OK, a quick update on this shield project.
This is the version of this project I completed this weekend, and I made it out of a sheet of galvanized sheet metal I bought at Lowes for less than $10. I used a circle-cutting jig on my scroll saw (and ruined 4 blades learning how to correctly cut metal with fine-tooth blades), and it assembled in about 2 hours (it would have been quicker if I had more large, tight clamps) after painting. The red and blue are the normal Krylon from the original bill of materials; the silver is coated with Krylon glossy clear coat which, if I can be honest, isn't very glossy. Maybe it has a bad reaction to the galvanized metal, but it's very dull.
Anyway, this shield is 22" in diameter since the raw materials are only 24"x 36". It does not have any spun effects on it because the galvanizing get very dull when it gets scrubbed and buffed. The star is, frankly, sub-par and not very symmetrical (it was poorly cut).
Also, in spite of using a metal-grade epoxy glue to join the circles, it is very brittle. I don't have a lot of confidence in the bond lines for anything more than hanging this from my wall. If I put straps on the back of it to try to carry it around, I thin it would probably fall apart eventually.
So the prototype for a metal version of this project is a mixed bag at best. I'm not completely disappointed, but there are a lot of lessons learned here before I move over to trying this technique on better-grade aluminum.
Stay Tuned.
This is the version of this project I completed this weekend, and I made it out of a sheet of galvanized sheet metal I bought at Lowes for less than $10. I used a circle-cutting jig on my scroll saw (and ruined 4 blades learning how to correctly cut metal with fine-tooth blades), and it assembled in about 2 hours (it would have been quicker if I had more large, tight clamps) after painting. The red and blue are the normal Krylon from the original bill of materials; the silver is coated with Krylon glossy clear coat which, if I can be honest, isn't very glossy. Maybe it has a bad reaction to the galvanized metal, but it's very dull.
Anyway, this shield is 22" in diameter since the raw materials are only 24"x 36". It does not have any spun effects on it because the galvanizing get very dull when it gets scrubbed and buffed. The star is, frankly, sub-par and not very symmetrical (it was poorly cut).
Also, in spite of using a metal-grade epoxy glue to join the circles, it is very brittle. I don't have a lot of confidence in the bond lines for anything more than hanging this from my wall. If I put straps on the back of it to try to carry it around, I thin it would probably fall apart eventually.
So the prototype for a metal version of this project is a mixed bag at best. I'm not completely disappointed, but there are a lot of lessons learned here before I move over to trying this technique on better-grade aluminum.
Stay Tuned.
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