Decades ago, I was the responsible engineer on a construction project that included bulletproofing. I learned from one of the'experts' that 5.56 is traveling so fast that it melts its way through solid 2" blocks of both 'bulletproof' glass and polycarbonate. (2" thick glass and polycarbonate slabs) They used multiple layers with a small air gap. The end result was that the 5.56 bullet would shatter against the inner layer and not fully penetrate.
@@TheBeardedAxe I was in the Military and one thing they were experimenting was putting mesh between layers what you could try is putting fiberglass or carbon fly mesh between the layers say make each layer an 1/8" thick then when you have the desired thick ness say 1. 1/4 " thick heat it all up and compress it into a shape that would be suitable for body armored. even try bubble wrap in-between sheets as a shock absorber. Good luck
Usually manufacturers of UHMWPE or HDPE armor plates use them in a fabric form with the plastic being made into strands and then woven, and the great thing is that fabric is cheap as chips online. It's also better when encased in an epoxy resin to keep it from just moving out of the way since it's a thermoplastic it sorta melts and they helps when it can't just move away
Learn from the great candy makers who handcraft retro sweets using Victorian techniques. They work on heated metal surfaces, that they can set with a thermostat. That way they can work at the melting point of the sugar mixture, or slightly lower if they want it to slightly solidify and remain mailable. If you could borrow a heated work surface, and use a metal rolling pin at the same temperature, you could manipulate the plastic much more easily. Not very practical, but I thought I would share. Great video btw
Another tuber take his and wraps it with a layer of fiberglass and resin. This stops the plastic from expanding and stops most rounds including rifle.And it’s only an inch thick.
Should be easy if you're not cutting the fiberglass afterwards or sanding. Just cut the sheets to the needed size and use gloves, wrap the HDPE really tight and hit it with resin the whole way around/let it cure then shoot it after.
@@TheBeardedAxe I'd just come from the same video and had this thought.. 1/8" of HDPE at liquid state to lay down thick fiberglass cloth. add another 1/8" HDPE, another layer cloth (45 degree angle?), continue to 5/8" or 3/4" thick, being 4 or 5 layers of fiberglass cloth within. the HDPE tries to mash aside as it absorbs energy, the fiberglass says "not so fast dummy!" and the layers of cloth are trying to spread+absorb that impact. it'd need to be liquid state to saturate the fiberglass cloth, after laminating put into press to shape it before it really cools (make from 55 gallon drum sides?)
A quick way to get hdpe that i figured out about when I became a dad is if you're using formula, you absolutely plow through hdpe in the form of large ready-feed bottles, jugs of distilled water and formula containers (the large tubs, not the cardboard cans) and the last 2 are super easy to clean because they only hold water or powdered formula. So if you struggle to get much hdpe, find some parents who are formula feeding and work out a deal. You can probably source the average person's yearly hdpe waste from a few months of a family with a
In my opinion, this method will work fine with regular rounds including 357, 9mm, etc... Try to add welding blankets at the front, rear as well as in between those plastic layers to make it even STRONGER 💪🏻 and can withstand rifle rounds like 5.56 and 7.62... it might work flawlessly 🤞🏻😊
Here's a little trick I learned by accident. I was repairing/improvising a ammo clip on a .380 highpoint. I went to pull the slide back and it got away from me and chambered and fired a round. Fortunately, I was pointing the weapon towards the floor above my relatively new 12" thick memory foam mattress, which was on top of a particle board frame and 1/2" thick wafer board deck. When it discharged, it went through the mattress and 1/2" wafer board and gently landed, unscathed or damaged in the sock drawer below. That's the first and only time that's happened to me, but I took it as a blessing in disguise and would like to try out some experimental target practice at a distance with different calibres and types. Since that was practically point blank, I think there's something there that a guy could use to his advantage, without spending shit loads of money. I figure, a guy could take out an ad in the paper and get used memory foam mattresses probably for free.
@@skindianu That's sad for the 380 that it only penetrated some foam and a particle board before being stopped and should show you that neither of those materials would be adequate for stronger rounds at further distances. You can stop a 10mm with a half inch of much lighter fiberglass and epoxy.
I have been gearing up to do this. A few of things I have been contemplating are... Sandwich a few fiberglass sheets within the plastic block? When I was in high school (62 now) I worked with my future brother-in-law in a metal fabrication shop. Next door was a fiberglass shop. They had what was called a "Chopper Gun". Essentially it sprayed resin and it had another hose that fed in fiberglass. As it sprayed resin the long strands of fiberglass were chopped into short pieces as they emerged. This layered fiberglass in the resin in all random directions. This resulted in a very strong end product. So, my idea is to get some fiberglass and cut it into short strands and mix it in the HDPE. I'm very certain this would be extremely strong. Also a thin piece of metal (good quality hardened Aluminum?) as an outside layer would initiate the start of bullet expansion which would make the bullet wider which will make it have a much wider surface area which will cause the bullet to give up energy faster which should stop the bullet. We must also remember that bullet penetration is not total failure. We must remember that bullet velocity, when high enough, is a big deal as far as temporary wound channel and permanent wound channel, etc. At high velocities (3,000 FPS) the high velocity air that follows a bullet into the wound cavity does a great deal of damage. My point is that your HDPE plate undoubtedly slowed that .223 / 5.56 round by quite a bit. Do you want a bullet hitting you at 3,200 fps or something traveling at 800 fps? I choose 800 fps all day long. It would be cool if someone would take on the project to chronograph the speed just before entrance and just after exiting.
My main goal is to make this as home made as possible. Meaning I don't want to add stuff that I can't easily find at a hardware store or any local store for that matter. Another reason I don't want to use fiberglass is I hate working with the stuff lol Lots of people have suggested it and I might give it a try if nothing else works. All that being said I think you are definitely on to something and I would LOVE to see how your results. Good luck and thanks for the input :)
It's a good start but it has a long way to go I'm afraid. I still haven't tested my recent version of this build but I think that one has some promise to it.
Maybe add a few layers of welding blanket woth tedin between each layer anddo on both dides of your milk jug finished plates to improve strength= protection?
