These little buggers are expensive now. At least all 4 of mine seem in serviceable shape, and after some cleaning and disassembly, they seem fine. Master cylinders were not so lucky. I had purchased new rebuild kits for them, but upon disassembly, they where very corroded. I think they where in a bucket that got filled with water....oops. <br />
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Well, that was easy, Pegasus Motorsports has brand new, original Girling master cylinders. Well, you can always use the rebuild kits at some point,...right?<br />
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Thought it wise to buy new fuel pumps. The old Bendix ones could be OK, but while at the track, I'd hate find out I was wrong. Bendix must have sold the design to Facet, because it's nearly the identical pump. But, I figured, they should at least look like the Bendix ones. So, a little time on Corel- Draw, and I made new Bendix labels. Strip off the Fact label, add a little blue paint t the top of the pump, and Bam, Bendix fuel pumps.<br />
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I needed to clean the transmission, and thought, maybe I should pull off the end cover and look at the end of the gear shafts..... Well everything seemed fine, but then I saw a small chip of metal, hmmm? Turns out, it was magnetic, that's not as good as it could be. I then took off the back half of the case. Things looked clean, well, no, there are some "chunks" out of the inside of the casing!<br />
Oh!, here is the problem, second gear is missing a tooth, well crap. After a bit of looking around, I found the missing tooth on one of the internal magnets and it seems it only damaged the case and the ring gear bolts. Well, now I have to find out if Colotti has a new gear. (After 40 years, Not likely, right)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPoTvrfTs-qjHu_-iHu-9Y91Dlpbl7j5gWnVJf9iHB3WpqUccXcuZvRo-6IWmW-VBIAcszyZ46B8LVxetAJMOSHbVlz4hnyqIs4fGDHwkwMk0qjurM6hX1dps5wcT0V3V8DtOmAD-SJTi/s1600/IMG_1116sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPoTvrfTs-qjHu_-iHu-9Y91Dlpbl7j5gWnVJf9iHB3WpqUccXcuZvRo-6IWmW-VBIAcszyZ46B8LVxetAJMOSHbVlz4hnyqIs4fGDHwkwMk0qjurM6hX1dps5wcT0V3V8DtOmAD-SJTi/s200/IMG_1116sm.jpg" width="150" /></a>Marco Colotti got back to me, "Not our work". Well dam, That was not the answer I expected, who made this set of gears? After hours of searching over the next few days, and many emails, nothing.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkUUzJZV4BRLj2Q6lxOVha5fI4Vw83nnGyavV29FlormaTbr6zHSO0b0ai90XxVl3fJ5Nqgu_WMz1i5NnU7yOSMVvofmAAhByN5P4rxSsJoeLPNnGvxFyTkaE8ZHqLyyZM-JCDJpI-M9E/s1600/IMG_1123sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkUUzJZV4BRLj2Q6lxOVha5fI4Vw83nnGyavV29FlormaTbr6zHSO0b0ai90XxVl3fJ5Nqgu_WMz1i5NnU7yOSMVvofmAAhByN5P4rxSsJoeLPNnGvxFyTkaE8ZHqLyyZM-JCDJpI-M9E/s200/IMG_1123sm.jpg" width="200" /></a>I talked with Midwest / Bayless and Matt chuckles a little at some of my questions or things I suggest I may be able to do. This is not encouraging. But Hey, I'm a lucky guy.<br />
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Finally, I figure, the only way is to have the broken gear copied. I get a tip from Grassroots Motorsports forum, about a gear maker in Canada and he quickly sends me a quote. Quite reasonable, but I still need a final drive and the one I have does not look like a stock Fiat drive. Based on the cost of one simple gear, I'm hesitant to ask what making a new Pinion shaft and crown gear is going to be.<br />
Then, One morning, I'm sending emails in a last attempt to find who made my dog box (straight cut gears) and, Marco Colotti sends me an email; "Sorry, after searching our records, this is our work, it is our T.127, 4 speed."<br />
Fantastic news. After a couple more emails, He confirms, they can make a new gear, and can make a new lower final drive.<br />
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OK, I need to do some simple less stressful work on the car. I know, I'll clean the stainless trim pieces for the exterior. When my brother was originally going to have the car media blasted, he chose to tape over the trim, instead of removing it. Well, now, I have 12 year old masking tape "welded" to the trim pieces. Turns out, if you soak old, crusty, fossilized, paper masking tape in "Purple Power" cleaner for 2 days, it falls right off. ("Goo off" didn't do either, goo or off)<br />
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Hmm, what else can I prep? I know the wink mirror needs to be checked. There is a new one in the box, lets see if it needs anything. "Oh, no, this won't work." The old mirror is 31" long and the new one is 36". The mounting brackets are welded into the car. The freshly painted car..... Well, no problem, I'll search the internet and find the correct one.<br />
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Turns out, there are none like this. I couldn't even find a picture of one like this! First, they all are different lengths and have square ends, so each of the five mirrors are the same. Mine is 31" long, and the two end mirrors are tapered. But, after looking at the way it was made, the original mirror was 2 nested thermo-formed pieces of ABS plastic. I can do that.<br />
So a few hours at my shop, I made an MDF wood pattern, put it on my thermo-form machine (Vacuum former) and made a new mirror. A few pieces of glass mirror later (Quite a few and some swearing) I had a new, exact copy of the original "Wink Mirror".<br />
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Now, next week, I travel to Phoenix and learn how to drive cars faster!<br />
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<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-33492583418823709382017-03-29T22:30:00.000-07:002018-05-27T17:33:14.948-07:00Fiat 128ski, getting to the heart of the matter.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPFGwYfSLIWGTu2LIOjOmUx8aorzxVDx0lztWZh5YTXlVetlrjkaV4QKUb0AyKqaAe6_scNTtNQT868EOCtHCB99eEwCShqZEO-q0oX79DVAJE6FsYRVcUg1iw6mFm83vlZ1kPx38qFP/s1600/IMG_0934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPFGwYfSLIWGTu2LIOjOmUx8aorzxVDx0lztWZh5YTXlVetlrjkaV4QKUb0AyKqaAe6_scNTtNQT868EOCtHCB99eEwCShqZEO-q0oX79DVAJE6FsYRVcUg1iw6mFm83vlZ1kPx38qFP/s320/IMG_0934.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Control arm pin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With the body/ chassis at the paint shop, I have turned my attentions to the 1300 cc motor and Colotti gearbox. Again, the old man did lots of special things and every time I start to rebuild or if I need to replace something, I become aware of how custom everything on this car is. I first notice this on the suspension control arm. The tapered pin/ ball joint, isn't. It's a spherical aircraft bearing with a custom machined insert, with a tapered end. Well one of them is bent and needs to be replaced, so some time on my lathe, and I think I can fix that. (My brother told me he slid the car off track and we think this is how it became bent.)<br />
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The engine however is a different matter, my father had all of these advanced techniques used on the parts, techniques that I have no way of doing, and finding companies willing to take on this "tiny" passion project can sometimes be challenging. Like, the Titanium flywheel; It has the clutch contact surface flame sprayed with either Tungsten Carbide, or Titanium Carbide.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoF1bR1YYuHHRccugxVR4-HFnV5Km9XgSANKUZxc9tJnnDiFvpTQVgc6RMWvnSrVEU2c1cLb0siuxKeWDWbrmrxUuy3OVPBQ69uYyJt8ueJNKaIH0kN8Sd5JOjyASpkl5PTbPLNmlQqKi/s1600/IMG_0814sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoF1bR1YYuHHRccugxVR4-HFnV5Km9XgSANKUZxc9tJnnDiFvpTQVgc6RMWvnSrVEU2c1cLb0siuxKeWDWbrmrxUuy3OVPBQ69uYyJt8ueJNKaIH0kN8Sd5JOjyASpkl5PTbPLNmlQqKi/s200/IMG_0814sm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carbide coating on titanium flywheel<br />
(Weight with ring gear, 7 lbs 5 oz.)</td></tr>
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The people I talk to about redoing this, think I'm some enthusiast trying to make his street car "cool" and they act like I really don't know what I'm asking for. Or the suspension; it was hard chrome plated by an aerospace coatings shop in Connecticut. The hard chrome place here looked at me like I was crazy to ask them to do this to "car parts".<br />
In my Google search for companies here in California who do tungsten carbide flame spray (also known as plasma spray), I came across a patent application to patent this idea of hard coating the flywheels wear area. It's from 1995, 20 years after this car was built. Like many of the things on this car, no one was doing these things in the 1970's.<br />
In addition to getting the flywheel resurfaced, I'm hoping for some insight on why it cracked and chipped.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wb-vcFlhZOFqmZRA2gdvCiGeimlnq2p52o3U1t2t-Zy_ULoOu8cBT8l4G_MZ4vzlwaRL1MbNBzB3so-1aIU41ioxaprBKH2Z4ZaUuWC5acw3axvgnh2neao4EyqGD3KMtBVK_HE-HKt/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wb-vcFlhZOFqmZRA2gdvCiGeimlnq2p52o3U1t2t-Zy_ULoOu8cBT8l4G_MZ4vzlwaRL1MbNBzB3so-1aIU41ioxaprBKH2Z4ZaUuWC5acw3axvgnh2neao4EyqGD3KMtBVK_HE-HKt/s200/IMG_0513.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a clutch.</td></tr>
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The clutch or whats left of it is a little more straight forward. I think it was a Tilton Formula Ford clutch and the fellow who did the original engine work, thinks he has one. If not, they are pretty standard fare.<br />
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The Colotti gear box seems OK. The only thing I know I need is a different final drive ratio. I saw a complete Colotti transmission for sale on eBay a few months ago and they wanted $4500 for it. I really didn't want to spend that much on something I wasn't sure I needed or was correct for the car. But then I looked up what a new one costs from Colotti, I think it was,$14,500. I probably should have found the money to buy it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYvzw9I4MJil6bJUrvO4EvKQaKwmbYxGx7pJ_VS7t7GJQT5Vtb5Y0XSVEtZxLFr9vEQh3cAql0snjr6gYPmtJPnZjvEzcy8R7l-qs8rWXgOVi0LkSQxGrzBd1_hYUyA1RGLTd6QSypDb0/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYvzw9I4MJil6bJUrvO4EvKQaKwmbYxGx7pJ_VS7t7GJQT5Vtb5Y0XSVEtZxLFr9vEQh3cAql0snjr6gYPmtJPnZjvEzcy8R7l-qs8rWXgOVi0LkSQxGrzBd1_hYUyA1RGLTd6QSypDb0/s200/IMG_1094.JPG" width="200" /></a>I have pulled all of the support bits off the motor, like the water pump, belt tensioners, oil pump, coolant system, and they all seem in great shape, other than some cleaning. There was a little electrolysis on the thermostat housing, and the aluminum was fairly pitted, but again, Midwest / Bayless comes to the rescue with a new unit at a reasonable price. The Fiat water pump was good to go, so I cleaned it and put it back on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16czKHigasIUgnaz8G4yReFZEjHf8UhapTpqw05vr2aLEOS1PJOsH0EwW0tuJooF4F5NEEv2ivTSdCqPIUnQYwMcd_-qtWby_qQCuddE5M8qfBQxSUtH6FkcwkxWaWtmBb5AIxQ0dyYde/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16czKHigasIUgnaz8G4yReFZEjHf8UhapTpqw05vr2aLEOS1PJOsH0EwW0tuJooF4F5NEEv2ivTSdCqPIUnQYwMcd_-qtWby_qQCuddE5M8qfBQxSUtH6FkcwkxWaWtmBb5AIxQ0dyYde/s200/IMG_1099.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a>In 1976, Dad used a new product from Loctite, called "Gasket Eliminator". He had a Loctite salesman at his Aerospace shop, who dropped of a sample box, a small red plastic tackle box with samples of all the Loctite line of products. I think I still have some of the original sample bottles at my effects shop. To try and keep this "as built" I ordered some Loctite 515 and used that on the water pump & Cosworth oil pump.<br />
The Cosworth sump pump looked like new inside and after taking it apart and cleaning it, I was putting it back on when I noticed a small crack in the "outlet" port. So, off it comes and I'll clean it and weld it up. These Cosworth pumps where used on many cars including Lotus and Formula Fords, which is where I think this one came from. It's a 5 port pump and I have been looking for a plumbing diagram of what all these ports where used for! Oh and "new" ones are $700 -$900, so I will be extra careful with my welding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyCGxUmGfDhPCUomB9v1mlQGOuOU9TprrvlcHqKhiYo_qCi59L8sHI7UMTLZbyCZ4EOsWC9EVXQEQeP5jAxF0y9V4QpJGuMSqbZkiAP8lf4AgxUJvtt-XeWcPMKV-CrFMZrXyrhPWYF_C/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyCGxUmGfDhPCUomB9v1mlQGOuOU9TprrvlcHqKhiYo_qCi59L8sHI7UMTLZbyCZ4EOsWC9EVXQEQeP5jAxF0y9V4QpJGuMSqbZkiAP8lf4AgxUJvtt-XeWcPMKV-CrFMZrXyrhPWYF_C/s200/IMG_0584.JPG" width="150" /></a>The distributor was made by Accel or MSD ignition products. Started in 1970 by some engineers working on projects at the White sands missile range, MSD, was the first to sell Multiple Spark Discharge systems. This unit, they custom made in 1976 for the Fiat, from an 8 cylinder dragster distributor, It's one of a kind. They are now owned by Holly, and the "Support tech" I talked to seemed completely disinterested in the history of this unit, in fact as I was explaining the history and uniqueness of the unit, I wondered if I had been disconnected, since he didn't comment. I asked if they had any way of testing the unit, and said they have no and they really only have a few things for their current line. Given that it was working fine when the car was last driven, I'm hoping, that like old telephones, the electronics are robust and it will work fine. But until I fire up the motor, I won't know for sure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHbM09RkAhaTgEkZHBrJnS8MszOvCJ0v6YIKS3F9D7Jihh5YjcILWnAcAdhPWhTJ_8Tdl3R2Gf6JGpCuRzCA_P8fWbKVo8J8oHIpGhvZ45PUIQqFsab_k1cAHGvGluIEAzcK1T6TQr8_L/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHbM09RkAhaTgEkZHBrJnS8MszOvCJ0v6YIKS3F9D7Jihh5YjcILWnAcAdhPWhTJ_8Tdl3R2Gf6JGpCuRzCA_P8fWbKVo8J8oHIpGhvZ45PUIQqFsab_k1cAHGvGluIEAzcK1T6TQr8_L/s200/IMG_1101.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original-foreground, Copy-background</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLwwq-WfQQrOzB-7qAFIyV2hYHopdhSSPpgHIg-vOBY1TDx_s3qBCn-m61YQr6MqSAz2BHLOeFGWaJvVWtqQL-k7qvwn1D77G2sOaOAq_9O9eUTtyLENjcmiip7wAsUZxhTJ5-wMReRN7/s1600/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLwwq-WfQQrOzB-7qAFIyV2hYHopdhSSPpgHIg-vOBY1TDx_s3qBCn-m61YQr6MqSAz2BHLOeFGWaJvVWtqQL-k7qvwn1D77G2sOaOAq_9O9eUTtyLENjcmiip7wAsUZxhTJ5-wMReRN7/s200/IMG_1100.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copies & Silicone mold</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One other item I had to make, and it is something I am very familiar with, is making plasic parts. In this case, a replacement air vent for the "C" post. There are three vents on each side of the car that allow air to flow out of the cabin. These are not really needed on the race car, but where left in for there look. Well two of them where cracked due to age. So I made a RTV silicone mold and cast up replacements.<br />
