Odst Face Shield

[Trigger]

I was reading someones post about photochromatic lenses yesterday and got the idea I just want to run this buy a few people maybe they know if it can be done. I was thinking if you could have an ODST visor made out of a 2 way mirror *the kind that only one direction reflects and the other can see out of* you could mount some powerful LEDs in the forhead inside the helmet to shine down on the lens from inside so that when the lights are turned on the visor looks see through to the outside and when you flip them off the visor becomes a mirror to anyone not inside the helmet. Although I don't think it would look as good as a custom color visor I think it would be worth it to have a mirror as a visor just for the effect. If I can get a mirror formed for the visor I would totally attempt this.



Oh and edit. If anyone knows anything about mirrors do they have to be formed on glass? I would assume so but I don't know if you could make 2 way mirrors out of plexiglass? that way it would be easier to vac form it then send it out to be mirrored. This would probably be so expensive and impractical but this is the only way i can concieve getting this effect short of million dollar technology that hasn't been invented yet lol. I just want to know if people think it CAN be done.



Well after a short voyage with google i found a site (i removed the site name cause i found a questionable link on their site but I'm still going to see if they can do this) and they can make them out of acrylic I may have to email them and see if its possible to have acrylic vac-formed and THEN send it to them to have it mirrored.

 

[Kamaro]

Glass is very dangerous to use in the eye area :/

Please post the answer from that site, when you get it. The idea sounds good!

 

[Trigger]

Ok so that was extremely quick I got an E-mail back from someone at that site and they said they can coat any shape basically in acrylic with anywhere between 30-70% reflective with a converse transparency 70% to 30%. They also said that for this to be any kind of cost effective it would need to be done in quantities of 100+ pieces.



I am required to go reassemble and move my drumset so I shall be back within an hour I hope this topic gets some activity this is exciting lol. Of course this depends on how expensive these pieces would be. But I think the idea would genuinely work if anybody knows anything to the contrary, please inform me.

 

[GremlinLord]

You just might be on to something but I do see one problem. When you turn on the lights inside of the mask the mask wearer will have a hard time seeing out. Also there is a cheap way to get the transparent mirror effect but you will need a good airbrush and compressor or co2 tank with regulator but it isn't photochromatic like transitions lenses. It's more like waving to the officers behind the glass wall, if they turn on the light you can see them... but if it is pitch black it makes a perfect mirror. Now given the odst and the Mark 4/5/6 masks are domed or folded they allow light in from multiple directions you will need a thicker layer of metalic on your visor which leads to less vision.



However if you keep the helmet pitch black you just might be able to make your visor turn clearish with leds at the cost of vision but the effect just might be worth it.

 

[Trigger]

That's what I was thinking too but I did a little research on sites that sell two way mirrors and it seems as long as the light is somewhat balanced, the side that's meant to not be a mirror will still be able to see through. the mirror only works one way, although there will always be a transparency issue and it seems like you will always be able to see your reflection just in a "ghost-like" way (unless you had spotlights shining in at u) and that would just be a little stronger depending on how strong the lights are you put in your helmet. I "think" the stronger the light in your helmet the more see through it will look from the outside but the ghost like reflection of yourself will be stronger, although from what I've read you should be able to see out regardless just not as well with lights on. The only way I could imagine this going horribly wrong is at night. Then I don't believe you'd be able to see out with the LEDs on, but then again I don't know for sure thats why I'm asking around. It's all about balancing light so maybe someone could mickey mouse a battery output limiting things to make the LEDs shine more or less intense depending upon the brightness of the environment outside the helmet.



*Edit* I've also seen the site eplastics on here before and I found that they do make lexan or acrylic one way mirror sheets, I could see that being way more cost effective but will the heating and vac forming mess that up.

 

[Brandon McClain]

I was looking into this over the christmas break. Couldn't really find an answer. Would love if you could find something reflective that could be Vac-formed. Wanted to do it on the Reach LT visor. Keep us all updated!

 

[Trigger]

I'm trying I'm sending emails out to any and all 1 way mirror makers I can find and if their stuff is vacuum formable and if it can be done in other than standard colors!!!!! I hope I get a break through but if not we'll all have to go with the vacuum formed stuff then sending it to be coated. If we could vacuum form already coated and colored sheets it would be much MUCH easier and less expensive.



Just waiting for responses.



So right now I know a few things.

1) They do make acrylic one way mirrors

2) They Can be vacuum formed.

3) They work just like a normal one way mirror.

4) They come in different colors.



Things I need yet to find out.

1) Can they be custom colored?

2) Will the custom color and/or vacuum forming damage the reflective and/or transparency characteristics.

3) Once I figure out all the rest I'll be GLAD to try it out, although I'd rather have someone whose experienced at vacuum forming try it so we can get the best test results for the piece. So maybe I could pay for some material and then ship it to them? We'll figure this out later lol.