I've done this and what you needed to do was get it in a press while heated to finish the bond and to compress the molecular structure of the plastic that's not one piece that's a whole bunch of pieces stuck together the only way you're going to make it one piece is to heat it to the point in which it is clear drop it into a press with a premade mold basically you hate it all till it's clear and they're paying the same shape is your mold drop it into your mold and take about 13 tons of pressure and apply as much pressure as you can This is where the mold will come in the handy to keep it from Just smashing and coming out the sides then it will work you need to make it one solid piece. Which you should have done is after you had it in the shape you're holding in your hand is you should have had pre-made metal mold and a 13 ton press from Harbor Freight heated the plastic up to the point in which it was clear dropped it into the mold and applied pressure the more the better the harder it will become quite literally smashing the molecules to make the molecular structure so tightly compressed so for lack of a better word rock hard with no voids in the molecules pressed so tightly together it will be as hard as Steel
Tip. Put some hot water into the jug and vigorously shake it. The label will peel straight off. Also, cut the bottom of the jug up about 2 inches. Pile all the rest of the bits in there and put it into your sandwich maker (use 2 sheets baking paper), and lean on it. Works a charm. Your plastic was already white when you took it out of the oven, not melted properly at all. Your armor will work better if you wrap it in a few layers of fiberglass.
@@richardthomas6602 Possibly. The fiberglass is much harder when cured. If the duct tape was thick enough it might help. It might be too soft to actually stop a bullet. Try it as an experiment and see what happens.
3 add a $1 ceramic plate in the middle from Lowe's and use the milk jug to protect you from fragmentation I would also go with 400 degrees and try to get it back to a complete liquid then let it cool.
I try this, using any hdpe i found, clean all, use the right temperature, and didnt stop a 9mm nta ammo from cbc, its a regular ammo im brazil, but i guess our hdpe is possibly fucked up, i'm gonna try with more pure pead i can found on huge gallons.... thx man, keep up with the good content!!
I bet you could make filament out of this and print the plates then anneal it and spray it...this is a fun project I'ma do something like this too when I have the resources
The Bearded Axe You need to study industrial processes in plastics. The filament process most likely involves more heat, high pressure, and reduction tubes and formers. This is where it will start to get very technical,expensive and potentially dangerous. All injection moulding techniques require very high precision machined parts that are very strong, and inevitably cost a lot of money. I’m guessing that this is how a hot filament printing process could work. And in theory it would be possible to weave something very strong indeed. Inter layering sheets of Kevlar, and adding ceramic dust to a resin layer, with a final steel layer for good measure would surely stop a rifle round. But remember G Gordon Liddy’s advice. Peace, until THEY make the alternative inevitable
As an aside the body armor I see most functional isn't turned into confetti - in fact it's layer upon layer like they're making damascus out of jug sides. I don't think they realise this, but when they then buy a giant SLAB of two inch thick HDPE and blow through it with a 22 and are shocked and amazed no one has yet put two and two together why. I suspect the delamination of all those layers of folded over and over not perfectly bonded layers of HDPE is dissipating the energy without delamination.
I bet if you laminate some glass fiber in the hdpe layers you will get something even greater, or add sand and some kind of fiber to the plastic mix, heat it in a tray on a induction cooktop, this way it will melt the whole batch and mix bond well together
Nice work. I didn't see anyone else mention it but you need to get it in the oven with the clamps on and leave it for about a day. You also need to sandwich the material in something so it Can't move out of the way of the bullet for a synergistic effect forcing the bullet to compress the plastic. Also, you need something with mass to slow fast bullets down or to fragment the bullet, which will add weight but can't be helped. Fill up a soup can with 2 inches of your plastic, melted and compressed and hammer the open end closed and you will see what I mean by not allowing the plastic to be pushed out of the way of the bullet.
1. Boil water. 2. Pour water into gallon jug (shampoo bottle, etc) Hold jug in way that boiling water is touching inside part of jug that touches label. Wait a minute. It peels off nice.
The penetration was achieved from friction and heat. You would need to find a heat resistant plastic which at the same time would require even higher heat to melt down.
Guy. Eff fiberglass. Try dyneema, Kevlar younger smarter brother. If it was me...plastic, dyneema, plastic, dynemma 90 degrees rotated so the weave is crossing at 90 degrees.. 4 layers of plastic and dyneema. Maybe an air pocket half way thru. I'd love to see that against 556.
you need more heat and pressure. another cheap thing you could use and put the plastic over it is heavy fiberglass welding blanket making the base then coat the outside with 1/4 inch both sides.
I’ve messed around with this a bit. My hat is off to you sir!! I’ve also tried the CZcams channel thing. It’s all a lot of work and I can totally appreciate that video. The camera and your editing is great, I’m really glad you did a good video on this subject I’m very interested in the whole concept of hdpe armor and various parts.
layer it with fabric like kevlar or carbon fiber and put it in a heated mold so you can compress it in the mold and force out the air. the other concern is how the heat changes the molecular structure. reheating plastic can fuck it up. if you can make an aluminum mold and fill it with layers of carbon fiber and fill it that would help.
Part of the reasoning for this build is be able find or go out to a store to buy what you need. Kevlar and carbon fiber isn't easily found by your average person. Good point about heat weakening the plastic. I hadn't thought about that. Might consider a test to see if there's a difference in strength with high heat vs. low heat. Thanks for watching and I appreciate the input 😊
Would make a great layer behind a ceramic plate especially if you could mold it to it. Possibly layer fiberglass fire blanket into the plastic as well. good info
Are you aiming to make a suit of armor out of this? It would be an interesting journey to see. Though it may not be worth your time. Although you could alternate it into your regular project rotation. Keep you and your viewers from burning out in case it turns into a 37 part series or whatever. The folks at dystopia rising would likely eat this up. Hopefully you count some of them among your viewers.
I would agree for the most part as it really wasn't a viable option considering it didn't stop most handgun rounds. Also you're not likely going to get a thick enough plate of steel at a hardware store to be considered bullet proof. Thanks for watching.
@@TheBeardedAxeYou can make bulletproof panels from the tread of old car tyres. Which are rubber coated steel wires. I've seen two layers of this resist rifle rounds. The soviets can't be wrong because that's what they're bulletproof jackets are made from. Try it out and give me a shout out, for telling you if you do a video.
What about dissolving the plastic in a solvent - acetone, toluene or xylene, pouring the mixture into a mould and letting the solvent evaporate? You could reinforce everything by placing in the solution some pieces of well dispersed fibreglass.
That's a pretty good idea. I was thinking about the a few months ago actually. I'm gonna try to get my channel up and running next year and might give this a try. Thanks for the suggestion my friend 😄
Using Kevlar or carbon fiber cloth make the plate so it cat move around as the bullet hits it. Plain fiber glas can stretch slightly allowing for the hdpe to expand so your 55 can squeeze through.
