This summer I am going to try and make a replica Captain America shield for my cousin who really likes Captain America. So, I was wondering if we have anything that large enough for me to make the shield and if we have anything to forge an accurate curve.
I did watch some videos on people who have smithed the shield before and they had something like this:
Thanks for any response, help, and advice.
-Josh
Obviously not sure what you’re going for in terms of durability, etc., but for a costume shield, I gotta say I’d try to learn “spinning” and do that sucker from aluminum…
Do we have the equipment to do spinning? Because if we did then that would be a lot easier.
Also I plan on doing it out of aluminum because my cousin wants to wear it to work and giving him a hunk of steel to wear on his back would be way too much.
In short, I am not aware of us having any of the “forming” equipment, whether for hammer & heat or spinning. I know we have at least 2 lathes, which seems like the biggest prerequisite for spinning. Then you’d need to buy/make the tooling, unless we have it, which I doubt. However, that doesn’t really seem all that involved (from someone who’s never done it).
Here’s a nice article on hammerforming. Again, if we have any of that stuff other than the hammers, I am unaware.
Here’s another way.
However, these all require “molds”, whether that’s a stump with a bowl shape to it or the dies for the pressed version, which we almost certainly do NOT have…
Hi Josh,
You certainly have an interesting project - one that seems like it should
be easy but in execution is a little more difficult. The ideal solution for
you, IMHO, would be to use an English Wheel, which will curve the metal
nicely for you without hammer marks, burnishing, etc. Unfortunately we
don’t have one at the space. Though if you are interested in investing in
one for yourself, I believe they run about $300 at Harbor Freight.
The second option would be to forge one. If I were to do it, I would use a
small dish form to begin, then “raise” it the rest of the way using a ball
stake. Because aluminum becomes harder and more difficult to work the more
you work it (work hardens) you would ideally use an Oxy acetylene torch to
heat the metal periodically, then quench it in water. That will make it
malleable again. You do have to be careful when heating aluminum as it will
not turn colors for you as it heats (like polite metal does) and it’s easy
to have a hole in your work or just end up with a puddle. I don’t believe
we have an oxy acetylene torch at this time.
Spinning would be a great idea, but there are a couple of problems. One,
the size of your work (about 3 feet across I’m guessing?) makes it just
plain difficult. Two, we don’t have the chucks and forms. Three, and most
important, it is VERY dangerous, and not an activity I can really
recommend for the Space. It’s not a mater of “if” your metal goes flying
through the air at high speeds, it’s “when.” And spinning is not at all
easy.
I know that’s not very encouraging… and I am sorry for that. If you would
like to join us for Open Forge/Blacksmithing class (check the DMS calendar
for dates) we’ll help you as we can.
Sarah
Thanks for the input Sarah. So here’s what i’m thinking. First of, I can’t pay for an english wheel due to the fact that i’m in high school and that I would have no use for it after this. Secondly If I could find a place that will allow me to spin the metal I could ask them to help me, otherwise I could use the really big lathe. If I could get the big lathe to work then I could do smaller projects to get myself familiar with metal spinning. And if neither of those options work, I can forge it. If it comes to that point then I would need a lot of help from those who know a lot about smithing.
You’re close. The exact size, based on the wiki, is 2.5 feet.
Since this is a cosplay item, have you considered using a plastic saucer sled instead? Plastic is lighter, easier to modify, and the saucer is close to the finished shape before you start.the price is right, too.
I’ve seen somebody make one out of an old satellite dish - the small one that DIsh or Direct TV used.
You’re right, if this was a cosplay item I would use a snow sled saucer but I expect this to go into combat (and possibly deflect light weight rounds at close range). As such, after the metal is spun I will be adding high density rubber and Kevlar behind it.
Purchase a shield blank. They aren’t cheap, but then you’re not talking about a cheap process here at all. You can spend that much or more learning how to do this for a one-off project, or you can support an artisan who has the product available now.
http://www.windrosearmoury.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=302
Isn’t that kind of part of the point of this place?
Maybe it’s just me…
Having said, yeah, that’s pretty cheap, really…
We all define what the point of a Maker Space is for ourselves. 
If you really want to make this thing from scratch, you probably should invest in learning how to do it correctly with the correct tools for the job. If we don’t have the correct tools currently, that needs to be addressed and fixed, or an alternate method of construction needs to be thought of.
If you are more result driven, rather than process driven, there is nothing wrong with buying rather than fabricating in order to get the project done safely, timely, relatively affordably, and well.
Example: I do pottery. I will eventually make my own Korean style potter’s wheel. I have have collected and processed my own clay. I have created glazes from scratch. However, I am also very willing to use any of the available wheels we currently have, buy clay and glazes from a store or online, or use molds instead of creating a piece from scratch.
But, in the end, it’s your project, have at and be safe.
Nathan.
Do it right and make it out of Vibranium or don’t do it at all!
Because obviously I can find purchase a non-existent metal.
I have to say, based on your stated end-desires, I think I might just go full-on composite. you need some foam to create the mold, but then foam is easy to cut and shape, then lay your kevlar and/or structural layers (carbon fibre if you got the $$, or glass fibre if you don’t) in. No need to do the metal at all, unless you just want to. Could always use strips of aluminum or steel to re-inforce if you think it’s necessary…
And, of course, you’d need to create positive and negative mold sides if you want to put pressure on it, but probably you could get away with bagging the whole shebang without a top on…
I’m sure someone around here knows more than I do about doing a composite form like this (@Ian_Jaeger)…
I imagine rhenium clad over titanium would be good enough.
At the risk of posting something inflammatory …
If you are serious about this being a combat item, then I would strongly discourage you from attempting it. The military have spent a fortune optimizing things like low IR reflectance, radar signatures, visual and digital camouflage, etc. on all 60 - 100 pounds of items an infantryman wears and carries. Without doing something comparable, you are likely just putting a huge target on your cousin’s back.
Chris
I would think this would be a combat item for LARP and not for real military usage.
Whoa. Totally did NOT read that “combat” as “military action”. I read that as “LARP-combat”. And I did not read “(and possibly deflect light weight rounds at close range)” to mean deflecting bullets: I figured we were talking about airsoft rounds at most, or maybe NERF ahem…lightning bolts…
I have to agree. If “combat” means actually engaging a military enemy where death is on the line, best leave that to the professionals.
You’re right, I would be. I just thought of that the other day myself. As such, I’m going to tell him that he shouldn’t wear it in combat zones. If anything he would wear it to work in the pentagon and if (Giant if) it were attacked he would have something to work with. I also know that this would probably not be as strong as something the military would make, because I don’t have millions of dollars to do research and test.
The main point of this is to give him a gift expressing how much I love him and all that he’s done for me, and if that means making him something that could save his life I will do it. It’s not for infantry, it’s not for in the field, it’s not for spec ops. It’s a way for him to show who he is, it’s a way to show that there are people ready to protect his back, it’s a shield, designed to defend him when he needs it most.
Otherwise, I have found a couple of metal spinners in Fort Worth and I’m going to ask them if they can help me. If not, i’m going to buy the shield blank and work from there. Lastly, thank you for the feedback and interest on my project. I hope that with your feedback that I can make this shield great.