Landscape Filter fabric better than steel or fiberglass for body armor?

[@shaivong]

When they do fiberglass layup for marine applications they vacuum bag it to ensure all of the air pockets come out; might make the rig tougher.

[@MatthewZelek-iv8tb]

It might make it weaker as armor. Ballistic fabrics work better with loose bonds, delaminating is good in armor (absorbs more energy) where it is bad structurally.

[@MatthewZelek-iv8tb]

I had the idea for laminating thin sheets of high density, abrasion resistant, plastics. I wanted the bonds to fail. The body armor industry beat me to the market. Plastic plates are good but I know how to make them better.

[@Matticus-mb6wl]

Ever try epoxy and sand paper layers?

[@richardhenry1969]

Imagine the welders blanket with resin then the mild steel with thin layer of D30. I believe that would be anything you could ask for.

[@idontwantcorporateretaliat6301]

I think those are just fiberglass no?

[@jaytotheh]

Dude, I literally just had this idea the other day when looking for a new back insert for my motorcycle jacket. They have fairly cheap D3O inserts that would be perfect for this application.

[@richardhenry1969]

@@idontwantcorporateretaliat6301 not really sure what your trying to say.

[@leelandlagasse6517]

@@richardhenry1969 He is saying the welding blankets are just fiberglass, then he follows it up with "no?" As to ask if you mean the fiberglass curtains or another material.

[@richardhenry1969]

@@leelandlagasse6517 actually there was more to this conservation a while ago some of the comments are no longer there. Very strange

[@aazv23]

Outstanding work testing different multiple options.... just by watching you, it has given me basics knowledge and motivation to start making a "bullet proof" room or closet at home.... Thank You

[@benjaminshropshire2900]

For a wall like application, you have enough more depth that I've wondered if a hard plate on top of an inch or two of foam might flatten/expand/tumble a projectile enough to make it easier to stop. (IIRC NASA has looked into that for micrometeorite armor; turn it to dust, wait for it to expand and then stop a cloud rather than a pellet.)

[@brianhowe201]

​@Benjamin Shropshire Ive seen tests where just a couple inches of river rocks in a duct taped ziploc bag was enough to stop multiple rifle rounds. I think they were using hard stone like quartz or granite though. The smooth rocks would probably do better than rough rocks when it comes to shatter resistance.

[@sixoffive]

Five years ago I didn’t give body armor a thought. Nice video

[@damnu8089]

Just depends on how much fiberglass you want to pick out of an open wound I would do fiberglass in front of boilerplate just to stop the fragmentation.

[@roberthamm9304]

The boilerplate has got to weigh damn near 50#-60#. That’s not including your gear on the plate carrier, an assault pack, and the ammo for your rifle and pistol. Because a piece of 1/4” plate, 12”x 12” weighs somewhere around 20#. Multiply that by 2, 1 plate for the front and 1 plate for the back, that around 40# right there, roughly. So, you’d have to seriously think about the materials to be used to make the plates. I’m not criticizing or nitpicking. It’s all about the weight and mobility effects.

[@damnu8089]

@@roberthamm9304 he said it weigh the same, whether it's a bulletproof vest or the boilerplate mild steel whatever if it's quarter inch I can take a rimfire yes Rimfire and and shoot straight through it. Myself I don't go for torsos I'm more of a ass man you know the million-dollar wound I like slowing multiple people down at one time

[@roberthamm9304]

@@damnu8089 I’ve never seen a rim fire penetrate 1/4” plate. Now, a .308 round, that’s a different story. With 1/4” plate, along with Kevlar fabric, a piece of polyethylene plastic (to prevent a round from spalling), and the fiberglass, that should make for a decent armor plate.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

I love your gritty hard-hitting viewpoint you have a point even if it saves you, Kevlar would be better than fiberglass because I think it sticks together in one piece better.

[@tomschonborg439]

I used a fiberglass welding blanket from Harbor Freight when I made and tested my plate. I did not do any grinding and there were far few pieces of fiberglass breaking off when I cut it. I did not need to grind my plate. 25 layers will stop pistol rounds but will not stop rifle rounds. I tested again putting a ceramic tile in front of the fiber glass and it did stop 7.62x39 and 5.56. I want to try a steal plate backing next. I think a mix of materials is the way to go. I do like that with the fiberglass you don't have to worry about fragmentation nearly as much.

[@3RBallistics]

Agreed. I have a video coming up showing exactly this.

[@ross9128]

I wonder if steel in front would slow velocity enough to make other materials more effective?

[@tomschonborg439]

@@ross9128 Interesting. I was thinking that placing the fiberglass in front of the steel would slow the bullet down thus making the steel more able to finally stop the bullet. The fiberglass in front would also eliminate the risk from the bullet fragmenting. I also think allowing the steel to deform before failing as the last layer would not pose a significant risk of injury to the wearer. I'm also thinking that with this setup you could get away with reducing the number of fiberglass layers to 20. The whole idea will need to be tested of course. I'm going to give this idea a shot when I get some time to actually build and test the plate.

[@TUKByV1]

How did the test go?

[@tomschonborg439]

@@TUKByV1 Maybe I wasn't clear in my initial comment. I tested this against .22LR fired from a rifle and a pistol. .22 LR was stopped cold. I tried .22WMR from a pistol and it was stopped. I next upped the test to 9mm from a pistol and it was stopped. I tried 9mm from a PCC with a 16 inch barrel and it was stopped.. Then then moved to .357 Magnum from a revolver and it was stopped. I tried .45ACP from a pistol and it was stopped. The .45 hit very close to the edge of the plate and was still stopped. Finally, I tried 5.56 and 7.62x39 from rifles and both of those made it through with no trouble. I'm not expert and I would always recommend purchasing armor plates from a reputable and tested company. Home made plates are fun to play with and test to see if you can make one that stops a bullet but they should not be relied upon to save you life.

[@nicepojos8766]

Man, this vacation I'm gonna watch all your videos. 😀God bless you and give you good health.

[@kdsowen2882]

Some of this could be due to 'resonance' , Yamaha developed the first Real motorcycle-tyres , they found shorter chopped-mat material absorbed impact better than long-fiber materials , this started modern tyre-technology . They applied their knowledge from musical-instrument making and piano-frame-casting with effects on frquency-distortion .