Instead of just use milkjugs You could recycle old plastic cutting boards into armor. In europe its mostly paper packaging for milk and juice. So not so much plastic to source other than from old cutting boards
I have used cut up milk jugs in the past when putting up a ladder tree stand, or using my metal climbing tree stand to quiet it, everywhere bolts or fasteners was used metal on metal I fashioned washers made from plastic milk jugs and no more agravating squeeks at the wrong time scaring deer away. just cut off the size u need from a jug, i never painted them since they was small anyway n out of site mostly, but u could paint them for better camo to hide your stand better from humans
smart use of thermo plastic... what i would do tho is add layers of fiber glass inbetween layers of thermo plastic and use a meat tenderizer to smash the thermo plastic in.
hmm maybe a sheet of material that has a close weave then a thin layer off plastic then material then thin layer off metal then layer of plastic then material then plastic then thin metal then plastic then material then plastic then material might do the job all then compressed under heat might be good and work
I think a heat press might make this process much easier, also you could make a bunch of thin sheets and then laminate them all together. It seems like that would be more effective at stopping rounds as well, maybe even laminate thin ceramic plates towards the front. Or perhaps get a few Kevlar sheets and laminate them throughout the plate.
I agree but I think the pressure needed and heat required is something outside of the budget. Someone suggested a panini press but I don't think that will work as it's too small and the pressure needed to press the plastic was would likely break the press.
@@TheBeardedAxe 2 things i may have to criticize on the kevlar layer idea is one im pretty sure the stopping power of the polymer is from its density, so thin sheets might negate its properties, but as a backing could be useful. and layering it like that would stretch out the kevlar more negating its energy catching properties adding tension points. But this is 2 years later and im just researching for fun and sharing some knowledge i think everyone should have the opportunity to learn
it would be really cool if a company recycled all those milk jugs and made cheap affordable 3a body armor. it would be the next revolution in civilian body armor just like how ar500 armor made body armor available to civilians at a low cost
Beautiful work, looking forward to the next version. Would like to point out/bring up annealing the HDPE plastic, the channel 'Tech this out meow' just put out a video that discussed this near the end. Great work!
I wonder with thin steel on the outside would get the rifle round to begin to tumble, making it go into the plastic sideways, which would slow the round faster & help the plastic stop the round.
@@TheBeardedAxe Thanks. I want to put my chronograph behind a target and measure the velocity of bullets after they pass through things like thin sheet metal. Body armor should be light weight, but it also has to work. Maybe if thin steel on the face doesn't quite stop it. Maybe another thin sheet of steel or maybe aluminum behind the bullet proof plate.
So I did the same thing but mad my plates around 1 inch thick. I rapped one in fiberglass and did one with layers of plastic and fiberglass. The layered plate stopped bigger rounds but delaminated and the rapped one stopped smaller rounds but a lot more before it broke apart.
Alot of people are suggesting fiberglass but I hate working with it lol I'm trying to make this out of common household stuff too. If I get stuck I might try it though.
@@akeeperofoddknowledge4956 steel plates are good for multiple hits but you are correct. Ceramic plates are only good for a few before you gotta replace them. I've seen destructive tests done on high end armor and it took several rounds and not one went through.
Try it with grade 5 porcelain floor tile as the strike face and also try forming the plastic under pressure Might come close to stopping some rifle rounds. Maybe.
Nice, I just tested my hemp fiber resin plates that stopped 10mm and below. Want to try next test with ceramic tile mat face pressed into a thick hemp/yucca epoxy core and back face with either an aluminum zinc plate or milk jug plastic. Just used Bondo fiberglass resin first test.
I used this method and I am glad the .22 rounds missed me...but a bb is now stuck in my chest. Just kidding. I built my armor with military grade kevlar, hardened steel plate in the front, layer ceramic tiles in the back, a cup I fused with kevlar and steel, repurposed football shoulder pads, and slices of pool noodles for cushioning. It stops a 7.62x39.
It's possible but not likely to make much of a difference but I'll likely need a thick steel plate rather then another thin baking tray. The next version went together much better. Check it out and thanks for watching 🙂
Watch out for air bubbles. That could really put a hole in your chest. Yeah, this would definitely be a last resort. There's body armor out there that is pretty cheap, and proven to work well, and without plastic shrapnel in the face & neck. Armor that one could afford by working for half the time it takes to make those plastic plates.
Once i started looking for it, yes! Everywhere lol. 5 gallon buckets. Oil jugs for your car. Windshield washer jugs. Shampoo. Milk. Water. I asked an oil change olace if i could raid their oil bottles out of the trash, but they get oil in metal drums. And that was before i discovered windshield washer jugs were HDPE, so i didn't ask about those. Maybe a mom and pop shop would have some.
That's good stuff man! Melting it a little more would probably do you some good as you said. May I suggest a rubber mallet for needing and possibly with the final product before cooling in the form with the clamps, do a re heat to ease any stresses. Seems like this stuff isn't that far off from forging steel as far as the behavior of the material. Doing a reheat on most metal after forging seems to relieve stress. Not a blacksmith, but I know a little about material stress. Hope that helps. Hope to see more stuff like this.
Great video man very detailed just so you know I don't think it's your idea it was just the execution of it. Depending on what you got in the garage you can make that work with astounding results. I pretty much have everything I need to do it and it sounds pricey but a lot of guys already have the stuff in the garage it just takes a little bit of fabrication and to build a mold that can be used repeatedly over and over again it would be worth it a little bit of money you would need to buy in Steel to make your mold. Because once you do it the first time and it works guarantee you you'll make yourself a good setup and your buddies are going to want one too!
maybe if you create a external frame to prevent plastic expansion? almost like wrap it with kevlar? (airbags are made of kevlar and layered out it could work as a added strength
How about a hybrid with a thinner lighter steep plate behind the hdpe? The hdpe can take some of the energy out of the bullet and it can help mitigate splash.. maybe.
Fill your jugs with hot water before you cut into them and let them sit for a bit. The label should come right off. Isopropyl alcohol will deal with any sticky
To stop rifle rounds get some fiberglass cloth like welding blanket or some such type of bullet resistent fabric (kevlar, etc) wet it in resin and wrap it around the HDPE. A number of layers around it not only creates a hardened shell but creates compression on the HDPE. This means the HDPE has more resistance as the bullet passes through it as it can not expand as easily. If you want to stop very powerful rifles you should add steel or porcelain (preferably small porcelain inlay tiles because they increase multi shot survivability) tiles, yes it needs to be porcelain... regular ceramic works poorly or not at all. You could also use quartz tiles or certain types of glass... obviously there are weight and cost issues with some of these solutions...
