How to make a visor for your Helmet

[mksuen]

Cost/Time: $10 / 30 mins.

Materials/Tools:
- 1'x2' 1/32" polycarbonate (obtained from local hardware/plastics store, don't remove the white film)
- 1'x2' auto tint (plastics store or auto bodyshop)
- 2 pieces of white printer paper
- spray bottle
- liquid soap (dishwashing detergent works well)
- tape
- scissors
- squeegee (stiff cardboard works well)
- adhesive backed velcro
- shaving cream
- paper towels
- blowdryer
- drill (or sharp screwdrivers)
- fine sandpaper
- pencil

Steps:
- Tape the two pieces of paper together and wrap it around the face opening making sure to completely cover the opening snugly as well as the mounting holes on the side where the visor used to attach. Tape it down.
- Trace out the face opening and note where the mounting holes are. Then extend the face opening to the mounting holes, styling however you please. Also extend the bottom of face opening by about an inch (room for velcro).
- Cut out the shape you drew and trace in on the white film on top of the polycarbonate. Tape it down if it's moving around too much. Cut it out with scissors.
- Cut out a rectangle of auto tint big enough to cover the faceshield you just cut out.
- In the spray bottle, mix some soap with water, and give it a good shake. The ratio is not that important.
- Remove the top white film (this is the outside of the faceshield) on the polycarbonate and give it a good spray all over with the soap water and make sure there are no particles on it.
- The tint is a thin film on top of a clear backing. To remove the film from the back, take two pieces of tape and stick it to each side of a corner. Peel the pieces of tape away from each other and the film should lift from the backing.
- Place the film adhesive side down onto the wet polycarbonate. Gently squeegee the water out from under it from the middle towards the outside. Fix any bumps, bubbles with the squeegee.
- Take the hairdryer and holding approximately 3" from the faceshield, Go over it twice.
- Towel off the bottom of the faceshield and trim off excess tint from the faceshield.
- Sandpaper the edges down to make them smoother, be careful not to scratch the tint or faceshield surface.
- Using the original paper cutout, mark on the faceshield where mounting holes go with a pointy object.
- Using a drill or progressively larger screwdrivers, fashion a hole big enough for the mounting bolts. Remove back faceshield film.
- Affix the faceshield to the helmet. Upon closing, note where the faceshield overlaps the chin guard on the helmet.
- Cut out small 1" to 2" strips of velcro, peel off the backing and stick the soft side to the helmet. Peel the backing off the thorny side of the velcro, Velcro the thorny side to the soft side and close the faceshield firmly on the sticky side.
- Open the faceshield and trim off excess velcro.
- Remove faceshield and lay flat. Spread shaving cream on the inside of the faceshield then wipe off (this prevents the faceshield from fogging up).

--> Repeat steps as necessary using no tint of different tints.

*If you happen to want a faceshield and a visor, you can bolt the visor over the faceshield, but you can't lift the faceshield up. Another possibility is to make 1/2"x1" tabs spaced 2" all around the face opening instead of extending the faceshield to the mounting holes. You can insert the tabs in between the helment and the padding for a non-flip-able faceshield.

I apologize for not having pictures of the process, but I don't have access to a camera at the moment. I'll try to get pictures if anyone has any questions.

[mksuen]

[Mongoose]

could you just tint an existing face shield you already own?

[SteveC]

could you just tint an existing face shield you already own?

Yeah but it would be harder to get a clean result.

Polycarb's cheap as anyway. and having a clear one is good for later in the day.

[aaronaftershock]

It's not hard.
Follow the instructions.

The tint is super dark though, there's other methods if you have more time.

[leadfoot]

Looks cool man........ and the Azonic looks even better with a faceshield !!!!!
Im gonna do this. Thanks mksuen.

[mksuen]

Haha, yea it looks pretty amazing with a faceshield.

No need to thank me, I'm just doing my part and giving back to the community =P

[jlmitch]

I plan on doing this for a Giro Remedy sooner or later. I'm not the least bit handy, so I'd be looking clueless when I actually go buy these materials. I also hope the shield will stay on when I crash. That's my biggest fear; I doubt my handywork that much.
Is there tinted polycarbonate? Does the shaving cream step help with antifogging for as long as the shield lasts?

Off-topic: mksuen, your avatar makes me chuckle every time I see one of your posts. Every time, I kid you not. I could be in the worst mood possible. The snarfing hamster makes it all better. I must have it.

