Beaded helmet production........ myths & mayhem

[Danmark]

No, I'm NOT reigniting the debate over whether or not these were MEANT to have the bead in or done to identify them as ballistic rejects - everyone has their side of the fence on that one - but I did want to show ( like my comments on the lot stamping method ) the sort of tools probably used to create the bead.



The above machine is a "bead roller". these are used to roll a stiffening bead or rib or ridge into a piece of sheet metal and are standard equipment for the metal fabricator. Possibly a mechanical version of one of these would have been used to roll the bead into the shells. This is the same way the rolled edge was done on the M35 / M40 models, just with different dies.

Of interest is that the various manufacturers did not have the same machines - or dies. We know this because the beads are different shapes.
Look at the following ......



Anyway, there you go - another bit of helmet trivia from 'Downunder Dan'

Cheers all!!

[mpw]

Not something I have really thought about before. Very interesting, thanks for posting.

Regards, Mark.

[stuka f]

....
...

The above machine is a "bead roller". these are used to roll a stiffening bead or rib or ridge into a piece of sheet metal and are standard equipment for the metal fabricator. Possibly a mechanical version of one of these would have been used to roll the bead into the shells. This is the same way the rolled edge was done on the M35 / M40 models, just with different dies.

Of interest is that the various manufacturers did not have the same machines - or dies. We know this because the beads are different shapes.
.....

- another bit of helmet trivia from 'Downunder Dan'

Cheers all!!

I'll try to show you "the" original machine asap !

;-)
K

[real steel]

Hi Dan

Oh, how I am sorry I missed the debate over the explanation of beaded helmets. Will look for the thread, any idea how long ago it was ?
Not going to "Kick up the dust"....I just want to read what some of the theories were.

[Schwerpunkt]

Nice topic Dan , so from your experience how much 'extra' work would there be involved to add this bead ?

[stuka f]

3 minutes!
;-)

[Danmark]

Hi Dan

Oh, how I am sorry I missed the debate over the explanation of beaded helmets. Will look for the thread, any idea how long ago it was ?
Not going to "Kick up the dust"....I just want to read what some of the theories were.

This that thread David - started by ....gulp....me!!!

Types of beaded Luftschutz helmets??

[Danmark]

Nice topic Dan , so from your experience how much 'extra' work would there be involved to add this bead ?

Hi Frank,

Well it would be amongst the slowest of the steps I guess as it had to be done one at a time and certainly would disrupt the "Ford-like" production lines the factories had in place. But in that oft referenced You tube movie on helmet production ( where you see them rolling the edge bead / folding it with a hammer )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMmJyqQy90 ( 0:57 to 1:05 ) it could keep pace with the others if you had enough rolling machines.

[real steel]

This that thread David - started by ....gulp....me!!!

Types of beaded Luftschutz helmets??

What do you mean by "Gulp" ? I found it informative, interesting, logical & will read the entire thread again at a later date. I thought your explanations were a bit difficult to comprehend, but sounds like you know about the process.

I myself think they were just purposedly produced from a cheaper grade of steel for civil use, the bead was the identification of such, hence the civic style liners & weak cheap chinstraps

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

Well done Dan, another informative thread on possible production methods. Leon.