I want to see this with metal plate on front and back of the plastic. Make a mold to pour the plastic into, place metal plate on top and bottom and integrate layers of fiberglass in layers as it's poured? use one of the metal plates to compress it down and use clamps to hold down as it dries.
It's been suggested before and a metal plate might not be a bad idea. Problem is getting plate at a hardware store thick enough for it to be worth it. Worth experimenting with. The main goal is I'm trying to make this with materials and tools most people have access to or know how to process into an armored plate. When you start getting into fiberglass and metal plates it starts to get too difficult for most folks. I'll keep these in mind of course. Thanks for the suggestion :)
Place a sheet of ar500 in the middle or so scrap metal laying around in a time as you are talking about ar500 not readably available but look for kevlar type fiber's to mix in
Buy rubber gloves and buy some boards in a wooden boards and then make a mold out of it and make it pressurize the air out every plastic pressurizer and let it sit for a day before using it
38 spl is 200 fps slower in almost every bullet weight compared to 9x19mm. The ceramic tile idea for the front would be great, but use the mini individual tiles so it would have multi hit capability, and maybe a sheet of aluminum behind that. You could layer it a good bit, adding a few layers of welders blanket. As far as using milk jugs, etc, you could use a paper shredder once the pieces are cut down. Theyll shred credit cards with ease, surely milk jug material wouldnt be a problem. Id just make sure the shredder was either new and dedicated to your material, or completely free of paper. Outstanding work though, got my wheels turning!! Well done!!
I've tried a paper shredder and it just doesn't do it. The plastic is too flexible and it warps more then shreds. As far as fiberglass I have seen another CZcamsr use it but I think the success is very limited. Also I hate dealing with that stuff lol I made another video with an updated version of this. It's the barrel body armor video. I'm gonna try to get this tested real soon so be waiting for that. Thanks for watching:)
@@TheBeardedAxe welding blankets are much tougher than automotive fiberglass, are pretty cheap, and with the right resin or layering, are very effective ballistics wise.
Curious when i was younger i heard it was the layers that help slow the projectile down. Maybe try three barrel parts stacked verses three melted together?
Late to the party here, but I reckon if you used a bottle jack and worked fibreglass through the HDPE you'd get a better result ... maybe even try add carbon fibre strands to the mix.
Soaking the stickier label parts cause the paper to disintegrate and the glue residue to weaken, if you have the time, a good soak could save a tiny bit more plastic to reuse.
HDPE gains strength if you wrap it in fiberglass or another woven material like it. Try wrapping it before placing the vices and pressure on it. Also, refine it more into smaller granulated pieces and cook it a little hotter for longer.
I wish I thought of this when I worked as a trucker for a plastic bottle maker, i had access to all the small plastic pellets they use to make gallon jugs with, im sure i could of just bought a big box of them on a pallet, they was a heavy load too, but a load of jugs or pop bottles was so empty it felt as though the trailer was empty
Not a bad idea but then again this didn't hold up well to the handguns I shot it with. If I get a better method of making these where it will be a viable option then it would be work a try for sure.
Decades ago, I was the responsible engineer on a construction project that included bulletproofing. I learned from one of the'experts' that 5.56 is traveling so fast that it melts its way through solid 2" blocks of both 'bulletproof' glass and polycarbonate. (2" thick glass and polycarbonate slabs) They used multiple layers with a small air gap. The end result was that the 5.56 bullet would shatter against the inner layer and not fully penetrate.
Very cool
@@TheBeardedAxe
I was in the Military and one thing they were experimenting was putting mesh between layers what you could try is putting fiberglass or carbon fly mesh between the layers say make each layer an 1/8" thick then when you have the desired thick ness say 1. 1/4 " thick heat it all up and compress it into a shape that would be suitable for body armored. even try bubble wrap in-between sheets as a shock absorber. Good luck
Honey, what your'e doing?
Baking body armor my dear!
im glad useful info like this is easily available nowadays , thanks
Usually manufacturers of UHMWPE or HDPE armor plates use them in a fabric form with the plastic being made into strands and then woven, and the great thing is that fabric is cheap as chips online. It's also better when encased in an epoxy resin to keep it from just moving out of the way since it's a thermoplastic it sorta melts and they helps when it can't just move away
Learn from the great candy makers who handcraft retro sweets using Victorian techniques.
They work on heated metal surfaces, that they can set with a thermostat.
That way they can work at the melting point of the sugar mixture, or slightly lower if they want it to slightly solidify and remain mailable.
If you could borrow a heated work surface, and use a metal rolling pin at the same temperature, you could manipulate the plastic much more easily.
Not very practical, but I thought I would share.
Great video btw
Another tuber take his and wraps it with a layer of fiberglass and resin. This stops the plastic from expanding and stops most rounds including rifle.And it’s only an inch thick.
I've heard this as well but I hate working with fiberglass lol. It's not entirely off the table so if I can make any progress I'll definitely try it.
Should be easy if you're not cutting the fiberglass afterwards or sanding. Just cut the sheets to the needed size and use gloves, wrap the HDPE really tight and hit it with resin the whole way around/let it cure then shoot it after.
Just seen one with tires. Seemed very promising.
@@beinghuman3225 Interesting
Might have to try that
@@TheBeardedAxe I'd just come from the same video and had this thought.. 1/8" of HDPE at liquid state to lay down thick fiberglass cloth. add another 1/8" HDPE, another layer cloth (45 degree angle?), continue to 5/8" or 3/4" thick, being 4 or 5 layers of fiberglass cloth within.
the HDPE tries to mash aside as it absorbs energy, the fiberglass says "not so fast dummy!" and the layers of cloth are trying to spread+absorb that impact. it'd need to be liquid state to saturate the fiberglass cloth, after laminating put into press to shape it before it really cools (make from 55 gallon drum sides?)
That beard is killing it. GingerKidArmy!!!
A quick way to get hdpe that i figured out about when I became a dad is if you're using formula, you absolutely plow through hdpe in the form of large ready-feed bottles, jugs of distilled water and formula containers (the large tubs, not the cardboard cans) and the last 2 are super easy to clean because they only hold water or powdered formula. So if you struggle to get much hdpe, find some parents who are formula feeding and work out a deal. You can probably source the average person's yearly hdpe waste from a few months of a family with a
U could place a ceramic tile in front and coat the whole thing with spray rhino lining.
taofladermaus tested this armor. the strongest combo was ceramic in front of it and an aluminum plate in the back and it stopped a 5.56
@@deltashot5608 11
Hell; fill it halfway with plastic, bake, then place a tile on it, cover with plastic.
