Spartan Shield (the Hoplon, or more correctly the Aspis)

[sebmodio]

300 is the third best movie ever.
Now, to business. The shield, I want one and I'm planning on building one. I found a good reference site here. Any reference shots for weathering? or any more reference sites for construction? would anybody else like to construct one, so that they to can dine in hell?

 

[Art Andrews]

http://www.allmoviereplicas.com/300-Sparta...op-Replica.html

 

[darthwhitey]

Beesa-Pesal

i am very interested in this project...

it seems the shields that NECA is offering are a limited run of only 300 worldwide?...i find that hard to believe, and whats harder to believe is that there are any left...??... :eek

i've heard they are slightly less than accurate?...if anyone has one or has seen one please add your comments or pics...i think i also read the finish isnt that great?

they were going for around $250 on ebay the week before the movie came out, now it's hard to find one...unless you want to pay the $350 retail price

i figured someone on here would build one...

what are you planning on making it out of?

 

[SaberFreak]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darthwhitey @ Mar 17 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]1442007[/snapback]</div>

what are you planning on making it out of?[/b]

An aluminum/stainless steel wok? Not accurate but almost instant.

I'm currently looking for a correct size wok to make a Captain America shield.

 

[KnightAsylum]

The shield would be awesome. I am hoping they flood the market with the Neca one so that prices drop once the hype is over - otherwise it is way out of my price range.
As for making your own, it would be cool to have it be a thin layer of bronze on top of wood (just like the real ones)

 

[FETTCLONE]

A local storefront has a nice display up. Pretty sure the shields are a little on the small side versus the screen-seen ones, but that's just my own opinion.

a couple of details...

looks like the back has nylon straps with plastic buckles for adjustment, all covered by thin leather. No idea how the weight is (not allowed to touch ), or exactly what material was used but I suspect some type of resin. It's more of a bronze paint finish than an actual metallic. The blood is just for the display, not standard.

I also got a couple quick shots of the Immortal mask. I'm very impressed by it, because it seems to actually be metal (possibly cast aluminum) with a good polished surface. The size is much better than the small spartan helmets, so it looks like it would actually fit an adult head.

Any real confirmation that the shield is limited to 300 worldwide yet, or is that only speculation? Hope the pics help a little.

 

[KnightAsylum]

With the amount of shields being sold on ebay, online retailers, and in actual stores I don't see it possible to be limited to 300 (heck I think you could account for more the 300 online if you spent enough time looking -plus that doesn't make any sales sense) I think it's an "urban legend"

 

[sebmodio]

Hey guys, glad to see there is alot if interest. I don't know about the only 300 shields, but its probably just a marketing ploy ("I got a 300 shield, 1 of 300.").

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SaberFreak @ Mar 17 2007, 11:38 AM) [snapback]1442045[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darthwhitey @ Mar 17 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]1442007[/snapback]

what are you planning on making it out of?[/b]

An aluminum/stainless steel wok? Not accurate but almost instant.

I'm currently looking for a correct size wok to make a Captain America shield.
[/b][/quote]

I'm gonna use a wood base with a thin copper or bronze layer on top. As last resort, I'll use leather. As far as weathering, def a lambda and paint-weathering, maybe some spear cuts. There will be a lot of work on this, so the idea of cutting it up, just doesn't seem that appealing :eek

 

[sebmodio]

My school is letting us out early tomorrow and we have off Thursday and Friday. So unless something comes up, I plan on starting on working on the hoplon this week. Wish me luck.

 

[SaberFreak]

Booyeah.

 

[darthwhitey]

i've read a bunch of places that the shield run is limited to 300 worldwide but i can't believe it either...i would think those babies would sell out in a hearbeat, and it's been a couple weeks....they do seem to be harder to find now

the shield looks a bit small to me too...i'm gonna hold out for someone here at the RPF to offer one...

 

[KnightAsylum]

Good luck on the Shield
Only about half the retailers are saying they are limited, and Neca is not one of them, so I tend to think the limited to 300 is false, besides worldwide if there were that few you would not see but 1 for sale still, and there are lots.

I do think they look nice. Over 30 lbs in weight, and 3 feet in diameter seems like a great size to me, and fits with what I saw in the movie (size wise.)
Still out of my price range so it doesn't really matter.

I'm looking forward to seeing your creation, Beesa-Pesal.

 

[sebmodio]

Update on covering.
Found this metal supplier, http://www.hagstoz.com/. If anybody has ever used them, they any good? For a custom cut sheet (36"x36" in 26 GA), its $168.48 [someone for the love of all that is holy check my math] for copper, bronze, and brass (+ S&H). So if i can somehow scrape together that much, def going for brass.

Just so hopes aren't raised, there shan't be any runs by me of the shields. I don't have the time or money.

 

[dr_slurpee]

The price of brass is REALLY high right now, China is eating the supply up pretty bad. Brass that a few years ago was $30 is now like $50 or $60...not a good time to be buying it. Not that that helps you at all.

 

[Spheric Thor]

Here is another metal suppier prices seem to be lower.


http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=86&step=2 Brass

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=93&step=2 Copper

 

[KnightAsylum]

That is still not a bad price, considering the cost of a completed replica that isn't metal is about 3 times that price.
If you are going metal I would stick with Bronze, it is workable, and is more realistic.

 

[Jodo_Kast]

I bought a snow saucer. I plan on adding an outer ring made of mdf or plywood and then bondoing the hell out of it.

Unfortunately, the usable surface area of the snow saucer is only 23" in diameter.

There is a book out about the art from the film that I took these measurements from.

 

[Mechamaniac]

I'd really like a replica as well, but $349 is ridiculous for the repro shields, and I don't want one that is pre-ventilated either. Give me one that's whole, slightly weathered, but no huge holes in it and I'll bite.

Given the opportunity to make my own, I'd do that as well.

 

[SaberFreak]

31.75" - 29" = 2.75". That means the rim is only 1.375" wide? Seems a bit too small...

 

[Jodo_Kast]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SaberFreak @ Mar 30 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]1452094[/snapback]</div>

31.75" - 29" = 2.75". That means the rim is only 1.375" wide? Seems a bit too small...
[/b]

Agreed. I just copied the dims from the book. I would have guessed the rim at 2"-3" easy.

To keep it in perspective, some of the dims are placed wrong and they drew the handle on the sword upside down. haha