 

[GremlinLord]

You might want to take a look at the legendary armor helmet. Those guys got their lenses vacuum metalized but they didn't seem to understand the concept of a budget as they spent more on cnc work then I have on my car... But it is a good read (it's somewhere in the elite section).

 

[Trigger]

I'll have to check into that, I know it's completely doable now that I've traded emails back and forth with a few people I'm just waiting for a response from someone about vacuum forming the see-through acrylic mirror. If not I'll have to have someone vacuum form a piece of 1/8" acrylic and then send it out to be coated. Then I'll have to see how well the LED idea will work Lots of expensive no where near close to being done steps to work out but I will eventually.



Yeah, I used to work in a machine shop so I know how expensive some of that can get especially single-run production lol

 

[mikeyelderscrll]

Ok, so I had a similar idea but using clear view or what ever it is call, it is a stuff made by smooth on and it is a clear plastic that you pour into molds...





So Then there was the issue of the see through. So I found this stuff that you would use on a car over the plastic caps for rear and from lights, and it is so that light reflects of the visor and makes it look blackish, and when the Brake lights come on light goes through the spray on stuff go HERE to see what I am talking about...

 

[Sir Tsaboc]

Well, this thread is of interest to me. I installed something almost exactly like this into my scout helmet a few weeks ago. It is exactly as you describe it. Once you turn on the lights, you can see Inside through the visor, like the odst. Mine wasn't a two way mirror, but it was tinted, which worked out just as well. Just as you describe, the only problem is that it is incredibly blinding, and you really can't see much when you turn it on. It's really cool though, and it works!

 

[Kamaro]

Well, this thread is of interest to me. I installed something almost exactly like this into my scout helmet a few weeks ago. It is exactly as you describe it. Once you turn on the lights, you can see Inside through the visor, like the odst. Mine wasn't a two way mirror, but it was tinted, which worked out just as well. Just as you describe, the only problem is that it is incredibly blinding, and you really can't see much when you turn it on. It's really cool though, and it works!

Could you please post some pictures? And what exactly is "tinted"? I can't find a proper translation.

 

[Trigger]

Still haven't heard back from a few companies that make Acrylic see-through mirrors but I have my fingers crossed.



@Michael - Tinting agent wouldn't work that just dims light both coming in and out I'm looking for something that appears clear/then goes reflective. Thanks for the input though.



@Tsabo Tsaboc - Yeah I don't doubt that tinting works but it sounds like it doesn't let enough light back out. With a two way mirror it shouldn't be so unbelievably blinding but still give that effect. Good to know also I'm not the only one who wants to try this



@Kamaro - "Tinting" is the darkening of glass or other material with a thin film.



-Edit Just so everyone knows I'm not anywhere near actually building this I still am building my armor suit first - then the helm so I don't quit I'm in the stage of talking to companies that manufacture acrylic see-through mirrors to see if vacuum forming will damage it profusely.

 

[AceHigh]

You achieve a two way mirror by tinting glass with a reflective material. The two are not completely different concepts. Also, any tinted glass/plastic works just the same way in both directions. The mirror effect on a two way mirror is just the same on both sides, depending on which side is lighter. Like you said Trigger, lighting the inside of the helmet will give you problems to see out at night.

 

[Trigger]

Thats why you have the crazy LED shining outward or a flashlight and don't use the feature at night or in dark areas because although it might work, you wouldn't be able to see lol. It's all about making sure theres more light coming in than going out, no matter what.

 

[AceHigh]

Just make sure that the light source illuminates your face. If your light source is similar to a spotlight and pointed outwards, your spectators will never be able to see your face.

 

[Loves hina]

Recently i made an odst visor out of plexiglass, i didnt vacuform, but i made two parts using the pep as a base and used a heat gun to fold it. afterwards i heard about the technique of using auto clear coat mixed with a little black, but those seemed a little less mirrored than desireable. When i did mine, what we had was lacquer, whats used to finish guitars.

Result

http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w9/loves_hina/?action=view&current=IMG_0261.jpg

I think the black dye we used was a little cooler and we put more on so it was a more reflective from what i think. the only problem i found was that since i didnt perfectly form the visor to the inside of the helmet, the bending cracked the hardened lacquer. (stuff cures very hard) The mirroed effect would definitly be cool, but would be a big strain on your eyes.

 

[Sir Tsaboc]

How does a two way mirror reduce the brightness from the interior?

And I'll post a video or photos before tomorrow.

 

[Sir Tsaboc]

Alright, here's a few photos demonstrating what I meant.

Turned off

Turned on



Sorry about the blurry pics, I did this very quickly.

 

[AceHigh]

How does a two way mirror reduce the brightness from the interior?

And I'll post a video or photos before tomorrow.

I'm not sure if I understand your question correctly. Do you mean how a two way mirror works?