Tutorial on metal armour build.
This is how I made the plates using 1 mm aluminum sheet, regular scissors, and hand tools.
Step 1 – Cut the pieces
Cut two copies of your armor plate:
An inner plate (final shape).
An outer plate with an additional 10–20 mm flange/rib all the way around the edge. This extra material will be folded over later to lock the two layers together.
Step 2 – Form the shape
Bend the inner plate into the desired curve first. Once you’re happy with the shape, transfer that curve to the outer plate and add relief cuts along the flange wherever the edge needs to follow a curve. These cuts let each tab fold independently without wrinkling.
Step 3 – Crimp the edges
Place the inner plate inside the outer plate and begin folding each tab over the inner plate. Work your way around gradually instead of folding one side completely first. This locks the two layers together and creates a thicker, cleaner edge.
(Optional: you can add contact adhesive between the layers before crimping for extra rigidity.)
Step 4 – Finished!
Once all the tabs are folded over, the armor is complete. You can then fine-tune the curves, sand the edges, and paint or weather it as desired.
Note: This is just the first version of the method that I came up with while experimenting, so there’s definitely room for improvement. If anyone tries it and finds ways to refine the process, I’d love to see them!