Bake a tile in the middle
@@TonyTheGoon GREAT IDEA!!!
Have a look at "gripmetal"
Dude, you are the best to watch! Thanks!
In my opinion, this method will work fine with regular rounds including 357, 9mm, etc...
Try to add welding blankets at the front, rear as well as in between those plastic layers to make it even STRONGER 💪🏻 and can withstand rifle rounds like 5.56 and 7.62... it might work flawlessly 🤞🏻😊
This could be a good way to armor a small safe room on a budget honestly!
Fill the walls with sand.
Better off with concrete
Here's a little trick I learned by accident. I was repairing/improvising a ammo clip on a .380 highpoint. I went to pull the slide back and it got away from me and chambered and fired a round. Fortunately, I was pointing the weapon towards the floor above my relatively new 12" thick memory foam mattress, which was on top of a particle board frame and 1/2" thick wafer board deck. When it discharged, it went through the mattress and 1/2" wafer board and gently landed, unscathed or damaged in the sock drawer below. That's the first and only time that's happened to me, but I took it as a blessing in disguise and would like to try out some experimental target practice at a distance with different calibres and types. Since that was practically point blank, I think there's something there that a guy could use to his advantage, without spending shit loads of money. I figure, a guy could take out an ad in the paper and get used memory foam mattresses probably for free.
or a vehicle maybe
@@skindianu That's sad for the 380 that it only penetrated some foam and a particle board before being stopped and should show you that neither of those materials would be adequate for stronger rounds at further distances. You can stop a 10mm with a half inch of much lighter fiberglass and epoxy.
Well done. I completely agree with your end analysis. You need to smelt the plastic to a higher viscosity and “fold” it more to get a higher adhesion.
I have been gearing up to do this. A few of things I have been contemplating are...
Sandwich a few fiberglass sheets within the plastic block?
When I was in high school (62 now) I worked with my future brother-in-law in a metal fabrication shop. Next door was a fiberglass shop. They had what was called a "Chopper Gun". Essentially it sprayed resin and it had another hose that fed in fiberglass. As it sprayed resin the long strands of fiberglass were chopped into short pieces as they emerged. This layered fiberglass in the resin in all random directions. This resulted in a very strong end product.
So, my idea is to get some fiberglass and cut it into short strands and mix it in the HDPE.
I'm very certain this would be extremely strong.
Also a thin piece of metal (good quality hardened Aluminum?) as an outside layer would initiate the start of bullet expansion which would make the bullet wider which will make it have a much wider surface area which will cause the bullet to give up energy faster which should stop the bullet.
We must also remember that bullet penetration is not total failure. We must remember that bullet velocity, when high enough, is a big deal as far as temporary wound channel and permanent wound channel, etc. At high velocities (3,000 FPS) the high velocity air that follows a bullet into the wound cavity does a great deal of damage.
My point is that your HDPE plate undoubtedly slowed that .223 / 5.56 round by quite a bit.
Do you want a bullet hitting you at 3,200 fps or something traveling at 800 fps?
I choose 800 fps all day long.
It would be cool if someone would take on the project to chronograph the speed just before entrance and just after exiting.
My main goal is to make this as home made as possible. Meaning I don't want to add stuff that I can't easily find at a hardware store or any local store for that matter.
Another reason I don't want to use fiberglass is I hate working with the stuff lol
Lots of people have suggested it and I might give it a try if nothing else works.
All that being said I think you are definitely on to something and I would LOVE to see how your results. Good luck and thanks for the input :)
Ive been working on a bike frame made from hdpe plastic from laundry detergent and milk bottles. Im about half way through. Interesting so far
@@fratersol that's sounds new awesome. Got a link to show your work?
Great work Sir thank you
It's a good start but it has a long way to go I'm afraid. I still haven't tested my recent version of this build but I think that one has some promise to it.
I would integrate a wire mesh into the composite with ceramic tile backing it wrapped in fiberglass with resin
Integrating all the good ideas is brilliant!🙂
Maybe add a few layers of welding blanket woth tedin between each layer anddo on both dides of your milk jug finished plates to improve strength= protection?
To keep on theme with your post apocalypse, try floor tiles in the front as a ceramic plate
Alot of folks have suggested this and I think a combination of the jugs and tiles might be the way to go.
@@TheBeardedAxe u could also try adding some fiberglass partway in.
I've done this and what you needed to do was get it in a press while heated to finish the bond and to compress the molecular structure of the plastic that's not one piece that's a whole bunch of pieces stuck together the only way you're going to make it one piece is to heat it to the point in which it is clear drop it into a press with a premade mold basically you hate it all till it's clear and they're paying the same shape is your mold drop it into your mold and take about 13 tons of pressure and apply as much pressure as you can This is where the mold will come in the handy to keep it from Just smashing and coming out the sides then it will work you need to make it one solid piece. Which you should have done is after you had it in the shape you're holding in your hand is you should have had pre-made metal mold and a 13 ton press from Harbor Freight heated the plastic up to the point in which it was clear dropped it into the mold and applied pressure the more the better the harder it will become quite literally smashing the molecules to make the molecular structure so tightly compressed so for lack of a better word rock hard with no voids in the molecules pressed so tightly together it will be as hard as Steel
Tip. Put some hot water into the jug and vigorously shake it. The label will peel straight off.
Also, cut the bottom of the jug up about 2 inches. Pile all the rest of the bits in there and put it into your sandwich maker (use 2 sheets baking paper), and lean on it. Works a charm.
Your plastic was already white when you took it out of the oven, not melted properly at all.
Your armor will work better if you wrap it in a few layers of fiberglass.
Would wrapping it with duct tape also work?
@@richardthomas6602 Possibly. The fiberglass is much harder when cured.
If the duct tape was thick enough it might help. It might be too soft to actually stop a bullet. Try it as an experiment and see what happens.
You could, take 4 ceramic tiles from home Depot, and glue them with construction adhesive , wrap it with denim.
3 add a $1 ceramic plate in the middle from Lowe's and use the milk jug to protect you from fragmentation I would also go with 400 degrees and try to get it back to a complete liquid then let it cool.
I try this, using any hdpe i found, clean all, use the right temperature, and didnt stop a 9mm nta ammo from cbc, its a regular ammo im brazil, but i guess our hdpe is possibly fucked up, i'm gonna try with more pure pead i can found on huge gallons.... thx man, keep up with the good content!!