Oh, and my drivers suit and helmet came it. "Clothes make the man", so it will be nice the wear these in addition to my mechanics overalls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mwojxfb0w0UECqho9AJHao6-YyE7rlyC3Is_Rk1nIaouu9aiT9xIzIBK-6_1T1ZIirJqWoA5MIsCMPXHpg_BNtZrhdvKi-e74VvU_cANw5EHAKXMgCieCMOeS4wkPt084s07iJULSMSN/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mwojxfb0w0UECqho9AJHao6-YyE7rlyC3Is_Rk1nIaouu9aiT9xIzIBK-6_1T1ZIirJqWoA5MIsCMPXHpg_BNtZrhdvKi-e74VvU_cANw5EHAKXMgCieCMOeS4wkPt084s07iJULSMSN/s200/IMG_1049.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Less Beer, more exerciser.</td></tr>
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Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-52648904873311169132017-03-16T09:13:00.003-07:002018-05-27T17:33:15.012-07:00Part 4: Ready for PaintSince my posts on this project started about a month or so after I started working on the car, my writing has finally caught up to the project. Now I have to be more disciplined in keeping my posts current.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcKjVSYAm5jLtVbtVNkgf-7lzDe1HXSck3bNDyMbHCwsDWKbT12UanhxEVKYknnJMIC8xJdNrqYmSJrKP17g3xun3bEjZVFPrjHkTEBWQuP1FshroFr5ya_1HThNwOTW3xtKAE7OZXoDc/s1600/IMG_0948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcKjVSYAm5jLtVbtVNkgf-7lzDe1HXSck3bNDyMbHCwsDWKbT12UanhxEVKYknnJMIC8xJdNrqYmSJrKP17g3xun3bEjZVFPrjHkTEBWQuP1FshroFr5ya_1HThNwOTW3xtKAE7OZXoDc/s320/IMG_0948.JPG" width="320" /></a>The bodywork and repairs are finished and it looks like the Fiat is ready for a new coat of Imron white. This will give me some time to work on the rest of the bits, so they are ready to go back on when she comes back from paint. There are limited number of test days at the local track and the one in May I need to be ready for.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQV6on8SgJ8NWHGjaSICNFmKFEdnmm2RDpLLrpPObd2wzlxXglUERZ8170Qw6sfz0c7U544bcJhSqfMc9HrS2yIv_0COissO2Z0fLajQxImszz6nU2iL2nTDfY1tbQD9Qf8VcI3KTUHQQ/s1600/IMG_0880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQV6on8SgJ8NWHGjaSICNFmKFEdnmm2RDpLLrpPObd2wzlxXglUERZ8170Qw6sfz0c7U544bcJhSqfMc9HrS2yIv_0COissO2Z0fLajQxImszz6nU2iL2nTDfY1tbQD9Qf8VcI3KTUHQQ/s320/IMG_0880.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly made fiberglass hood with new stiffeners on the underside<br />and original machined aluminum air vent grills.</td></tr>
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In addition to body work one of my tasks is a new hood (bonnet). After a rules change in 1977, we needed to lighten the car, so the stock steel hood was replaced with a lighter fiberglass one. The original fiberglass hood was pretty sad looking, but I had the mold and it looked pretty good. I have done a lot more fiberglass (FRP) work in the 40 years since, so I was sure I could make a slightly better one than I did when I was 16. The trunk lid was also a fiberglass replacement, it to is in sad shape, but I don't know what happened to that mold. For now I'll use an original Fiat trunk lid and perhaps make a fiberglass replacement in the future.<br />
The problem with the original FRP hood, was it had no structural reinforcement on the under side like sheet metal hoods do. This wasn't a factor when the car was not moving, but at speed, air pressure was bowing the hood up slightly. To add stiffness, I made a template for this reinforce structure that needed to avoid areas that might interfere with components in the engine bay. This template was used to cut 1/2" rigid polyurethane foam, then the foam piece was fiberglassed into the back side of the hood. I also had quick release hood mount pins and 2 machined aluminum grills to fit into the finished hood. Back when we first decided to make a lighter FRP hood, dad and I felt the air vents in the hood would be more successful in aluminum, since reproducing those in fiberglass was beyond my abilities at the time. I removed the vents from the original hood and carefully glassed them into the new hood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtS9SioJJsfqgaNgOoyEJp7KO_OCQK12YOfnV4LELNRUSHvLGjrFtdJrS2E5sfkdGyjfdJSSPkWQGZJv9TzykNNa655T62SABrKmdfNd9g6IkbgWMudt3Qpn2Jv2TGGnZSNiiTZ_3jo6g/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtS9SioJJsfqgaNgOoyEJp7KO_OCQK12YOfnV4LELNRUSHvLGjrFtdJrS2E5sfkdGyjfdJSSPkWQGZJv9TzykNNa655T62SABrKmdfNd9g6IkbgWMudt3Qpn2Jv2TGGnZSNiiTZ_3jo6g/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Stock Fiat 128 sl coupe chassis</td></tr>
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As I have said previously, the car is no longer "stock" and it has many modifications But, as I have gone over the car I am amazed at the places my old man got into to TIG weld the roll cage and suspension reinforcements. I'm now about the same age he was when he built this, and with the few difficult places I have had to weld in, rust repair sections, I have trouble imagining how he could have welded some of the places he did. Also, the amount of welding! I have been tempted to measure the total footage of welding on the car, but it would take too long. Here are some images of the things I'm referring to.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuyG0fugsl4vTRsKlORNP6ZMeOSyPKMzHPaaoxvVOpAEnc4yFORtRKmrJX8VtzHTItZ-SQRaPymUotl58e7lKc4_L8ZQ42_fTlq6lp19HLORYRws5L8FvAEFTVWQ6VYaTsPe04D-ppQHg/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuyG0fugsl4vTRsKlORNP6ZMeOSyPKMzHPaaoxvVOpAEnc4yFORtRKmrJX8VtzHTItZ-SQRaPymUotl58e7lKc4_L8ZQ42_fTlq6lp19HLORYRws5L8FvAEFTVWQ6VYaTsPe04D-ppQHg/s320/IMG_0687.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The same area of the Fiat 128 ski</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMOasVuR-y1FscQ2h14rv7-1PvmASlu9MY6-iryxO6lRjjPI9hvjLncvkJqjxdjEPuyTjMYQ6iGsq2CpLcT8UUgPu_vWsuugwXWh8CQuT8GrD9zGvx9MIapQ13DUi0gZE2Gsze2_zlOET/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMOasVuR-y1FscQ2h14rv7-1PvmASlu9MY6-iryxO6lRjjPI9hvjLncvkJqjxdjEPuyTjMYQ6iGsq2CpLcT8UUgPu_vWsuugwXWh8CQuT8GrD9zGvx9MIapQ13DUi0gZE2Gsze2_zlOET/s200/IMG_1016.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pedal area with the slightly lowered floor.<br />The two tubes coming through the floor<br />tie into the control arm mounting assembly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdocD3zY2FpxzoRa3_C5dQ6dIlYVPFwhtUjEqUSjNiZsfpPniSyuC5n0oegHWAJrBLUeI2A7gVveCLraCIIgu_wW1pxmNHr8pN6HTXB1brBCulKLD9A-ztHVs7Q4v5KefMq0FGtQrAs5F/s200/IMG_1024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Front <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">control arm</span> mounts in a "not stock" <br />sub assembly, tied into the roll cage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGU0gPDEIdvseJi3OHkjxRkdF9sHmT1PHNcaqUbISqissb10Ppk5V3I6gK4jZgSXsQ6DXUxcUGK3HSSS1i24Opom2xWYkATY5ITJmGsT7yXto_dywW6mwdYeAQ__feGabmizc9Ae_Lc9v/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGU0gPDEIdvseJi3OHkjxRkdF9sHmT1PHNcaqUbISqissb10Ppk5V3I6gK4jZgSXsQ6DXUxcUGK3HSSS1i24Opom2xWYkATY5ITJmGsT7yXto_dywW6mwdYeAQ__feGabmizc9Ae_Lc9v/s200/IMG_1029.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custom radius rod brackets, now with <br />spherical bearings. (removed)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSxilvn3fI6bLlS2FgXk9JXA38NExIWP-kWR36im3IX2DF1xu1_lUMu2G5FaKi7n-Lo6-GUDjo6ak-fyDsi5Dh9_Emx9zjdVJzFmfdl6mwYAEFqilZXhl6hS1KJBgr1wvDj_MWDkF-8VU/s200/IMG_1009.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engine mount (on left) moved down and <br />duel master cylinder mounting bracket.<br />Reinforced chassis member and new<br /> shock towers, all tied into the tube frame.<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtJ1VQO-cq3x9CZtcHqqFcitYUoNMZFXGUlTlEe-BzGgU97QRbAcQlSfjvpKh4zP29iRjtEqmmVnTAuLs6G2rllzFNuN_HRDA3vDpIp7NwyVtZiiyYADf1Vz3OoMnVJheKFUosdcWBMqe/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtJ1VQO-cq3x9CZtcHqqFcitYUoNMZFXGUlTlEe-BzGgU97QRbAcQlSfjvpKh4zP29iRjtEqmmVnTAuLs6G2rllzFNuN_HRDA3vDpIp7NwyVtZiiyYADf1Vz3OoMnVJheKFUosdcWBMqe/s200/IMG_1022.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rear suspension mounts again, <br />all reinforced and raised into the car.<br />Opening for the ATL Fuel Cell.</td></tr>
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After addressing the rust repair, I need to make sure that anything that requires heat, hammering or welding is done now, while the car is bare. With all these modifications, one of these areas I've need to focus on is making sure all of the threaded insets or studs are not damaged. Some I've masked, others I can run a tap into to clean up any residue. Luckily there seems to be no rust damage to any of the mountings.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSxilvn3fI6bLlS2FgXk9JXA38NExIWP-kWR36im3IX2DF1xu1_lUMu2G5FaKi7n-Lo6-GUDjo6ak-fyDsi5Dh9_Emx9zjdVJzFmfdl6mwYAEFqilZXhl6hS1KJBgr1wvDj_MWDkF-8VU/s1600/IMG_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><br />
The last issue I have issue, is I am taller and have bigger feet than my dad. So, I tested out my seating position one more time and have decided I need more room for my feet. The clutch pedal is pretty close to the down tube of the cage/ frame but, I can make that work. But it forces my left foot too close to the brake pedal and I don't need to get my feet tangled finding the brake. I am hesitant to start cutting pedal brackets on the original set up. Dad did this to get the pedals where they are now, and I'd like to preserve his work here. I internet search shows me Midwest Bayless to the rescue! A complete pedal box & clutch, brake pedal unit is $69.00. I've ordered one and use it to make my re-positioned pedals, keeping the original, well, original.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4giq5Uy0MPEIss84raOZ8mXZkXqMI0BWYyYg_LbN926h3Ft5mYvUFiPdbq_39c_ZhA_Z3TmHyT7fizXTqK0v-uOp8j2cKgX4hOdNJ1_6zzDZMkrI0HGPs2n5FvJy0L-ol1W6_NgDJpjy/s1600/IMG_0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4giq5Uy0MPEIss84raOZ8mXZkXqMI0BWYyYg_LbN926h3Ft5mYvUFiPdbq_39c_ZhA_Z3TmHyT7fizXTqK0v-uOp8j2cKgX4hOdNJ1_6zzDZMkrI0HGPs2n5FvJy0L-ol1W6_NgDJpjy/s200/IMG_0962.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pedals still need to be moved back,<br />but now my feet don't hit the box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then there is the sheet metal floor. The passenger side is the stock sheet metal, that just gets painted. After two trips to/ from Alaska on the Al-Can highway, with the Fiat filled with spare parts and belongings, the floor took a pounding and looked like a topographical map of Finland. Using my hydraulic lift and a custom aluminum "planishing plate" I heated the floor with a rosebud torch and with the plate pressed up from below, planished the dents down to a map of Nebraska. Some small wrinkles, but at least flat. On the drivers side, there was a rusted section that needed to be replaced where water had pooled under the drivers seat. But on this side, most of the Fiat's floor would be covered. In addition to the seat, there was a 16 gauge titanium "skid plate" under the seat and the foot well had a bare aluminum "scuff plate". Dad knew getting in and out of the car would eventually damage the paint here, so the bare aluminum could get scuffed up and still look OK, while offering a little more protection to the drivers feet in case of an "off track" excursion. But with my big size 12 feet, I needed a little more clearance for my toes, as they where hitting the steering linkage and the pedal box. I decided to planish this side flat as well and push the floor down a half inch in the process.<br />
Now my feet have the room. Off to paint and on to suspension restoration.Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-4836883610893599252017-02-28T07:55:00.000-08:002018-05-27T17:33:14.979-07:00Back from the Blasterman.<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The flatbed truck showed up at the house one morning with a silver gray Fiat
chassis on it. There is something satisfying in seeing the car all clean down
to bare metal. There where remnants of Charlie's Bondo work around the fenders
and of course you could now clearly see all the areas that rust had eaten away.
