Scootch

Excellent! Thank you sir!

Sorry I'm late, first up, if you need longer S trim LMK the length and I'll trade you out. Second. Rustoleum is a great choice. For a smokin rad shine you may use this method. Auto parts store Polishing ball (fits into a cordless drill and is a four inch pink foam ball) Griot's Garage #3 polish and Griot's Garage "Speed Shine" pre wax. So, if you have any overspray on the lid, wet sand it lightly with 800 grit or higher up to 1200 grit. just enough to take out the overspray dusting which adhered to your paint job. Otherwise (or after that) get that polishing ball going with plenty #3.... don't let it go dry and gummy on you, you want it to become dust. It will buff the paint down, the sheen will appear to dull away, don't trip, just buff it off with a nice towell, soft, no rough stuff. After you do your teeth, coms, vocoder, decals.... you can wax it a couple times with the speed shine. Do the brow trim too, it really pops! This is a great way to cherry a rattle can job.

Yeah great points all, perhaps the average run of the mill "recaster" has trouble making bucks which will actually work for thermoforming, but all it really takes is to actually thermoform plastics, become familiar with the process, and work on streamlining that process. Locating air passages in a piece of formed plastic is easy, just look at the inside of the piece. Granted when parts are cut out such as eyes and teeth, then you won't see them, or if the interior had been sanded clean. It is expensive to make good bucks, a machine, and start working. But it's not impossible. If someone could get a Mac and RS and inspect them both I'm sure there'd be similarities as well as differences. These helmets were pulled from the same bucks originally or were there more than one Cap n back buck? I've seen chin to chin double faceplate bucks. Honestly I like making stuff and having fun. Knocking off Star Wars costumes is not my idea of a good living. Fun yes, Job, no way. I respect what you guys do and I hope I don't come off like a jerk.

Very awesome helmet!

Sorry I have come into it late and still not read up fully, but from experience I can say that when thermoforming these helmets one can make soft Tie fighter all the way through the spectrum to ten tooth sharp as can be simply by controlling the "pull", so trying to compare tidbits like teeth, eyes, vocoder, tears, well unless you're seeing some detail like the "pill" shape or something it would be hard to make a judgement other than speculation. I mean if some of you are saying this Mac is copied from an RS.... well now where is the actual proof, if Mac were to meet up with RS and they compare stuff and it's legit then a lot of people are going to look foolish, OR maybe it is copied. I just think it is not productive to immediately cry "recast" each and every time something new comes along. Especially when next to EVERYTHING IS a casting of something before.

Viewing the photo above, I don't see much of a size difference in the two helmets. AP is known for running a bit on the smaller side when compared to the TE lids, so you may be fine with the entire RT kit. Your best bet would be get it all up front, then if the lid isn't "just right" you can always move forward from there. I can build two of my CAP helmets entirely different and you would swear they were two completely different makes, it's definately in "how you build it"

No sir I am afraid I have not owned or personally inspected an RT Mod kit. It is possible to find a color of gloss white paint which after color sanding, polishing, and waxing will be a near perfect match to whatever glossy plastic you have for armor. I know it's been pointed out before that many trooper's helmets didn't match exactly to their armor in finish, (on the silver screen). I also realize it's better to be a close match when exposed to the public. If one were patient enough and could spare twenty bucks it wouldn't be a huge undertaking to experiment a little. I've had good results with this method: 1. Prime helmet with Rustoleum Primer which bonds with plastic 2. Wet sand with 600 grit 3. Shoot with Rustoleum Gloss white protective enamel 4. Wet sand with 800 or finer (just to knock down any over spray dusting) 5. Polish with Griot's #2 or #3 polish using a foam polishing ball in a cordless drill. (all of this can be found at most auto parts stores) 6. Once you have completed your helmet final details, decals, etc, wax the whole thing with Griot's Speed Shine or any automotive wax. 7. Buff this with a fine towel and enjoy the shine.

Hi, CAP-W will be white styrene out of the box. Typically these get painted. I have seen differences in paint colors for example, Rustoleum paint for plastic gloss white has a slight "antique" flavor to it most likely due to the bonding agent mixed into the paint.... wheras Rustoleum Gloss white protective enamel is a brilliant bright white. When the protective enamel is color sanded, polished, and waxed it has the appearance of a deep glossy finish and when as an example you have a painted, polished, waxed CAP-W lid with an FX or AP armor they look good together.

THIS is THE best thing since electricity! Love Love Love it!!!!! Three thumbs up Brother!

Man, I had that same issue once, it is a huge ammount of work to get rid of that gooey sticky junk. Glad it's working out.

Well return edges mostly could be trimmed again and made nice, did he say what he used to glue it all with? if it's E6000 it'll come apart with some work but if it was ABS glue or solvent weld it's baked. If ya can get it cheaper you can find folks for replacement parts, Personally I'd rebuild it to fit me with a few replacement pieces from a 501st armorer homie, prime and paint the whole thing and rock on.

Thanks

OK thanks everyone, I will try again next time, maybe I didn't get the last part copied (jpg) but the link to the site also failed so I may have another problem. Hmmmmmm Yep that is the ebay ad thanks!

Yeah sorry, I would try copy and paste for link and pics, the old way, and then I tried by clicking the icon for adding a link or picture, but it would just lock up. It must be a security setting or something? Heck I don't know. But at least I get to use this lil smiley now:

:trooper:Hi guys, Yeah I've been having trouble with these sites lately, maybe something with my new computer..... so the CAP on Ebay is me, I tried a couple times to list it here but no love in the pic or link dept, so it's ebay this time, but it is my kit. Carry on!

Looks like you all are having a fine time there. Glad you are enjoying things. Looks great!

Guys I would offer my two cents here, I have been adding a strip of plastic inside my strips, So for my ANH/ESB strips by various makers, I simply cut a strip of plastic .060 up to .090 which is about one inch shorter in length than the actual finished piece. Bend it and warm it to make it slightly curved. Glue it into the inside of the strip. With the 1/2" reveal you can still glue the whole thing down to your armor. But now it is backed up with the strip of plastic and is much more durable! I will add photos if you like. OK here's one I made for my snowtrooper, but you can see the strip inside and the reveal. For stormtrooper you may like to hold back 1/2" so the strap sits flush with your breast bone. But by all means glue the strip and your finished strap to the breast bone. It really works. E6000 is a good glue as it has some flexible properties as well.

Yes, the sniper knee plate and ab plate buttons were Troopermaster, and the Thermal Detonator keypad was Crashmann, at the time I purchased the goods. As stated previously in post #2 of this thread I traded with TE ROTJ for his kneeplate and ab plate buttons in 2010. Also stated in post #2 of this thread I showed my new bucks made from 2.5" for Thermal Detonator keypad, as well as the new 2" bucks I made for Sandtrooper. In all honesty the named parts I recieved originally (kneeplate, ab buttons, thermal det) were'nt very sharp to begin with. I only like sharp.

Place a bid!!!!

Same technique as the Fiberglass SFS lid that comes around on occasion.

saved for comparison photos and historicle evidence move along

saved

saved

saved