Thoughts on Halo Armor for Paintball or Airsoft

[Templar 320]

I didn't read all the replies so I don't know if anybody has mentioned this.

I wanted to make ODST armour for paintball for a while. Instead of making each piece individually, why not just vacuum form the pieces, fiberglass and cover the inside with foamies. Obviously, the costume would probably get ruined but I only wanted to make a helmet (over the original paintball helmet ), chest and accessories, shoulders, gaunlets and hip pads so It's easy to run around in. I'll make a test video one day when I get my ODST base models done.
I'd like it mostly for the costume contests they host here during the summer games.

Check out my post at the bottom of the first page. It might give you some ideas.

 

[Paul E Morphius]

Please define what you mean by "safer."

I meant something without any fiberglass fumes to worry about (during an airsoft game), unless the kydex would be enough to keep the fumes from becoming suspended in the air?

 

[Templar 320]

I meant something without any fiberglass fumes to worry about (during an airsoft game), unless the kydex would be enough to keep the fumes from becoming suspended in the air?

Once the resin has completely cured, there should be no more fumes. If you still smell something, it is still curing. This happens a lot in colder climates. Fiberglass resin uses heat as a catalyst, so if you live in a cold climate and you are not using a heater during the curing process, it can take from days to weeks to cure. I would not suggest using anything you make with resin until it has completely cured.

 

[le yo ra]

i was planning to make a suit out of carbon fiber , i think it is better than fiber glass.... or was it not a good idea?

 

[Paul E Morphius]

Once the resin has completely cured, there should be no more fumes. If you still smell something, it is still curing. This happens a lot in colder climates. Fiberglass resin uses heat as a catalyst, so if you live in a cold climate and you are not using a heater during the curing process, it can take from days to weeks to cure. I would not suggest using anything you make with resin until it has completely cured.

Thanks for the info! I see that I still have so much to learn.

 

[killerownz11]

Actually it's about 350-450 fps, but no big deel

 

[Templar 320]

i was planning to make a suit out of carbon fiber , i think it is better than fiber glass.... or was it not a good idea?

Carbon fiber is great! Professional auto body guys actually use it to remake parts of cars they are modifying (i.e. hood, bumper, etc.) It is much stronger and more durable than fiberglass. The trade off is that it is more expensive.

 

[Nintendude]

Carbon Fiber, you're actually wasting your time there unless you can get the sheet of carbon fiber into a metal pressure mold which would heat up the carbon fiber making it harden that's how they make some bike frames. Other than that there's really no difference between it and fiberglass cloth if you're going to coat it with resin.

 

[Templar 320]

Carbon Fiber, you're actually wasting your time there unless you can get the sheet of carbon fiber into a metal pressure mold which would heat up the carbon fiber making it harden that's how they make some bike frames. Other than that there's really no difference between it and fiberglass cloth if you're going to coat it with resin.

You could vacuum bag it. I'm not sure if a bondoed model would survive that process, though. I'll have to look that up.

 

[tsau mia]

There's not a chance that it would survive being vacuum bagged. I have a helmet with a huge crack running through it from me not reinforcing the visor part with fiberglass. I dropped it, and now I have to figure out a way to salvage it. I read that there is a small difference between carbon fiber and resin. Carbon fiber is a little stronger but much heavier, equal to three layers of fiberglass. That seems to be the general consensus on hobby RC car sites.

 

[Paul E Morphius]

Would lexan resin be any different from lexan sheets in terms of strength? I've never come across anyone using lexan resin for costuming. Was thinking of using that instead of kydex
sheets since they doesn't seem to be available around where I live in.

 

[Kenjifujima]

Yes, paintballs travel with much more velocity,

 

[Templar 320]

Would lexan resin be any different from lexan sheets in terms of strength? I've never come across anyone using lexan resin for costuming. Was thinking of using that instead of kydex
sheets since they doesn't seem to be available around where I live in.