Since I had not built a dollie or wheeled frame to move the chassis around on,
I screwed a piece of plywood to the bottom of the car to help protect it from
dents, and make it easier to drag around. The flatbed driver an I tried to
slide the car, but it wasn't moving, but a little application of physics, by
putting a piece of steel tubing under the plywood and it rolled onto the trucks
lift gate easily. Once I got it in the garage, it would get jacked up and put
on jack stands.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the garage and on stands I took inventory of the damage. The car had been covered by a tarp, and under a awning, but it was still outside for 11 years. The trunk lip was rusted and the drivers rocker would need to be replaced. There was damage to the passenger compartment floor as well as other areas here and there where water could puddle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I walked around the car drinking my coffee, I found my self sliding my hand along the Fiats body, thinking about how my dad loved building things. I had never seen the car like this, all monotone gray, because when the old man added all of the roll cage and other bits, the car still had its stock dark blue paint. So when the car left for paint, it looked a little "Mad Max" with its raw steel tubes and scorched paint from the welder and cutting torch. Now, all bare metal, you could see all of the areas he had added stuff and I thought, how in the world did that broad shouldered, 50 year old guy, get into that tiny spot and TIG weld that roll bar?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbBTigf8iP6xE-W5ANrleAsYh9Tr2wXvl9YE_S_GasqqZ6YZbpBP71S8EK5y7qo7uVfAGGcF2343DNGeYFtiaewB_rYh76eMv2CQSGInXAKnFnvaOi5zJFLCE9pCjOvoavEhzEsMpiYo_/s1600/IMG_0696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbBTigf8iP6xE-W5ANrleAsYh9Tr2wXvl9YE_S_GasqqZ6YZbpBP71S8EK5y7qo7uVfAGGcF2343DNGeYFtiaewB_rYh76eMv2CQSGInXAKnFnvaOi5zJFLCE9pCjOvoavEhzEsMpiYo_/s400/IMG_0696.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKGhtHk-QPd8D3ETnxP6BJO0Tfu9CdVX-bEWQMWgIbvYl5xZI0hZr01zW2aTy-UKWNifM-958bBVafaBfY4hy-_tpcZM1Q2BMLaS4GLKoWxJRZ9rNM-84vkMFXWM0u7KIaxohKDLM6nAQ/s1600/IMG_0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKGhtHk-QPd8D3ETnxP6BJO0Tfu9CdVX-bEWQMWgIbvYl5xZI0hZr01zW2aTy-UKWNifM-958bBVafaBfY4hy-_tpcZM1Q2BMLaS4GLKoWxJRZ9rNM-84vkMFXWM0u7KIaxohKDLM6nAQ/s400/IMG_0691.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8Ts54zXktWBGRTGa6_Hl12iBDslFW-deMYNuXj5R99j2va_NQM-pBGrhav8E9KfZN-gcYmGQU_PsDGyjdhyphenhyphenUoG18DDnPpClBNUTleyL0wpwedPgOMUnh_PvB7gW_YqwnhG1te8VLfSre/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8Ts54zXktWBGRTGa6_Hl12iBDslFW-deMYNuXj5R99j2va_NQM-pBGrhav8E9KfZN-gcYmGQU_PsDGyjdhyphenhyphenUoG18DDnPpClBNUTleyL0wpwedPgOMUnh_PvB7gW_YqwnhG1te8VLfSre/s400/IMG_0700.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As my hand slid across a panel, I'd feel a slight depression that shouldn't be there. After an hour or so, the car had penciled circles all over it. I was probably worrying about things you would never notice on a white race car, but this was the time to do the work and I kept thinking the old man would have wanted these to be fixed if possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my movie prop career, I've used Bondo (body filler) hundreds of times and had to finish surface's for higher scrutiny than this Fiat would likely see, but, this was actually the first time I was using Bondo for it's intended purpose, fixing dents on a car.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First thing though was metal work. The rocker panel needs to be cut out and the front air dam needs tabs welded in where old one have broken out and there is the trunk lip to replace. At my shop, I have sheet metal forming brakes and rolls, a TIG welder and plenty of fabrication equipment of all types. But in my garage, space is limited. So its pattern here, fabricate at the shop, then hope it fits without too much fuss. The rocker panel and trunk lip should be pretty simple. I made two rockers, just in case I needed to replace the passenger side as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Funny how when you have certain equipment, like a 5 HP 2 stage air compressor and a full line of air tools, you develop ways to do things, that, when you don't have those tools, you have to come up with new ways. </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If I had room at my shop, I would do this there, but building space in LA has gotten very expensive</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At home, I do not have these tools, so a Bosch jig saw made short work of the rocker panel and electric grinders in place of air tools. These are bulkier, but they wok well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing I do have is a full armour shop here. One of my hobbies is medieval history and armour. So moving metal around into very specific shape is something I am very familiar with now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because, one thing I wanted to fix, was an error in judgement my 16 year old self had made, in the amount of distance behind the company truck, and the Fiats right front fender. Boy, that was one day I didn't want to see my old man. He never got really really angry, but I knew he wouldn't be happy about a dent in his brand new race car. Lucky for me, the dent wasn't too severe and because the Imron paint was so tough, most of the dent "popped" out and it required only a tiny bit of repaint and being white you couldn't see the remaining dent unless you knew it was there. But, I know my dad knew it was there. So, at least now I could fix it completely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another thing I needed to check, was if I fit in the car. My dad had wide shoulders, but was just around 6 ft. tall. I have wide shoulders but I'm 6'3" with a very long torso, so head room in cars is always a concern. I knew the seat was as low as it could go, so if my helmet wouldn't clear the roll cage, I had no idea what I could do. When we first built the car, Dad was pretty sure we would be under the minimum weight for this car according to SCCA rules at the time. So the seat started as a fiberglass racing seat and he added a stainless steel knee bolster and we then pt a giant trash bag in the seat and using rigid urethane foam, we foam fit him into the seat. I then fiber-glassed the whole thing. When we where done, the seat weighed 22 pounds, but we didn't care.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5Mo_fvi0bSv80zgL9ESDFioSLOiTm2Dxx_c0QbjuFxhYAF8p0ZuLzMEhFER0LN2R6pw-Oe1K1NeB6yRtXqjvMs5_Nu0ymW1bdqBthsSwehCFuieyXf47GDlrcqDNUy8U5SnP6s0j9ml_/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5Mo_fvi0bSv80zgL9ESDFioSLOiTm2Dxx_c0QbjuFxhYAF8p0ZuLzMEhFER0LN2R6pw-Oe1K1NeB6yRtXqjvMs5_Nu0ymW1bdqBthsSwehCFuieyXf47GDlrcqDNUy8U5SnP6s0j9ml_/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But when the new rule book came out, they changed the minimum weight of this car and now we looked to be over weight. So in the trash with the 22 lbs seat and he fabricated a new one in aluminum that weighed only 6 pounds. Because the car was so low and the seat was less than an inch from the floor, he was concerned with hitting a piece of debris and getting punched in the jewels. So, there is now a 16 gauge titanium shield under the seat. </span><br />
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I bolted in the seat, peddles and steering wheel, grabbed my
motorcycle helmet and driving shoes and put on the race car. Luckily, I fit. My
legs are not much longer than my dad’s, but my feet are. I must look at the
peddle area to see if I can get a little more space, so I'm not hitting the
peddle box. Once I get my competition helmet and suit, I'll recheck, but it
looks like I can drive comfortably in the current position. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Oh and laying off the beer will only help the
situation....another thing my dad loved.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Time to start slinging Bondo and a hammer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-65291483261053572922017-02-17T17:39:00.001-08:002018-05-27T17:33:15.076-07:00Polish Eagle Racing & The Fiat 128 SKI - Cleaning & where to start.The garage was set up, most of the parts had been recovered from storage and the car was at the media blaster getting it's tough as nails Imron paint removed. One of the issues with media blasting (like sand blasting but with "softer sand") is if you are too heavy handed and blast an area too hard, you can warp the body panels and this Imron paint was designed to resist such abrasion. Think about it, you have hundreds of thousands of little "rocks" you are slamming into the surface at high speed. They act like miniature hammers and can potentially stretch the surface of the steel, warping the sheet metal. But this guy came recommended by a friend who builds high end hot rods, and it is a race car, not a show car. But still, one thing my dad took pride in, was his projects where always neat, clean and well finished. I considered chemical dipping, but the media blasting seemed a better choice.<br />
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While I waited for the chassis, I cleaned parts and took inventory. Cleaning the grime off of race car parts is generally easier than street car parts because they don't have as much "road grim" on them, but these had been stored for 15 years and what oil was on them had had plenty of time to pick up dust and other crap. I bought a parts cleaning tank and some water based de-greaser. The stuff worked pretty well and the parts cleaned quickly. Since most of the components have been in storage, they where in fine shape, just dirty. A few things I knew would need more attention, like the clutch.<br />
In order to mount the engine on the stand, I took off the tansaxel/ transmission, pressure plate and, well something that used to be a "clutch".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJx0UIuHN3NzkL4T3uHbRcNKhASoU3WbUsGi-cXlqK2DMFHql5eD0bbJHpfDfHGqizJTvvnw2Sgr1ZiFPJI2dZtQU4kzNgNi8wlugE5GXuvczwNk5IfaveFugJvofoG3oA7kWnDM-aVAU/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJx0UIuHN3NzkL4T3uHbRcNKhASoU3WbUsGi-cXlqK2DMFHql5eD0bbJHpfDfHGqizJTvvnw2Sgr1ZiFPJI2dZtQU4kzNgNi8wlugE5GXuvczwNk5IfaveFugJvofoG3oA7kWnDM-aVAU/s320/IMG_0509.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The debris in the corner of this picture, was, at one time, a Formula Ford clutch. I don't think I can fix that. I'll source a new one.<br />
As I said, Frank Bernstein did a lot of engine work on the car.<br />
I had tried to find Frank a few times over the years on the internet, but with no luck. I thought I should look again, since I think Frank may be the one who suggested the Formula Ford clutch.<br />
Timing...<br />
The other day, I was talking to my brother Randy, who, among other things, worked as a model builder for the author Walter Wick in Hartford Connecticut. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Wick">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Wick</a>)<br />
He tells me, that Walter asked him to attend a small show in Hartford on Walter's work and after the show, Randy had a number of people asking him questions about his models and working with Walter. He told me an elderly lady was standing patiently behind him, waiting her turn to ask Randy a question. When he turned to talk with her, she introduced herself as Mrs Frank Bernstein! I thought how amazing it That! Turns out he didn't get her phone number. But, he looked in an old thing called a phone book and found the number to Franks son, and I was able to reach Frank.<br />
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As I said previously, my dad was reading the rule book from front to back to see what was allowed and what fell in between. On most cars, the stock suspensions mounting points are most often mounted in a stiff rubber bushing. This helps absorb road vibration to make the ride smoother, but at a cost. As the suspension flexes in these bushings, the geometry changes and this negatively effects the handling performance. For a race car, this is not ideal, so many companies offer aftermarket replacements that help improve handling. But with the Fiat, these could not be sourced, so Dad did everything custom. First, he modified the mounting points to work with rod ends, a solid bearing swivel. Then he reinforced sections of suspension, as a "Safety precaution" Because the GCR said you couldn't change the stock suspension, but if you where making safety modifications, that was OK. In addition to extra bracing, all of the spot welded places on the production made suspension components got the full TIG treatment on their seams. Then, all of the suspension was satin chromed. Over the years this has started to flake off, so it will need to be redone. In addition I knew I had to try and correct a mistake from 40 years ago.<br />
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The Fiat came stock with a "new" suspension design, called a MacPherson strut. While these sealed shock in a strut design had be around since the 50's, they where just finding there way into mainstream car production. Interestingly, a Fiat designer in the 1920's filed a patent for a similar design, likely inspiring MacPherson on his design.<br />
The issue I had, was dad had taken the sealed strut, and cut the top off to get the dampener (Shock absorber) out. He then added a threaded collar and a nut at the top so you could secure an after market performance dampener insert, like Koni. In addition, he added an outer threaded collar that the coil spring rested on, so you could adjust the ride height of the car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL-fFiyakdIEES0NKNHdvwgWqGrCHiHRJyzxZAT8_r_P-PK2BmWhUFwUT316WAD2MiqRe54TiJZ7oad-uwdU0tG6ffDoibL__rLe9ZGAGBNqrjtI1OOKMs02ts5gz5Gk6np0vARkezJCu/s1600/IMG_0478sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBL-fFiyakdIEES0NKNHdvwgWqGrCHiHRJyzxZAT8_r_P-PK2BmWhUFwUT316WAD2MiqRe54TiJZ7oad-uwdU0tG6ffDoibL__rLe9ZGAGBNqrjtI1OOKMs02ts5gz5Gk6np0vARkezJCu/s320/IMG_0478sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The problem I wanted to correct was, the inserts. These struts where so new, that virtually no one made performance competition inserts. Koni made one for a Volkswagen Rabbit, but it was too long. With all of the suspension mounts moved 3" up into the chassis, the struts needed to be shorter than stock. The top mounting points for the rear dampers could be moved up, since the trunk offered plenty of extra height, but the front was another issue, the hood was in the way. So shorter struts where needed. Dad had contacted Koni and they agreed to make custom inserts for the Fiat. Problem is, when we got them, Koni had copied the stock length, not making them shorter, so dad had to cut open the top of the reinforce shock towers and mount the struts above the tower, rubbing the Fiats hood.<br />
I figured now, with the internet, I could source the correct length inserts. Well in all these years, there have been many improvements to this design and unfortunately, one of these, was to increase the dampers diameter from 39mm to 43.5mm. So forget length, just finding 39mm inserts was difficult. The company Midwest Bayless offers a strut of almost the exact design to the one my father built, but using the larger dampers. But my goal here is to rebuild the car as he designed it and not use modern parts if I can avoid it. I posted some images online on the SCCA GT Lites Facebook page and I was pointed to Angelo at Anze Suspension in upstate New York. After a phone conversation, he thought he could find a solution. We also had to figure out why Dad had added a 3" aluminum spacer above the spring. I vaguely remember that the springs where too soft, so this spacer I think was to raise the cars ride height.<br />
To be continued....<br />
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<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-59700384414833193042017-02-13T14:44:00.003-08:002018-05-27T17:33:15.044-07:00Polish Eagle Racing & The Fiat 128 SKIThis is the story of a Fiat race car that my father and I built (well I helped a lot) in 1975-1977. He died of cancer in 1981 without really getting a chance to race it. Now I'm restoring it in time for its 40th anniversary and race it once again.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The story of a Polock and the Italian sports car....</i></span><br />
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My old man was born in 1926, in Springfield Massachusetts, to a 2nd generation Polish family. He had a great sense of humor and loved Polish jokes. He would be the first to tell one and often said, "If you tell me a Polish joke, just speak slowly so I'll get it." He was also an early member of the PRDA, a very exclusive club started by Tony Adamowicz and Oscar Koveleski in the late 1960's. In order to be a member of the Polish Racing Drivers of America, you of course, had to be, a Polish Racing driver, and because this was a very small number, they also let Polish non-racing drivers in, but not to discriminate, they decided to allow Non-Polish racing drivers to join and just in case, if you where not a race driver or Polish, you could join. But that was it, no one else could join.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8kr-XHvaDjyUoIxdE46Zz0etgChGJYQ9fNhMaUVS9MR_LOnOTmnmmtbhMewQBz1IhpJSFsqQsv9BsVQbr4j-uCBwB7up84PvI3ANe3CUhyphenhyphenqKEi_mRjvU3vMAWwv8bQcfKoguaN0wmZa0/s1600/RalphGilman-Uniform1947sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8kr-XHvaDjyUoIxdE46Zz0etgChGJYQ9fNhMaUVS9MR_LOnOTmnmmtbhMewQBz1IhpJSFsqQsv9BsVQbr4j-uCBwB7up84PvI3ANe3CUhyphenhyphenqKEi_mRjvU3vMAWwv8bQcfKoguaN0wmZa0/s320/RalphGilman-Uniform1947sm.jpg" width="217" /></a>With an older brother and sister, Ralph R. Gilman was the 3rd child of Henry "Pop" Gilman, a mechanic at the Indian Motorcycle factory and before that, the Springfield Armory. As a teenager, Ralph attended Springfield tech (a trade school) and played football. In 1944 he was drafted for service in WWII, as an infantryman, destined to join the ranks of the 7th infantry and their attack on the Japanese mainland. Lucky for him, and about 500,000 other GI's, Japan surrendered, and there was no invasion. This left him and a whole bunch of guys in the Pacific theater with nothing to do. For my dad, because of his years at Springfield tech, learning a trade, he ended up a welder, at the fuel depot at Subic Bay, Philippines.<br />
