Edward Reed
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 494
- Location
- Aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress
well, not a full restoration ... an M3 Flak helmet was the last "must have" item I needed for my collection. This bucket has no dents or dings and has all the original webbing and chin strap albeit the original flocking is pretty much gone. Its missing one ear pad (as they usually are) but it turns out same size felt pads are sold today as Furniture Felt Pad Floor Protectors
I was able to confirm the size and thickness of what is sold today to the original and they are identical except a tad darker in shade.
3 1/2 inch diameter and 0.2 inches thick (about 5.08 mm thick) The one original I have is petrified and fell off so new replacements are peel and stick for a nice finished off restoration. It displays well. I believe the originals were wool felt and these modern ones are most likely man made material but you can barely see the difference. I could find some water based dye and color the tan felt pads I have to match the original but the brown ones are close enough. they are just a tad thicker but not by much although the original may have just flattened with age. these are perfect for replacing lost ear pads.
There was the usual rusting on the ear protectors so I used phosphoric acid to remove some of the rust and additionally it converts some of the iron oxide into an inert layer of ferric phosphate and preps the surface for paint of which I sprayed a can of Rustoleum Olive Drab. Being on the inside portion I wasn't too concerned with it not being an exact color match but one day may hit it with a different closer OD.
(For the rust I used Klean-Strip Phosphoric Concrete Etch & Metal Prep + Rust Inhibitor from Home Depot.)
In this image I have the original felt pad in place on the left. the modern replacement furniture felt pad on the right....
Here both pads are the modern replacements
once on display you can't see the felt pads anyhow but I know they are there
I was able to confirm the size and thickness of what is sold today to the original and they are identical except a tad darker in shade.
3 1/2 inch diameter and 0.2 inches thick (about 5.08 mm thick) The one original I have is petrified and fell off so new replacements are peel and stick for a nice finished off restoration. It displays well. I believe the originals were wool felt and these modern ones are most likely man made material but you can barely see the difference. I could find some water based dye and color the tan felt pads I have to match the original but the brown ones are close enough. they are just a tad thicker but not by much although the original may have just flattened with age. these are perfect for replacing lost ear pads.
There was the usual rusting on the ear protectors so I used phosphoric acid to remove some of the rust and additionally it converts some of the iron oxide into an inert layer of ferric phosphate and preps the surface for paint of which I sprayed a can of Rustoleum Olive Drab. Being on the inside portion I wasn't too concerned with it not being an exact color match but one day may hit it with a different closer OD.
(For the rust I used Klean-Strip Phosphoric Concrete Etch & Metal Prep + Rust Inhibitor from Home Depot.)
In this image I have the original felt pad in place on the left. the modern replacement furniture felt pad on the right....
Here both pads are the modern replacements
once on display you can't see the felt pads anyhow but I know they are there