To be honest, I have never heard of Lexan resin before. I know Lexan polycarbonate is used for paintball visors, but I have no idea how Lexan resin would work. That might be something to look into.

 

[JUSTINIAN 117]

Would lexan resin be any different from lexan sheets in terms of strength? I've never come across anyone using lexan resin for costuming. Was thinking of using that instead of kydex
sheets since they doesn't seem to be available around where I live in.

I work with lexan and other plastics every day, and I have never heard of lexan resin. I did a quick search and I am pretty sure that lexan resin is only used for injection molding, and would be very difficult to work with without the proper equipment. If you have access to it, give it a try and let us know how it worked.

 

[Paul E Morphius]

I work with lexan and other plastics every day, and I have never heard of lexan resin. I did a quick search and I am pretty sure that lexan resin is only used for injection molding, and would be very difficult to work with without the proper equipment. If you have access to it, give it a try and let us know how it worked.

Lexan PC resin comes in "grain" form. I probably will need something to heat it up to "liquify" or make it pasty like fiberglass resin.

To be honest, I don't feel it's safe for me to experiment with something that has not be used before since I'm still a novice. Also, if I make a mistake, such an event wouldn't be so kind to my wallet.

Perhaps when I have more experience, I'll let you know what I could find.

 

[JUSTINIAN 117]

I know that lexan doesn't melt, like some plastics. If you heat it up to a certain temperature it can bend, but if it gets any hotter it bubbles up very quickly. Not long after that it will start to burn. In my experience it doesn't melt, it just burns and smokes up a lot.

 

[gingersnapples]

the last 56 post in a nutshell:
YES its possible to make armor for airsoft
NO it will not be practical
YES it will cost an arm and a leg. (in laymans terms: large piles of money)
PLAUSIBLE that major paintball fields still won't let you in.

 

[Templar 320]

YES its possible to make armor for airsoft - True statement.
it will not be practical - False statement.
YES it will cost an arm and a leg - False statement.
PLAUSIBLE that major paintball fields still won't let you in - True for helmets. False for body armor. Currently researching what it would take to get ANSI approval for helmets. (If I can get it, I may start making this stuff on the side pending permission from 343.)

 

[gingersnapples]

YES its possible to make armor for airsoft - True statement.
it will not be practical - False statement.
YES it will cost an arm and a leg - False statement.
PLAUSIBLE that major paintball fields still won't let you in - True for helmets. False for body armor. Currently researching what it would take to get ANSI approval for helmets. (If I can get it, I may start making this stuff on the side pending permission from 343.)

on cost: unless you plan to use foam, it will be expensive. (your still going past the 100$ threshold anyway)
on practicality: it wont. on all the paintball fields i have been on if you get hit and the ball breaks, your out. putting usually hard armor is going to increase the odds of the ball breaking on impact (on one site i went to if your wearing a ghillie suit your out if a paintball so much as grazes you.)
on field letting you in: your statement still doesn't contradict anything, its still plausible (synonomous with possibly).

 

[Templar 320]

on cost: unless you plan to use foam, it will be expensive. (your still going past the 100$ threshold anyway)

Note: This is based on Reach style ODST armor.
I do plan on using foam lined with Terry Cloth for the chest armor. Kydex will be used for the hard armor pieces. The Pre-Alpha designs that I have made point to a suit costing roughly $150 to $180, hardly an arm and a leg. That may become cheaper as I learn more about the industry.

on practicality: it wont. on all the paintball fields i have been on if you get hit and the ball breaks, your out. putting usually hard armor is going to increase the odds of the ball breaking on impact (on one site i went to if your wearing a ghillie suit your out if a paintball so much as grazes you.)

You are correct. I thought that you meant that it would hinder your movement. I can also confirm from personal experience the one shot ghillie rule. The armor will basically be for show, although it will protect you from those painful welts.

on field letting you in: your statement still doesn't contradict anything, its still plausible (synonomous with possibly).

Not quite sure what you mean. If I got ANSI certification for the helmets, there would be no reason for a paintball field to not allow you to use those helmets.