Titanium and carbon fiber Batarang

So this is the thread that brought this board to my attention, http://www.therpf.com/f9/batarang-prop-design-94052/

I had some scraps of titanium laying around and thought about making some Batarangs from them and in searching for nice designs I came across BROTHERFOSTER's idea. I liked how it was made from layers so I could get a cool 2 tone look with some carbon fiber I had. The titanium Captain America shield is on hold until I can find some reasonably priced material, what I thought was a good deal turned out to be pure ti sheet. No bueno, but with the Winter Soldier movie coming eventually, I'll definitely be getting back to that one. Batarangs are no problem for now.

Moving on, WIP pics to follow shortly as tonight I glue paper templates traced from BROTHERFOSTER's design onto titanium and start cutting. These along with the slightly scaled down Arkham folding Ti 'rangs I'm getting going for waterjet will be a part of my ultimate feasible Batsuit. In the meantime, here's the chest emblem for that suit I cut from the same 1/16" grade 5 titanium.

I cut a fiberglass (G10) half template so I could flip it and keep perfect symmetry. Then lots of slow cutting in .071" titanium.



These should come out just under 7" wingspan when done and 3/16" thick with carbon fiber on one side.



You can't really see the scribe lines in this photo but there are two coming out of this sheet. I had to cut it in a way that I could get the saw frame around at all the right angles and separate the 2 pieces without excessive cutting or wasting material that could be used for a third style of batarang that I haven't sketched out yet.



The .125" thick stuff is really slow to get through but I need a prototype to work out the pivot and locking mechanism on the Arkham Asylum folder 'rang so I'm going to tough it out. Gotta make sure it works before I have a whole sheet cut up with the water jet and this chunk of ti has been having pieces nibbled away for various items for many years so it's time I ended it. Only need half a template for this one too.

This is a really cool project... you know in your heart that if Batman was real the batarangs and the suit would be titanium and carbon fiber. I'll be keeping my eye on this one!!!

13doctorwho said:

This is a really cool project... you know in your heart that if Batman was real the batarangs and the suit would be titanium and carbon fiber. I'll be keeping my eye on this one!!!

Click to expand...

It was the Nolan movies that pushed me over the edge. They kept talking about titanium dipped this and Kevlar Nomex that and I thought, "Why hasn't anyone done that?" so now someone is.

Both cut out and filed/Dremeled to shape. Waiting on something called quasi-isotropic carbon fiber to show up. It's not the typical woven stuff but it was more expensive. Should be interesting.



My half template tricked worked to keep symmetry. They were both filed and sanded to shape while epoxied together but once I split them I can flip one over and they still mate up perfectly.



I burned the epoxy to release them and they'll get cleaned up before the carbon fiber and other accents get applied but I sure like the burnt finish. Looks like somebody went to some trouble to get that look.





To the album where I'm documenting this, Twin Batarang Photos by Batshirtcrazy | Photobucket

I cut the half template for the carbon fiber pieces. Quasi-isotropic unidirectional carbon fiber showed up today and it's tough stuff. It seems denser than the woven carbon sheets and a lot tougher but It's really hard on blades and sanding belts.



I cut a corner off the carbon and sanded it at an angle. When polished it has the same iridescent black/silver/grey that woven material has but it's layered in straight rows so it has this cool topographical map look that I was hoping for when it's carved at extreme angles.



With the 2 rangs glued back together I drilled 4 holes .25" and 4 holes .125". The titanium tubing was cut into 16 pieces all .250 long which will go through one of the titanium rangs and one layer of the 1/8" carbon and leave enough sticking out each site to be flared open into slight countersinks. These will be tube rivets to hold everything together and for the magnets that will hold the 2 halves together. The larger tubes will let paracord pass through just incase someone wants their beer held while they swing it around on a line.










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This is bloody awesome!!! I've never seen anyone do this before.

WOW! You took it farther than I ever could. Any updates??? Love to see it finished!