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.
i plan on doing this in the next couple days and it would be nice if there were pictures, but if you cant get it i think i can still figure it out pretty good.
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.
Last edited by jlmitch; 09-13-2007 at 02:36 PM..
Reason: I had to give mksuen props.
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.
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?
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LinkBack to this Thread: http://www.silverfishlongboarding.com/forum/skateboard-safety-ride-hard-ride-safe-live-ride-another-day/49681-how-make-visor-your-helmet.html
How to make a Faceshield for your Helmet
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