Official Thread - Making of my 1st belt :)

[Titus Marius Secundus]

I am now in the process of cutting out the shapes of my frogs. Next to the blank plates that I sawed apart, after a couple hours total of sawing! ... I have these frogs that I'm not happy with...But were a learning experience!

[Titus Marius Secundus]

...and those two blanks are starting to take form

...

[Titus Marius Secundus]

for the record :whistle:

( Please note that I may not even be happy with my current belt plate, I want a sharper tidier image maybe? Unless you disagree, and this the imperfection looks authentic? I want to make METAL BRASS STAMPS) So, but maybe not for this belt...if I want to mass produce them sure...

These two pictures may help you get an idea of the finished result the extension that a round disk should be attached to, well that may get cut shorter, bent up and soldered into a " lathed decorated" solid brass disk. I plan to drill into the disk, and solder the upturned end into it making it " as good as cast!" haha...

Sam :mrgreen:

[Crispvs]

They are looking good so far.

There is a point though you may want to consider before starting on some of the stages you outlined above. The type of frog with the disc cast into the end and then bent up appears to be associated with type 'A' plates. Type 'B' plates such as yours may have been associated with a different type. This second type actually looks very much like what you have made but at the end there is a stubby vertical column which the disc is rivetted to. In some cases this 'column' is narrow or conical and its end passes through a hole in the centre of the disc before being peened over to secure the disc to the frog. In other cases the 'column' is thicker and its centre is drilled to allow a rivet to pass through both it and the disc.

Therefore I would suggest that you leave the end of your piece the width it presently is so as to fix a very short (1/4 inch max) piece of sturdy brass tube to it which you can then rivet the disc to. If you manage to do this well you might still be able to get a 'cast' look but one where it is obvious that the disc is rivetted to this cast piece as many originals were.

Don't feel you have to choose this exact method but I hope this is useful to you all the same.

Crispvs

[Titus Marius Secundus]

I understand very well, and I appreciate your wonderful explanation. I think this would be better, nicer looking with a copper rivet, and stronger! I am going to work on a drawing to maybe get a clearer idea, shouldn't take me long. I'll try working more on it tonight right after...be back soon...

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Okay so I'll keep working on the design. I won't make the extension part any narrower, so that this brass rod may be joined onto it nicely. I'm afraid this brass rod is 1/8th of an inch...I'm sure that's alright? I can drill a hole through it. I'll cut off a piece of what length as to stand tall? Like, as to raise the disk above the frog *

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

I know this update doesn't look like a lot, but I've spent an hour and a half just filing and sanding this frog...it won't die!!! :x

I have formed different levels, and done finer filing for shaping the gaps and all, I've thinned the metal too by a third or so. I have made the areas around the hinges more angular, and now I'm going to round them, taking off a lot of excess metal. I will be careful to to put a finish on that area yet, as I'll have to drill holes! If you're off 1mm, and you're not able to spare 1mm, or be better off being more accurate, then drill holes, and finish the filing and polishing till after!

More progress tonight,

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

so....pretty much non-stop since last update. It's hard work, I'll tell you that! Like my buckle was I just look at my other pugio frog to make and ahh!!!! I hope you all like this

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Hello again! Very slow progress, but still going. I tend to do a lot of thinking more that doing. I'm just kidding, it's finding the time!!!

So that brass stamp I talked about...I made it! And It produces a very clear image, I also have a method for effectively drilling brass ball bearings. In the long run, it's been worth the wait. I am re-making my "frogs" again, and going to get them right this time. I am using Crispvs' advice there, and I just couldn't find any good examples of a "type B" frog. I just would like to see what type of design the "disk" should have on it! Anything would be much appreciated!

I will post the pictures explaining the process of how everything is done. Comments are welcome.

Fidelis Sam.

[Titus Marius Secundus]

In those pictures you can see me drilling out the female stamp, and hammering the rough surfaces down smooth with an extra soldered ring. The actual 'cut-in-half' ring that is used as the male part, is not used for hammering, only use to tell when you have drilled deep enough. It takes time. If you don't drill deep enough, the rough drilled edges, will imprint on your belt plate!!!