[@jvin248]

I like your idea of landscape fabric! There are several thickness grades of landscape fabric, I used the thickest I could find at Menards for a french drain install last fall. While the fabric is 'non-woven' there may be a 'preferential nap direction' from the manufacturing process, even just tugging and stretching that happens when they roll it onto spools -- so alternate cut direction of panels from the roll as you stack layers like you see in plywood. Second is using landscape fabric+fiberglass+landscape fabric sandwiched and glued together or try more thinner components like three fiberglass shuffled between four landscape fabric layers.

[@drizler]

A buddy of mine use the 12’ wide stuff under his driveway that started to sink in spring rains. Holy crap, we were driving around with a full sized back hoe and dump trucks spreading the biggest quarry fill rock he could get . Some of it was bowling ball sized. 15,000 lbs of backhoe sometimes tires spinning pushing rocks against that fabric and I never once saw it tear. Even the bucket edge hitting it didn’t seem to cut the stuff. If you are looking for this try asking contractors who put in driveways and foundations. This was back in 2015 -16 before the Brandon inflation it was cheap by the linear foot. I’m thinking 6 bucks maybe s then.

[@musetactical924]

I've been thinking about hemp polymer that has been noted to be far more lighter and stronger than steal.

[@3RBallistics]

Point me in in the direction to get some and I’d be willing to try it out.

[@musetactical924]

Unfortunately I can't. I was about 5yrs ago when I was researching the American industrial hemp/ industry before prohibition. I learned that Ford built the auto-body of his cars with a material derived from industrial hemp and it was tested to be stronger and lighter than steel. If i remember correctly this same hemp material was used in cement, bricks and cinder blocks producing extremely strong and durable products.

[@another3997]

A number of common materials are, weight for weight, stronger than steel. At least in terms of tensile strength. In the realm of woven fabrics, there are Polyester, Nylon, fibreglass fabric and silk to name but a few. At least 3 of them can be combined with resins. But hemp and Jute/Burlap are plant based fabrics, which whilst stronger than cotton, fall short of the former 4. Again, they can be combined with resins.

[@linkbond08]

It's so funny to see all the people who think hemp is the be all end all of miracle plants just as an excuse to make it easier smoke on the side. It's just a plant, yes it has its merits in the medicine industry, but what makes the hemp cellulose any better than the cellulose of any other plant.

[@consistentbass]

Interesting option for a composite. Bamboo fibers are pretty long too. Bamboo and hemp I believe are two of the most versatile plants in the world.

[@robgad2271]

I found that layers of 1`6 GA annealed carbon steel works over mild common steel plate. I agree the Tyvek landscape fabric is better to work with, takes blunt hits better than fiberglass fabric, but neither in single layers take sharp impacts, which makes me wonder how layers of combinations of each back to back would work together, gaining the best penetration factors and reducing thickness and weight. Thanks for the video.

[@roberthamm9304]

You make a valid point, but there’s steel core ammo out there. You have to have some kind of impact plate to absorb all of that kinetic energy and not spall. You could add a layer of polyethylene (like the blue poly drums), to absorb the impact and prevent any if not all of the spalling from the bullet. If someone has any welding experience and the equipment, one could hard face weld a steel plate; hard facing is a welding process of welding mild steel with a hard facing electrode, basically welding an armor plate, that is impact and abrasion resistant), and combine that plate with fiberglass or Tyvek, or both, and you’d basically have military grade ballistic plates. Don’t take my comments as “The Gospel”. It should be tested extensively with ALL calibers of ammunition to get a 100% TRUE AND ACCURATE TEST with valid evidence results. I hope this helps everyone understand ballistics better.

[@robgad2271]

@@roberthamm9304 In all of the home rounds and mods I've seen that will get through were made of 1/2 metal jacket hollow point 308 Win where the hollow was cleaned and extended a little with a bit to accommodate a hardened steel carburetor float valve needle, glued in with modified teflon plumbers thread dope to harden fast, and though I never found the points, they drilled past everything but layers of 1/2" steel boiler plate. I think these are hardened to around Rockwell .60 and its not likely that they exploded or discriminated, I think they just bounced back. They went through kevlar like it was made for it. With modification I expect the rounds were in the 150 gr range, but the size and power out of a 308 Winchester shell is a meaningful amount of punch and velocity. Keep your head down.

[@roberthamm9304]

@@robgad2271 there was a story I heard several years ago, where someone parked 3 mobile homes side by side and then parked 3 cars side by side next to the mobile homes, and conducted a ballistics comparison test using a.44 magnum and a .50A.E. Desert Eagle to see how far the rounds would penetrate the mobile homes and the cars. I can’t remember what the results were, but if I remember correctly, I think the Desert Eagle went through the mobile homes and stopped at the exit side of the 2nd car, and the .44 went through the mobile homes and all 3 of the cars and kept going for a few more feet. I could have it backwards, but like I said, it’s been so many years since I heard this story. I’d actually have to see it to believe it. I guess anything’s possible.

[@robgad2271]

@@roberthamm9304 I think you are right, and I've also seen the difference between a 44 and 357 magnums, and the 44 will penetrate a engine block. the 50 cal has high mass, but the 44 has mass and speed.

[@RANDOMNATION907]

What an interesting project. Looking forward to further experimentation. Subbed. Greetings and cheers from Alaska. Looks nice and warm there.

[@3RBallistics]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Techthisoutmeow]

Fantastic work brother! Interesting results.

[@3RBallistics]

Thanks a ton.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

You may be able to go to a junkyard and buy an air bag that has been deployed it's made out of Kevlar.

[@3RBallistics]

I’ve done this before. However not all air bags are made of Kevlar. Some are made only of nylon but still very strong material.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

@@3RBallistics I recommend either one has a pretty good start for a lot of things. If you have an old gun that's kind of questionable on to whether it will shoot or not that Kevlar would go a long ways to wrap that gun and keep it from spitting a piece into your eye.

[@sorryzorrillo7360]

I did air bags keblar

[@robpolaris7272]

Some tires do also but just because something is made of Kevlar doesn’t mean it’s bullet resistant. It needs to be in a certain configuration and thickness.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

@@robpolaris7272 I'm kind of pig ignorant. I'm not willing to risk too much on somebody saying Kevlar bulletproof and one layer and not really too interested in risking much on shooting it to see but I would think if a person cut out a couple big pieces of Kevlar from the junkyard and bought an old gun and wrapped in the Kevlar the first time he shot it with a good load to see if it's spent any pieces out wouldn't be a bad way to spend a few bucks at the junkyard no guarantees. You can put it in between two stacks of newspaper and stop anything that comes flying out to when you test shoot.