I bet you could make filament out of this and print the plates then anneal it and spray it...this is a fun project I'ma do something like this too when I have the resources
Not sure how to begin to make filament lol. Would love see how something like that is done.
The Bearded Axe You need to study industrial processes in plastics. The filament process most likely involves more heat, high pressure, and reduction tubes and formers.
This is where it will start to get very technical,expensive and potentially dangerous. All injection moulding techniques require very high precision machined parts that are very strong, and inevitably cost a lot of money.
I’m guessing that this is how a hot filament printing process could work. And in theory it would be possible to weave something very strong indeed. Inter layering sheets of Kevlar, and adding ceramic dust to a resin layer, with a final steel layer for good measure would surely stop a rifle round.
But remember G Gordon Liddy’s advice.
Peace, until THEY make the alternative inevitable
Bro who’s looking at this believing there’s gonna be an apocalypse 😃🤚
See if u can use the same amount of plastic but make 10-20 thin sheets....you gave me a good idea for mine 💡
As an aside the body armor I see most functional isn't turned into confetti - in fact it's layer upon layer like they're making damascus out of jug sides. I don't think they realise this, but when they then buy a giant SLAB of two inch thick HDPE and blow through it with a 22 and are shocked and amazed no one has yet put two and two together why. I suspect the delamination of all those layers of folded over and over not perfectly bonded layers of HDPE is dissipating the energy without delamination.
I bet if you laminate some glass fiber in the hdpe layers you will get something even greater, or add sand and some kind of fiber to the plastic mix, heat it in a tray on a induction cooktop, this way it will melt the whole batch and mix bond well together
Nice work. I didn't see anyone else mention it but you need to get it in the oven with the clamps on and leave it for about a day. You also need to sandwich the material in something so it Can't move out of the way of the bullet for a synergistic effect forcing the bullet to compress the plastic. Also, you need something with mass to slow fast bullets down or to fragment the bullet, which will add weight but can't be helped. Fill up a soup can with 2 inches of your plastic, melted and compressed and hammer the open end closed and you will see what I mean by not allowing the plastic to be pushed out of the way of the bullet.
Fun video. Definitely lots of great ideas
1. Boil water.
2. Pour water into gallon jug (shampoo bottle, etc)
Hold jug in way that boiling water is touching inside part of jug that touches label. Wait a minute.
It peels off nice.
Great tip. Thanks 👍
If cutting fibreglass, lay strip of tape on cut line, before cutting, makes task exponential fun compared to without tape.
You have to cut long thin strips for better heating process to stop bullets too
The penetration was achieved from friction and heat. You would need to find a heat resistant plastic which at the same time would require even higher heat to melt down.
Dope the plate with ceramic beads to break up the round and find a better way to melt the plastic and i bet you would get much better results.
Ceramic Beads sounds promising actually. Might try that one. Thanks for the suggestion :)
Guy. Eff fiberglass. Try dyneema, Kevlar younger smarter brother. If it was me...plastic, dyneema, plastic, dynemma 90 degrees rotated so the weave is crossing at 90 degrees.. 4 layers of plastic and dyneema. Maybe an air pocket half way thru. I'd love to see that against 556.
Great tip! Thank you
you need more heat and pressure. another cheap thing you could use and put the plastic over it is heavy fiberglass welding blanket making the base then coat the outside with 1/4 inch both sides.
I’ve messed around with this a bit. My hat is off to you sir!! I’ve also tried the CZcams channel thing. It’s all a lot of work and I can totally appreciate that video.
The camera and your editing is great, I’m really glad you did a good video on this subject I’m very interested in the whole concept of hdpe armor and various parts.
layer it with fabric like kevlar or carbon fiber and put it in a heated mold so you can compress it in the mold and force out the air. the other concern is how the heat changes the molecular structure. reheating plastic can fuck it up. if you can make an aluminum mold and fill it with layers of carbon fiber and fill it that would help.
Part of the reasoning for this build is be able find or go out to a store to buy what you need. Kevlar and carbon fiber isn't easily found by your average person.
Good point about heat weakening the plastic. I hadn't thought about that. Might consider a test to see if there's a difference in strength with high heat vs. low heat.
Thanks for watching and I appreciate the input 😊
Would make a great layer behind a ceramic plate especially if you could mold it to it. Possibly layer fiberglass fire blanket into the plastic as well. good info
Are you aiming to make a suit of armor out of this? It would be an interesting journey to see. Though it may not be worth your time. Although you could alternate it into your regular project rotation. Keep you and your viewers from burning out in case it turns into a 37 part series or whatever.
The folks at dystopia rising would likely eat this up. Hopefully you count some of them among your viewers.
TBH I haven't reached out to any of them unfortunately. Of course feel free to share it to any groups you think it would like to see it.
Convoluted process, when you can go down to any hardware store get a piece of steel or aluminium that will do the same job without all the fuss
I would agree for the most part as it really wasn't a viable option considering it didn't stop most handgun rounds. Also you're not likely going to get a thick enough plate of steel at a hardware store to be considered bullet proof.
Thanks for watching.
@@TheBeardedAxeYou can make bulletproof panels from the tread of old car tyres. Which are rubber coated steel wires. I've seen two layers of this resist rifle rounds. The soviets can't be wrong because that's what they're bulletproof jackets are made from. Try it out and give me a shout out, for telling you if you do a video.
1 tyre layer .22 : 2 layers 9mm and low power rifle rounds: 3 layers 50 calibre and some heavy duty rifle rounds.
What about dissolving the plastic in a solvent - acetone, toluene or xylene, pouring the mixture into a mould and letting the solvent evaporate? You could reinforce everything by placing in the solution some pieces of well dispersed fibreglass.
That's a pretty good idea. I was thinking about the a few months ago actually. I'm gonna try to get my channel up and running next year and might give this a try. Thanks for the suggestion my friend 😄
If you're making this for bullets, don't melt it into a solid cube. It's strongest when it's in layers.
Noted
Made another one that's layered but I haven't been able to test it yet unfortunately.
@@TheBeardedAxe When do you think you'd be able to? I think I speak for everyone when I say I'd love to see how both armors perform!
Using Kevlar or carbon fiber cloth make the plate so it cat move around as the bullet hits it. Plain fiber glas can stretch slightly allowing for the hdpe to expand so your 55 can squeeze through.