Now, preparing the male to meet the female :lol:

In the second picture ( which is the male part of stamp), you get a glimpse of the next serving of frog!

These other pictures show the annealing of the sheet of 10" brass. Cutting it into sections, and stamping them. PLEASE NOTE pre-polish your sheet after the annealing process, but before the stamping, as it's easier using fine sand paper, and a buffing wheel, or steel wool.

In the following pictures, you'll see my new device for helping me to drill the brass ball bearings with great ease! Place, tighten in, drill ( not all the way ) and take out, do again! SO EASY A CAVEMAN COULD DO IT!

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Here's the rod, and bearings. The hole is a 16th of an inch exact. the device doesn't allow it to move, so with the 16th of an inch rod, you have to tap on your first bearing, you may need to file the end for it to go in. A few light taps because at the moment the rod is long, then place into the plate's barrel, give yourself an 1/8th of an inch for the next one on the other end, and snip. May need to file the other end. Please note you will need to further snip the rod though, as usually you will only need about 16th of an inch.

Now you have fitted both bearings onto the rod that is not exact in length.

Back to the plate for a second. You will need scissors to cut down the plate to the correct width. You will crush the barrel in doing so, so simply place back into the female once you're happy with it, and get a rod of the right diameter, and tap back into form! It's a good idea to rub the plate's side edges that you cut over a medium sand paper, as shavings may occur. ( Experience talking )

Now! You are fitting the rods into the barrels, and CAREFULLY fold the ends over WITHOUT bending the inside of the barrel over. You are "wrapping it around" the rod. Nothing more.

Now place the plate back into the female, and tap out any imperfections, this is always a great idea, because the female if your backing that fits the plate perfectly on it's highs and lows. Only use a tap hammer!

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Now we turn it over onto a solid surface, preferably metallic, on a carpet to mute the banging, and so you can roll it up, because you will be using a heavy hammer to hammer down onto the plate, pushing the plate down. You may want to do this because the plate will be raised as the bearings are taller than the flat plate. This will allow your plate to lay flat on your belt!

Here's the belt and I am debating how I am going to lay out the plates!!! :-? :-? :-?

So if anyone has some pictures for me to follow on type B frogs, wonderful! As the disk part, I need designs. I need one where the rivet passes through!

I also need help with APRON STUDS! I can't cast :/ I would like to have rivets passing through them too, because I can't cast, and I don't want to solder...

[Crispvs]

Very good work Sam!

For type 'B' frogs, these are the type you were making before, and which I discussed above. If you still have the ones you made earlier, I see no reason why you could not use them.
The button/disc can be left plain, although quite a number of decorated ones are also known.

Crispvs

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Well there you are! My first complete "frog". I hope that's right haha. Anyway, onto my second!

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Salve!
It's been a long time since I have been able to pick up my belt project. I apologize about the major delay in progress. In the following images you shall see no change to the eye, but mind you, I have spent several hours over the holiday time-off that I have received by restitching the thread, throwing away the cotton thread that I had used previously, and using LINEN thread. This is a huge step up in accuracy!

Question #1: Are the belt plates in the general correct positions on the belt? I.e. can I get around to riveting them, in the places that they are?

Question #2: Now that I have begun progress again, I hope to continue a steady work pace. I would like to know as to how I am to go about with the stitching pattern for a hand stitched tunic? I understand folding it in half, and cutting a hole for the neck, and leaving holes for the arms, but the stitching pattern ( length of the stitches etc?)

Question #3: I would like to know if I can lacquer the brass. I am concerned that the polishing of the brass times to come, will dirty the leather. What do you guys do as far as polishing and keeping your materials clean?

All answers are voluntary, and are greatly appreciated! I hope that all my fellow RAT members are well and healthy, and that they are enjoying a wonderful holiday season, whatever your ways be!

Regards, Sam.