04-01-2008, 12:22 PM
I am not giving up guys. I am starting over. I ordered the metal last night for one more attempt. I think I know how to fix it perfectly this time. I am going to work in this order:
1) Cut out back plate. Fold over edge on bottom edge only.
2) Shape back plate fixing a few minor things I learned on my first attempt.
3) Dish the back muscles on the back plate.
4) Place hinges on the sides only for the back plate.
5) Make minor changes to front pattern to meet up perfectly with now dished back plate.
6) Cut out front plate leaving a LOT of extra material on the neck and shoulder areas. Turn over edge on bottom edge only.
7) Dish general shape of front plate to body and then hinge the side plates together with the back.
8) Slowly bring the front plates shoulders together with the back plate and mark where they meet when folded properly. (So apparently the 8 followed by a ) makes a cool smiley. Completely unintentional.)
9) Partially flatten the shoulder area on front plate and cut out/shave off extra material to get correct neck and shoulder curveature where it meets up perfectly to back.
10) Dish muscles in front plate.
11) Turn edges over themselves for shoulder and neck areas.
12) Turn up collar.
13) Hinge shoulder area.
14) Perform finishing work with hammers.
15) Use grinder to buff and polish outside surface.
16) Cover inside with leather.
I probably could salvage the back plate, but why, when I can make a few minor adjustments to the new plate prior to adding muscle and get it perfectly the way I would like it to be.
I came to the realization that the front plate was doomed from the moment I cut it out though. It meets up perfectly on the form, but then when it curves to the body's contour, the shoulder plates are too far to the inside and cross the shoulders at the wrong angle. They hit the back plate at approximately a 30 degree angle.
The only mistake I made on the back plate was that I was so busy forming it to my body that I did not realize I started the curve over the back of the shoulder too soon so that it overlapped too far. Basically, if you lay the plate down, the side edges and shoulder edges should hit the ground so that they are both smoothly resting on the ground flush. The shoulders were too far forward which rocks the plate upward at an angle to the ground. I could have shaved off some of it, but I would rather hit it right on the next piece of metal to keep the lines cleaner.
The metal shipped this morning so I should be back in the shop Saturday working again. Just a week delay. Not the end of the world even though I feel like I just lost a battle.
hock:
1) Cut out back plate. Fold over edge on bottom edge only.
2) Shape back plate fixing a few minor things I learned on my first attempt.
3) Dish the back muscles on the back plate.
4) Place hinges on the sides only for the back plate.
5) Make minor changes to front pattern to meet up perfectly with now dished back plate.
6) Cut out front plate leaving a LOT of extra material on the neck and shoulder areas. Turn over edge on bottom edge only.
7) Dish general shape of front plate to body and then hinge the side plates together with the back.
8) Slowly bring the front plates shoulders together with the back plate and mark where they meet when folded properly. (So apparently the 8 followed by a ) makes a cool smiley. Completely unintentional.)
9) Partially flatten the shoulder area on front plate and cut out/shave off extra material to get correct neck and shoulder curveature where it meets up perfectly to back.
10) Dish muscles in front plate.
11) Turn edges over themselves for shoulder and neck areas.
12) Turn up collar.
13) Hinge shoulder area.
14) Perform finishing work with hammers.
15) Use grinder to buff and polish outside surface.
16) Cover inside with leather.
I probably could salvage the back plate, but why, when I can make a few minor adjustments to the new plate prior to adding muscle and get it perfectly the way I would like it to be.
I came to the realization that the front plate was doomed from the moment I cut it out though. It meets up perfectly on the form, but then when it curves to the body's contour, the shoulder plates are too far to the inside and cross the shoulders at the wrong angle. They hit the back plate at approximately a 30 degree angle.
The only mistake I made on the back plate was that I was so busy forming it to my body that I did not realize I started the curve over the back of the shoulder too soon so that it overlapped too far. Basically, if you lay the plate down, the side edges and shoulder edges should hit the ground so that they are both smoothly resting on the ground flush. The shoulders were too far forward which rocks the plate upward at an angle to the ground. I could have shaved off some of it, but I would rather hit it right on the next piece of metal to keep the lines cleaner.
The metal shipped this morning so I should be back in the shop Saturday working again. Just a week delay. Not the end of the world even though I feel like I just lost a battle.
hock:
"A wise man learns from his mistakes, but the truly wise man learns from the mistakes of others."
Chris Boatcallie
Chris Boatcallie