[@randygoolsby4893]

There is lots of discussion about hardness and strength, but maybe toughness deserves more consideration. It's how much energy a material can absorb without breaking. You can think of it as a combination of low hardness and high strength. So, high hardness at the strike plate to deform and deflect, then a tough layer to absorb energy from the deformed/fragmented remnant, and finally a high strength layer to reflect the remaining energy back through the tough layer without deforming too much toward the wearer. I apologize if this is something everyone already knows and has covered. I'm just thinking about toughness as an independent material property that has a role here.

[@abeclark524]

But if the material deforms enough without breaking, that can still be quite deadly. Saw a video where he shot a .308 at it, and armor stopped the bullet sure, but the material stretched 6"- 8", enough to get inside a human body. It's gotta be both tough and rigid.

[@bearup1612]

@@abeclark524 What they need is something that absorbs the energy and disburses it sideways that is strong enough to stop any deformation or penetration Say half the layer of the filter mat on the front to absorb the impact then a tin sheet of metal to absorb the force and disperse the energy and then another part fiberglass to cushion the impact.

[@DrJohnnyApocolypse]

Could always use a sewn fiberglass welders blanket as soft-armor padding behind the hard plates, if you were to get penetration of the plates there’s the chance that the soft armor padding can catch the bullet, having slowed significantly going through the plate, as well as shrapnel from the plate itself and slight absorption of the back deformation Hacksmith made a full tailored John wick soft armor sport suit and formal vest, looked amazing and zero penetration.. however, quite painful I’m afraid 😏

[@DrJohnnyApocolypse]

@bearup1612 there’s an amazing young Russian engineer with a channel called AlexLab, he’s making an real-life functioning Ironman suit, armor plates over pneumatic exoskeleton, hydrogen powered hand blasters… literally the guy is whiplash lol But seriously, he’s working on trying composite armor using mostly Kevlar over thin 3D printed body pieces, then he electroplates them in copper first then nickel, so he ends up with exactly what your describing a layer of metal to absorb and deflect the initial impact and layers of carbon fiber or Kevlar underneath to withstand the energy and catch the bullet should there be any penetration Really amazing stuff he’s doing

[@markmcgoveran6811]

You're absolutely right. There's a whole lot going on when you have a collision with this kind of energy per kilogram. If you had a bulletproof vest that would stop a bullet while it was standing against a concrete wall it would stop a bullet easier when it was on a person that could move when he got hit.

[@evansaw293]

When you are building a plate you need two things hardness and tensile strength. You want high hardness on the face mohs 6 or higher. Tile, tool steel, high carbon steel, alumina oxide(grinder discs) glass. You want tensile strength on the back. HDPE, fiberglass, nylon, hemp, aluminum, mild steel. Horse mat. My rule of thumb if it can stop 9mm a backer it will stop 556 with a strikeface

[@3RBallistics]

I just tested many strikeface options and the performance. The video should be out this week. Overall I agree with what you said and have already made a few plates that can handle high threats. I’m now wondering what is really needed for certain lower threats, very similar to the different NIJ levels. I will work with each item to find a strong strikeface and backing with lower weight and cost to hopefully put something together.

[@mechguyver7694]

Love what you are doing, both the process and the idea behind it...keep up the great work, glad I found your channel!

[@3RBallistics]

Thanks. New videos in the works.

[@Meop79]

@@3RBallistics I am interested in what a combination of the mild steel and fiberglass, possibly with the landscape fabric as a few cover layers to keep fiberglass out of any wounds as much as possible.

[@3RBallistics]

@@Meop79 i actually have a test coming up with something very similar. I’m not sure what order I’ll be posting the videos (I have 3 I need to post) but I hope to edit the footage in the next few weeks.

[@Meop79]

@@3RBallistics nice, also have you checked out the channel: Tech This Out Meow I think you might find the experiments and plates he has made informative for your own experiments.

[@3RBallistics]

@@Meop79 I love that channel. We are actually collaborating on a few projects. I’m working on a panel to help armor his vehicle.

[@gooe9561]

Pre-glue the fiberglass in a grid pattern before cutting to mitigate fraying.

[@Br1cht]

When a Swede starts to watch a channel like this you just know where we´re going(with the handbasket) ;) Good vid.

[@jacobstaten2366]

I wonder if flex seal will help hold everything together and help absorb the impact. Maybe not, but worth a shot.

[@3RBallistics]

I have used some of that on other projects. It does very well at holding tile together.

[@concilium1]

Post curing the epoxy laminate helps as well.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

It's a good goal considering some states are trying to make body armor illegal to own right now.

[@kevinoneill41]

Ya. What's up with that? You can't walk the streets with out the free of being shot at or a stray bullet hitting you. I looking at an interior liner for a car. How many vehicles have been hit by a stray bullet?

[@kingmasterlord]

so just make lore-accurate cosplay. "I identify as a Spartan II, this Mjolnir armor is my fursuit."

[@letsdothis9063]

Yeah. What's up with that? Criminals can get their hands on anything. Why do us law abiding people have to be left out to soak up bullets.

[@robertporter6507]

I think that most are only making it against the law if you use it to break the law, otherwise not illegal!

[@Rizzob17]

@@robertporter6507slippery slope fallacy.

[@jeffk1485]

Also, an idea I had was to alternate the "grain" of the fibers on alternating layers. (e.g. one layer where woven fibers are horizontal and vertical, next layer where they're at 45 degree angles) to help spread out the energy.

[@Ash_95]

Great channel. Glad YT recommended it to me. I like the combination of field work mixed with the discussion in the shop. Just good old fashioned DIY research.

[@cjf-rw8vl]

Laminate 2-3mm steel in 1-2 layers of glass textile for spall mitigation. Then use laminated filter fabric for the backing and then have a separate plate backer made out of a few layers of canvas/denim/nylon/polyester.

[@3RBallistics]

Absolutely, that’s where I’m headed. Right now the biggest challenge will be to keep it all under 8 pounds. Ultimately the goal would be to have that level of protection within a weight around 7 pounds.

