kaptinkaos Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 (edited) Heyo! After a week of working in the field I come home to find THIS!!! My ATA lids finally arrived, yeehaw! Hopefully, just maybe... I can get one completed for this Sunday's "AIDS Awareness Walk" here in Calgary. I'm not gonna rush it though as worst case scenario I rock the AM lid, What a scaling difference. These ATA's will suit my *ahem* slender frame a lot better. Maybe I'll make the second a MNS, Off to bed for me for tonight though... Was up 7pm-7am for my tour and drove 600 miles today to get home. I'm beat! I will post some pics of initial progress tomorrow night. Cheers! Edited September 20, 2011 by kaptinkaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK_LEPER Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Holy cow! I can't believe how large your old lid is! Never saw them side by side like that, what a difference! J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crayzpaul Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hey Joe where did you get the kits? And is that AM lid about the same size of a FX one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedjii72[TK] Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Amazing difference. That will totally transform your look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-7980 Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hey Joe where did you get the kits? And is that AM lid about the same size of a FX one? The AM lid IS an FX lid. Just with a different name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crayzpaul Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Thanks Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-7980 Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 No problem If you're looking for a slightly larger helmet size I'd definitely recommend the TM helmet. Great quality and a teensy bit larger than the other screen derived kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crayzpaul Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I was actually looking into a, more screen accurate version. I don't have the largest head, and a fellow trooper said that the FX/AM kind of stand out in the group if the rest of the troopers have more screen accurate versions. Was actually looking into TE2 or ATA. Any preferences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananoPower22[TK] Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Well, TM is one of the most accurates, you can't beat it! I can't speak for TE2, but I have an ATA lid and it's super nice and accurate. Details aren't as sharp as they are on a TM, but it's a good alternative too and affordable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 My AM lid is, for the record, very sturdy and a great pull. BUT... it is 10% larger than any of the "screen derived" lids aka ATA (like these two), TE, T/MC, etc. I'm REALLY slim so the difference shows up even more, lol! I'm super happy to have these kits now and Ataworks has been really great to do business with! I'm on the wait list for a full set of ATA that will either be a Sandy or a second refined and screen accurate suit (formal events and stuff). I may sell my AM lid to a buddy of mine that is building a set of AM armor right now as he has a much larger frame to go with his height, To contact ATA go here: http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=11538 or PM Supertrooper here on FISD. He's a great guy and communication/shipping was excellent! So, onward and forward, I'll be following Pandatrooper's "How To" for ATA lid noobs like myself (I'm a lid noob period!) very closely. http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=14806&hl=helmet&fromsearch=1 Another big thanks to Pandatrooper for all his GREAT tutorials! I'm pretty handy, but I really really really like having a thorough step-by-step just to make sure I don't frig this up... Going to trim one up and sand/wash/cut eyes and teeth and I'll post some pics shortly. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Omg this is nerve wracking... but exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Phew... I didn't screw anything up! I think the teeth might need to be opened up a tad more... What do you think? Ready to rivet... I hope. I think it turned out well! I was going for a cannon-ish look if anything. I didn't want angry or move along so I kinda went somewhere in between everything. And another side-by-side now that it's together. Really makes that AM lid look... large, lol! I am definitely NOT doing the ears tonight. In fact, they haven't even come out of the box. I will have aaaaaaaaall day tomorrow to fiddle with them and I should really do that after a good sleep. It'll be my first set of ears on a screen derived lid so I'll need all my brain cells (5 or 6) firing at once while properly ramped up on coffee, I'm not going to polish it yet either as I'd rather do that just prior to painting (of course leaving the "to paint" areas unpolished). I need to source out some better padding for the interior of this lid too. The foam I have is MUCH too thick. I think I have some high density stuff around here somewhere. Should work ok if I use it like a baseball helmet liner (little nodules all over). Ugh... I am seriously dreading those ears... Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Oh, quick question before I hit the sack... Satin black for the vocoder, gloss black and Humbrol #5 grey for vents/frown/ears, but is it satin or gloss black for the hovi's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananoPower22[TK] Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 (edited) I used satin black for every black detail on my ESB Looks nicer satin IMO, looks more accurate Edited September 21, 2011 by BananoPower22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hmmm, I'll think about it. I still have yet to even rough trim the ears so I have a long way to go yet, lol! Thanks for the idea though Banano! