Has anyone ever used real metal to make armor?

I'm making a costume with light armor, and i would really like it to be actual armor. i need the of it to hold up some wings and there are elements(like engraving and such) that would only really work with real metal.

also this armor would have to survive a plan ride in the summer so i don't want to use wonderflex and have melted armor -_-

anywho...so has anyone tried using the real thing?

I've worked with metal before, and I know several cosplayers who have used it succesfully. That being said, metal armor is only practical in some situations, and those seem to be relativley few.

Metal is good for very geometric, anguar and simple shapes. If a metal object of the right shape can be found that works as well. It is possible to shape sheet metal using a hammer, not for the new to metal work though. Metal can be really really awsome, its just going to be alot harder to work with in a lot of cases.

The wings need a support harness connected to your body, not just to the armor, or its just gonna rip off no mater what it's made of. There are other materials that can achieve the look of metal. If your set on using metal, amke sure to do lots of research on saftey and how to work with it properly to achieve the look your going for.

[url]http://www.cosplay.com/costume/145362/[/url]
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/costume/129094/[/url]
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/costume/112210/[/url]
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/costume/72757/[/url]

Just to name the ones I know off-hand =P
Also be sure to check out [url]www.armourarchive.org[/url] and do some research if you really want steel armour.

As for the wings:
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/photo/569079/[/url]
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/photo/205030/[/url]
[url]http://www.cosplay.com/search.php[/url]

^_^ i have the advantage of being an art major. i've used metal in sculpture, so i have some experience. i found a relative thin sheet metal at home depot and i just got a grinder/dremel tool with sanding and engraving features for metal. i also have a dead blow hammer and some tin snips, and i'm about to get a soddering iron <-- is excited ^_^



and the wings are going to be mounted on a smaller piece of metal that's going to be attached to the back armor plate. it's going to be remove so i can get to the motor that's going to control the wings (think of the moving wing design tutorial with the pull strings attached to the axel and motor of a torn apart rc car...oh yeah:skidude2: ) and a metal covering over the motor with the wings sticking out. so the front armor and back armor will act as my harness without it actually looking like a harness.



here's a rough draft of the design concept (original character) wings not pictured

[URL="http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/5181/photo74nh7.jpg"]http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/5181/photo74nh7.jpg[/URL]



i don't have the other views currently on me, i'll try and get them up later so you can better see what i'm talking about <-- not good at explaining things -_-

I've used metal to make ed's automail arm when I was a junior in high school. Metal can be a good medium but it does present so safety issues working with it if you're not familiar with it. But I do believe even though it is fun to make with real metal I think cons usually ban the use of it. I don't have any good pics of it besides when I first started.... it depends what you're used to ....... that and you'll need so tools you may not necessarily have lying around. A rivet gun, sheet metal cutters, a grinder, torch, ball ping hammer and other stuff.

Thanks for the website Lord Darco3!
does anyone have any ideas on what i can use in place of an anvil? i was thinking maybe a thick log with a piece of leather between it and the metal. what do you think?

A lot of my buddies use railroad ties (old ones, of course) as anvils. Railroad ties and discarded weights (like 10lb slab weights used on barbells for lifters) as well.

For dishing stumps (which you'll need if you're planning on doing more circular shapes), there's a few tutorials on the web on how to make them out of old tree stumps and things of that sort.

I second the link to the armourarchive though. As a medieval reenacter, that place is totally awesome.

I'd also recommend getting a pair of aviation snips to cut things.

i know you must have figured it out by now but for the anvil, a thick slab of steel attached to a cut out segment of a downed oak tree is what i use for my metalwork. i hope you had fun making your armor :D