[@desro5494]

Same thoughts, But could TPE's be used for spall mitigation layers? I'm curious.

[@cjf-rw8vl]

@@desro5494 TPE?

[@desro5494]

@@cjf-rw8vl thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) It's got very high impact resistance, its light and still has flex so its less likely to shatter then a normal plastic would.

[@cjf-rw8vl]

@@desro5494 Ah, my idea for hard laminated fiberglass cloth over a steel strike face is to mitigate spall/ricochet while still meaningfully contributing to stopping the bullet.

[@STB-jh7od]

Just an FYI, autobody filler hardens extremely well with fiberglass resing-so fiberglass/resin/bondo might work pretty good.

[@3RBallistics]

Great tip!

[@recceeboy1237]

Body plastic is finely ground polyester mixed with polyester resin.

[@wayne251975]

Bondo doesn't have the fiber integrity. But some stuff I always heard refered to as "kitty hair" definitely would. It is coarse chopped fiberglass in a resin that is very tough. I would think a first layer that would promote the expansion would make thinner armor more effective. Maybe a layer or two of fiberglass woven then laminated over top a second layer of UHMW then a layer of mild steel backed up by the landscape fabric. The worst part about this would be delamination. The combination of these materials could make a lighter as well much more tough "plate" that isn't cold or hot depending on environment but also useful. Then again there is also another idea that I had about thermal management. In the age of thermal imaging an armor that displaces heat or absorbs it to your advantage could be had using simple heat transfer. You can't hit what you don't see...

[@williamsullivan9401]

Suggestion: Don't use polyester resin. Use epoxy resin.

[@claudiodigregorio4315]

I have seen very good jackets made with polyester.

[@MaxC_1]

Polyester resin is worse in UV and 35% weaker than epoxy when used for FRP. While the resin itself can only hold 1/4 the amount of stress epoxy resin can take

[@randybugger3006]

I've also heard that adding graphene powder to your epoxy can make it more resistant to penetration

[@MaxC_1]

@@randybugger3006 [NOT reccommended, while sure it makes epoxy stronger, it also makes it super flammable as in going from don't want to melt to straight up catching fire. Not a great idea) -15% activated charcoal-epoxy mix is the cheaper option to that compared to Graphene- (which is like several dollars per gram vs 3-4$ for couple hundred grams) for about 20% stronger epoxy mix Quote - "An Investigation of Tensile and Thermal Properties of Epoxy Polymer Modified by Activated Carbon Particle" paper Going to experiment with Graphite and Graphene next

[@richardrieb9739]

I have been learning about composites and could give you a good direction for your design. I have a recipe I believe would work incredibly well with easy to get materials.

[@3RBallistics]

I’m always open to learning and trying new materials. Let me know what you have in mind and I’ll do my best to make it work.

[@demcq9534]

No reason not to share with everyone. Put it out there so it can be tested and if needed improved upon.

[@buttnaked]

Yeah if you don’t share it it can’t be improved correctly! For real

[@NonchalantWalrusParty]

Sounds like a guy trying to make a buck

[@dlighted8861]

Fake. Put up or shut up. 😐

[@jsbird98]

Looks like my gramps ol ranch in between cedar crest and edgewood NM, glad I stumbled on your vids. Subscribed!

[@3RBallistics]

Very close. Just a bit further east and closer to Clines Corners.

[@russbilzing5348]

I've been thinking that a shovel or spade body or a pair of them wrapped in fibreglas might be better than 3a. if your landscape filter adapts well to that, maybe it will be something to try. I'm just using what is handy.

[@gw5436]

Agreed. A shovel will be thin, yet higher tensile tha MS. Possibly sandwiched between fibreglass, the front might catch the Spall and start the projectile slowing and beginning to deform, the steel following may expand and slow it right down and allow the rear FG to stop it? 🤔

[@1980Baldeagle]

That's a great idea. Anneale the shovel, hammer it to shape and reharden. Two layers of whatever and some roll on bed liner.

[@gw5436]

@@1980Baldeagle Mightn't need to mess with that mate. Most good quality shovels are curved slightly in the face. Cut off the fold and handle insertion at the top and it might be a great intermediate "insurance" layer sandwiched in the centre.

[@russbilzing5348]

@@gw5436 That's how I was thinking of using these 'ingredients'. The difference in the size and shape/curvature of the shovels (etc), could serve to fit different sizes and ages. Coal scuttles might serve well for the broad of frame.

[@Vinegarsoup]

I LIKE this idea. !

[@michael_alan]

Nice work. Very helpful. Thank you.

[@BooDamnHoo]

Putting a tile layer over the front of fiberglass or other plate material that can stop up to 44 magnum could easily bump it up to level III or even level III+.

[@scotth4713]

What might be another good thing to test is what would be a good choice for protecting against spalling that one could put in front of a plate that has no spall protection.

[@tonycummings5427]

Armor co's use spray on bed liner on the front of armor to slow or stop metal splash.

[@maxchalice5625]

You know something that's amazingly bullet-resistant for what it is is a square transfer shovel. It's very thin very light and it is apparently metal that has been heat-treated. I've had it stopped 22 long rifle 22 magnum 38 Special 380 auto and 45. But it tends to fail at 9 mm FMJ's. Actually I've had it stop and fail on 9 mm so it's got to be on the edge. If you could cut it without changing the heat treatment and maybe something to use as a middle layer. The whole reason I found out about this is I wanted to make a flat shovel with holes in it to pick up Kohl's from the fire. I thought an easy way to do this would have been to punch a couple holes in it with a few bullets. But I was wrong.

[@jameslyon7421]

Fantastic idea

[@linkbond08]

That 44 absolutely went trough that inch thick plastic plate. If you have to homemake go with fiberglass.

[@biglonewolf]

Something I want to see is the no tear envelopes we get in the mail. They seem insainly tough. Layer them up to a 1/2"

[@onlythefarmer]

Have you considered linen? Gambeson armor was made of it in the dark ages, and I seem to recall that it was glued (laminated?) to wooden round shields to stop blades.

[@3RBallistics]

I do have some testing on older material types. Hope to have that video up in the next few months.