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Ok... I think I have finished my right ear, but not so sure I haven't messed up on the left. I think I might just be over-critical, but maybe not. I'll drill the holes for it and mount it after I post this and take a really good look. *crosses fingers* Here's some pics of the ear madness, lol! Right: See anything glaringly wrong? Please, be critical. I can take it and anything that might help this be a better built lid I will take, Besides, I have no pride, I just want it to look awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 You could make the ears slimmer. But you're doing good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 That was going to be another question of mine... They do look fat, but they are approximately the same proportion as Panda's in his ATA lid build. To me, it looks like there is a lot of extra material on the ears, but they seem to be sitting so nice as is, lol! I'm into hour 5 of just working on these ears, my brain is hurting, Here's some shots of the left ear. Let me know if it's too messed up. Looks like about the right gapping I'm going for though. Hmmm... I dunno if slimming the ears down is a good idea. I might totally screw it up and be earless! Maybe I'll mount them as is and keep them till after this Sunday's AIDS Awareness walk. That way I'll at least have a wearable lid for the troop, LOL! And again, be critical. My feelings can take it! I may tear it down and slap some black paint on it to dry over night. That way all I'll have left is grey and airbrushing the tube stripes. I need to be finished by Friday morning... I hate time crunches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 The left looks perfect! The right may need a tiny bit more on the circular part. Looks like your having fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Ahaha... "Fun" is not how I would describe it. Imagine yourself a complete OCD freak with a dash of ADHD, 6 cups of coffee and 2 charged Dremel batteries... The thought scares me and I was just doing it! In all honesty, it was fun. I can't believe I didn't screw it up! I was very cautious though... those ears must have been on and off at least 15 times each for small little adjustments. Grind a little here, smooth a little there, etc. They do look preeeeetty good, but I think I'll do as I said before. I'm in a crunch for time so I will leave them as is for now and I'll fiddle with them more after the AIDS walk. I've only got two days for paint now as it is and the little changes I'm going to make won't be noticed by anyone at this event outside of 501st members. Polish and paint prep time! Cut some schnazzy tube stripe stencils (Thanks again Panda!) And I'll get the hovi's in first coat of satin black. I'll probably get the first coat of black on vocoder/vents tonight too after dinner and a visit from some company. Other than that I'm pleased with progress. I've learned a LOT about building these lids in 2 days and even more about the word "patience"... LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananoPower22[TK] Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Awesome! Satin black looks awesome on everything Blaster, frown, ears, vocoder.. everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 I agree! I'm not a fan of flat black, but most of my bikes over the years I have painted satin black, lol! I might just turn my Beemer into a shiny white trooper-bike though... Paint's drying now. Got a coat of black on the hovi's, vents, cheeks, ears, and vocoder. Also slapped a coat of grey into the frown. Got my lens cut, but not fitted yet. I'll wait till I'm done the ears completely before fitting the lens in. Not much to do tonight as the blue I have is not the shade I want for tube stripes... I did get my stencils on though and it's only a matter of finding that right blue tomorrow and then blowing them on. I have to make a trip to the plastics store and also PM Hobbycraft anyway. Picking up a buddy's plastic for his R2 build! Gonna be a sweet winter time project I think. I'm pretty confident that I'm going to be ok for the timeframe to finish. I'll need all day tomorrow for 2 more coats of paint, maybe 3. It's the drying time that kills me... I've fired up my "drying room" again though and it's about 145F in there. I bet that'll speed it up. Hopefully the company that's coming this weekend won't mind the stale paint fumes where they sleep, HAHAHA! I had to laugh today... a friend came over and said, "Hey, that thing is all bumpy and ugly though... are you going to sand it down and make it normal?" ........ I coulda slapped him. Dan, if you read this... this is a CANNON lid, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananoPower22[TK] Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 That's what sexy and accurate is all about baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Morning! So, I got a second coat of black on last night right before bed. That speeds things up a LOT cause now I'm onto filling the grey in, One more coat of grey later today and I might be able to get the vent stripes in tonight before bed. I base coated the vocoder and hovi's with gloss black so those need some satin lovin', but I think it's coming along nicely! I really should get a proper lamp so the pics don't turn out so crap all the time... lol! Still prepped for the tube stripes... They'll go on later today. Gotta figure out which rank bars I wanna paint in too... Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaptinkaos Posted September 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Ok, now I have ventured into unknown territory and come out the other side extremely pleased with myself!!!! Tube stripes turned out freakin' FANTASTIC!!! I'll call this lid "Lucky #13", I'm SO happy with the way they look... Perfect color, perfect everything except maybe the width of the blue bar is a tad much. I may modify the template I have to be a tiny bit less wide. Other than that... it's spot on!. Feedback welcome though! If you see ANYTHING out of place shout it out! Got the Hovi's finished, meshed and in too. I'm still debating whether or not to free-hand the cheek vent's and back vents though... As far as I can tell from this photo it looks like the cheeks and vent lines were just hand bombed on with a small round tip brush. That makes cleanup a lot easier for me, lol! However, now that I know how to airbrush (yes, the tube stripes were the very first time I've ever used an airbrush, LOL!) I'm digging the quality. But... should the quality be there? Or should it match the original and be rough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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