I posted this over at GBFans and since I know some people don't frequent their site often I figured I would share this with you guys.
I had been waiting for a pair of aluminum lenses and aluminum faceplate to come up for sale before I started my goggles, but I was in the mood to do these up and seeing as mikenelson offered up some resin lenses (which are great by the way) and resin faceplate, I figured I would get it under way and replace whatever needed replacing when I do finally come across some aluminum parts.
I started off with a pair of AN/PVS-5A NVG that I had picked up from Vin a while back. The nose bridge was cracked along with a few other little cracks here and there. I used a piece of wire hanger to help reinforce the larger cracks and it worked well, I also used a piece of a soda can for the crack that was on the top of the frames that's not pictured below, and I also hit it with some primer/filler spray paint to make sure I got all the spots I wanted to. I went a little overboard on JB Weld, but I'll sand that down eventually.
I tried several Walmarts and I couldn't find any Krylon camouflage spray paint, and after standing there with the goggles in hand for a color comparison I ended up going with Rustoleum Camouflage spray paint. It isn't the best match, but it gets the job done well enough for the time being. After 2 coats of the spray paint I removed the top DOT snap and drilled the holes for the socket head screws on the face plate and I'm waiting for a d-ring picture hanger to come in.
Now I know for GB1 goggles, most people usually go out and get some weather stripping or foam to make the facepad, which I had every intention of doing, until I started playing with one of Joe Luna's face pads. I was able to feel another tougher pad beneath the extra padding on the face pad I had gotten from him and since I wasn't going to use them, I figured I had nothing to lose and cut them open to see what was going on inside.
Extra padding.
And extra padding removed. It was actually fairly easy since it wasn't glued down or anything like the foam beneath it is.
I nicked the foam a little, since I wasn't sure what to expect, but I feel it gives it a bit of a weathered feel to it
. If I was to do it again I wouldn't initially cut so close to the foam and stay more towards the top cushion.
And then I hit it with a quick shot of satin black, which the foam readily absorbed without any real tackiness or anything left behind.
I didn't snap a pciture of it, but the side with the snaps is still fully intact and is still attached very well to the foam, so now I don't need to worry about gluing a piece of foam to the frames, and I can still utilize the snaps and everything, so overall I'm happy.
That's all the progress for the time being, stay tuned for more.
I had been waiting for a pair of aluminum lenses and aluminum faceplate to come up for sale before I started my goggles, but I was in the mood to do these up and seeing as mikenelson offered up some resin lenses (which are great by the way) and resin faceplate, I figured I would get it under way and replace whatever needed replacing when I do finally come across some aluminum parts.
I started off with a pair of AN/PVS-5A NVG that I had picked up from Vin a while back. The nose bridge was cracked along with a few other little cracks here and there. I used a piece of wire hanger to help reinforce the larger cracks and it worked well, I also used a piece of a soda can for the crack that was on the top of the frames that's not pictured below, and I also hit it with some primer/filler spray paint to make sure I got all the spots I wanted to. I went a little overboard on JB Weld, but I'll sand that down eventually.
I tried several Walmarts and I couldn't find any Krylon camouflage spray paint, and after standing there with the goggles in hand for a color comparison I ended up going with Rustoleum Camouflage spray paint. It isn't the best match, but it gets the job done well enough for the time being. After 2 coats of the spray paint I removed the top DOT snap and drilled the holes for the socket head screws on the face plate and I'm waiting for a d-ring picture hanger to come in.
Now I know for GB1 goggles, most people usually go out and get some weather stripping or foam to make the facepad, which I had every intention of doing, until I started playing with one of Joe Luna's face pads. I was able to feel another tougher pad beneath the extra padding on the face pad I had gotten from him and since I wasn't going to use them, I figured I had nothing to lose and cut them open to see what was going on inside.
Extra padding.
And extra padding removed. It was actually fairly easy since it wasn't glued down or anything like the foam beneath it is.
I nicked the foam a little, since I wasn't sure what to expect, but I feel it gives it a bit of a weathered feel to it
. If I was to do it again I wouldn't initially cut so close to the foam and stay more towards the top cushion.
And then I hit it with a quick shot of satin black, which the foam readily absorbed without any real tackiness or anything left behind.
I didn't snap a pciture of it, but the side with the snaps is still fully intact and is still attached very well to the foam, so now I don't need to worry about gluing a piece of foam to the frames, and I can still utilize the snaps and everything, so overall I'm happy.
That's all the progress for the time being, stay tuned for more.