[@ronagoodwell2709]

Hey, I was very impressed with the fiberglass. I'm thinking fiberglass hulls on boats . Some of them from the 60s and early 70s are really thick and would evidently withstand some serious caliber rounds thrown their way.

[@bryanst.martin7134]

They were so HEAVY! Weight means fuel. Or energy to carry it. Carbon/Kevlar is available from composite dealers. But level 4 is 30-06 rated and lighter than that fiberglass model.

[@pezpengy9308]

i own a sailboat and was wondering the same thing. no, sadly they dont. a .223 sails right through it; we cut chunks out of some old salvaged hulls and tried it. i was thinking if i need bulletproof i would laminate some kevlar behind the fiberglass the next time i get into my boats guts. it does stop handgun rounds though it causes enough damage that youre going to have to repair it.

[@tonycummings5427]

This is very interesting I was actually surprised at the fiberglass and the landscape cloth like you said the two combinations would be interesting to see, as one gentleman minchend you need something on front to stop fragment splash, armer co's use spray on bed liner I know NAPA sales a sprayon liner but I'm not sure how good it would work.. l own a bed lining co. My self. I think it might work well. keep in mind the one thing people want is something light, brother if you can build something light but tuff you'll have something !! Good luck. I look forward to more experiments.

[@EMS191-EMS]

Having worn body armor each shift on the job, I would wonder if the hydro-static shock, or transfer of energy from the round, would still cause a debilitating injury? I would like to see the impact force reading from a projectile on impact to the armor to see if the force is survivable. The armor may stop the projectile and keep it from penetrating the body, but the force will do damage to the underlying organs, especially the hollow ones.

[@LincolnHawk-bk5yr]

Of course it would, but without the armor you get the impact force AND the penetration - and quite possibly the exit wound.

[@bryanst.martin7134]

Have you seen the strapping that is replacing steel product banding? Green, very tough plastic. I bet you could get all you want from contractors wanting to get rid of it as opposed to recycling? or trash. Bricks, and pavers use a lot of it. I was thinking it could be a big plus over HDPP, or as several layers between your unwoven lawn fabric.

[@James-kk8dw]

You can order fiberglass, Kevlar, and carbon fiber from any aviation supplier such as Wicks supply, Aircraft Spruce or aero performance

[@x_jaydn]

Ingenuity at its finest! ~ I'm curious now how vacuum cast epoxy would work with rock wool and/or fiberglass insulation 🤔

[@josephlieberman3027]

as well as "FiberFrax" ceramic fiber refractory materials.

[@bobklim2731]

I used layers of nylon canvass type with truck bed rubber coating. Next build will add fine grain sand to it.

[@Thedoug369]

I've got a bunch of that 3 rated "bullet board" that I got from a job at a certain military base I was working at ( it was cutoff pieces ) and that shit stops 44mag from a Ruger 44 carbine with no problem at all.

[@dangerpudge1922]

I'd encourage a multi-layup sandwiching thin steel (1/8") and fiberglass. But instead of laying it flat as most folks do, try building it in various layers from right to left. So a flat layer of glass as a 'base' (closest to your person), then a diagonal build from left to right (or from the centerline outward at opposing angles) sandwiching fiberglass and steel such that the steel almost 'overlaps'. This is difficult to describe in text, but the theory is tank armor. When they were designing it they found that using thick enough plating to stop larger rounds would make the tank too heavy. Some brilliant engineer realized that if the rounds were to strike a thinner piece of metal at an angle, the plate was effectively thicker since the round was traveling through the material at something other than a 90 degree angle. That's what you're replicating with this, however we're adding another element by sandwiching it with a woven material. The woven material works best because it's taking the energy of the round and distributing it along many paths which are expanding and moving. The whole idea of effective body armor is energy management. You're trying to disperse the energy of the round into the material, so in a sense, the more 'squidgy' a material is, the more effectively it'll do that. Lots of folks use expanding rounds, which is actually beneficial since they're LESS likely to penetrate body armor than ball ammo is. By layering 'base layers' and angled layers, you're creating different load paths. The angled steel should, in theory, help to trap the fragmentation of the round and redirect the energy outward across the armor more effectively than just putting woven layers on top of eachother on the same plane. Feel free to get in touch for some better visual data if you'd like. This stuff interests me.

[@3RBallistics]

I get what you are saying and it really makes sense. Let me come up with a few ideas to see if it can reasonably be done. Either way, I’d like to try it and will come back to this soon. Thanks.

[@screaminseaman6121]

Just be wary of ricochets and fragmentation. While you are correct on the angled layering defensive capabilities, it's also know for throwing rounds as that's part of the energy dissipation.

[@dangerpudge1922]

@@screaminseaman6121 that's why the sections would be fiberglass/steel/fiberglass. You're not going to get any ricochet of a round and the fragments (which you're counting on) will disperse energy MUCH faster.

[@nohphd]

Chobham armor iirc

[@3RBallistics]

@@dangerpudge1922 I have a video showing this next week 👍

[@bryanst.martin7134]

Are you aware of the polypropylene Glycol/sand version? Highly flexible until struck with high velocity round when it crystalizes. I think they would be nice door liners...

[@thedude883]

You are obviously a "thinking outside the box person." Are we related???! 👍

[@bryanst.martin7134]

@@thedude883 What Box? My name is real. Any St.Martins in your Fam? My Grandad immigrated from Canada. Great uncle Alexis was shot by friendly fire during our British Insurrection. He enlisted as a Guide, scout, woodsman, instructor so our merry band of Marines could survive the frozen wilderness. Unka Alex was healed by a physician studying the gastric systems of chickens and such. Alexis was shot in the stomach, and the local physician was the logical choice. He studied the wound and healing process and restored Unka Alex to duty. He has a hospital in his honor, Dr. Robert Morris, if memory serves me well. It does. Come to think of it, that makes Uncle Alexis the 1st recon Marine.

[@thedude883]

@@bryanst.martin7134 Thinking outside the box implies that you are not confined to thinking of the ordinary thought processes of the general public. You are a thinker. That's how many inventions came to be throughout history, some people can see potential in building things in unconventional ways, with unconventional materials. It was meant as a compliment. As for being related, I was making light of the fact that we are both kindred spirits in our thought processes.

[@thedude883]

@@bryanst.martin7134 And by the way, that is an impressive family history!

