gmrhodes13

You can just purchase elastic locally or online then when you have the desired length cut and sew the ends together.

I have encountered this before with some enamel sprays I've used, can be the build up of paint, the paint not fully dry but also scratches in the paint which allows the thinners in the next coat to seep into and soften the paint so the sides crack and curl. I would probably suggest leaving for a few days to make sure it is fully dry before continuing. I know from my panel beating days there was a spray that you could apply which would block/seal a layer of paint to help stop anything underneath coming through, may be an option if you don't want to remove all the paint.

Congratulations trooper and welcome to the EI ranks

Looks like you have made some great progress, just remember the old saying, measure twice and cut once

I have 3 ATA helmets and they are all in slightly different spots, never been an issue for approval. You will notice going though reference images they can be before, on top, or in front of the corner of the eye

Beautiful work, well done

You may be able to apply some ABS paste behind the ear to give a little strength to the area to stop it coming through again. I would maybe have put the screw back a little more central though, looks a little to much to one side.

What a pain in the backside, paints are a funny thing and I've not had a lot of luck with Rustoleum or enamel based paints, they do seem a lot thicker than auto acrylic paints and being thicker are a bit hard to separate especially on tape. But you are hanging in there and I commend you for not giving up. Good luck moving forward.

If you have a look through Pandatroopers thread it shoes some gap, I had some on mine too but what doesn't pull in when riveted/screwed will be covered by the ears, the front of the year will just be wider than the back

Looking forward to the progress, nice work

Coming along well

Beautiful build. You may want to add a photo of your D ring in case it's asked for D-ring mounted on the rear.

Another great ATA helmet build for referring to How to make ABS paste

Happens to us all, after the first cut or you'll think "what was I worried about" Also when in doubt with trimming check the gallery section, some great references there. Here is a helpful thread on return edges for trimming

Depends if the holes are covered or not, you may be ok, if they are covered I wouldn't bother. ABS paste is generally good for filling holes, it can leave pin holes though so you may need to go over it a putty or filler.

Really the answer will be from your GML (garrison membership liaison) in regards to acceptable gaps, some like little to no gaps. ATA ears are not as defined as most with the trim lines, having 2 pairs is great. To me the gap from top of ear to brow is a little wide, the angle of the ears seem to far forward also. Some really helpful ear tutorials:

Happy days, then the moment of panic sets in "I have to make the first cut" Good luck, looking forward to seeing the progress.

Looking forward to the progress, here are a couple of other thread you may find helpful

I normally just scale when I print but I notice in a few chats some mentioning Meshmixer http://www.meshmixer.com/, Indestructibles has some info here https://www.instructables.com/id/Meshmixer-Scaling-Models/ Some use other software, there are some really helpful videos on youtube too

Crossing fingers for you

Hello and welcome aboard enjoy your time in the community

I've had issues with some paints before especially Rustoleum, sometimes it can be thickness of paint, different paint, or even paint not fully dried. I moved back to acrylic automotive paints and have not had any issues to date. Probably not an easy fix but I would suggest removing all the paint and starting again, a pain to be sure but at least you can start with a fresh base.

Hello and welcome aboard, good luck on this journey, can be a rewarding one

Nothing better than BBB's, good luck with the build, looking forward to seeing the progress

Never in doubt, congratulations trooper, well deserved