Instead of just use milkjugs You could recycle old plastic cutting boards into armor. In europe its mostly paper packaging for milk and juice. So not so much plastic to source other than from old cutting boards
Good idea. My follow-up video I use plastic barrels.
I have used cut up milk jugs in the past when putting up a ladder tree stand, or using my metal climbing tree stand to quiet it, everywhere bolts or fasteners was used metal on metal I fashioned washers made from plastic milk jugs and no more agravating squeeks at the wrong time scaring deer away. just cut off the size u need from a jug, i never painted them since they was small anyway n out of site mostly, but u could paint them for better camo to hide your stand better from humans
Kindness is the most powerful force known to man, thank you for sharing my friend in deed.
smart use of thermo plastic... what i would do tho is add layers of fiber glass inbetween layers of thermo plastic and use a meat tenderizer to smash the thermo plastic in.
Not a bad plan tbh. Might try that in the future.
Fill your bottles with hot tap water…don’t get the label wet…pick a corner and pull the label right off. Usually leaves no residue on the bottle.
hmm maybe a sheet of material that has a close weave then a thin layer off plastic then material then thin layer off metal then layer of plastic then material then plastic then thin metal then plastic then material then plastic then material might do the job all then compressed under heat might be good and work
Add metal nuts and washers, sandwiched in between layers of the plastic, then shoot the rifle round
I think a heat press might make this process much easier, also you could make a bunch of thin sheets and then laminate them all together. It seems like that would be more effective at stopping rounds as well, maybe even laminate thin ceramic plates towards the front. Or perhaps get a few Kevlar sheets and laminate them throughout the plate.
I agree but I think the pressure needed and heat required is something outside of the budget. Someone suggested a panini press but I don't think that will work as it's too small and the pressure needed to press the plastic was would likely break the press.
@@TheBeardedAxe 2 things i may have to criticize on the kevlar layer idea is one im pretty sure the stopping power of the polymer is from its density, so thin sheets might negate its properties, but as a backing could be useful. and layering it like that would stretch out the kevlar more negating its energy catching properties adding tension points. But this is 2 years later and im just researching for fun and sharing some knowledge i think everyone should have the opportunity to learn
Exellent video! I like your honesty and that shirt!
Much appreciated :)
it would be really cool if a company recycled all those milk jugs and made cheap affordable 3a body armor. it would be the next revolution in civilian body armor just like how ar500 armor made body armor available to civilians at a low cost
A roller mill would have been perfect to squish it out so you could fold it like they do with taffy at confectioneries
Beautiful work, looking forward to the next version. Would like to point out/bring up annealing the HDPE plastic, the channel 'Tech this out meow' just put out a video that discussed this near the end. Great work!
I just watched a guy used 2 actual steal armor plates and clamped them together over the material. Cutting and trimming after.
I wonder with thin steel on the outside would get the rifle round to begin to tumble, making it go into the plastic sideways, which would slow the round faster & help the plastic stop the round.
That's not a bad idea tbh. Might try it sometime
@@TheBeardedAxe Thanks. I want to put my chronograph behind a target and measure the velocity of bullets after they pass through things like thin sheet metal. Body armor should be light weight, but it also has to work. Maybe if thin steel on the face doesn't quite stop it. Maybe another thin sheet of steel or maybe aluminum behind the bullet proof plate.
So I did the same thing but mad my plates around 1 inch thick. I rapped one in fiberglass and did one with layers of plastic and fiberglass. The layered plate stopped bigger rounds but delaminated and the rapped one stopped smaller rounds but a lot more before it broke apart.
Alot of people are suggesting fiberglass but I hate working with it lol
I'm trying to make this out of common household stuff too. If I get stuck I might try it though.
I think even commercial body armor is only good after it gets hit a few times.
@@akeeperofoddknowledge4956 steel plates are good for multiple hits but you are correct. Ceramic plates are only good for a few before you gotta replace them. I've seen destructive tests done on high end armor and it took several rounds and not one went through.
@@TheBeardedAxe thanks for the feedback!
I like the idea, even if we don't' make body, we can make other useful plastic products and recycle.
I feel like a paper shredder would save your hands
makes me want to go rob a bank, knowing that ill be safe :-))
Try it with grade 5 porcelain floor tile as the strike face and also try forming the plastic under pressure Might come close to stopping some rifle rounds. Maybe.
Nice, I just tested my hemp fiber resin plates that stopped 10mm and below. Want to try next test with ceramic tile mat face pressed into a thick hemp/yucca epoxy core and back face with either an aluminum zinc plate or milk jug plastic. Just used Bondo fiberglass resin first test.
Baddass
I used this method and I am glad the .22 rounds missed me...but a bb is now stuck in my chest. Just kidding. I built my armor with military grade kevlar, hardened steel plate in the front, layer ceramic tiles in the back, a cup I fused with kevlar and steel, repurposed football shoulder pads, and slices of pool noodles for cushioning. It stops a 7.62x39.
How thick is the steel and kevlar?
Next time try adding some steel screen in between layers to build up anti rifle damage.
I have thought about adding multiple steel layers. Thanks for the suggestion
great video. you mentioned about sacrificing the pan, how about putting another board underneath the pan to keep the clamps from warping the pan?
It's possible but not likely to make much of a difference but I'll likely need a thick steel plate rather then another thin baking tray. The next version went together much better. Check it out and thanks for watching 🙂
Use a heat gun to remove the sticker label on the jug. Warm it up and it will peel off easy
Hipster level extreme
Watch out for air bubbles. That could really put a hole in your chest.
Yeah, this would definitely be a last resort. There's body armor out there that is pretty cheap, and proven to work well, and without plastic shrapnel in the face & neck. Armor that one could afford by working for half the time it takes to make those plastic plates.
wonder how it would work as a laminate of fiberglass welding blankets and HDPE or fiberglass panels and HDPE?
Maybe if you used a few layers of fiber glass with resin and cover the plastic it could have stopped the .223 ?
Interesting. Especially since HDPE is like literally everywhere.
Once i started looking for it, yes! Everywhere lol.
5 gallon buckets. Oil jugs for your car. Windshield washer jugs. Shampoo. Milk. Water.
I asked an oil change olace if i could raid their oil bottles out of the trash, but they get oil in metal drums. And that was before i discovered windshield washer jugs were HDPE, so i didn't ask about those. Maybe a mom and pop shop would have some.