[@bryanst.martin7134]

@@thedude883 I knew that. 35 years ago I 1st heard the term. As a "nonGrad" I was not educated in the Box. Moved around too much in youth, always playing catch up, dealing with adversaries, and the appeal of all my new Fem classmates. My teachers thought I was dumb, USN said I had unlimited potential, frequently. The intellectually infirm despise me, I just want to help.

[@knightofbrokenglass9237]

you make the absolute BEST .44 Magnum Commercials!

[@hardtime1972]

Gflex 20 toughened resin would improve bonding and has high tensile strength. West systems has other additives to increase strength even more

[@charlesballiet7074]

mild steel face with fiberglass/hdpe backing with a little aramid fiber in the very back to catch spalling is a good home made recipe

[@3RBallistics]

Sounds like something I’ll be testing very soon.

[@richardkennedy815]

Consider the 16 gauge laminated to the 25 fiberglass. With fiberglass in front it should prevent spall and the metal base should enhance survivability of a hit. Remember the deformation of a round is capable of killing a wearer.

[@Brandon_Neil]

I wonder how placing the steel in between the layers of fiberglass would do. 10 layers of fiberglass, steel, then 15 more layers.

[@richardkennedy815]

@@Brandon_Neil That should significantly decrease the chance of a high velocity round deflecting at the metal surface and exiting laterally. Gage steel would minimally increase weight but cause a HV round to expend tremendous energy when it contacted the metal. At that point the layers of fiberglass should have slowed the round measurably, hopefully with enough deformation of the end to decrease the chance of penetration of the metal plate

[@Rusonekox9]

Nice video, invest on some vice grip clamps to hold the plate for future videos 👍

[@kevinoneill41]

Loosely hung is probably better

[@victorimmature]

intresting . Kentucky ballstics shot up some stretch armstrongs and they were quite resistant , so whatever that stuff is inside them would make a good test if you can find out what it is .

[@deanbritton7436]

3mm plate external, then 5mm fibreglass, 5mm fabric, 5mm fibreglass and another 3mm steel plate. Then put it all in a vacuum press to draw out any air bubbles.

[@philhardwick100]

I wonder about using epoxy instead of polyester resin. It is much nicer to work with. Trying to squeeze out excess resin will make it lighter and thinner for the same strength. Many boat builders vacuum bag hulls to acquire higher strength to weight ratios. Also possibly woven roving in carbon fiber for the back layer since it has high strength but shatters with impact. Small pieces aren’t expensive.

[@3RBallistics]

Those are great ideas. I’m actually in the process of making a few new variations and will definitely keep this in mind for the new plates.

[@bayouflats5054]

I’ve had the sharpener for years, and it really is great. Nice , that sent the leather strop also. 👍😁

[@kajetandziebaj6405]

wonder if you can place alternating bands of metal in to the fabric to make a sort of composite armor

[@3RBallistics]

I like the idea. I will have test that out.

[@twboegel2918]

It would be interesting to know the amount of energy delivered to the plates. It may not be the bullet that does you in but instead the crushing blow to one's internals. I believe I once read of a flexible armor called "Dragon scales". I wonder what became of that concept. Good show.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

You are correct. Even with commercially produced for bulletproof vest with the best engineering in the world to get the policeman if you get shot the vest will stop the penetration, but the flex of the vest will distribute that energy, and if it can't get spread out big enough it'll snap a rib or something.

[@fredrikiloranta9725]

Bullets don't generally have very high energy, for example a 9mm FMJ has around the same energy as a mediocre punch. The instant the energy is spread the felt blow diminishes exponentially.

[@markmcgoveran6811]

Yeah there's so much involved in a collision that mirror energy doesn't catch it all you have to consider linear momentum. You could get hit with a fairly high energy round that didn't have a lot of mass and it may deflect or shatter and not do much damage behind the armor. They used to have an 80 caliber cap and ball Derringer with a 2 inch barrel. You could pull it out of your pocket and shoot it up through an oak table top the ball would go through the oak table top and hit another card player and kill him. If you got hit on a bulletproof vest with that 80 caliber ball it could crack a couple of ribs and kill you easily especially if you were leaning against the wall so you couldn't move when the ball hit you.

[@rev.dr.davidcole8915]

Suggest painting fiberglass onto landscape fabric and then layering. Interesting stuff.

[@TheTrueNateHustle]

Ceramic is the key here. Ditch that steel. It adds unnecessary weight for minimal protection. Rubber over tile, tile over fiberglass, all painted with bed liner after being vacuum sealed to cure. Buy in bulk and make plates for about $40 a piece. The ceramic busts up the bullets and the fiberglass catches the shards. Try building angled plates. That's the next frontier in home armor. The methodology comes from tank armor in WW2.

[@SenZendorsa]

Very informative, it fractures way less than fiberglass but I believe the fiberglass offer more protection, but then again the landscaping material is lighter, with the right backing it has potential.

[@leifwulffstephan3725]

You can drastically increase the toughness of the resin you use for these plates by adding .3% graphene. Graphene is easily made from graphite rods by grinding them up into powder and ball milling the powder with a surfactant for a day or two then baking this powder until there is no more moisture left. The powder left over from this is graphene and including it into your resin mixture will increase drastically increase the resistance to penetration.

[@KH-fx3ok]

Grapheme can not be made by grinding graphite to a fine powder. It is a different atomic latice structure. How about grind diamond to get graphine. Still nope just fine diamond is your product.

[@idontwantcorporateretaliat6301]

Do you have a source for that? You can get powdered graphite but we don't call it graphene. Most graphite products (and I think graphite rods) use a clay binder.

[@danboy3399]

It’s not just about stopping the lead… you also need to prevent the spray of lead from going towards other body parts (neck, arms, legs) and penetrating. That can be just as lethal if it hits arteries.

[@3RBallistics]

My next video will have some stronger steel (AR500) wrapped in different methods trying to prevent the spray of lead going toward the body.

