Aluminum Oxide

[GRFJ]

Hello

I want to restore a couple of helmets and make them with rough finish.
Where can one find aluminum oxide?
Do you add it to the paint or apply it on the helmet and then paint over?

I appreciate any help and advice

Cheers
Yannis

[Mooyman]

Hi Yannis ,

At sand blasting companies,they use the aluminiumoxide to blast of rust from metal.
You have different grain, coarse grains, but also in fine powder.....
Your own experience will make you decide what grain size you choose .
I guarantee you that it is not easy,but if it works along with your colour you will have a fabrikmade helmet.
Because in the fabrik they only used the aluminiumoxide as texture.

Showe us when it's ready

[GRFJ]

Cheers for that Mooyman!

Ok, must find sand blasting company now
The things one does for reenacting...

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

I got it from an art shop that also has materials for sculpting.

[GRFJ]

Great! I have one right around the corner!!

How did you apply it?

[Mooyman]

What you need is a paint-pistol along with high pressure air (compressor)
mix the texture to your paint.
Why not add by hand on the wet paint ?
Because when you do that,it can change in to a field-job....that's not what we want
if we will make a fabrik-finish helmet....believe i have been there.

My paintgun look like this .



you could pm me if it won't work

[andy d]

What you need is a paint-pistol along with high pressure air (compressor)
mix the texture to your paint.
Why not add by hand on the wet paint ?
Because when you do that,it can change in to a field-job....that's not what we want
if we will make a fabrik-finish helmet....believe i have been there.

My paintgun look like this .



you could pm me if it won't work

Mooyman,
do you mix the aluminium oxide with the paint in the sprak gun reservoir?
If so, does this not interfere with the spray nozzles?

Andy

[Mooyman]

Good question.
Yes put the texture AND paint in the reservior.
It can interfere your spray nozzles, if the texture is too coarse, it will not leave your spraygun... the grain must be a
slightly coarser than the powder..but not to coarse though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VppQ5idpp_w&NR=1
The female is painting helmets without protection

[dog green 1]

you can apply the oxide onto the wet paint you have sprayed on. It can be tricky to get an even finish but if you haven't got an air gun and compressor it can still be achieved. Try to sprinkle it from a height so you don't get clumps on the shell.

[Pug42]

Would shaking it through a sieve (like icing sugar on a cake) help?

[dog green 1]

You would need to find a sieve with the right mesh size depending on the grade of oxide your using. But yes it should work.

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

That´s exactly what I did.

[Peiper]

Couldn't you get the same effect with sand or salt??, i once read that iron filings were used in the "factory
"fabrik finish", although ive just started re-doing mine i wanted a rougher finish so as well as sand i used
sawdust and ground up cigarette ends lol for a "field-made finish"

Pipes

[dog green 1]

If its for an 'in the field' look you could add anything to give texture. Once saw an original at a collectors fair that had bits of twig in the sand coloured camo paint.

[Hoffman Grink]

Couldn't you get the same effect with sand or salt??, i once read that iron filings were used in the "factory
"fabrik finish", although ive just started re-doing mine i wanted a rougher finish so as well as sand i used
sawdust and ground up cigarette ends lol for a "field-made finish"

Pipes

Sand Yes
Salt No - it would dissolve
Iron filings No - Aluminium Oxide (which is what the thread is about) was what was used.
Sawdust and fag ends? Yech!
Americans used cork.