Hello everyone....just thought I'd post some pics of old ugly.

Started messing with it over the weekend. Not sure how much screwing around I'll do with it. The cast is terrible. It sands real easy but the lines are so soft on this thing I have doubts that it could ever really look like anything.

I would have to try and sharpen up every line...not sure if thats even possible. Now thats just the outside...the inside...don't even get me started on the inside.

Anyway this is just for amusement so don't be to harsh on me I'm tough but sensitive.

Is this the same type of helmet as CSMacLaren bought? If so, that can't possibly be the original dome that came with the kit? The flanges looks to be a bit long though... but that could simply be the small face.

Of course its the same dome....yah....I'm....I'm a genius...yah a genius when it comes to this stuff....yah thats the ticket.

Sorry NHM could'nt help myself. No its not the same dome its an angry wookie dome. seriously I didn't make that up.

LOL, thought it looked different, but wasn't sure whether you are bad-ass at fixing stuff that seems impossible to fix.

I know AngryWookies from eBay... his dome flanges are definitely too long. Trim off 1" and you'll be cool - though... Vader's helmet is curved at the bottom of the flanges, not straight... though, how to work that into the dome I have absolutely no clue.


(this is the only picture I could think of right away that showed my point, will take it down if asked)

Are you talking about 1" all the way around....what I mean is measure up an inch in the front and take it all the way around ?

Sorry forgot to answer your first question...yes thats the same darth ugly mask.

Roughly... but the curve on the real helmet will be difficult to emulate when the AngryWookies is straight. Please don't cut anything until someone can explain better what should be done to make it better... as I'm simply not able to right now and basically have no experience with such a mod-job.

No problem...I have a pretty good idea from the pic you posted ( thanks by the way). Like I said I'm going to mess with it as time permits and in between better projects. I hope in about two weeks to have something new to show everyone.

Well... glad I could help... a little...

One question I do have for anyone willing to answer is what pointers can anybody give me on the different types of bits to use with my dremel tool to get into the nooks and crannies of this mask to sharpen up the detail.

I'm kind of new to the dremel...most of the sanding and detail work I get involed in is on caddies and pick-up trucks ect. Not much dremel use there.

Any tips would be great. Thanks.

Well, for the most part, I've used a stone wheel or that dark brown cutting/sanding disc for the eyes. There comes a point where you don't want to go any further and you want to use Nicholson files. You may also need to get some epoxy putty (be it PC-7 or Bondo or whatever you prefer) if you either need to patch up grinding errors you made, or if you need to deepen the eye sockets to fit your lenses.

It would be helpful if you could rephotograph your helmet from 4-5 feet away and zoom in a bit. I think NHM thought it was a "Darth Ugly" urethane ANH kit because your images have a lot of persepctive distortion being photographed up close, and your facemask seems to have a completely lack of side flare to it. The props had side flare (widening gradually from front to back, but widening more on the left side as you're looking at it). You kind of need that flare to complete the look.

Also, I suspect the facemask is descended from a Don Post Classic Action but clearer photographs would really help.

Also the mouth: I generally try to use a very simple narrow but to just pierce the resin material (I'm assuming this is fiberglass, right?) and then I exploit the hole with hand filing.

In general my primarily file of choice is a dual sided Nicholson file that is rounded on one side and flat on the other. I purchased a steel brush to clean the file so that the buildup doesn't cause it to lose its bite.

For the small air vent openings I use a set of much smaller files. One is a small square section, and the other is a flat "j" shaped one too. The "j" shaped one is spectacular for the upper end of the air vents where you have to file at an angle and it's great to use for tight areas.

Hello CSMacLaren.....thank you very much for the info.
This actually is the same darth ugly you have. I do sort of suck with the digi-cam. Still working with it. Hell the last time I took pics of anything it was with my trusty kodak ektralite 10 camera...110 film ( ah the good old days. )

I know what you mean about the flare...I've got the wheels turning on that one. I did manage to get the kink out of the left tube and sharpen up some of the lines.

I'll start on some of the other areas maybe this weekend. Like I posted I'm doing this one for kicks and hoping to learn some tricks for future projects.

I'll practice some with the camera and put up more pics as I continue working with it. Thanks again for your help. By the way did you have any luck returning yours?

Welcome to the Darth Ugly Owners Club!







I tried very hard working it out with the seller. His responses forced me to move this to PayPal/eBay. There, I posted all my photos and evidence and quoted his own description and indicated what I felt were inconsistencies. He blasted me back and he moved it from a discussion phase to a review phase.

The case is currently reviewed.

If it doesn't work out, then there's a chance I'll still work on this. The dome is distorted but I am hoping it might respond to heat and I can get it back to a suitable shape and then "freeze" it under cold water. I might have someone who is smaller in size who could use this, and I'd just donate this to that person.

Of course, I'd basically modify it as much as I could first. I'm hoping that QuikPlastic or PC-7 will bond okay with the polyurethane, otherwise I'm screwed. Polyurethane is indeed softer than fibeglass and resin, so it may not be as miserable a job to patch up and reshape all the imperfections. I wish the seller was more truthful about its condition and posted larger and clearer images

Hi CS...I was pretty shocked when I took it out of the box to. The pics posted in the auction are very misleading. As for my dome I'll probably leave it go since I have the other.
What sanding I've done has gone really well, seems to sand easy. Hope to find out about the bondo or pc-7 within the next couple of weeks. I'll let you know how it works.

Take Care.

Are you finding the urethane pretty easy to sand? It is very flexible, after all.

Hi CS....sorry I didn't get back sooner. Yes the resin is flexible and responds great to heat. I decided to work on the the dome as well ( NHM sort of shamed me into it.) Besides I figure the thing came together and should be modded together or its not a complete project.

I worked on it some today. I heated the dome and started to reshape it I've made it a little wider and got some of the sunken in portions of it fixed. Still long way to go.

I'm also raising the lower tube on left side to match the right, and also the left cheek. I took some pics so soon as they load they will be here.
















Sorry its so dirty...once I've done a little more I'll clean it up a bit and take some more. Also the resin sands like a dream