[@MrMatty1956]

just an observation, and im sure its for safety reason, but a handgun round would likely be encountered at 1/2 that distance. may not mean too much for the test, just a thought

[@billbaum6721]

IT LOOK GOOD WHAT YOU GOT STARTED ...LET ME HOW YOU MAKE OUT IN THE END WHEN YOU FINE OUT WAY TO STOP THE BULLETS THANK YOU BROTHER BILL

[@e.t.watchman5142]

YOU SHOULD TRY THE NEW KINDS OF ROOFING UNDERLAYMENT IS STRONG AND YOU COULD LAYER IT WITH OTHER MATERIALS

[@3RBallistics]

I have looked into that material and it seems very strong. I will check some applications and material compositions then give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@another3997]

In the realm of woven fabrics, Polyester, Nylon and silk would make good base materials. At least 2 of them can be combined with resins, although silk is expensive and prone to deterioration. Hemp, Ramie and Jute (Hessian/Burlap) are plant based fabrics, which are stronger than cotton. Again, they can be combined with resins, and are easier to work with than glass fibres.

[@3RBallistics]

Very true. One of the upcoming videos will be testing and utilizing the strength of polyester.

[@evansaw293]

This! I haven't used hemp but it does have a high tensile strength.

[@BooDamnHoo]

Brazil has done some material science research on inexpensive plant fibers for ballistic armor. Jute (and burlap) does very well. The only issue with something like burlap is the need for some kind of apparatus to compress and shape the resin-layered fabric. It absorbs a lot of resin and is thick if not tightly compressed. It can be heavy but it was found to be a very good replacement for kevlar and other expensive ballistic fabrics.

[@michaelschranz5666]

You might think about hemp or even jute burlap. Henery Ford was planning on using hemp fiber and a resin of some sort and even made a car out of it. That was before fiberglass was actually invented. I have used brown paper and resin in a project, but never shot it. Wasn't making armor. Good luck.

[@DrSafely]

The best fiberglass is aluminum oxide, also called structural or sapphire fiberglass.

[@3RBallistics]

I use type S fiberglass in many of the projects. It’s good stuff. I’ll be using it in an upcoming video showing how to reduce weight when combining composite materials.

[@JB-ym4up]

Try small hexagonal tiles vs small square ones.

[@99Racker]

What did you use to bunch the landscaping material? How about a thin sheet of tempered steel and try it on the inside or on the outside with landscaping cloth backing? Nice review.

[@3RBallistics]

I used Bondo resin from Home Depot. I like the idea to used some tempered steel. I’ll look into testing this.

[@BenfromFlux]

@@3RBallistics someone mentioned banding - steel banding is spring steel, typically 1095 and a proper strong spring heat treat - could be a cheap/free material to experiment with reinforcing armor with.

[@LtBRS]

It's not about blocking or catching mass. It's more about efficiency of disbursement of impact energy. Your approach or (assumptive capital) isn't on target.

[@largelarry2126]

How about using Dyneema? It's very strong and should work well.

[@3RBallistics]

I have some dyneema and Kevlar but want higher threats to use those materials. Also, they cost quite a bit more and are not readily available.

[@josephlieberman3027]

wondering about "Rockwool" or even possibly, the high temp refractory "FiberFrax" ceramic fiber (some formulations are essentialy synthetic fiber of Sapphire relative hardness of 9 vs diamond of 10.

[@3RBallistics]

I’ve used corundum and basalt in some of my concrete mixes but haven’t thought too much about insulation for fibered material. I’ll have to look into that.

[@jeffp862]

Maybe put some thin hardy backer board wrapped in the landscape fabric for a test. Layered

[@davidhagerman7165]

What about starting with the full thickness of fiberglass with the steel plate in the last layer next to the body, The wrap the in entir plate wit the land sacpe fabric for bullet spalding.

[@holyspiritfire8268]

Just some suggestions I would love to see you try. 1) a 1/8" UHMW plastic sheet sandwiched between 2 layers of what ever you are using as a plate, I think the rounds would be found stuck in the plastic sheet. 2) a 5mm thick sheet of titanium as a surface over the plate(its cheaper than you might think). This would be the build: Face plate of 5mm Titanium, 1 layer of what ever medium (Fiberglass & resin, or other), a 1/8" uhmw sheet, and then another layer of a chosen medium, all equaling 1" or 1 1/8" The Titanium would cause the deformation of the nose of the bullet, the first layer of medium would slow it down, the uhmw won't do almost anything against penetration BUT it is extremely self healing so it will constrict the bullet as it passes through it (and most likely stop it, then the last layer of medium will stop the bullet in cooperation with the uhmw. I would love to see the result its just that I do a lot of other things, but what you are doing is very cool. Btw, the uhmw and titanium sheet can be found on amazon.

[@alparkopp]

Alternate layers of landscaping fabric and fiberglass.Add sand to the resin between layers

[@goolash1000]

Have you tried soaking 100% layered cotton t-shirts in a borax solution, then firing them in a kiln until the cotton carbonizes? That is literally how the first boron carbide body armor was developed in the lab.

[@3RBallistics]

I have not tried that but I will look into it and see what I can come up with.

[@roycehuepers4325]

So, my thoughts based on this is metal core with fiberglass around it and laminated this further with the filter.

[@3RBallistics]

I have a version 2 I made and hope to test soon.

[@traficdas]

Did ya ever look at a traffic sign out in the rural (country) area? Ya know the ones folks use for target practice? Made from aluminum combined with who knows what other kinds of metal cause I don't see very many holes in those signs. There about 1/8" thick and don't dent near as bad as that 3/16" mild steel you used for target practice. Maybe combine a sheet at the back and landscape fabric on the front and maybe on the back? Made me some plates outa that stuff with 5 layers. That's 5/8" thick with that sticky sign material all over it. Was thinking of using something like fiberglass on the front, but that landscaper fabric sounds like the better choice... Do ya use resin to hold the 25 layers together or what? Thanks for letting me bend yer ear here.

[@3RBallistics]

Love the ideas. Aluminum is a great material to use. I have some testing and videos coming up using aluminum. I used Bondo resin from Home Depot to hold the fabric together.

[@michaeldbhawker3556]

I sleep under a silk duvet. Made by silk worms. It’s made in many layers. I wonder if bonded what it would stand as part of a multi layer setup.

[@victorross3174]

try a cut radial tire with the fiber glass

[@dirtwizard5647]

What about geo grid , for retaining walls. That *hit is like steel?, I have tons of scraps. Thoughts? 👍✌️🖖

[@3RBallistics]

I have used geo grid and it works very similarly as they are both made of polypropylene

[@jimmieblue6262]

Thin stainless steel tin layered with fiberglass alternating layers.