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After the war, he returned to Springfield and met my mother, Margaret "Peggy" Lash. You see, her mother, Alice Lash, was the first female employee of Friendly Ice cream, now, a large restaurant chain on the east coast. Peggy had just spied this cute guy working at the new (2nd) store and all of a sudden, needed a job.<br />
My parents eventually moved to Connecticut where in 1961, my father started his aerospace welding / machine shop, L.M. Gill Welding, specializing in state of the art welding and job shop machining. At the time, the American space program was in full swing and electric TIG welding was a fairly new technology and my old man was hot stuff with a TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and a natural engineer, a consummate problem solver, so L.M. Gill kept pretty busy through the 60's and 70"s.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L.M. Gill welding today in Manchester CT.</td></tr>
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During this time, my parents hobby was sports car racing, with the Sports Car Club of America, or SCCA. Members since the 1950's, my dad was in Flag & Communications, the people in the white suits that manage the course and help in emergencies and my Mom handled credentials. Because of this, I would grow up around some of Americas most historic races and drivers of the time. Places like Sebring, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, 2 different Thompsons and Bryar and drivers like Gurney, Revson, Donahue, Poesy, Hobbs, Newman and many others. Because of his proximity to "off track excursions", he became known as the guy who could fix your magnesium wheel if you broke it. At the time, magnesium was considered unweldable by the general public because of it pertinacity to catch on fire if heated too hot and a "mag" wheel was a weeks pay for most drivers. Often he would find the driver and offer to fix the wheel for a minimal cost (I think $20) and in most cases had it back to the guy the next race or sooner. He did this type of thing for many of the pro teams as well. So it was common knowledge around the race circuit that my dad was a clever guy who could get things done.<br />
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One day he gets a phone call from Charlie Rainville, asking if we are going to be at the Bryar drivers school next weekend. My dad says we are and Charlie tells him to bring his helmet if he has one and hangs up. When we arrive at Bryar, dad finds out why he needs his helmet, You see, my father had talked about wanting to build and race a car for so long, his buddies got tired of hearing him and they got together to put him through drivers school. This is a requirement in the SCCA to get your competition drivers licence. Dave Beldon loaned his drivers suit, Walt Lapham donated the use of his racecar and dad took his required physical under the grand stands at Bryar motor sport park. In July of 1970, dad drove his first competition sports car, a 1966 Alfa Guliietta.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt Lapham's Alfa and my dad at drivers school. <br />
His "doctors office" can be seen in the background.</td></tr>
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We lived in Hebron Connecticut, a small country town, about 45 minutes drive from my dads shop in Manchester. One summer day in 1975, he comes home, not in his white 1967 Alfa Duetto, but in a dark blue, 1972 Fiat 128 SL. Typical of my dad, he hadn't really said anything about building a race car, so it all came as a bit of a surprise. Well, I think we started taking the thing apart that night.<br />
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A quiet guy, dad most often had a smile and a pipe sticking out of the corner of his mouth and it seemed most people liked him immediately. After all those years of helping guys out at the track, when it got around he was finally building a race car<br />
there was little shortage of people<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ralph at the old Thompson track helping a Ferrari driver.</span></td></tr>
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willing to help him. Of course the first question these guys would ask was, "Ralph, Why a Fiat!?"<br />
The old man liked a challenge and I'm sure many of these guys that asked him this, didn't see that <u>building</u> the car, was as much, if not more fun for my dad, than racing it.<br />
A challenge because, at the time, there where many other car makes that supported racing in the US. In fact, Datsun had just started their program of making full-on competition parts available at any of their dealerships, you could buy and bolt on. Other manufacturers had a network of race teams where you could source parts from, Fiat was not one of them. So you couldn't find high performance parts for a Fiat here in the U.S. In Europe though, Fiats where formidable race and rally cars, so the old man knew given the right prep, this car could win races. He also loved the way it looked and no one else was racing the 128sl. The car would be prepared for what was then, C-Sedan in the SCCA, a 1300cc displacement (engine size) class of cars. It would be racing against cars like; Mini Cooper, Datsun B210, Alfa GTA Junior.<br />
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Since he figured the car would be done close to his 50th birthday in 1976, the car number would be "50". Funny thing at his birthday that year, a friend asked him how it felt to be a quarter as old as our country. Dad also decided we should race this as the Polish Eagle Racing team. My oldest brother, Randy was a graphic artist and designed the logo and silk screened stickers for the car.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One wing over the eyes, the claw clutching the shield and <br />
the bottom translates to: "The Royal Chicken"</td></tr>
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The car first hit the track at Lime Rock Park in north western Connecticut, on a test day. Now I don't remember if it was the first or second time at Lime Rock that the brakes failed at the end of "No name straight", but, I'm getting ahead of myself. First, I should tell you something of how we got to the test day. After all, building the car was, for me, more fun than seeing it race, because I got to build it with my dad.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ms4cBmkomLinSg27AgfR3XcFPUQIKg98TWgIqCUIFyxEJCTCzTONqFdydhxAn-9B7cELMFeSF-BtuFAr-SCa8xNAxqicFKnxx4_XD8aDW3xDjPh44pLmeDjzrLfQ9xhU4zKl3W8V-W_7/s1600/128sl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ms4cBmkomLinSg27AgfR3XcFPUQIKg98TWgIqCUIFyxEJCTCzTONqFdydhxAn-9B7cELMFeSF-BtuFAr-SCa8xNAxqicFKnxx4_XD8aDW3xDjPh44pLmeDjzrLfQ9xhU4zKl3W8V-W_7/s320/128sl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not ours, but how the 128SL coupe looked new.</td></tr>
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I'm the youngest of three sons and both of my, much older brothers, got to race in the Soap Box derby in the late 1960's. They got to build and race their cars with the old man, but I was too young to do this. I remember being pretty disappointed that the Soap Box derby lost its appeal in our family by the time I was old enough and eligible to race. That was until I got to help build a real race car. As I said earlier, it was a summer evening in 1975 that the Fiat came home, it would be the end of it's life as a road car.<br />
First, we started stripping out the seats, door panels, carpets, all of the interior. One specific thing I remember is; one and a half trashcans worth of fiber sound insulation and "tar" that I scraped off the cabin floor using a torch and a steel scraper. Next was engine and the suspension. I'm sure Dad had a plan, but to me, a 14 year old boy, getting to take a car apart, and not having to worry how it went back together was a blast. Once we got down to the bare unibody, (Sheet metal body-chassis style of construction.) Ralph started to plan out the roll cage. For safety I knew a roll bar was required, but a roll cage was much safer. What my dad had planned was well beyond this. He intended on replacing all of the cars unibody construction "stiffness" and mounting points with a full tube frame chassis. Now at the time, the SCCA didn't allow a stand alone tube frame with body panels hung off it for this class, like GT Lites do today. While this may be standard today, at the time, it was only the top professional teams that had the resources to build this type of car. But with Dad's aerospace welding machine shop, he could do things even the top team didn't do. In fact, at one point, Bill "Murph" Mayberry, one of Roger Penske's mechanics, said, "Ralph, your nuts, Roger doesn't even do things like this."<br />
One of the reasons for adding the complete tube frame is stiffness. The last thing you want in a car is for the chassis to flex and when we where first taking it apart, you could jack one wheel up off the ground and the other three stayed on the ground and the doors wouldn't open. That's flex!<br />
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At some point the car moved to L.M. Gill welding and one hundred and eighty feet of TIG welded, inch and a half steel tube later, the unibody was just along for the ride. Now when you jacked up a wheel, the car rocked on the opposite wheel and the doors opened like a Mercedes. But that was not the only reason he wanted to add the frame;<br />
Taking a page from Roger Penske and Mark Donohues "book", my father poured over the SCCA rule book (GCR) and figured out all of the things he was allowed to do, not allowed to do and the things that where in between. An example of "in between", the GCR stated you couldn't change the geometry of the suspension, but it didn't say you couldn't move <u>all</u> of the suspension points up into the car by say, 3 inches, lowering the cars center of gravity. In addition, he mounted all of the suspension on rod ends and bearings, this eliminated the "flex" in the suspension mounts. Add to this, custom McPherson strut housings, twin tapered roller bearings and host of other modifications with the advice of guys who had been professionally racing and preparing cars for years, we built that little Fiat into a pretty impressive race car.<br />
Once the welding, machining and fabrication was completed, the chassis/ body needed to be painted. Again, not doing the usual, Dad knew of a brand new paint that was being used on airliners that held up to the abuse of flying at 450 mph, Imron, by DuPont. So that's what he wanted the car painted with, but most car guys had never heard of this stuff, let alone had experience with it. Charlie Rainville, did all the body work (fender flares) and painted the car. In addition to being a great driver, Charlie was an accomplished body and paint guy and built fine furniture as a hobby. (<a href="http://www.teamstarfish.com/charlie_rainville.html">http://www.teamstarfish.com/charlie_rainville.html</a>). Frank Bernstein did a lot of the engine work. (I'll point out more details of the cars unusual prep in future posts during the rebuild.)<br />
It was an exciting day when the car came back all freshly painted in it's white Imron. Now to start putting all the pieces together.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to Greg Rickes for this picture at Lime Rock</span></h3>
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During all of the engineering and prep of this car, friends would give him parts or recommend the optimal parts he could use. Because so few Fiat racing parts were at hand, this Fiat has parts from, Fiat, Porsche, Alfa, Chrysler dragster, Volkswagen, Toyota, Volvo, Lotus, Jensen,and Sikorsky HH-3F & HH-52A helicopters.<br />
One example of a sourced high performance part is the brakes. In addition to going fast, you want to stop fast, so he stuffed 11" disc brakes inside 13" wheels using Girling AR calipers and duel master cylinders. These where not the usual type of brake caliper you would find on a C sedan race car. These where used on sports racing and formula cars. The brakes worked so good, on the Fiat, they failed. </div>
This all happened at the end of "No name straight" at Lime Rock. It's not really a straight, but the curve is so minor most cars are flat out along it's whole length and at the end, there is a sharp right hand corner and then you go up a steep hill. Charlie Rainville said, the Fiat could go around that corner in 3rd gear. My dad explained to Charlie that Charlie could take that corner in 3rd gear, but he took it in 2nd gear.<br />
So, on this test day, at the end of the straight, dad lays on the brakes and the peddle goes right to the floor, another attempt and nothing! Well, thought dad, I know what's on the other side of that guardrail, a swamp, and I don't want to go in there, so I hope Charlies right. He stuffed it back in 3rd, stood on the gas and that car went around that corner like it was on rails. (My dad told me years later that he had to change his shorts)<br />
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He came into the pits and we jacked the car up to see what happened. The brakes actually hadn't failed, it was because they had so much stopping power, the front drive hubs twisted. This caused the front discs to wobble and knock the caliper pistons back and blow most of the brake fluid all over the engine compartment. It turns out, that because the stock Fiat hub was made of such soft steel (Poorly heat-treated steel was a problem on Italian cars back then) that under hard braking, the hubs shaft had twisted one and a half splines.<br />
Now he had to find a solution. Remember this is the 1970's and there is no internet and there is no easy way of sourcing parts from Europe where they race these cars all the time. Even if you did find a suitable part, they are likely all custom and expensive. He could have the guys in his shop machine new ones, something well within the capabilities of the shop, but this too would be very expensive, as these where very complex parts. For the first time I sensed my father had a problem that he did not have an easy solution for.<br />
Timing is everything sometimes, because not long after this failure, my oldest brother needed help with his Porsche 914. While under the car, my dad noticed that the drive hubs of this mid engined German car, where of virtually the same design as the Fiat, but 20% bigger and made of good, well heat treated, German steel. After purchasing a pair of these and some modifications to the Fiats front drive assembly, we had Porsche 914 drive hubs mounted in the Fiat.<br />
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There are always "teething pains" on a new car and this one had so many sophisticated modifications, that it was not unexpected. Just about the time we got the car sorted out, my dad sold his business in Connecticut and retired in Tucson Arizona. I was in my last year or so of high school, but the plan was to work on the race car and go racing. However, timing is everything. Shortly after we arrived in Tucson, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and died 14 months later. I was very close to my dad, but was too young to understand that, at 55, he was a young guy. (Last November 19th, I lived more days than he did.)<br />
For his funeral, we scattered his ashes over the desert near our house in Tucson like my mother wanted. My brothers suggested we mix his ashes with racing fuel and running him through the race car, but that would damage the valves and he wouldn't have liked that. Mom didn't like that either. So, ashes on the desert near our house, it was. The morning after, we had breakfast with Maury and Amy Schlossberg. Maury one of my dads closest friends and one of the reasons we moved to Tucson. When my mother raised a glass in toast to my dad, gesturing in the direction of where his ashes had been scattered. Maury, pointing in the opposite direction, down the hill, said in his thick Austrian accent, "No, Peg, it rained last night, he's over there!".<br />
That was my father's sense of humor, I'm sure he laughed.<br />
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I was 20 at the time and wanted to keep the race car, but I was not in a position to do anything with it, so it went to my middle brother Kerry. Kerry lived in Alaska at the time and after my mom sold the house in Tucson, the Fiat lived briefly with me in Los Angeles and eventually Kerry took it up to Alaska. Up in Alaska, he put it on the pole for a street race there, but detonated the clutch on the first lap. That would be the last time the Fiat took to the track. After another 5 years or so, it returned to LA when he moved down to start a job with me at a movie prop house.<br />
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In 2001 I had been running my own company for a while and Kerry was full time at Disney's WDI, so he decided, since I had the space, we should restore the car for SCCA GT5 and go racing.<br />
