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Paper Armor (Read 7497 times)
Kjev
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Paper Armor
Sep 8th, 2012 at 6:39pm
 
I saw this post on another thread and I didn't want to hijack the thread, but the idea intrigued me.

perpetualstudent wrote on Aug 28th, 2012 at 2:43pm:
The mythbusters did an episode on Pykrete and at the end of it they made a speedboat out of frozen paper.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70lOWg5KF64


And I'm slowly making a set of paper lamellar armor using a waterproof glue. A half inch thick plate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-80 sheets of standard printing paper. After drying it is surprisingly stiff. I haven't tested a plate in water yet. But depending on how "waterproof" it is I see no reason why it wouldn't work.  But, the question is if it would be worth the money in terms of glue (assuming the paper is free) and worth the effort and time.


How tough is paper armor? How heavy is it? And could you modify patterns for existing armor to work?

The reason I'm asking is because I build paper models as a winter hobby, and you can find full-size paper models for just about any kind of armor out there (especially if you're into sci-fi). I've seen them for Halo, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, you name it. I've even seen someone use a paper model as a pattern for steel armor.

Personally, I'm thinking of making some lightweight armor for paintball. It's got to be tough, light, and of course, look cool!
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perpetualstudent
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #1 - Sep 8th, 2012 at 8:31pm
 
I've actually been thinking "I actually need to upload pictures" about this process. I should do that soon. Right now I don't have pictures. I've been using the pattern from this site http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/lamellar_templarbob/

Since it's not anywhere close to being complete I don't know how much it will actually weigh when it is done. But I think could definitely model the paper off of any existing armor patterns. In fact I'd think it'd be easier since you could mold the pieces more easily and they'll harden into that position. After I finish this lamallar set, I'm thinking about possibly making one based off of the lorica segmentata.

As near as I can tell the real issue is that paper armor needs to be fairly thick to achieve good protection. It also seems to me that having larger pieces would make it difficult to repair. So theoretically you could cast a few layers to make a molded chest piece. Let it harden. And then keep adding more on top of it until it's as thick as you want it. But if it's actually punctured that entire piece weakens, hence why I chose lamellar. Losing one plate doesn't necessarily weaken the entire set of armor. But for paintballing I think a half inch molded piece will be more than adequate.
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Kjev
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #2 - Sep 9th, 2012 at 1:00am
 
My current set of paintball armor is modeled after a Lorica Segmenta, with some custom-built armguards. It's two layers of that thin carpet they use on cubicle walls, placed front-to-front and quilted together. It'll stop paintballs really well, but it's pretty toasty. Since the main tournament I go to is Aliens in the Rockies (www.paradoxgames.com), every September, I'd like something a little cooler. Cooler looking as well as just plain cooler. This is my first attempt at paintball armor. We were basically just trying to get the shape right.

It held up fine, til I got about 30 feet away. Then the balls started going all the way through.

I'd like to see what paper armor will do. I also owe my little brother a set of armor. I'm thinking of doing something like a modern flak vest style but using quilted neoprene.

Although the lamellar idea, especially from paper, sounds cool. Have you considered a Japanese style haramaki-do?
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #3 - Sep 9th, 2012 at 1:16am
 
  Make a brigandine with aluminum siding, should work for paintball.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #4 - Sep 9th, 2012 at 2:25am
 
Paper armor, if hardenned correctly is very tough. At around 8 sheets thick it's semi difficult to cut with a knife (like cutting into thermoplastic), at around 16 sheets thick you'll need to really start working away at it. And it is very light weight

I highly doubt that paintball would get through by sheer force, although the wetness from the paint might weaken it. Taping over it would probably help (plus duct tape is awesome).

To harden paper 'correctly', cover a half of the paper in glue, then fold it in half. Cover again the half, and fold. Keep doing this down to desired size. Usually I'll go down to an 1/8 for random projects. For armor I might do 1/16 (starting with normal letter sized paper). I recommend using PVC or Elmers glue, although superglue would work better (downside being mess and you'd have a hard time drying it with having it stick to something). Make sure the glue completely saturates the paper each time, you want a lot in there.

This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2wBY-EWW4Q

If you want larger sheets, I would fold a paper hot dog style (if with letter paper, then it would be 4.25 by 11). Then I would put a second sheet with one half in it, one half out. It would look like a Z (am I making any sense?). Just keep layering it that way. Folding the edges works the best, non folded edges tend to split apart after a while. Plus folds mean that the paper can't warp or slide as much, since one side is locked down. Use glue as you normally would, between each layer, and liberally.

I know there's paper mache and other things out there, but I don't think they're as tough.

I think something like a vest made like scale maile would be the easiest. Just fold the paper down to 1/32 (I would recommend using two halves of a4 or letter folded down to 1/16, folded into each other to make the 1/32. After 4 folds it gets messy). Dry with a heavy book over it (prevents warping and split edges). Then drill out 2 holes on each corner. String em up and you'd be done. Or you could work with bigger sheets and make a lorica segmentata.