[@stevemacdaddy9909]

I watched another video of homemade body armor using fire proof blanket and epoxy resin. Very surprised at what it would stop.

[@bradnail99]

Fireproof blankets are typically some form of aramid, like Kevlar or Nomex. Very strong fibers and also heat resistant.

[@roberthamm9304]

You could use a combination of fiberglass and steel plate to stop .44 magnum. But, you need to also test with high power rifles. There’s a lot of ammo out there that have steel and tungsten carbide steel cores that will punch right through those plates. You’ve got the right idea, but you also have to include rifles in your tests. I’ve seen some 7.62x39, and 7.62x54R ammo that have steel cores in them. So, everyone out there, don’t assume that if you make these plates for your own protection that you’d have bulletproof plates, because there’s ammo out there that WILL defeat those plates. Please don’t think that I’m a know-it-all. I’m speaking from experience and I’m looking out for your own personal safety.

[@3RBallistics]

Agreed. This test was strictly to compare against level IIIA body armor which only provides protection against pistol rounds up to 44 mag (240 gr). However, I do have other videos that test against many rifle rounds.

[@roberthamm9304]

@@3RBallistics cool. I’m going to have to check them out. Also I left a reply to someone else’s comment. You should go check it out and see what you think of my reply.

[@that_escalated_quickly2720]

You might want to look into 7075 T651 as a strike face and a backer. You have almost 3 times the thickness compared to steel while keeping the same weight... 7075 is also reasonable priced imho. I believe in a combination 7075 T651 is really interesting option for making a combined plate I believe com

[@3RBallistics]

Just wait for the next few videos. I’ve used aluminum with great success. I’ve managed serious stopping power with 6061 T651. It’s not as strong as 7075 but it’s more ductile and slows down projectiles very effectively.

[@everettplummer9725]

Was the frp and non-woven manufacturered with epoxy or polyester resin? Have you tried carbon fiber? Hemp? Polypropylene? Polycarbonate?

[@3RBallistics]

It was polyester resin. I have tried carbon fiber but not hemp. The thick filter fabrics in this video are polypropylene. Next video will have polycarbonate in it as well

[@alias1719]

Epoxy resin is superior - but costly. You might try a heavy weight (8-20oz) polyester fabric. It is used as an alternative to fiberglass on some boats as it has better abrasion and crush resistance. 3mm - 1/8" steel is closer to 11ga (2.9mm), btw. I assume that was mild steel? I was surprised it held up. How much does that piece weigh? Interesting video - 👍

[@3RBallistics]

@@alias1719 I do have a heavy polyester I will be testing soon. And yes it was mild steel as well as mis-spoke about the thickness. I meant to say 14 gauge and smaller than 1/8 inch (3mm = 0.118 inch). The weight was 3 pounds 11 ounces and a 10”X12” SAPI style shooters cut plate.

[@rockzog]

Take a look at the material used to wrap new house construction.

[@3RBallistics]

I love that idea. I have seen this material but haven’t used it or tested it. I’ll try testing that material in the next few months.

[@Nonyabusiness911]

I don’t ever see a need for this but it would be fun to build and shoot. I have access to stainless scrap 1/8”-1” thick. I don’t know how thick you can make it and it would be heavy but if you did 1/2” fiberglass then 1/2” stainless it should stop a pretty big load.

[@3RBallistics]

Just finished a video hitting different metal that was 1/2” thick. Stainless was one of them.

[@ondesignbuild2951]

Trying to safeguard myself while sleeping in a camper van, mostly from small arms. Because of large surface area and the time and material needed for using cloth based material, I decided to use steel to beef up my side panels from the inside. In your video you tested a piece of 16ga steel and it seem to work fine. What confused me was that you mentioned that piece is slightly over 3mm which translates to something equivalent to 11ga instead of 16ga. Could you kindly clarify that?

[@3RBallistics]

Yes, I misspoke by saying 16ga. It was actually closer to 10ga or 1/8” or 3.2mm

[@seanhoude]

Please wrap mild steel with woven material. Seems like you'd get the best of both; steel to stop it and fabric to absorb the spalling.

[@3RBallistics]

Just about to do some tests on this exact thing. I should have the video posted in the next few weeks.

[@dennisperez2712]

Try that 12" blue or green PVC sewer pipe. It can take most pistol rounds for a while even .454

[@3RBallistics]

I’ve shot schedule 80 PVC before without great results but maybe it was the wrong material.

[@dennisperez2712]

@@3RBallistics I'd like to try that 8” Plastic Natural Gas Pipeline pge uses . They use big hydraulic jaws to pinch it closed while working and it pops right back , like super hard rubber. Might not be good for target practice tho.

[@chuckfinley3152]

Ceramic in the front to shatter the bullet, something behind it to catch the fragments

[@chuckfinley3152]

As in every day tiles

[@redrock425]

Porcelain tiles would be good, very hard.

[@3RBallistics]

I absolutely agree. I just posted a video on this with some interesting results.

[@shawnfisher9976]

Put a thick coating of Rhino liner on as a final covering

[@williamswan9114]

I owe somebody that made it out of😊 blown airbag out of vehicles composite layers, he also experimented with same fabric from it along with plastic and ceramic tiles 1 by 11 and a half integrated

[@benitogarcia9683]

What about 3 /8 thick steel plate wraped with fiberglass tape then a piece of ceramis tile wraped in fiberglass tape?

[@roberts2099]

How many inches of sand does it take to stop a bullet by itself if it is contained in a mild steel box or mixed with something simple like flex seal?

[@3RBallistics]

Probably depends on which bullet and how fast it’s going.

[@abptlm123]

tightly weave cobalt chrome drill bits (maybe you can get them used?) into kevlar or fiberglass, vacuum bag it, or weld(brazing may be better) them into a multiple layer plate with crossed grains like plywood. it should fragment the steel core of an AP round; add a backing layer of composite to catch the fragments..

[@googoo7750]

just carry an anvil 😂

[@abptlm123]

@@googoo7750 use very small drill bits, with vacuum bagging, mass is minimized. It would be interesting to see what even a single layer of drillbits would do? it should break up the round.. Also, the edges of the bit should 'catch' the round, slowing it

[@a.joegevara3519]

I should save the roll ends of our Kevlar heater belt material, and send you some. It's not very wide, 4", but could be woven in overlaps.