Make a Liftable Visor for a Full-face MTB Helmet (longboarding :)

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Introduction: Make a Liftable Visor for a Full-face MTB Helmet (longboarding :)

This instructable will cover how to shape cut and bend a polycarbonate sheet into a visor for your helmet.

WARNING: Doing this unproprely might lead to toxic fumes inhalation, so be safe and do this at your own risk.

Things you need:
-1mm sheet of polycarbonate (enough to make a few tries)
-A3 size sheet of paper
-Some thick scissors
-An electric hoven

Step 1: Shaping

Sorry no pics for this part...

-Fold the paper in half and align it with the center of the visor hole vertically.
-Trace the outline from the inside of the helmet. (Use some tape to keep the paper in place)
- Remove the paper and looking at your helmet decide where and how much do you want the visor to overlap over the helmet.
-Draw the new outline outside the previus one (remember it will have to reach the bolt holes from the MTB visor)
-Cut around the border and unfold the paper

Now you have a template to cut the polycarbonate sheet. Use some thick scissors for that.

Step 2: Bending

Here comes the tricky part.
Polycarbonate melts at 155 deg celsius becomes gluey at 147 and deforms around 130. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarbonate

So put the hoven at something between 120 and 130 with ventilation on, wait till it reaches temperature then place the visor like in the pic..(align well the 2 sides)

Note: every so often it will start popping out, use a kitchen glove to put back in place
It souldn't take more then 7-10 min depending on the effective temperature inside. The best is you pull it out every now and then and check, the sooner it holds the better. Also is better to overbend it then under...

Step 3: Finishing

Great we are almost done..
-If you havn't already done so sand the borders , they can be cutting sharp sometimes..
-Squash the visor on the helmet and pick the points to drill for the holes.
-Drill the holes apply using the original screws.
-Add stickers ..GO BOMBING!

Mine has gone through 2 years of abuse, so is all scratched, but visibility is still great, and there is no visual deformation whasoever..

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    Comments

    0
    VendicarD
    VendicarD

    6 years ago

    I just made a new visor for my helmet using some polycarbonate obtained from a shop face shield. The plastic was cut with some simple scissors.

    Use the original shield as a template.

    Worked exceptionally well and the plastic is so clear that I can't tell if it the shield is down or not.

    Gives suitable strength against bugs, and doesn't flap around in the wind even though it is only about 1mm thick.

    Easy Peasy.

    But where can this optical grade material be purchased?