alktrio06 Posted February 5, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 5, 2013 I was looking up how to build a helmet stand and I found this... http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?1414-quot-How-To-quot-make-an-inexpensive-helmet-stand What do you guys use at the top of the dowel to support the helmet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RelicHunter99 Posted February 5, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 5, 2013 While it may look nice, I would personally never put a helmet on a stand like that. Forget that the paint and Styrofoam are a bad idea in general, but the stand itself is likely going to put pressure on a delicate part of the helmet. If you have any kind of soft (leather) liner in there at all, not only should that not be supporting the weight of a helmet, but the liner itself should be supported by something underneath. What I do for my helmets (WW1 so they all have fragile liners) is take archival batting (like stuffing for toys) and stuff it into cloth so it forms a nice soft but firm head shaped cushion that you can put in the helmet. This supports most of the weight of the helmet, allowing it to rest delicately on its edges while protecting the liner. I would only use helmet stands for shells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparty On Posted February 5, 2013 Share #3 Posted February 5, 2013 Somewhere, I found a stand that used a flat oval/circular top piece of plywood that had adjustable ends (front and back) allowing for a snug fit on the inside perimeter of the shell thus allowing for zero contact with the liner. It looked relatively easy and inexpensive to build. If I can't find the link I'll try and post a drawing of it. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RelicHunter99 Posted February 5, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 5, 2013 Somewhere, I found a stand that used a flat oval/circular top piece of plywood that had adjustable ends (front and back) allowing for a snug fit on the inside perimeter of the shell thus allowing for zero contact with the liner. It looked relatively easy and inexpensive to build. If I can't find the link I'll try and post a drawing of it. Mike Depending on the liner, my concern with that would be the liner not being supported. Over time, the leather liners will hang and either lose their proper shape or their attachment to the helmet will deteriorate due to the stress of hanging freely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparty On Posted February 5, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 5, 2013 Incorporating batting onto the top of the stand I'm describing would be a good idea. That way you have gentle support of the liner while displaying the helmet without unnecessary weight on the liner itself as all the weight would be focused around the edge of the shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alktrio06 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted February 5, 2013 While it may look nice, I would personally never put a helmet on a stand like that. Forget that the paint and Styrofoam are a bad idea in general, but the stand itself is likely going to put pressure on a delicate part of the helmet. If you have any kind of soft (leather) liner in there at all, not only should that not be supporting the weight of a helmet, but the liner itself should be supported by something underneath. What I do for my helmets (WW1 so they all have fragile liners) is take archival batting (like stuffing for toys) and stuff it into cloth so it forms a nice soft but firm head shaped cushion that you can put in the helmet. This supports most of the weight of the helmet, allowing it to rest delicately on its edges while protecting the liner. I would only use helmet stands for shells. So you put the stuffing in the helmet and leave as is? What about putting the helmets on manequins, does that not ruin the helmets as well? I suppose I can just use the stuffing and keep the helmets on the shelf. Somewhere, I found a stand that used a flat oval/circular top piece of plywood that had adjustable ends (front and back) allowing for a snug fit on the inside perimeter of the shell thus allowing for zero contact with the liner. It looked relatively easy and inexpensive to build. If I can't find the link I'll try and post a drawing of it. Mike I'd like to see pics of this. Using the stuffing and this method could be a good solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RelicHunter99 Posted February 5, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 5, 2013 I would also hesitate to put a helmet on a mannequin for an extended period of time, again depending on the type of helmet and liner. You could potentially put a soft and safe material between the head of the mannequin and the leather liner. All of my WW1 helmets with liners sit directly on a shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparty On Posted February 6, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 6, 2013 I'll try and get something on here soon to give you a better idea of the stand I'm referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWII_GI Posted February 6, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 6, 2013 I display my helmet on the Mexican coke glass bottles for WWII m1's the top of the bottle goes right through the shoestring circle and rests on the crown if the liner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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