Switchfoot
06-15-2001, 11:09 AM
*If you play tournys don't even consider this post.*
If you, however, play rec.ball and you want a nice way to mess around with your friends read below...
Remember the sceens of rioting you have seen on tv? Not the minorities throwing bricks, but the cops and the sheilds that they use to stop the bricks... now think... if they can use them to stop bricks and stay alive then why can't I use one to stop paintballs??? Maybe you have thought of this before, maybe you haven't -regardless- I know that it works. It works very well. If you want to build a sheild you have many options for making them. I have only made one sheild so far, but my friends have requested that I make one for them now that they have seen it in action.
Stats for sheild:
One board (at least 1/4 inches thick)- Pick something light.
Disc Sander (if you have one)
Drill
Metal Handle
Belt
Now, this is the way you might choose to make one -- I'll give you a basic picture since I'm sure you can think of how to make a sheild... not too hard.
Cut out your board- I suggest making it large enough to cover your whole upper body and groin. Choose the spots to put your handle and belt. The belt will be used for support of your forearm. Belts are also adjustable- therefore, they are harder to get messed up when drilling and placing the belt... makes it easy. Use screws to set the belt and handle and make sure it has a nice feel and make sure that it covers your body nicely. Now, if you have a disc sander this will be easy, but if you don't... find something else. Use the sander to cut a thin line across your eyeline in the sheild. This should be around 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. It won't be big enough to let paint through and you can still see perfectly through it. Now, put the sheild on your arm and hold your gun in your shooting hand. Find where you need to drill your hole for your barrel. I suggest that when you drill the hole make it large enough to allow for movement of your barrel. You might also want to put a rubber grammet in it to stop any chances of scraping. Now that all of this is done you might want to paint it. I chose to paint mine dark green all over and where the slit for the eyes are on the front I chose to paint two large white eyes for a funny effect.
This sheild has been very effective for me. I wouldn't suggest it if it weren't. Some may say that sheilds are for wusses or something, and that's fine and dandy. I've been playing for 5 years now and I can take anything you dish out- the sheild is for a different element of play. It adds a bit of challenge for everyone - especially when many have them on the field.
Story: The most recent time I used my sheild was on Memorial Day at our annual night game. The man that hosts this game is a freak. He's downright scary. He comes from everywhere one the field and has been doing it for years, he freaks me out... anyway he's really good. I was moving down a fenceline and towards a pillbox. I saw him come running down the fenceline by me. My friend and I unloaded on him and he turned to shoot at us as well. We were hitting him a lot (we don't play 1 hit out...) and he strafed to our right and I decided to mirror him. We were running and firing for around 20 seconds. He took around 20 shots (face, chest, and gun) and I counted no hits on myself. I swear to you the sheild took every single hit! It was covered in paint when the skirmish was over. I would have been hit in the mask around 3 times (and you all know how annoying that is) instead- Kevin the psycho had a huge laugh after the game because he had no idea I had a sheild with me when we went out. He was hurting a bit but he still laughed for some time. The sheild kinda saved my life from him and it made me look awesome despite the fact I had a sheild. Needless to say everyone simply walked behind me the rest of the night and my sheild took at least 80% of all hits on me. Not saying this will happen for everyone, and it was a night game... but it still worked awesome.
I'll post pictures of my sheild if people are interested. It does have one hole in it from testing... point blank doesn't work as well :)
If you, however, play rec.ball and you want a nice way to mess around with your friends read below...
Remember the sceens of rioting you have seen on tv? Not the minorities throwing bricks, but the cops and the sheilds that they use to stop the bricks... now think... if they can use them to stop bricks and stay alive then why can't I use one to stop paintballs??? Maybe you have thought of this before, maybe you haven't -regardless- I know that it works. It works very well. If you want to build a sheild you have many options for making them. I have only made one sheild so far, but my friends have requested that I make one for them now that they have seen it in action.
Stats for sheild:
One board (at least 1/4 inches thick)- Pick something light.
Disc Sander (if you have one)
Drill
Metal Handle
Belt
Now, this is the way you might choose to make one -- I'll give you a basic picture since I'm sure you can think of how to make a sheild... not too hard.
Cut out your board- I suggest making it large enough to cover your whole upper body and groin. Choose the spots to put your handle and belt. The belt will be used for support of your forearm. Belts are also adjustable- therefore, they are harder to get messed up when drilling and placing the belt... makes it easy. Use screws to set the belt and handle and make sure it has a nice feel and make sure that it covers your body nicely. Now, if you have a disc sander this will be easy, but if you don't... find something else. Use the sander to cut a thin line across your eyeline in the sheild. This should be around 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. It won't be big enough to let paint through and you can still see perfectly through it. Now, put the sheild on your arm and hold your gun in your shooting hand. Find where you need to drill your hole for your barrel. I suggest that when you drill the hole make it large enough to allow for movement of your barrel. You might also want to put a rubber grammet in it to stop any chances of scraping. Now that all of this is done you might want to paint it. I chose to paint mine dark green all over and where the slit for the eyes are on the front I chose to paint two large white eyes for a funny effect.
This sheild has been very effective for me. I wouldn't suggest it if it weren't. Some may say that sheilds are for wusses or something, and that's fine and dandy. I've been playing for 5 years now and I can take anything you dish out- the sheild is for a different element of play. It adds a bit of challenge for everyone - especially when many have them on the field.
Story: The most recent time I used my sheild was on Memorial Day at our annual night game. The man that hosts this game is a freak. He's downright scary. He comes from everywhere one the field and has been doing it for years, he freaks me out... anyway he's really good. I was moving down a fenceline and towards a pillbox. I saw him come running down the fenceline by me. My friend and I unloaded on him and he turned to shoot at us as well. We were hitting him a lot (we don't play 1 hit out...) and he strafed to our right and I decided to mirror him. We were running and firing for around 20 seconds. He took around 20 shots (face, chest, and gun) and I counted no hits on myself. I swear to you the sheild took every single hit! It was covered in paint when the skirmish was over. I would have been hit in the mask around 3 times (and you all know how annoying that is) instead- Kevin the psycho had a huge laugh after the game because he had no idea I had a sheild with me when we went out. He was hurting a bit but he still laughed for some time. The sheild kinda saved my life from him and it made me look awesome despite the fact I had a sheild. Needless to say everyone simply walked behind me the rest of the night and my sheild took at least 80% of all hits on me. Not saying this will happen for everyone, and it was a night game... but it still worked awesome.
I'll post pictures of my sheild if people are interested. It does have one hole in it from testing... point blank doesn't work as well :)