I'm working on a brigandine right now, and I personally wouldn't want to ruin one with paint. It's very time consuming(especially with sizing, if you know how to tailor then it would probably be a lot easier), and I wouldn't want to damage it.
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Kjev
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #5 - Sep 9th, 2012 at 11:10am
 
What would happen if after the armor was completed, you laquered it and gave it a good coat or 3 of spray paint? I know paint adds strength, but i'm thinking it might seal it, too. I know my quilted armor was much stiffer after I painted it.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #6 - Sep 9th, 2012 at 3:55pm
 
Kjev wrote on Sep 9th, 2012 at 11:10am:
What would happen if after the armor was completed, you laquered it and gave it a good coat or 3 of spray paint? I know paint adds strength, but i'm thinking it might seal it, too. I know my quilted armor was much stiffer after I painted it.


I would think the paint would help protect it more. The only issue I see right now with paper armor using PVC or Elmers glue is that it'll weaken when it's really really soaked. The paint from just paint balls shouldn't be enough to damage it, but I wouldn't want to risk a few paint balls to the gut  Wink I guess if the paint you use dries as a layer on top of the armor, it should be completely fine.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #7 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 3:44pm
 
haven't finished titling, ordering, and generally tidying them up yet but you can see the pics of my very early stage lamellar and the process to make it here http://s1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg507/unbalancedbutfair/Paper%20Lamellar%20P...

eventually I will post the pics here, with explanations and re-sized in proper order but you guys might find this interesting until I can find that time....
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #8 - Sep 17th, 2012 at 5:57am
 
Modern armor isn't just a few sheets of Kevlar weave.
Have you tried any ceramics?  The best would be to form a ceramic material over the threads of a material like Kevlar.
We tend to have 50+layers of Kevlar to deal with "ball" ammo, along with a ceramic plate, to deal with any Armor piercing rounds we encounter.
Maybe ceramic plates made from garden pottery jars could be usefull?
Yes, originally, it was thought that ceramic was too brittle to be usefull.  However- the energy that the bullet uses to shatter the ceramic, is energy the bullet cannot spend penetrating the body...
For an improvised armor- maybe tempered glass from a car winshield could help?  (never tested it- what is better, a clay pot from a garden, or a tempered window, from a car winshield?)
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #9 - Sep 17th, 2012 at 8:42am
 
Quite a big difference between ballistic ceramic and clay pots.
.
My biggest concern would be shards of the glass or hardened clay entering the wound track if the projectile was not stopped. The glass (or clay) in the wound would cause more problems (and pain) than what its worth. I would suggest a material that does NOT shatter or fragment.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #10 - Sep 17th, 2012 at 9:02am
 
I'd agree. I'd also say that I doubt any homemade armor is going to handle bullets well. There's a reason we didn't really use armor until the last two decades once effective firearms came into being. It's taken that long to find effective materials that do not prevent mobility. So I wouldn't recommend trying to create armor at that level. To me that seems cost/skill/time prohibitive and all but doomed to failure.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #11 - Sep 17th, 2012 at 11:19am
 
perpetualstudent wrote on Sep 17th, 2012 at 9:02am:
So I wouldn't recommend trying to create armor at that level. To me that seems cost/skill/time prohibitive and all but doomed to failure.


I would disagree. Just about every thing we have came from a "what if"... If done with safety in mind, it is a good idea.

I have been shooting things for years just to see how the projectile reacts to different types of resistance. It is kinda addicting, plus you get an excuse to shoot something.
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perpetualstudent
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #12 - Sep 17th, 2012 at 4:53pm
 
See now I agree that "what if" is a perfectly valid reason for doing  many things Grin

I guess that is perhaps overly negative, I mean the last big improvement in steel came from a backyard blacksmith who did what the academic theorists said couldn't be done (I know I had the link somewhere but can't find it).

So by all means, experiment. But know you're swinging for the fence  Grin and in a dangerous situation I'd be more inclined to choose agility over armor if guns are in the mix.
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"Facts stand wholly outside our gates; they are what they are, and no more;they know nothing about themselves and they pass no judgement upon themselves. What is it, then, that pronounces the judgement? Our own guide and ruler, Reason."
 
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #13 - Sep 19th, 2012 at 10:58pm
 
i started to make some plate armor out of quarter inch paper stacks glued together, and laced with paracord, but i did some math(ya right) and it wouldtake alot(see how scientific i was?) of paper, and i gqve up.
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Re: Paper Armor
Reply #14 - Sep 20th, 2012 at 12:47am
 
paracordslinger wrote on Sep 19th, 2012 at 10:58pm:
i started to make some plate armor out of quarter inch paper stacks glued together, and laced with paracord, but i did some math(ya right) and it wouldtake alot(see how scientific i was?) of paper, and i gqve up.


C'mon, don't tell me you actually save your homework  Grin
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