The car was disassembled and prepared for media blasting to fix rust and dents. Well, that's as far as it got. Over the next few years, the chassis and all of the parts where moved around the shop and eventually to a storage unit behind the shop. After 13 years of sitting outside, the car now need even more rust repair.<br />
Last December I convinced Kerry to give me the car and I would restore it and get it back on the track. I reorganized my garage (See how I used that word, "reorganized", makes you think my garage was organized already)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifeyOjHDJwPW-IhWYt6PRKyUgku5iGGP4rcBtHajTtu4QIvkwMcapLUIfitlxbgtPn-DqUy7NAgfv3KZFGiOtbbjqmBZo7-3wZ-SJB4Qr1OKUp1D1X0gGqObIQdEjsxhFAKqCwzT3M_lv/s1600/Fiat4940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifeyOjHDJwPW-IhWYt6PRKyUgku5iGGP4rcBtHajTtu4QIvkwMcapLUIfitlxbgtPn-DqUy7NAgfv3KZFGiOtbbjqmBZo7-3wZ-SJB4Qr1OKUp1D1X0gGqObIQdEjsxhFAKqCwzT3M_lv/s400/Fiat4940.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The car after 15 years of storage under cover, but outside.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is the journey of taking a 40 year old race car and getting it back on the track for it's 40th anniversary at the same track it all started at. The plan is as follows:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Find all the parts in storage</li>
<li>Media blast the car</li>
<li>Fix all the bodywork</li>
<li>Restore the suspension</li>
<li>Replace worn or damaged parts</li>
<li>Repaint the car</li>
<li>Reassemble the car</li>
<li>Go to drivers school</li>
<li>Test the car</li>
<li>Rebuild the trailer </li>
<li>Tow it to the East Coast</li>
</ul>
<div>
All in time for the Historic Festival in September, at the first track this car ran on, Lime Rock Park.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Next: How much damage is there?</div>
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<br />Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-23146563056742613012016-02-16T08:01:00.001-08:002018-05-27T17:33:49.664-07:00How best to Squeeze the body, or Pressure suit design.First, suits have different functions, like any clothes. As an example, you wouldn't wear football pads swimming, or a SCUBA wet suit hiking in the desert. Because spacesuits are highly engineered structures, they are designed to do there primary function as best as possible.<br />
<br />
First, for inside the spacecraft for emergency protection you have an IVA suit. (Intra-Vehicular Activity). Then for outside the spacecraft for spacewalks or planetary walks an EVA suit (Extra-Vehicular Activity). Mobility is the key for either of these. However, in an IVA suit, the engineer is more concerned about reducing bulk and increasing comfort of the suit in an unpressurized sate. Because, unless there is an emergency loss of pressure (Bad thing), the IVA suit will never be pressurized, so you want it to be comfortable when not inflated. An EVA suit on the other hand, is always used pressurized, so it needs to have the best mobility possible. But getting good mobility is very hard to do. Once a suit is pressurized to that minimum required pressure, it turns into a rigid structure. Think of a volleyball un-inflated, then inflated. A huge difference in stiffness. (Volleyballs are inflated very close to minimum suit pressure)<br />
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So, how do you make a pressurized balloon around a human body, that, with life sustaining pressure, allows the occupant to move? According to the movies, any fabric bag will do, as long as you add some plumbing fittings on the front, a neck ring and a helmet.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81RDSd5NSBRaLxA-Tew4qawdjS0VyItoexdyXnsm9EC1Spg1uHn6MymmKG5xPdksohfzdDhZI0C8U65ygcXMffhpUGAiUtdKwqa2jEvDrVpNFxmttVuKU-M6MXgHLomJiN3WdygCl_kfN/s1600/bl+1.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZccqaPbbBkk4ecbXmeUzoayGqRQwAkDkNDF-nYJjZb_dY-5R3wj4dFvNdRtBxHq2BzqZuFpdEdY06UOJtZMiNmqfj33AmuM_oWe_xwKSIXvsK2G_KysOIA6tq-1xyQ5-_rOnsJ8uwSo7/s1600/planeta+b+2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZccqaPbbBkk4ecbXmeUzoayGqRQwAkDkNDF-nYJjZb_dY-5R3wj4dFvNdRtBxHq2BzqZuFpdEdY06UOJtZMiNmqfj33AmuM_oWe_xwKSIXvsK2G_KysOIA6tq-1xyQ5-_rOnsJ8uwSo7/s200/planeta+b+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81RDSd5NSBRaLxA-Tew4qawdjS0VyItoexdyXnsm9EC1Spg1uHn6MymmKG5xPdksohfzdDhZI0C8U65ygcXMffhpUGAiUtdKwqa2jEvDrVpNFxmttVuKU-M6MXgHLomJiN3WdygCl_kfN/s200/bl+1.jpg" width="160" /><br />
The biggest difference, is Hollywood (in most cases) doesn't care to show a suit as it would look pressurized. So the suit can be baggy, and have all sorts of "cool" looking things on it, that in a real suit, would not be practical or allow the suit to function. The pressuried bit is the main function of a "pressure suit" so you would think you would think that would be important in a design. But since most people have no clue how a suit works, they are blissfully ignorant of this fact.<br />
If you look back a "old" movies, the spacesuits look pretty ridiculous.<br />
It seems that movie spacesuit designs have improved (Read more believable) in recent years, but have they? Many of the suits used in 1950's Sci-Fi movies where based on the real suits of the time.<br />
Here is a "Tomato worm" suit of the 1950's (left) and the suits from the 1950 movie "Destination Moon"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_NEprB-gUSFCXaDu5B55lTg5ejF7m8I4YTSa6vAaoPGzu2Z5hyphenhyphen8YTH4kRvdKJ392StoaoggRYoTszhGEStzrcsrvKwIkSYtQqOTBGJoyVz6dZUrQznp-7qPK36Ei95H4cB0rwtJn5_5V/s1600/space_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_NEprB-gUSFCXaDu5B55lTg5ejF7m8I4YTSa6vAaoPGzu2Z5hyphenhyphen8YTH4kRvdKJ392StoaoggRYoTszhGEStzrcsrvKwIkSYtQqOTBGJoyVz6dZUrQznp-7qPK36Ei95H4cB0rwtJn5_5V/s200/space_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnC_lHdq80lsu2aU6OqQBwg-Ob9r4wE8B1qHw8x1NNIgbJfXoyHCCDFCXxRzj05Mhimfk2GIwbMhmTE6KKPto_VAbdfVTOdlpL3-Y2DPaVXCK6mP-pocExp0nyhGLpLokWqvRlvJzhzoyF/s1600/cap023.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnC_lHdq80lsu2aU6OqQBwg-Ob9r4wE8B1qHw8x1NNIgbJfXoyHCCDFCXxRzj05Mhimfk2GIwbMhmTE6KKPto_VAbdfVTOdlpL3-Y2DPaVXCK6mP-pocExp0nyhGLpLokWqvRlvJzhzoyF/s200/cap023.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Or from the 1960's the ILC SPD-143 Apollo suit (International Latex corporation) and Major Matt Mason's spacesuit<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwq_7r221Rg5lX_MgymSYWEX-4Dz5YtqxJhmmJ_VGmsVi1InmEYf_wQJLF4CenodQMMgegFueCaPTOe_wtCw8pdcisvFNixyfWRZJVXvG2SduTgEC-lid08biVJC7los7FZ_QQps6GzW/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwq_7r221Rg5lX_MgymSYWEX-4Dz5YtqxJhmmJ_VGmsVi1InmEYf_wQJLF4CenodQMMgegFueCaPTOe_wtCw8pdcisvFNixyfWRZJVXvG2SduTgEC-lid08biVJC7los7FZ_QQps6GzW/s320/download.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01E8hlAIdwuMqCtmTL6-dmOXrZTQB9IW0h1pIYUc16OnjuKBZtfL7YnhIpSfd6VoCpGXth8FLeoQwfTLeZzKHgPO2DvNE1qt-QOnRz-AhLwIJZVey6AyGMGoraCwWvJ-vl4tfaB-JG9N5/s1600/cdc137780e58a4d6657a2f10eeefceb9.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01E8hlAIdwuMqCtmTL6-dmOXrZTQB9IW0h1pIYUc16OnjuKBZtfL7YnhIpSfd6VoCpGXth8FLeoQwfTLeZzKHgPO2DvNE1qt-QOnRz-AhLwIJZVey6AyGMGoraCwWvJ-vl4tfaB-JG9N5/s200/cdc137780e58a4d6657a2f10eeefceb9.jpg" width="98" /></a><br />
<br />
More recent spacesuit designs in movies want to be slimmer, less bulky, so they copy Mechanical pressure suits (MPC). This design tries to wrap the body with a tight layer of stretch fabric to apply the appropriate amount of pressure to the body.<br />
A suit mock up from MIT (left) and the suit from "The Martian" (Right)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj_RcAK8nbFyLq9bXV_jX9noRf_hmPlJZ0t-rrSpGE_b7PhwrMILEitTPF4Qmxn3ZXKJiuo4fJBuQojAEz0yV-9jq7d8PfSthiTJDzDPpyMFHTjbYmdeLxVkQfhPBo91hA7n85bmTqW4x/s1600/Martian+03.PNG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv3OGsQ4nhY5F4umxxt5VAtZei4PLC-VXQIPTjFP8JAECgzbRA3-3p_FkXYmbX5G7HJaN9nORvcPa7aWLmbsHoIDUa6MD1mr_7hcV01TF0Vs1qcOpasMk9Xrxg53T0PKLFAH47j8fl_us/s1600/main-qimg-a12f12b1212c1212b1212d12121212121212cdbfd0b1212f1212.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv3OGsQ4nhY5F4umxxt5VAtZei4PLC-VXQIPTjFP8JAECgzbRA3-3p_FkXYmbX5G7HJaN9nORvcPa7aWLmbsHoIDUa6MD1mr_7hcV01TF0Vs1qcOpasMk9Xrxg53T0PKLFAH47j8fl_us/s200/main-qimg-a12f12b1212c1212b1212d12121212121212cdbfd0b1212f1212.jpg" width="147" /></a><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTj_RcAK8nbFyLq9bXV_jX9noRf_hmPlJZ0t-rrSpGE_b7PhwrMILEitTPF4Qmxn3ZXKJiuo4fJBuQojAEz0yV-9jq7d8PfSthiTJDzDPpyMFHTjbYmdeLxVkQfhPBo91hA7n85bmTqW4x/s200/Martian+03.PNG" width="200" /><br />
While the idea sounds great "Just slip on the "spandex" body suit and go into space". It isn't very practical. To apply the amount of pressure to the body to keep your blood from boiling, the suit needs to be very tight. In fact, even the tightest Spandex suit wouldn't work. You would die. The MIT suit tries to do this with lines of force across the body in directions that don't change length, but after 15 years of "development" they don't have a working suit, just this mock up. Could it work? Perhaps, MPC suits have been around since the 50's. But they have too many "side effects". Such as, the fact that you are covered with hair and each follicle of hair originates from a "pit" on the surface of your skin. The MPC suit can't apply pressure to these small pits in you skin, so when exposed to a vacuum, the blood pools in these areas giving you a "Hicky" everywhere there is an area of the skin not pressing against the suit. In addition, you have too make sure the suit pressuer on the skinn is very even, or you get "hot spots" on your skin. Like the elastic band of you tighty whities digging into your waist after a long day. So while this is a "cool" idea, it is not as practical as a gas pressure suit.<br />
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So while it seems movie spacesuit designs have gotten better, I think the general public's education and familiarity with spacesuits has improved. I mean we have now had people in space for nearly 50 years and continuously for the last 16, so movie costume designers have to make more detailed and complex suit designs these days to make them seem more realistic. But they still have the same design issues, and most movie suit could not be built to really work. But it's a movie, who cares. In most cases, I'll watch a movie and not care about such things. However, other time it bugs me. In recent years the Studios advertise space movies as superior in there accuracy and promote the fact that scientists and experts have been hired to insure the realism of the film. Perhaps...but no one seems to have hired people that know how real spacesuit have to function.<br />
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I mean, how would you hook up the hoses on these helmets from "Interstellar", and still get the helmet on you head?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9tnRrs9KfWp9vHYx38bz-G-7n3Yf_daLIH9nbK7q_dncKWLXIyFrroYr4bMi8SRauRjeuZqx-f8GtKj4SVLcuK8UiaUO05mhOJXTtqE3_GRdp7qpwbY0BxVERnNQbUrJhzQW3RyLas9_/s1600/interstellar-2014-movie-review-cooper-matthew-mcconaughey-matt-damon-space-suits.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9tnRrs9KfWp9vHYx38bz-G-7n3Yf_daLIH9nbK7q_dncKWLXIyFrroYr4bMi8SRauRjeuZqx-f8GtKj4SVLcuK8UiaUO05mhOJXTtqE3_GRdp7qpwbY0BxVERnNQbUrJhzQW3RyLas9_/s320/interstellar-2014-movie-review-cooper-matthew-mcconaughey-matt-damon-space-suits.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Also when the suit pressurizes these hoses get stiff and it would be very difficult to turn you head. Why would you add hoses to the back of the helmet anyway? Also the neck area would inflate and the helmet would be pushed up over you head. But I'm nit picking details here. There are however many issues with the suits design and mobility, but you have to really know how suits work and the limits of materials and physics.<br />
BTW the old excuse "But, in the future we will have new materials that....." doesn't hold up. In 60 years of pressure suit design, no material improvement has radically altered the way a pressure suit can to be made. In fact there are very few examples of a material improvement completely changing how we build something to work around physics.<br />
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So whats the issue?<br />
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A pressurized cloth suit is deceivingly complex. When fabricating a suit from fabric, you have to think of fabric as a bunch of "Cables" that just happen to be woven together. This is because when sewing the suit together, each thread of the fabric has to be tensioned evenly and correctly or your suit, when pressurized will warp and twist into a pretzel. Also, when you pressurize the suit, all these "cables" of your "non-streach" fabric tighten up and the whole garment grows. In fact, it grows a lot.<br />
Here is Orbital Outfitters IS3 IVA suit unpressurized (left) pressurized (right)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-7PgJgKdJHIRh4Fw-dCLLHYK8rT02nvPYQVDPtAQwNbHIXpuvHOjW1HR_XrRNf6DRN74nsv5T9Hfo9d5cCkw81njGU8nMqXdKnXZuB6CEEJss7IEQtBp5MLo5k6WcIBZrJ_YXxdH_0J2/s1600/IMG_4491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-7PgJgKdJHIRh4Fw-dCLLHYK8rT02nvPYQVDPtAQwNbHIXpuvHOjW1HR_XrRNf6DRN74nsv5T9Hfo9d5cCkw81njGU8nMqXdKnXZuB6CEEJss7IEQtBp5MLo5k6WcIBZrJ_YXxdH_0J2/s320/IMG_4491.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyqnegGxJQ5_WmG6yHOi9COpDGo7e2rS_dgjt7DVmoU_8vd3UwIcb-N-i92KaFgdIpjpr-_PzvjIw0fOSxgw9PrJf-yoC2u08rpF-0fhWT_iCUoQ-NLr1LssGhTxH0MighsuFj-Roe_G3/s1600/IMG_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyqnegGxJQ5_WmG6yHOi9COpDGo7e2rS_dgjt7DVmoU_8vd3UwIcb-N-i92KaFgdIpjpr-_PzvjIw0fOSxgw9PrJf-yoC2u08rpF-0fhWT_iCUoQ-NLr1LssGhTxH0MighsuFj-Roe_G3/s320/IMG_4427.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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The bent over look of the suit under pressure is because the suit is designed to be in a seat and this bend at the waist helps keep the suit from trying to straighten out and push you out of your seat.<br />
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If I was to make a cube out of very stiff fabric and pressurize it, it would turn into a ball with nubs where the corners were. Another issue with a suit, is mosy people are not round, we are more oval shaped. When yo make an oval suit and add air pressure, it goes round. Making it difficult to bend these now round joints.<br />
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Here is an Apollo suit without it's cover layer. (The white outermost layer, that nevr comes under tension) You can see all of the cables, bearings, rubber joints. These are what makes this suit work. Without them, the suit would be an un-bendable fabric balloon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtcWA1SEg3six2z7hvPA4f3CvdewnsuZEv5JXPVmh8oj3OZh7c-aiAQ6hjOSlv_OAZWRjX6h-cdt3lyHM54Lv_8f7KnIonRnDZvGKxo97FLgEGMWG_rEMRLX09nxuJhpAnj1pretjuLpT/s1600/cmpa7lbcolor.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtcWA1SEg3six2z7hvPA4f3CvdewnsuZEv5JXPVmh8oj3OZh7c-aiAQ6hjOSlv_OAZWRjX6h-cdt3lyHM54Lv_8f7KnIonRnDZvGKxo97FLgEGMWG_rEMRLX09nxuJhpAnj1pretjuLpT/s320/cmpa7lbcolor.png" width="152" /></a><br />
Even with all these specialized joints, you could not bend over and touch the ground.<br />
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Why can't you bend easy? As you bend your joints, the volume of the pressure suit changes. As the volume changes, the pressure changes. the greater this volume change, the bigger the pressure increase So, bend you elbow and the volume decreases which causes the suit pressure to rise and this increase of pressure, wants to force the arm back down to the largest possible volume again. The elbow and knee problems are basic and there are many successful solutions, hip joints and shoulder joints on the other hand, which have to move in many directions are the big problem. Bend over at the hips and there is a very large volume change, and the suit wants to spring back.<br />
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Here is the IS3 suit in a kneeling position, a bit of a "hat trick" for an all fabric suit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcIgnL7uZ3nOMm6gT9vEJsnuJjvjz9HisoRGjoVV3JRfeYbqVKlF1HmJSPxfT8mFK4Czyt5o2uBtO3lahPkLQjTd7nsniXSIpcxGuGI3mGylnpLsNFuAAUnBCjzZ3zluXON8eTPV4u9vl/s1600/kneeling_4486.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcIgnL7uZ3nOMm6gT9vEJsnuJjvjz9HisoRGjoVV3JRfeYbqVKlF1HmJSPxfT8mFK4Czyt5o2uBtO3lahPkLQjTd7nsniXSIpcxGuGI3mGylnpLsNFuAAUnBCjzZ3zluXON8eTPV4u9vl/s320/kneeling_4486.jpg" width="259" /></a><br />
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This is why there are spacesuits made from hard materials. These designs increase the range and ease of mobility greatly by using mechanical design to maintain a constant volume.<br />
I'm not a good enough writer to explain all of the issues (Nor are you probably wanting to read that much) So just be assured, there are so many things in suit design that are unseen until you have worked with them. Every solution you may think of, has either been tried or has 3 obvious (to a suit engineer) problems that keep that idea from working. Think of spacesuit design, as deep and involved as the game of chess, but you are only given half as many pieces to come up with a wining strategy.<br />
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Too a mechanical engineer and "Problem solving junkie" spacesuit design is irresistible.<br />
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I'll try to continue this with why these suits have all this hardware, as well as a look at other suit designs...Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-41344073521867679822014-01-23T10:01:00.003-08:002018-05-27T17:33:49.695-07:00What is a spacesuit and why do we need them.
