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 Post subject: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:18 am 
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Ok as some of you know I have recently received my first helmet and the paint on the mask is in a pisspoor state and it will need to be repainted. So I thought this might be a good opportunity to make any alterations (not too drastic) to make it a little more movie accurate.
Please be aware I don't intent to do any mods on the dome as the paint is good on that.
As I'm a noob to this then I am 'all ears'.
Please don't flame me about the helmet as I know it's not the greatest but it was a good price.
As this was my first helmet my first thought was omfg!! It's so big!!!

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:26 am 
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I think you need to think how far you want to mod it and take into account what tools and skills you have. Take it steady and do minor modifications first, maybe even experiement with the materials your going to use.

I don't know enough about vader to give advice on what needs to be altered, but I'm sure Mac or TMG will probably lend some advice. But heres a starting point.

Too Much Garlic wrote:
Looks like a Don Post Deluxe with a weird neck trim-job. Might be a recast.


Have a look at the movie screenshots and at some of the authentic helmets (theres a sticky with the pics in), I think the authentic pictures are one of the best helps as theres a few of them with the paint stripped so you can clearly see the lines and edges of the masks.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:57 am 
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Never be ashamed of your purchase. It may not be the best, but it still has the potential of being a really cool helmet.

The dome seems fine enough, so no need to do anything to that.

I retract the comment regarding it possibly being a DP DLX recast, as it is clearly a DP CA recast. You can see the remnants of the T-shaped dome mount. Regardless of any other modding you need to seriously consider taking some height off that dome mount. It's way too tall. Is it hollow on the inside the "ring" or is it solid? Since it's an area you won't see you can just grind in there and get things working.

Mac has some nice threads about dome positioning... might be worth checking them out.

Are you planning on stripping the paint or just sanding it down? Honestly, you might as well just sand it - if you have the workspace for it - and try to sharpen some of the lines that look rather soft.

Once you've removed the paint and gotten a nice clean look to it - keep checking the reference to see the 3D shapes of the mask, so you don't overwork an area and makes it more inaccurate - then we can start addressing what could be done to fix it up and make it better and what materials to use for that, such as apoxie sculpt and filler.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:10 pm 
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I quoted because I was thinking about fixing the neck.

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Last edited by Vaux on Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:13 pm 
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Ah... no worries. Yes. The neck is definitely trimmed short in the front. Might be due to having to troop in it.

Are you gonna use it for trooping or for display? If for trooping, you might not want to mess with the neck shape until you try out the outfit to see how the helmet sits at the neck and at the chest armor.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:36 pm 
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Too Much Garlic wrote:
Ah... no worries. Yes. The neck is definitely trimmed short in the front. Might be due to having to troop in it.

Are you gonna use it for trooping or for display? If for trooping, you might not want to mess with the neck shape until you try out the outfit to see how the helmet sits at the neck and at the chest armor.

Just for display. I'm not tall enough to pull off vader!

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:41 pm 
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That's actually quite a nice little project you've got yourself there. I'm quite jealous (not trying top be ironic - I genuinly mean it).

I've not done a Vader yet but I've done other props and I agree with TMG about sanding it back rather than trying to strip it. Not only is this more straightforward for you but you also don't have to worry about any possible chemical reactions due to using an inapproriate product. Please don't be tempted to think of it as 'only sanding' from a safety point of view though. Remember to wear a suitable dust mask (you can't assume that you know what's in the paint your sanding off). Also, before you start working on your pride and joy (well, it would be my pride and joy if I owned it :lol ), make sure you've got some reference of how it's put together (photos or diagrams). If I were working on this, I'd be aiming to remove the lenses, tusks, straps and all the mouth grills before I started work but I'd want to know how to put them back on again later.

Most importantly of all, take your time and have fun.

I can't wait to see your progress.


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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:57 pm 
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It would be better if this was a summer project so I could do most of this outside but I am realistic and KNOW I won't be able to wait that long. Having said that , my stepdad has a massive workshop only a couple of miles down the road.... (hmmmm might have to take over a corner of that!!!).
I will post some pictures when I have it sanded down. The fibreglass is cast in charcoal black so I don't know if that will help or hinder this project.
This might be quite a long project (not long like macs projects though ;) lol!) as I am having to juggle shift work and looking after my 2 kids while wifey is at work but I am fairly sure I will be able to fit the time in somewhere.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:02 am 
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hey,

I had a Vader helmet in even worse condition. I made a thread over at the RPF. You may find it helpful.

http://www.therpf.com/f9/damaged-vm02-v ... 5-a-81425/


And one here of the finished piece.....

vm02-restoration-finished-i-think-vt3148.html

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:58 am 
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sskunky wrote:
hey,

I had a Vader helmet in even worse condition. I made a thread over at the RPF. You may find it helpful.

http://www.therpf.com/f9/damaged-vm02-v ... 5-a-81425/


And one here of the finished piece.....

vm02-restoration-finished-i-think-vt3148.html


Just read through both posts. you did a superb job. I'm not gonna lie, i really would rather strip it than sand it so i dont lose any detail thats already there and i can start again with a blank canvas.
Can you give me more details about using the nitro mors? As i am allmost certain my local diy store sells it.
i was initially just going to strip the mounting system first as i will be grinding this down anyway and if there is any bad reactions then it's 'no harm done' and i can sand it down.
i will probably be using milliput 2 part resin for any sculpting i need to do as i have experience with using this.
Does anyone else use milliput?

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:10 pm 
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Yes,I used some milliput on my helmet. I bought my helmet as a raw kit and I never dealt with such stuff so I did some mistakes cutting the teeth out etc. I repaired these spots with milliput, worked great :-)


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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:16 pm 
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I used a bit of Nitro Mors on my project, I'm a bit skeptical about it and never really kept it on for long, but it seems to have worked ok.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:28 pm 
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Too Much Garlic wrote:
Regardless of any other modding you need to seriously consider taking some height off that dome mount. It's way too tall. Is it hollow on the inside the "ring" or is it solid? Since it's an area you won't see you can just grind in there and get things working .


It's hollow. I am thinking the best thing I could do is fill it, wait for it to set and then grind about 1/2 - 3/4" off the top, reshape it and sit the dome back on.
I don't have any fibreglass resin but I do have casting resin. Would this work? I can't see any reason why not as it's basically the same thing.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:24 pm 
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Well, if it's thick enough, you really don't need to fill it. You don't want additional weight in that area of the mask anyway. You'd want that to stay as light as possible, or you may risk it taking a swan-dive off your shelf, from the uneven weight distribution.

It should be stable enough to support the dome.

Still think you'll get the best results from sanding the piece.

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 Post subject: Re: Esb helmet
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:38 pm 
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Too Much Garlic wrote:


Still think you'll get the best results from sanding the piece.


It's not that I am against sanding it. The real problem is that I don't know what is causing the paint reaction and I dont know what the paint is that is currently on there. Which means I would have to get every last bit of original paint and primer off ,and in doing so I am worried I will start to lose the original detail.
I really am in 2 minds what to do. Hmmmmmm.......??????

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