Bracer info, never you mind :)
Leather Unlimited
(313) 964-0051
1601 W Lafayette Blvd Detroit, MI
10-4pm M-F
unpolished, hammered look, thick, natural leather hide. Might be the start to an entirely different outfit, though I could probably slip it over my current one without too much trouble.
Me: I’m not sure whether I’d want them to go lengthwise (which requires almost no bending and are very flexible/sizable) or widthwise (cooler looking, much more bending, and custom-sized, very inflexible).
Anne: can you show me a picture of each style? I’m not getting what you mean.
Me: That is difficult, I have been looking around. http://lisa.siegenetwork.com/~elfgirl/gloves/m_a_gntl_bracers.jpg <-- the metal's way too wide on this, but it's a vague idea. http://www.ravenswoodleather.com/Bracers/Images/Squires%20Bracers/bracer4med.jpg <-- this is more like the shape, though that's all leather. http://www.bowstick.com/storefront/images/DK6008.jpg <-- that's lengthwise banding, though again that's just leather on leather.
George: I was just pondering how to make a cast of your arm in order to have something to build on. And I figured out how.
Me: Er, how's that?
George: A cardboard and some instant foam. That can make the casting of your arm.
George: Some plaster of paris, or the like, and that's the molded piece.
Me: Huh, that's a good thought
George: You split the box in two... I got it in my head.
George: Hell, you could use sakrete for the filler.
George: Make a concrete mold of your forearm.
Me: *chuckle* I don't know, would that crumble? and, split the box in two? Why's that?
George: Because we'd need to get your arm out of it.
George: It would be two separate molds, top and bottom.
Me: I believe my right and left arms are asymmetrical, so I'd probably have to do both. Ohh, I see. Might that be difficult to align?
Me: or do you mean make a whole cast, and then cut it in half to remove it?
Me: Clearly I'd need to wear saran wrap, heh, or I'd have no more arm hair.
George: Nah, you do the bottom half first. Give it ten minutes to firm up, some blue tape on the top of the bottom mold. Then cast the top half.
George: Definitely saran wrap.
Me: hmmm, wouldn't it be difficult to actually get half and half that way?
George: Maybe.
George: We could use the saran wrap and tape two pieces of piano wire to your forearm, one on each side. Cast as one piece, use the wire to cut through the foam.
George: This way you are pulling away from your arm.
Me: That would probably work pretty well, though I imagine anything would work for that (plastic from a weed whacker or old guitar string or fishing line).
George: Got to be metal. Plastic isn't going to cut it, no pun intended.
Me: You don't think so, when we're talking foam?
George: Some foam is firmer than others. Expanding foam, like the stuff they use in shipping is fairly tough.
Saran wrap and duct tape. Its how you make a cheep dress form for draping. wrap in saran then tape, cut tape open, tape it back closed and fill it with foam/paper/cloth whatever.
Although a bracer should not take that much precise forming. I recommend using buckles (which can look pretty cool) or laces like this style here that can be sized to fit you.
Or you can go all the way and make a water hardened Cuir Bouilli bracers that look like this
Water hardened, is that how you get the stiff leather?
If I use shaped metal bands (width-wise), there will not be much in the way of flexibility for laces or buckles.
Yeah I have some water hardened armor that is like hard thick plastic. For flexability and the metal look, I would put the bands lengthwise. you never know how thick of a shirt your are going to have under it (if any). With laces or buckles you can adjust the fit for your outfit.
You could also try attaching rings
*nod* I’ve seen both of these styles, and while they’re definitely easier and more flexible… I just like the look of the wide bands. We’ll see – perhaps I’ll use two or three pieces of metal for each band, which would allow for flexibility.
That’s a great link, by the way.