That's good stuff man! Melting it a little more would probably do you some good as you said. May I suggest a rubber mallet for needing and possibly with the final product before cooling in the form with the clamps, do a re heat to ease any stresses. Seems like this stuff isn't that far off from forging steel as far as the behavior of the material. Doing a reheat on most metal after forging seems to relieve stress. Not a blacksmith, but I know a little about material stress. Hope that helps. Hope to see more stuff like this.
Great idea. Maybe work hardening with a rubber mallet could be a useful method to compress the outside of the plastic.
Great video man very detailed just so you know I don't think it's your idea it was just the execution of it. Depending on what you got in the garage you can make that work with astounding results. I pretty much have everything I need to do it and it sounds pricey but a lot of guys already have the stuff in the garage it just takes a little bit of fabrication and to build a mold that can be used repeatedly over and over again it would be worth it a little bit of money you would need to buy in Steel to make your mold. Because once you do it the first time and it works guarantee you you'll make yourself a good setup and your buddies are going to want one too!
maybe if you create a external frame to prevent plastic expansion? almost like wrap it with kevlar? (airbags are made of kevlar and layered out it could work as a added strength
Awesome thanks for the information
Your welcome
How about a hybrid with a thinner lighter steep plate behind the hdpe? The hdpe can take some of the energy out of the bullet and it can help mitigate splash.. maybe.
It's something I could try for sure. I've thought about a handful of different combinations recommended from several others.
Fill your jugs with hot water before you cut into them and let them sit for a bit. The label should come right off. Isopropyl alcohol will deal with any sticky
A special thanks to one of my Patrons:
Joshua Robison
Thanks for helping make this happen :)
To stop rifle rounds get some fiberglass cloth like welding blanket or some such type of bullet resistent fabric (kevlar, etc) wet it in resin and wrap it around the HDPE. A number of layers around it not only creates a hardened shell but creates compression on the HDPE. This means the HDPE has more resistance as the bullet passes through it as it can not expand as easily. If you want to stop very powerful rifles you should add steel or porcelain (preferably small porcelain inlay tiles because they increase multi shot survivability) tiles, yes it needs to be porcelain... regular ceramic works poorly or not at all. You could also use quartz tiles or certain types of glass... obviously there are weight and cost issues with some of these solutions...
@TheBeardedAxe are you planning on continuing work on this project?
@@Meop79 but I hate fiberglass lol
I am keeping it as a back up in case nothing else works.
@@Meop79 I did a follow up with using plastic rain barrels. Haven't shot it up yet though.
ive been wanting to make full body stab/bludgeon proof armor out of hdpe.
I want to see this with metal plate on front and back of the plastic. Make a mold to pour the plastic into, place metal plate on top and bottom and integrate layers of fiberglass in layers as it's poured? use one of the metal plates to compress it down and use clamps to hold down as it dries.
It's been suggested before and a metal plate might not be a bad idea. Problem is getting plate at a hardware store thick enough for it to be worth it. Worth experimenting with. The main goal is I'm trying to make this with materials and tools most people have access to or know how to process into an armored plate. When you start getting into fiberglass and metal plates it starts to get too difficult for most folks.
I'll keep these in mind of course. Thanks for the suggestion :)
@@TheBeardedAxe try a DEWALT 10 in Circular Saw Blade , i will try that soon
@@tabletcasacasa5523 not a bad idea. I'll Save up my old blades for something like this.
"MILK" Does a body armor good!
Place a sheet of ar500 in the middle or so scrap metal laying around in a time as you are talking about ar500 not readably available but look for kevlar type fiber's to mix in
Full body armor made of this.
Buy rubber gloves and buy some boards in a wooden boards and then make a mold out of it and make it pressurize the air out every plastic pressurizer and let it sit for a day before using it
38 spl is 200 fps slower in almost every bullet weight compared to 9x19mm. The ceramic tile idea for the front would be great, but use the mini individual tiles so it would have multi hit capability, and maybe a sheet of aluminum behind that. You could layer it a good bit, adding a few layers of welders blanket. As far as using milk jugs, etc, you could use a paper shredder once the pieces are cut down. Theyll shred credit cards with ease, surely milk jug material wouldnt be a problem. Id just make sure the shredder was either new and dedicated to your material, or completely free of paper. Outstanding work though, got my wheels turning!! Well done!!
I've tried a paper shredder and it just doesn't do it. The plastic is too flexible and it warps more then shreds.
As far as fiberglass I have seen another CZcamsr use it but I think the success is very limited. Also I hate dealing with that stuff lol
I made another video with an updated version of this. It's the barrel body armor video. I'm gonna try to get this tested real soon so be waiting for that.
Thanks for watching:)
@@TheBeardedAxe welding blankets are much tougher than automotive fiberglass, are pretty cheap, and with the right resin or layering, are very effective ballistics wise.
Curious when i was younger i heard it was the layers that help slow the projectile down. Maybe try three barrel parts stacked verses three melted together?
Late to the party here, but I reckon if you used a bottle jack and worked fibreglass through the HDPE you'd get a better result ... maybe even try add carbon fibre strands to the mix.
That's not a bad idea to be honest. I was thinking about using a form and putting clamps all around it to compress it.
A vacuum might be more effective at squeezing out the air, something like an autoclave. Also could benefit from fiber reinforcement.
A vacuum would be a brilliant idea. Not sure if it'll be strong enough to pull the air out of a semi liquid plastic.
Have you ever made one of those with fiberglass layers in it as well?
Just wondering if anyone has done that.
Soaking the stickier label parts cause the paper to disintegrate and the glue residue to weaken, if you have the time, a good soak could save a tiny bit more plastic to reuse.
I bet if you would hammer that out like steel you could get a lot more layers.
I didn't think about hammering. Worth a try I suppose
Subscribed.
I think maybe a flatter sheet, and then folding it like dough every time it gets hot??? Idk
HDPE gains strength if you wrap it in fiberglass or another woven material like it. Try wrapping it before placing the vices and pressure on it. Also, refine it more into smaller granulated pieces and cook it a little hotter for longer.
I wish I thought of this when I worked as a trucker for a plastic bottle maker, i had access to all the small plastic pellets they use to make gallon jugs with, im sure i could of just bought a big box of them on a pallet, they was a heavy load too, but a load of jugs or pop bottles was so empty it felt as though the trailer was empty
I wander if you could put it back in the oven after being shot and crank up the heat and melt the holes closed? Kinda have a reusable shield.
Not a bad idea but then again this didn't hold up well to the handguns I shot it with. If I get a better method of making these where it will be a viable option then it would be work a try for sure.
Hell yeah pistol caliber armor is still useful