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I need help from any brother Legionnaire who knows how to or can point me to someone who can groove the brass front edge trim on my Imperial Gallic G helmet. I have tried as many machine shop here in Florida as I could find and only one said they could do the job, but at at extremely outragious price. We have no craftsmen for this kind of work here.
I tried to freehand the cuts, but the job turned out sloppy. Can anyone help me?
Manius Acilius Italicus
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Did you try hammering the grooves in?
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
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I started Rich, but they weren't deep enough. Then I tried cutting them with that cut-off tool I told you about and it had a tendancy to wander and screwed up my lines. There is a simple machine called a Pexto that is nothing more than a rolling machine with different faced rollers that could do the job, but I have yet to find a machine shop with one.
I have been directed to find a custom building motorcycle shop, as they have lots of machines to make parts from scratch, but I also have not located one here yet. I was just wondering how everyone else or the ancients made them? This is the last item I have to make to complete my helmet (besides embossing the rosettes).
Manius Acilius Italicus
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For one of my early projects (and ribbed bands of gladius scabbards) I simply use a small tool I made from easy to get items.
What I did was getting a alu ribbed profile strip from my DIY-store (the one you can mount on your stairs of front door carpets to prefent slippery surfaces. Cut it into two pieces and mount them on top of each other that way they are alligned nicely. Then drill a big hole on both ends and secure with bolts. You can now easily place a brass strip between both ends and start hammering.
It's a USD 5,-- tool which will do a fine job.
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You are a smart guy Jurjen!
Folkert van Wijk
Celtic Auxilia, Legio II Augusta.
With a wide interrest for everything Celtic BC
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Now that is really smart! Rolling mills are expensive, and a lot of other metal workers would like to know that tip.
Richard Campbell
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Thanks Jvrjenivs, that at least gives me another option. My original plan was to use the pulley off of an automobile alternator and that would have worked well, however I have not had the time to literally make a machine to go along with it and have learned the hard way that you must anneal that brass, as it is harder than most people think.
Manius Acilius Italicus
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If you are having trouble with mang groves your material may be too thick. I use 0.10 shim brass for quite a bit around my shop as well as some thinner stuff. I have zero difficuly making ribs of different shapes. You should anneal it first to make it soft. You can also use lead, pitch or clay as a backing and use ordinary chisels which have been profiled with a gentle curve rather than a point to hammer the ribs in. The key to getting it right is predrawing all you lines and going slow and steady.
Dean Cunningham,
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If you haven't yet... you might try an air conditioning company that does duct work. I recently had a custom sheet metal company do work for me and they were happy to do it... at a very low cost!
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Great replies and advise from all. I admit already that I have not annealed my brass yet and that is part of the problem. It is a pain to fire up the forge and blower and with the local temp around 95F, not a lot of fun. I will give it a go again with the annealing first and if this dosen't work, I will take a shot at the a/c people. All of the sheet metal shops I tried said they couldn't do it.
I have finished the dies for my rosettes and will report on how they come out. I have found that many of the folks here are more than willing to assist with little or no cost for some work. Our hobby attracts a lot of people, as most have not seen anyone doing it. All of you guys (and gals) keep up the good work.
Manius Acilius Italicus
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You can anneal brass with just a propane torch or a gas stove. No need to light the forge. With gas, there isn't any particular fumes or smoke you have to deal with, and a kitchen sink with three fingers of water in it is enough to quench the hot brass without incident.
It also makes a nifty chirping sound. :lol:
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
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hi Robert
may be a bit late but a company in the U.S actually make reeded brass trim, try frank morrow web site frankmorrow.com
Martin
martin ward
vicuscenturion
carpe diem[/quote]
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In the past when I have made brow bands for helmets I have used 7 thou' thick brass sheet and created the decoration in raised relief ie fine repousse'
Then this piece of work has been fitted over brass sheet of 0-6mm thickness simply wrapped over the other metal by around a 16th of an inch.
If I might mention an interesting tip about how to make a brow band sit more neatly onto a helmet bowl is to make it with a slight curve.
The average brow band strip is in the region of about 11 inches but if one makes the two ends at 1/4 inch above the horizontal and create a curve over the length with the centre on the horizontal line this allows the band to lean back to take up the curve when applied to the helmet bowl and gets rid of the two gaps that appear in the 1/4 and 3/4 points along the brow band.
Brian Stobbs