[spikedfro10]

Jlmitch, you can find pre-bent faceshields for construction and stuff that will be also pre-tinted for you, if you can find em, then all you have to do is cut out an appropriate shape/drill holes in the right places, and you'll be golden.

[VulgarDisplayCFH]

Max, my shield keeps on foggin up. is there any way to fix it?

[MillencolinAddict]

The thinnest polycarbonate I could get is definately thicker than what is recommended but I'm confident I can still make it work. However, due to the thickness of the polycar I can't simply use scissors to cut it, I've alreadyed scored the shape of my template over a few times, but I was wondering if there is any reason i shouldn't use a ban saw to cut it out?

[Mongoose]

I went to homedepot and they didnt have it, or they did but it was WAY too thick, like 2-3 inches thick. Where can I get some of the right thickness?

Internetz?

[SteveC]

Anti-fog
Catcrap, or equivalent from a motorbike or dive shop.

Polycarbonate
go to a specialist plastics place, they're everywhere. The phonebook is your friend.


thought this would be a good home for this image as well

[chaoselephant23]

okay, but will a band saw work?

More than likely. I cut some polycarbonate on a band saw for a sliding glove prototype. Bandsaw worked great. Slide gloves not so well...

[SteveC]

you can use a good pair of scissors.
If you can't the plastic is thicker than necessary.

[Byrne Burnham]

Yo' - if you got the time to hold off using the bandsaw at the shop - why not check out these cats....the .030 is what you're looking for, it's VERY close to 1/32" which is the suggested thickness in this thread.....and when I say VERY close, I mean .00125 inches from being a 1/32".

The pro's to having .030 is that you can cut it with a good set of shears/scissors - and with it being MORE flexible than 1/16" - it really bends around the curves of your helmet making it more stealth and aerodynamic (I made up the aero' part but hey - it sounds good 'eh?)....You get the idea though right ?

http://www.indplastic.com/index.cfm?...owse&pageid=57


Convenient sizes and LEGIT (i.e. fair) shipping prices....I've just ordered (2) 24"x24" pieces and it came out to like under 20 bucks....My shield (before the actual lines matching the helmet's openings are cut from it) measures 14"x6", so you can see how many shields I'll get from 1 piece of 24"x24" (5 shields) - so I'd say its a good buy..

Having multiple shields means you can have a lightly tinted shield, a dark tinted shield, a colored shield, a mirrored shield, and a rainbow shield should a rider's heart desires....or having back up clear shields can be "the move" too....

This is my 420th post and I feel like a decorated SF vet'......SMILE < like my boy Joe Cool.....

p.s. Sorry about forgetting to post the link....

[Byrne Burnham]

Hey Mongoose - that link above has 12"x12" pieces, 24"x24" and even 24"x48" pieces.....
Unless your helmet is the size of a 50 gallon drum - I'm just about POSITIVE one of those sizes can be trimmed down to fit.....
Mksuen's tutorial is perfect....You can "size" the piece you'll need even before the plastic gets to your place with paper as a template ya' know ? Go with it bro' - I'm sure we'll see a shield on your helmie in no time...

[[ben]]

I will pay someone to make it for me and mail it to my house

I cant find some freaking polycarbonate with the right demensions

Byrne posted a direct link just above!!
http://www.indplastic.com/index.cfm?...owse&pageid=57

[Byrne Burnham]

Yo' - this is the way I prefer my shield....

With the .030 lexan/poly - you can cut it with scissors and after it's installed - you can literally THROW a tennis ball at it and it's good....Well - maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea right ?

Cop it...

p.s. If there's anybody out there with a Pryme AL style helmet - hit me up, I can send over a template that you can use to make a snug fitting visor : as shown in figure A,B,and C below.....hehehehehehe....

[Byrne Burnham]

Oh - I forgot to mention above - I find it best to "load" (assemble in a loose sense) the visor using gloved hands (rubber, or whatever your preferred material is) as it'll prevent scratches....

p.s. I've sourced a company that can provide a "scratch resistant" .030 lexan since hooking up with the Joe's above......
Why do I do this ?

Simple....

Cuz' I hold more cheese than cannoli's....The cranberry and Stoli's can't hold me....
When I play soccer with dreads I play goalie...

(Dee says with one eye slightly bent down in the razzed configuration)