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<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #365f91;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Pressure Suits- AKA Spacesuits</span></span></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why do we need space suits? “To go in space.” Well yes, but
what is “Space”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In my 30 years of doing work involving spacesuits either
real or movie suits, I have found most people do not have a clear understanding
of why spacesuits are used or how they work. If you try to learn about
spacesuits from movies, well…. let’s just say you won’t. The network news isn’t
much better. In most cases people think a spacesuit is just some sort of
one-piece jump suit with a helmet, filled with air. You know, to keep “space”
out and protect the astronaut. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But before I talk about the suit, let me paint a picture of
the environment it’s protecting you from. Because in order to understand what a
spacesuit is and why we need one, you really must first understand how our
planet’s atmosphere works. This is one of those subjects that peoples lack of
understanding makes it nearly impossible to have that “Ah Ha” moment without a
bit of the basic science. So I’ll try to make it as simple and clear as
possible. (I know, you hated science class, but it is really very simple.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We live at the bottom of a very deep ocean, an “Air ocean”.
We all know about the earths water oceans, those big deep places that water
accumulates. Well we live in something very similar to those but instead of
water, air accumulates, and not just in the “deep” places, but over the entire planet,
held by gravity. In our water oceans, the deeper you go, the more weight of
water is above you and so the pressure goes up. Air does the same thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The difference is, a liquid, in this case water, cannot be
compressed. While a gas (Air) can be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
the deeper you go in the water ocean, the pressure goes up, but the waters
density does not. Visualize block of hard rubber, no matter how hard you
squeeze, it doesn’t get smaller. In our “gas ocean” it’s much different,
because a gas can compress with pressure, so the gas at the bottom is much
denser than the gas above. Visualize a rubber sponge, the more you squeeze it,
the smaller and denser it becomes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, because we are at the very bottom of this “air ocean”,
where the air is compressed by the weight of all of the air above, we are used
to “dense” air. Which is OK, because we have evolved to function very nicely on
this dense, compressed gas we call Air. You have heard the term “sea Level”,
that is, as it sounds, where our water ocean begins. As gravity pulls
everything towards the center of the earth, heavier object sink to the lowest
point (I know, DUH!) the deepest point in our water ocean is about 7 miles,
but, If we measure the depth of our air ocean, it is around 65 to 75 miles
deep. Sea water is 748 times the density of our air at sea level, this means
every 33ft / 10 meters of seawater weighs the same as 75 miles of air. The weight
of our atmosphere at sea level is 14.7 <u>P</u>ounds per <u>S</u>quare <u>I</u>nch
(PSI) or 101.3 Kilopascals. (kPa) (For the metric side of the table) That’s
like having a very large house cat laying on every square inch of your body.
Given the average person has between 2300 and 3100 square inches of skin,
that’s a lot of cats and a lot of pressure. So, why do we care about the pressure?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIny_fLQd2FWnCXSMH79hfCWSkJ06A2FVZYemx9FSJWfbmDjkiHlDLtc1S6LVdkaDGaU9M_z2BUCD_QnB8L1ZfT9ylzGT23EObJhxDa6vBMimkoM5J3Nah8DpLhN-y4bncWY_SBWZJoDyr/s1600/Altitude+Chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIny_fLQd2FWnCXSMH79hfCWSkJ06A2FVZYemx9FSJWfbmDjkiHlDLtc1S6LVdkaDGaU9M_z2BUCD_QnB8L1ZfT9ylzGT23EObJhxDa6vBMimkoM5J3Nah8DpLhN-y4bncWY_SBWZJoDyr/s1600/Altitude+Chart.jpg" height="468" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our Air is made up of many different gasses, but for now,
Oxygen, Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide are the three we care about here. Nitrogen
makes up 78%, or over ¾ of our “Air”. Oxygen accounts for 21% less than ¼. That
leaves 1% for all the other gasses. We only <u>use</u> the Oxygen, referred to
as O<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2</span>. The Nitrogen (N<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2</span>) is “filler” and we don’t use
it for bodily functions. So when we breathe in, less than a quarter of our lung
capacity is filling with the only gas we need to survive O<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2</span>. But because we are at the
bottom of the air ocean, this O<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2</span>
is pretty dense, so we are OK with that percentage. In fact, at this “sea
level” density if we were to breathe pure oxygen, it would kill us. To give you
an idea of how “squishy” gas is and how it compresses and gets denser, remember
me saying our atmosphere was between 65 and 75 miles thick, well if you weighed
the total amount of our atmosphere, 50% of it is in the bottom 3.5 miles and
90% is in the bottom 10 miles. (For more detail about our atmosphere: </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given these facts, most of us cannot function above 27,000
feet without additional oxygen. (There are some humans that have developed the
ability to function at very high altitudes without additional O<span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;">2)</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why in a commercial airplane, they
have those little yellow masks that hopefully you have never had to use. They
are there in case of a cabin depressurization. They will supply you with pure
O2 so you don’t pass out . This emergency system works great at altitudes below
35,000 feet. However, above 52,000 feet humans run into another issue. </span></div>
<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #365f91;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Enough to make your blood boil!</span></span></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you lower the pressure around a liquid any gasses trapped
in that liquid will come out of the liquid. As you increase pressure on a liquid,
you can trap more gasses in it. You see this happen when you uncap a carbonated
beverage. Once the cap comes off and the pressure drops, the CO2 bubbles out.
Another way you can get gasses to come out of a liquid is add energy in this
case, heat. When you boil water, this heat energy causes gasses trapped in the
water to come out, this is the bubbling or “boiling” of the water. If you lower
the pressure around the fluid, it requires less heat for water to boil. At sea
level, water boils at 212 F or 100c. In the city of Denver Colorado, the altitude
is 5280 ft or 1609 meters, the pressure is about 15% less than sea level and so
water boils at only 202 F/ 94.7C. At Everest base camp (5,545m or 18,192ft.) water
boils at only 177F /80C. At the summit 29,029ft / 8848m it drops to 154F / 68C.
Well, by the time you get to 52,000 ft, water boils at 97.6 f/ 36.5C or 1
degree below your body temperature. Oops. So even if you had an oxygen mask on,
the gas couldn’t get in your blood, as they would already be trying to boiling
out. This would result in you suffocating and dying from oxygen starvation and
no, you do not explode! (Sorry Hollywood) Now take note, your blood boils at
only 9.8 miles, space doesn’t start for another 52.2 miles. But don’t worry long
before this happens, you would get altitude sickness, and likely die from symptoms
like fluid in your lungs, fever, swelling of the brain, Nausea, Retinal Hemorrhage.
However, if you were suddenly exposed to the vacuum of space, as in 2001: A
space odyssey or Jim LaBlanc, (</span><a href="http://www.wimp.com/totalvacuum/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.wimp.com/totalvacuum/</span></a><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">) </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">you
could survive. Your body tissues would swell to perhaps twice size, making you
look like a body builder. But because your skin is very strong, your swelling
is kept in check and internal body pressure would keep your blood from boiling.
However, saliva in your mouth would boil, but as long as you didn’t hold your
breath, as this would rupture your lungs, you have about 15 seconds before your
brain starts to starve for oxygen and if your were repressurized quickly
enough, you could survive.</span></div>
<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #365f91;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The Pressure is on</span></span></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So as you can see, the human body is set up to live at the
bottom of Earth’s air ocean and we don’t do so well near the surface (Near
space) This is why we need pressure suits. Because without them, our bodies
cannot hold oxygen in our blood and our systems can’t cope with the lack of
physical pressure around our body. There are two ways to add the pressure to
the body, with a fluid, like gas pressure suits or by mechanically squeezing
the body known as a Mechanical Counter pressure suit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next: How best to
squeeze the body…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-72476319327941950642013-04-08T18:30:00.001-07:002018-05-27T21:07:01.748-07:00Talents I have seen: Robert "Mac" Macpherson <br />
Recently, the blog Boing Boing posted an article about my friend Ugo Serrano
(<a href="http://boingboing.net/2013/04/03/ugo-serrano-armorer.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://boingboing.net/2013/04/03/ugo-serrano-armorer.html</span></a>)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<em>"Daniel sez, "Ugo Serrano is the greatest living armorer,
really. A man who camps at the Pennsic war in a 15th Century Italian villa (hat
he built/designed that also flat-packs for storage and transportation). The
props he makes for the movie/television industry are a who's who of geekdom
from Firefly to Riddick to the Haunted Mansion through Zorro. A man whose art
helped begin the entire steampunk movement, yet he's almost unknown outside of
the SCA, where his themed parties are as legendary as his tent. If you catch
him at the right time, he'll give you a pilgrimage badge that he cast in pewter
by hand, just for taking the tour"</em><o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I was quite shocked at how incorrect the article was. It had facts correct,
but incorrectly attributed them all to one person, Ugo. This is an
interesting social phenomenon that I have observed many times: When a person
has charisma, (and Ugo is very charismatic) many positive things are
often attributed to this person, almost automatically, with little or no
"fact checking". The opposite also seems true. If a person
is a scoundrel, then bad things are automatically attributed to them.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Ugo has achieved a type of "Stardom" I see in Hollywood. Fame and
praise do not always go hand and hand with talent or achievements. Now first,
let me be clear, Ugo is very talented and is certainly worthy of
fame. But "helped start the entire steampunk movement",
"greatest living armourer"? These are the type of statements that
start urban legends and myths. Such as, "A knight needed a crane to lift
him upon his horse" or “Gene Simmons (KISS fame, not Spartacus) bites his
tongue during his concerts to get all the blood he spits". If it's
printed, people believe it. Often these things are never "Undone" and
the general public goes on believing them.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Daniel, lists that he is an author of books and I get the impression he
is a regular poster on the internet. Well, I hope he does a better job checking
facts for his books. Writing is not my skill, building things is and for those
who have read some of the things I have posted no doubt know I am the one who
built the 15th century house and may know, Robert MacPherson is the craftsman
who made my pilgrimage badges, using authentic 14th/ 15th century techniques. Robert is a quiet unassuming man who if you saw him at an historical event, you would have no clue he was one of the worlds best armour craftsman. He is not one of those people who the spotlight finds easily, nor does he seek it out. So to most people, have no idea who he is. I
started to write an article on Roberts work last year, but as writing is not my
skill, I started and then never got back to it. Here it is:<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p> </o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Talents
I have seen:<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<o:p> </o:p>I had heard about "Mac" many years ago and was told, if you want
the best reproduction armour, he's the guy. So I sought out Robert MacPherson,
even though I was told he had a 5 to 10 year waiting list. I had seen some of
his work and been impressed, but it was not until I ordered a suit from him that
I appreciated the level at which he was "the best". <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Here are some pieces I had seen of Macs work:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMgV30H6EFqnP2E7TqxYCAU9hoToSgEpaBEE8OoNuMW-2Mz0qIwVkdQIw1QS_JYVpaCzeLTFeu6umt9VNUqBNpbBlahyYDjXB4A-uLZwhCbvsKZRzkvFg1k2iW6dS6rbDB979Ez2Z7L9I/s1600/will4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMgV30H6EFqnP2E7TqxYCAU9hoToSgEpaBEE8OoNuMW-2Mz0qIwVkdQIw1QS_JYVpaCzeLTFeu6umt9VNUqBNpbBlahyYDjXB4A-uLZwhCbvsKZRzkvFg1k2iW6dS6rbDB979Ez2Z7L9I/s320/will4.jpg" width="173" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SLYof7WcssQaWyj6fj37pUuVo_85kBdonJJZkeMRFyzR2meZtfaliEKLzUhQ3haY7gy2_8WxmOwVcyfdNhHXG8_dyGyzkht4VJcdgiqciL_IesF-BJPvM-mh4_HZk7VlPUutkEfEkcqr/s1600/galleron_211_699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SLYof7WcssQaWyj6fj37pUuVo_85kBdonJJZkeMRFyzR2meZtfaliEKLzUhQ3haY7gy2_8WxmOwVcyfdNhHXG8_dyGyzkht4VJcdgiqciL_IesF-BJPvM-mh4_HZk7VlPUutkEfEkcqr/s320/galleron_211_699.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<o:p> </o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb001ebzUAftMRacO7JXWRTcXprBQbsY9SrsE1zvJ8BrVtaAjbOZuwMuTmOnHi5M4iMPkHpN05SgSZh-oWdRlCdxbQUquJWxZ_ah0tr73hIk5hkKWxYn1OhcDeOvyZBsNQSTAE5v2Nc2VZ/s1600/bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb001ebzUAftMRacO7JXWRTcXprBQbsY9SrsE1zvJ8BrVtaAjbOZuwMuTmOnHi5M4iMPkHpN05SgSZh-oWdRlCdxbQUquJWxZ_ah0tr73hIk5hkKWxYn1OhcDeOvyZBsNQSTAE5v2Nc2VZ/s320/bob.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiLUYlEBiBM7-2qFn0H1oq0S4BqWKBXu1fubpLsFy6i7acYdzaDOfTbxxnKJVJKQPPFtYjCKUWkP2L9aAd9zgZ82rSr0uWFhioPlGOlgkJuM6ncyioNTovhdEQbjHffaYBDLgpBt2l5wK/s1600/specs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiLUYlEBiBM7-2qFn0H1oq0S4BqWKBXu1fubpLsFy6i7acYdzaDOfTbxxnKJVJKQPPFtYjCKUWkP2L9aAd9zgZ82rSr0uWFhioPlGOlgkJuM6ncyioNTovhdEQbjHffaYBDLgpBt2l5wK/s320/specs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At the time, I thought I knew quite a lot about armour, how it was supposed
to look, fit, and so on. Well, ignorance is a funny thing, many times you have
no way of knowing what you don’t know. I was about to become more enlightened.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me give you some background: There
are many different factors that make someone skilled at reproducing armour or
any art for that matter. Not only is there the technical (does it work), but
the esthetic (does it look right) and does it fit correctly. Plus, there is the
skill (and experience) of the craftsman to have the freedom to be able to make whatever
is needed. In other words, he may know what a piece should look like, but
without the skills to move the metal to that shape, well “he can’t get there
from here” no matter how clearly he sees the destination.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today there may be as many as 100
armourers, making some type of armour for reancators, SCA, Rennfair or
collectors. Most of these are either making armour for people who can’t afford good
armour, or, more likely, have never seen really good armour, so they don’t know
what they don’t know. As a result, the armour is pretty poor. But since this makes up the vast majority of work seen by the general populace, they don't know either, so they think its all really great stuff.<br />
<br />
Of the really good armourers, maybe 4-6, they work for a relatively small clientele
or museums and are not well known outside the museum or living history circles.
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Now armour in general spans a few thousand years, in European armour about
1200 years. (400-1600 AD) Technology and the skill of the craft was getting better al this time. With many things it is possible to find those who are very good at
one thing or in this case, period of armour, but not other periods. (Although, just about every armourer believes he can make anything)<br />
For example; recreating a 1960’s Ferrari is easier
than recreating a 2010 Toyota, due to the complexity of manufacture and techniques. So after seeing Mac's work, it seemed he was the kind of guy, who could make anything you asked for. I found out Mr. MacPherson did not have
a 10 year long waiting list (Another urban myth, one I’m sure Mac thought was
flattering, but maddening when he didn’t have work) so, I set up an appointment to
discuss making a new armour. Now, when you have a guy like Mac make a suit of
armour, it seemed to me, if you go to Ferrari, don’t ask them to build you a
truck. At the time I was really into 14<sup>th</sup> Century European armour.
But for mac, I wanted to order something that I didn’t think any other armourer
could make well. (I would later learn that even the simple armour , made by Mac is a "Ferrari") <o:p> </o:p><br />
Well I decided on Maximillian armour. This is a modern term applied to an abundantly
fluted style of armour from the beginning of the 16<sup>th</sup> century. The
name comes from Emperor Maximillian of Germany, a 16<sup>th</sup> century “rock
star” of jousting and armour patronage.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I told Mac that I had never been a big fan of this style, but this one suit
from the NYC Metropolitan museum of art, really caught my eye. Mac asked me,
what is it about this one you like, that in the others you don’t? This was my
first clue that Mac was really good at what he does. No one had ever asked me
this before. I had to think about it, why did I like this one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said, it’s the helmet and the proportion’s
I think. OK he said, what about them, do you think? After explain why I like the suit I had a sense that Mac knew better than I did, what I wanted.<br />
I would later find out, Mac had not only the eye to see styles of armour and
what made these styles correct for a particular time period, but he had the
skills to make the armour look like it should. He also has an incredible knowledge of the subject on all levels. It is quite astounding.<br />
He pointed out, that the armour
I liked at the MET is in fact 3, maybe 4 different amours pieced together, along with extensive restoration. Seen here: (04.3.289) (<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/40000195?rpp=20&pg=1&ft=+04.3.289+a-q&pos=2"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/40000195?rpp=20&pg=1&ft=+04.3.289+a-q&pos=2</span></a>) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>We agreed on a price (Very
reasonable) and I sent him body casts (an advantage to owning a special effects
costume shop) and he started. We had a few fittings and each time, I got to see
the armour in it rough state and event then, it looked amazing. Here is the
finished work:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTIWs90cxNcM9KVNw8BOt-GB0rbX2gXVrMVLo4qAX5qTiyAB6h6Y2wQji4tNEp7ecKdhZ7EB1dwwpoCIOHpJ8R6kNPo1j-qWDThFWEMfkOBltBuiHh1i_0PKFs_cnM1DsZ9zQUHaFea3L/s1600/DSC01075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTIWs90cxNcM9KVNw8BOt-GB0rbX2gXVrMVLo4qAX5qTiyAB6h6Y2wQji4tNEp7ecKdhZ7EB1dwwpoCIOHpJ8R6kNPo1j-qWDThFWEMfkOBltBuiHh1i_0PKFs_cnM1DsZ9zQUHaFea3L/s320/DSC01075.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<o:p> </o:p>The armour he produced was amazing. It looked better than the original (the
first time this had ever happened to me) In addition, the fit and mobility were like nothing I had ever experienced. I had worn a lot of armour, both casually and in combat, I felt like I could do anything in this suit. Years later in a combat with great swords (Not my best form) a fellow who was very good and very fast, took a shot at my head, I ducked it and came back to hit him hard enough to win the fight. He later remarked that he was so stunned that in that much armour, I ducked his shot, he forgot to block mine.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwlGNvkFNezx2R-XyPwwC_fNht-9r6zUTadOPpUkHtS8LJqNE3rEGgRtBvW3bLkx1z_i2COHM7p1rN8nbSE_XmWaVX458YFfV4DRZxJVrXPmucRt3zHPqOR89BWZNNkWyYosSjMLSHpiq/s1600/132_3226_Pennsic32-640x.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwlGNvkFNezx2R-XyPwwC_fNht-9r6zUTadOPpUkHtS8LJqNE3rEGgRtBvW3bLkx1z_i2COHM7p1rN8nbSE_XmWaVX458YFfV4DRZxJVrXPmucRt3zHPqOR89BWZNNkWyYosSjMLSHpiq/s320/132_3226_Pennsic32-640x.jpeg" width="213" /></a><br />
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I called Mac up after I received the suit and couldn't thank him enough. I told him it looked better than it did at any of the fittings. Mac said he didn’t like some pieces, so he tossed them aside and
made new ones. Again, I was seeing why he was “the best”; if the part was not
right, it was not right and it made no difference how much work he had put into
it, it was remade. In the specialty costume world, it is the same way. If the
piece isn’t right, you remake it. You may not like to, but the best of the best
shops will and if you want to be one of those shops, you will too. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Unfortunately in the film business, they know nothing of armour, at least
not approaching the same level of fit and finish they have for regular
clothing. As an example; Years ago, a friend of mine, who is one of the best
cutter/ fitters in the business, pointed out that in the movie “Leap of Faith”,
Steve Martin was probably wearing $3,000 to $4,000 in clothes during one scene.
She was referring to his “T-shirt & Jeans”! Designer t-shirt, designer
jeans, custom tailored, shoes….$4k. The subtly involved here it to make them
fit him perfectly, yet look “off the rack” and every day, yet still make him
look Marvelous! This take a lot more work and expertise than most would
imagine. In movie armour, they don’t understand that real armour can fit
amazingly well and look very heroic in its original design and material.
Because of course, "A knight needed a crane to lift him upon his
horse". Not helping this, are modern so, so armourers making mediocre suits
that reanactors go “WOW”, “Incredible” “I’ll be in my bunk” over. This is changing.
As more people see what is possible by the very good armourers getting their
work out there for more than a handful to see, as well as others, such as some
in Eastern Europe, get seen by the rest of the world. Real quality armours were
hardened steel (Similar to modern 1050 spring steel) and didn’t clank, they
went “snickity snick”/. They also were comfortable to wear, easy to move in and
didn’t hurt you every time you moved. One of these recent Jousting shows on TV,
had some “expert” point out that all armour “bites you” and you just deal with
it, it’s part of what makes armour cool to wear! What BS. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtghyphenhyphenhW27NrOIB5BZyTDulUikaHP2Sa89M_3D0OgmmBPQj34L7VumMKL2fifA1ZHI-uXiy7OwM5Bg292Vyvq0OeRVYNrizoHmh-89bUdgCagVCT5Rqxlcjc2VJmvMaUMOCWIrHClmhGzSK/s1600/TobySuit+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtghyphenhyphenhW27NrOIB5BZyTDulUikaHP2Sa89M_3D0OgmmBPQj34L7VumMKL2fifA1ZHI-uXiy7OwM5Bg292Vyvq0OeRVYNrizoHmh-89bUdgCagVCT5Rqxlcjc2VJmvMaUMOCWIrHClmhGzSK/s320/TobySuit+(5).jpg" width="226" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKiZuqlCaOsjBMXvWkFbQ9qyx06tPtOFRNP-fg6Cpn6BlVraHnUMTvzWS7d32_Hc_sTsGWpQOOjEZxyCG-fi4_IVQTp17KOc8oOW7ZH95xdyHmT4Oc0PEueCu3-wppOPH8KX-W9phpqLl/s1600/TobySuit+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKiZuqlCaOsjBMXvWkFbQ9qyx06tPtOFRNP-fg6Cpn6BlVraHnUMTvzWS7d32_Hc_sTsGWpQOOjEZxyCG-fi4_IVQTp17KOc8oOW7ZH95xdyHmT4Oc0PEueCu3-wppOPH8KX-W9phpqLl/s320/TobySuit+%25284%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a>This next suit was
a mid 15th century English harness made for Tobias Capwell, the curator of the Wallace arms & armour
collection. He has jousted in this regularly. My Maximillian armour was the last suit Mac made
from mild steel, everyone since, including this one is hardened 1050 spring
steel. Remember, this is all hand formed with hammer and stake, and no welds!
All single pieces of steel. Some only .035” thick as like the originals. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj4cVTFo6azi8Ndznd-PVfa2JtuYxRqGXr0h8ce8eY7i9ZwWSgh8b1_l1jPbUyhQva-HZOqsK9eTOQvSZT9dMtdS80NJT3GfkWZ76OPd649Ib8wteN9H17m8wwpN0_wZWjBqHvjGIvZAJ/s1600/TobySuit+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj4cVTFo6azi8Ndznd-PVfa2JtuYxRqGXr0h8ce8eY7i9ZwWSgh8b1_l1jPbUyhQva-HZOqsK9eTOQvSZT9dMtdS80NJT3GfkWZ76OPd649Ib8wteN9H17m8wwpN0_wZWjBqHvjGIvZAJ/s320/TobySuit+%252813%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xr7Pksugo87-Fouiurk8iR7KGUmay5Sn01ltlqtsueHEnatP-sXad-gRtqlNkVarL5gDwd_R2Nn_iAqjM4_GE3xtn2_KzCba4Ec_MJDgDpV6acntAcMyubAXs1mUuKCzoy3mWa-ubXrS/s1600/TobySuit+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xr7Pksugo87-Fouiurk8iR7KGUmay5Sn01ltlqtsueHEnatP-sXad-gRtqlNkVarL5gDwd_R2Nn_iAqjM4_GE3xtn2_KzCba4Ec_MJDgDpV6acntAcMyubAXs1mUuKCzoy3mWa-ubXrS/s320/TobySuit+%252814%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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</o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KcXyiz_TlQGQAWOR2sba6rTQZ9cluc8u5qUjqclFYGvZHYgzm4ZmvEyYAxJDrJ9O5xR0g3QgNVUhV7gDYZDkcnQAJN73-BDvcxAp86rO3H1i1oZ1-eUdAmFiUXbwmKd26KTR4QaW61gb/s1600/TobySuit+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KcXyiz_TlQGQAWOR2sba6rTQZ9cluc8u5qUjqclFYGvZHYgzm4ZmvEyYAxJDrJ9O5xR0g3QgNVUhV7gDYZDkcnQAJN73-BDvcxAp86rO3H1i1oZ1-eUdAmFiUXbwmKd26KTR4QaW61gb/s320/TobySuit+%252816%2529.jpg" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaK9Jr9y768pzv1WKAgiqQxnugqnCxpkUXmpDAHOq28RkUy0keUg2kRccZS4ekWi94Mt6evkzlIr87_3ZY-Ju7RfUOBvrUh-qKAGKuohE9qRH66xTHaUkpc7VL3XrUSBKHmcikvxbWguZ/s1600/TobySuit+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaK9Jr9y768pzv1WKAgiqQxnugqnCxpkUXmpDAHOq28RkUy0keUg2kRccZS4ekWi94Mt6evkzlIr87_3ZY-Ju7RfUOBvrUh-qKAGKuohE9qRH66xTHaUkpc7VL3XrUSBKHmcikvxbWguZ/s320/TobySuit+%252815%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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I sent these images to a film producer to show him what could be done. His response was "Are these in any way CG?" (Computer generated) He didn't think there was any way these suits pictures could be of a completely real suit and must have been at the very least augmented with a computer. I explained that no, no computers, in fact the suit is all hand made, by one guy.<br />
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There is a video from a presentation given by Dirk Breiding , assistant
curator of the MET, of Toby running in this suit and at first, you can’t tell
he is wearing armour. His gate is perfectly normal. The armour has little to no
effect on his stride. (Seen here at 35:10 <a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Dirk+Briedling+armour+&view=detail&mid=140B9BC842FD85A007C6140B9BC842FD85A007C6&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Dirk+Briedling+armour+&view=detail&mid=140B9BC842FD85A007C6140B9BC842FD85A007C6&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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Mac and I discussed building another suit for me, this one to have etched bands and borders, perhaps some gilt bands. I was thinking of the harness he made just before mine, which was amazing. <br />
The original harness is known as the "KD" harness. Macs is the "Harness with palmettes"<br />
Here it is:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikB8smfR7K5N9lSxjUvyZ838wItMAujuutu_-PcbSWEwOMEo-aeKgjauNqUu6IuexUMPHiucf7afkJ4XMXnnWD4I2x8QWSdAeICksNcMg_pj-9muGe66gAbkftuPcdg0ePoKWjpHldavV/s1600/KD+Harrness+(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikB8smfR7K5N9lSxjUvyZ838wItMAujuutu_-PcbSWEwOMEo-aeKgjauNqUu6IuexUMPHiucf7afkJ4XMXnnWD4I2x8QWSdAeICksNcMg_pj-9muGe66gAbkftuPcdg0ePoKWjpHldavV/s320/KD+Harrness+(3).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOevOhn_ty1LI1xpqMGj7kp76BEPgRCJcNfqDoM6khmqx7xOXcDAbpF6Kez0kruzbrscHWVNSFyL0PudRSfaj7YxrK801CmOSVealV5EaAi1cTUJfpy6c5BfUa4WvnTYWwWV482UFZ-T5/s1600/KD+Harrness+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOevOhn_ty1LI1xpqMGj7kp76BEPgRCJcNfqDoM6khmqx7xOXcDAbpF6Kez0kruzbrscHWVNSFyL0PudRSfaj7YxrK801CmOSVealV5EaAi1cTUJfpy6c5BfUa4WvnTYWwWV482UFZ-T5/s320/KD+Harrness+(1).jpeg" width="307" /></a><br />
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I couldn't decide which period or style and during one phone conversation with Mac, I suggested perhaps using parts of one suit with elements from another. There was a silence on the other end, then in a slightly apprehensive, tone "ah, well....One should pick a style and revel in it." In other words, you don't really want to mix a bunch of styles that don't go together do you? Yet to me, I didn't see these as very different styles, I mean, in my brain they were only 20 or so years apart, imagine a 1960's mustang with a 1980's Chevy front end,...oh, yeah, that would look awful. OK, lets do a Greenwich harness. This was a style distinctly English from the mid to late 16th century. At a time when there was no king on the throne to "upstage" and you could commission the Royal Armoury, with Queen Elisabeth permission of course, to make the most elaborate armour you could imagine. <br />
Here is what was decided. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMVgSbfM5VKUhfyZTrTW-W_uzMH7c3tWvywShbQw0JyIMoHAshg8otGTbqJnUAIu8EABJbDHwHmYhUtfBRkAdg2Z_qSVyVl2o4lv63f_yQnUps1hRec5EEoBtWtgQegBJsCIoN9BsOZYe/s1600/A0062.00.00.01+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMVgSbfM5VKUhfyZTrTW-W_uzMH7c3tWvywShbQw0JyIMoHAshg8otGTbqJnUAIu8EABJbDHwHmYhUtfBRkAdg2Z_qSVyVl2o4lv63f_yQnUps1hRec5EEoBtWtgQegBJsCIoN9BsOZYe/s320/A0062.00.00.01+copy.jpg" width="186" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmpiG8yvkxx2xoMHbXjDeBoRIYWtpl-_ADn0ChQ2MN917JX1ZVJ-_sXZt4T0FOYJ7d6z5HOrXjnUtTenAcUzXNUcaLTed14gHH-5fdBlBGTm7ZmkFPlbzokcKKRgj25BMaoOqkUUeLWDN/s1600/A0062.00.06.01+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmpiG8yvkxx2xoMHbXjDeBoRIYWtpl-_ADn0ChQ2MN917JX1ZVJ-_sXZt4T0FOYJ7d6z5HOrXjnUtTenAcUzXNUcaLTed14gHH-5fdBlBGTm7ZmkFPlbzokcKKRgj25BMaoOqkUUeLWDN/s320/A0062.00.06.01+copy.jpg" width="163" /></a>The original (shown here) is now in the Wallace collection in London. This new suit would be a garniture as was the original, that is a harness with exchange pieces. Consisting of different helmets, reinforce pieces for the upper body and left arm. All used for different styles of tournaments. This armour would have originally had a dark blue finish in the areas not gilded. We decided on the garniture pieces and Mac started the new suit, this one in hardened 1050 spring steel. Unfortunately part way through this project, Mac damaged his elbow and it made if near impossible for him to make armour. So the project sat unfinished for a few years. Recently I contacted Jeff Wasson, an immensely talented craftsman, who has agreed to finish the harness. <br />
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Here are some images of the harness as it is now:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JsowfMPAVeWpqn53o2Rg9S_Rw3gb1Q2ZLMlJRFKccohtzFQzi6phuibsa4ODQ_dZOan3cAd7XzhbBzwBYFJqk6djQo6rLHoWY4m566o-hj53rsUNGiNnVBgrE4l1vy4LKKLEk7cA6sJn/s1600/sm4982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JsowfMPAVeWpqn53o2Rg9S_Rw3gb1Q2ZLMlJRFKccohtzFQzi6phuibsa4ODQ_dZOan3cAd7XzhbBzwBYFJqk6djQo6rLHoWY4m566o-hj53rsUNGiNnVBgrE4l1vy4LKKLEk7cA6sJn/s320/sm4982.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkK-ape7EyhrO5M7F6g2spt0TXWHvYey2ZOJVQk8AirKTuGP-sTUJsQ38LbW8RJzVIGp79WmNzAyzdNBVDGBV7FtfuYdOeK9t_HnzoSQK9SlVL0y9_bYXyao50R9v0Eg8u0zPN6kk63xDR/s1600/sm4963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkK-ape7EyhrO5M7F6g2spt0TXWHvYey2ZOJVQk8AirKTuGP-sTUJsQ38LbW8RJzVIGp79WmNzAyzdNBVDGBV7FtfuYdOeK9t_HnzoSQK9SlVL0y9_bYXyao50R9v0Eg8u0zPN6kk63xDR/s320/sm4963.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Hopefully, later this year it will be completed. Check back, when its completed I will post images. Oh and the pewter Pilgrimage badges? Mac and his wife Mary Ann make those, along with many other fine pewter goods and they can be found here at "Billy & Charlie's" <a href="http://billyandcharlie.com/">http://billyandcharlie.com/</a>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-5981239047408542252011-11-20T14:53:00.000-08:002018-05-27T17:32:25.972-07:00Work place noise attenuation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes I need to wear hearing protection and many times like others, want my own music. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t like earbuds because the either fall out or bother my ears and don’t cover my ear to help cut down on harsh shop noises. I like headphones, but they need to be light enough so when you bend over, they aren’t sliding around. I really like my Bose Quiet Comfort headphones. Their noise reduction quality is very good and of course the playback is great. They are light weight and comfortable. The only down side was the cord. I have tried cordless headphones, but I have to say, every pair I’ve used is worthless. They are heavy and the connection to the base is always cutting in and out. Even a Bluetooth unit in my pocket is intermittent. I hated record albums for the noise they had if everything wasn’t perfectly clean, so I was happy to embrace the digital age, so these wireless headphones just reminded me of the similar noise issues associated with vinyl. One day I realized that the Bose cord connection, which is a plug that can be removed from the headset, would be the perfect place to mount an IPod Nano.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohYtrmRZPk5Rj_BNBv0JyGyyVf0fIx3huR1CFiXm6fy0lFDuoUcdiFp1VpqkO_NzPifdMHfC679fv5BcepMPE_9eXXleLnwPG3S0nejz1lcp6UUZUZIFwGLKiY6GX0N-QHgNhlpHlHcNx/s1600/IMG_2178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohYtrmRZPk5Rj_BNBv0JyGyyVf0fIx3huR1CFiXm6fy0lFDuoUcdiFp1VpqkO_NzPifdMHfC679fv5BcepMPE_9eXXleLnwPG3S0nejz1lcp6UUZUZIFwGLKiY6GX0N-QHgNhlpHlHcNx/s400/IMG_2178.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Making a metal bracket and shortening the cord, I now had shop headphones that removed harsh shop noises, but let voices in and had no cord.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzYrNXfO4Dubyhcm-NHKA8WIrIhQTzB_3nD4XJhM1K-szn5yJm9sCwN_LT6Ll13mOt8cIZU8RMuOH3rjLX3WXVW1IOgreRTGOu8kt1UCVrJYZKPiceep2INsVitK1kVfDH7nnhRF8-11G/s1600/IMG_2180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzYrNXfO4Dubyhcm-NHKA8WIrIhQTzB_3nD4XJhM1K-szn5yJm9sCwN_LT6Ll13mOt8cIZU8RMuOH3rjLX3WXVW1IOgreRTGOu8kt1UCVrJYZKPiceep2INsVitK1kVfDH7nnhRF8-11G/s320/IMG_2180.JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98dgsCtOzzdt177wPoL_ifzwk8Qj1GHE7rnXjHakQ7D2otTnyurqt_wPO43ErKZmtv6njObB8zI0STTsqU055Nhv2iI7eI7YX2PUF2S-1oQ__cz2NPLFRogWBtiYkViYSNEmgu9cN0hYV/s1600/IMG_2183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98dgsCtOzzdt177wPoL_ifzwk8Qj1GHE7rnXjHakQ7D2otTnyurqt_wPO43ErKZmtv6njObB8zI0STTsqU055Nhv2iI7eI7YX2PUF2S-1oQ__cz2NPLFRogWBtiYkViYSNEmgu9cN0hYV/s320/IMG_2183.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
With this piece, I can now unplug the Nano and plug in the regular headphone cable and us my headphones for travel or other music sources.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I then needed a place to set these, along with my safety glasses, so when not in use, would be out of the way and safe. Pulling out a mold of my head (I know, don’t we all have one? It was made for a creature suit job many years ago) I was going to cast it in clear, but I was out of clear resin, so reaching into the mold, I smeared on some metallic powder and here is the result:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUq_rSWb7g1SqvhfkYQ3XySTRS7wyuFmywEAbox_VjUcnoNlrCWzih4yCecJPJc-_fHfglw2s22TgfTI4c5TR8aP-GuSg1b1LPRItL0_uU2mARjQoVQlacMhsAgDxhOBa9CwFrYJiuYmu/s1600/Why-So-Serious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUq_rSWb7g1SqvhfkYQ3XySTRS7wyuFmywEAbox_VjUcnoNlrCWzih4yCecJPJc-_fHfglw2s22TgfTI4c5TR8aP-GuSg1b1LPRItL0_uU2mARjQoVQlacMhsAgDxhOBa9CwFrYJiuYmu/s640/Why-So-Serious.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224566304028473744.post-14631176921308165842011-10-14T18:11:00.000-07:002018-05-27T17:32:25.911-07:00A 2011 Samsung Fridge becomes a 1930's fridgeMy wife and I own a 1926 Arts & Crafts Bungalow and the previous owners "restored" it in 1980's "Home Depot style". I have re done the bedroom and laundry/ back hall area in a style inspired by the architects Greene & Greene, and now it's on to the kitchen and breakfast nook. We needed a new refrigerator, but we didn't like the idea of a modern appliance in a Craftsman style house. However, since my day job is making things look like things they are not, or replicating just about anything, it didn’t seem to hard to make a 2011 refrigerator look like a 1926 enameled Ice box. <br />
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We looked at many different modern efficient refrigerators and liked the Samsung. But since I hadn’t started on the restoration of the kitchen, we weren’t in any hurry to buy a new fridge. Well one day, we found one at Lowes on sale, because the handles where missing and the door had a small dent. An offer we couldn’t refuse! So, I needed to build a fridge. Here is what I started with:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JRIBa_kFGea2sUoAQWujQse3dQ1TQuObLKGpnPdt7ocvEBYqDKJc9p3BEi_Xlg7wfe9LpKbCrWJjr80eZUDpHs6M_FdVRfwdi3N5Oz-VjY0vkm7nEE0JTKaztAHPLioWt9l1uHquItEi/s1600/samsung_rsg257aars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JRIBa_kFGea2sUoAQWujQse3dQ1TQuObLKGpnPdt7ocvEBYqDKJc9p3BEi_Xlg7wfe9LpKbCrWJjr80eZUDpHs6M_FdVRfwdi3N5Oz-VjY0vkm7nEE0JTKaztAHPLioWt9l1uHquItEi/s320/samsung_rsg257aars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I did some research and found many examples of white enameled Ice box's and refrigerators from the 20’s and 30’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a couple of examples:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZAKRkha2tXfzNS9GscE4qAO52vtkuXXZD3X_EOumssWTCJPUZgb4sjeit0mmeXjP42ilYalFgYHG-Y3pSQ3HRBoKc2ouiQr56ljrwbTIvdurwyWxeZzwjv3kmhSLc_UBC5PKvEf8tTi-/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZAKRkha2tXfzNS9GscE4qAO52vtkuXXZD3X_EOumssWTCJPUZgb4sjeit0mmeXjP42ilYalFgYHG-Y3pSQ3HRBoKc2ouiQr56ljrwbTIvdurwyWxeZzwjv3kmhSLc_UBC5PKvEf8tTi-/s320/1.jpg" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkl9dkvsX2W8bqJqXRBM3hN7OUxgmbzjiOFJR_6U8ECEvzfbahV0s8sTNZYNPzyn3QaBgBwx7XKPFnLcwMb9WyLieXZwga_NbcFZByAkZzMD3p78CKLokXXzt8Mstr4MdLmUvvDK0ZSe1/s1600/imagesCAXUOV97.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkl9dkvsX2W8bqJqXRBM3hN7OUxgmbzjiOFJR_6U8ECEvzfbahV0s8sTNZYNPzyn3QaBgBwx7XKPFnLcwMb9WyLieXZwga_NbcFZByAkZzMD3p78CKLokXXzt8Mstr4MdLmUvvDK0ZSe1/s320/imagesCAXUOV97.jpg" width="248" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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The plan was to add fake ice box doors to the front of the stainless fridge, with only the one over the ice maker a functional door. The others would be attached to the Samsung’s doors and when the handle was pulled, the whole Samsung door would open. I laid out the door proportions in Corel Draw and then cut ¾” MDF as patterns. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doors where to be vacuum formed from 1/8 plastic about ½” high with a Coroplast filler.(Trade name for corrugated plastic material) This Coroplast piece would keep the vacuum formed Icebox door panels stiff, without adding much weight to the fridge doors.<br />
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For my hardware, ebay seemed like a good source, but I couldn’t find just the right thing. So, I fabricated a handle in brass, based on a period one, but about twice as large and located the hinges from McMaster Carr. (A great source for many things) However, the hinges where $35 ea! I needed 11 of them and only 2 had to work. Well $385 for hinges was a bit to steep, even if we had saved double that on the “damaged” fridge. Luckily, I have a spin caster for “white metal” pewter casting, so I made my own. <br />
This process entails "pressing" a rubber mold of your master parts in a vulcanizing press. This press heats the rubber to about 300 f and subjects the raw hot rubber to about 1500 psi. Once the mold heat cures (about an hour), it’s placed in a spin caster and the molten pewter (500 f.) is ladled into the top of the machine which pours into the spinning mold. 60 seconds later, you have cast metal parts. This is a very common way to make many different types of inexpensive metal items. Here is a photo of the hardware and the rubber mold:<br />
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Each piece of hardware was attached with stainless machine screws with an “Oval” style head. This is a counter sunk screw with a slightly domed head. Since Phillips screws, invented by Henry F. Phillips, were not in use until 1937, slotted style was chosen. Each screw, threads into a “Riv-nut”, a “pop rivet” style of threaded insert that is commonly used in sheet metal applications. This riv-nut provides more robust threads in a thin sheet skin.<br />
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Here is the assembled fridge with plastic door panels and cast hardware:<br />
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<o:p> </o:p>The door over the Ice maker has a vacuum formed inner panel and is bonded to the outer panel with a 3/8” wood filler to make a complete door that has a nice feel and weight to it. Since this was the only working door, I wanted it to feel more like the type of insulated metal door that would be on an original fridge.<br />
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Once I had all the hardware deburred and prepped I sent it to my friends at F&H plating for a brushed nickel finish. The fridge was sanded, masked and given a white automotive paint finish.<br />
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With the newly plated hardware the 2011 Samsung was transformed into a 1930’s(ish) fridge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmwH6_9TsWSfzTYfQsWNdNmlFIO9DdvJ8Fapt-GRWnn-hLTx93XtvVahzt50JbNeE-2FQFtlTZ9Zo43AgpFbBH-PH1U3BauYlUyFXCctdiVTM69Plw1w18xpH5dV4EskQXh9eW-JPsGa-/s1600/IMG_2090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmwH6_9TsWSfzTYfQsWNdNmlFIO9DdvJ8Fapt-GRWnn-hLTx93XtvVahzt50JbNeE-2FQFtlTZ9Zo43AgpFbBH-PH1U3BauYlUyFXCctdiVTM69Plw1w18xpH5dV4EskQXh9eW-JPsGa-/s640/IMG_2090.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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The last touch will be a “Manufacturers plate” added to the gap between the left hand doors. (A printed place holder can be seen in the photo.)<br />
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This gap between doors seems to be a common thing on many of these old fridges and I assume it’s because there is some plumbing elements there. Well since my door layout is cosmetic, with the exception of the door covering the ice maker, I incorporated this gap in the design with the intention of adding the plate. The manufacturers plate is acid etched in magnesium, using a process used for making rubber stamps. here is the finished badge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0wdZlHJ3J1nIN-3rWoJg1XIWf8eDCc-NZbFJRkZkVcQXXku9NUZGzgspq-bKtYcUBFA3lvKG26vMDZknUaP4G4R-VXwrXLxgVWUWG_X1ip7QuPrdCj13_4ZWPJXdsngszBRJn_CwYitc/s1600/badge28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0wdZlHJ3J1nIN-3rWoJg1XIWf8eDCc-NZbFJRkZkVcQXXku9NUZGzgspq-bKtYcUBFA3lvKG26vMDZknUaP4G4R-VXwrXLxgVWUWG_X1ip7QuPrdCj13_4ZWPJXdsngszBRJn_CwYitc/s320/badge28.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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Per request, here is a shot of the fridge with the water/ice door open. It also shows the sheet metal fascia at the bottom, this replaces the original plastic one and facilitates the legs to be added. Most of these old ice boxes and coolers had legs and were raised off the floor. Because we have the fridge located in a part of the kitchen that steps down, raising it was essential to allow the righthand door to fully open. In addition, because both my wife and I are above average height, raising the fridge is perfect, it turns out it is a much better height for us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40ialyrZqYzn59-NoJy6CMHWzoanjZCcu4-lwDIKYEVampvZQLEakpSciyWkuhnB2fsgVlVrhtEnUoSfJRZbYJZyGJcqFmqKE7eUVP17Em8tx50trXMF7htN5H5crKPnrSmtCz0N1JK-C/s1600/fridge2611l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40ialyrZqYzn59-NoJy6CMHWzoanjZCcu4-lwDIKYEVampvZQLEakpSciyWkuhnB2fsgVlVrhtEnUoSfJRZbYJZyGJcqFmqKE7eUVP17Em8tx50trXMF7htN5H5crKPnrSmtCz0N1JK-C/s400/fridge2611l.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
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Chris Gilmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05753259947893659018noreply@blogger.com57