SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) Hi all, I have been working on this helmet and thought I would post pics, because, I love to look at anything anh. From what I have read this helmet was cast of the Dave M helmet and then cleaned up. Correct me if I am off. I saw FBJ's helmet build on star wars helmets site. I am going to try to paint it next week. I hear hdpe does not like paint. Edited March 10, 2014 by SCTrooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tolo[TK] Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Where did you buy it? Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Where did you buy it? Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk From Dan Laws via the bay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GINO Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 The Dave m helmet was never molded, only the ears. The rest was laser scanned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Like Gino says. Laser scanned and then a foam helmet was carved with some sort of CNC machine. This foam head could then ultimately be used to create the moulds, and also a number of 1-piece fiberglass helmets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Thanks guys for the info, thats a cool picture, The Laws helmets have been around much longer than I had imagined. One thing about this helmet, there are no thin spots and the mic tip area is the thickest part on the helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I Had a chance to paint today. The hdpe surface has these tiny dimples in it, only noticeable up close. I flamed the helmet to get the paint to stick, hope it works. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The5thHorseman[TK] Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 I find this helmet really impressive! And i like the ears positioning, they're spot on Just why didn't you put the third screw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK3056 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Very nice. How is the overall size of this bucket compared to other makers? Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I find this helmet really impressive! And i like the ears positioning, they're spot on Just why didn't you put the third screw? I was going to put the screws in before painting, but had the perfect opportunity to paint so when the paint cures I"ll install them. Leaving the middle screws for last, seems to make fitting the ears easier. Thanks for the kind comments. The faceplate is really something else, the details really show up well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Very nice. How is the overall size of this bucket compared to other makers? Ken The helmet was digitally scanned from a screen used helmet, the Dave M helmet. As far as size goes, I can only say that it's slightly larger than AP and ATA, similar in size to the CAP west but the dome is a little different in shape. I am not sure if the hdpe makes the helmet feel larger, but its super light and strong. I would like to compare it to a RS helmet, maybe I"II run into one on a troop this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebladejedi[TK] Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 I look forward to seeing the completed helmet finished.. Does anyone know how many FG set for stun lids were produced from the Dave M helmet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Does anyone know how many FG set for stun lids were produced from the Dave M helmet? Mark! So glad to see you here! I have no idea how many were made, but if would have to guess, aside from the TE hdpe Dave M kits, I would say maybe 30 FG or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted April 12, 2014 Report Share Posted April 12, 2014 Great job so far. Assembly and your trimming of the ears eyes and frown look great. Looking forward to seeing more pics of your helmet as you progress! I have the same kit and yes the sharp details are very impressive. Some very minute texturing seems to be characteristic of HDPE. You see it in the HDPE ears but not the ABS ears also provided. I notice similar texturing also in any plastic bottle marked HDPE on the bottom. I find trimming HDPE fairly easy but sanding down a burr well ... impossible. Just have to trim and snip precisely to clean up edges. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted April 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Great job so far. Assembly and your trimming of the ears eyes and frown look great. Looking forward to seeing more pics of your helmet as you progress! I have the same kit and yes the sharp details are very impressive. Some very minute texturing seems to be characteristic of HDPE. You see it in the HDPE ears but not the ABS ears also provided. I notice similar texturing also in any plastic bottle marked HDPE on the bottom. I find trimming HDPE fairly easy but sanding down a burr well ... impossible. Just have to trim and snip precisely to clean up edges. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I didn't get hdpe ears with this kit, just the abs one's. Yeah, the finish is like a milk carton. I put a good coat of paint on the helmet and still waiting for the paint to solidify. Sanding hdpe is difficult, so I kept it to a minimum. The eyes and teeth were cut with an xacto knife and not sanded smooth. I am going to order some more humbrol gray paint, the new on seems lighter than usual. After using #400 to lightly scuff the helmet, I wiped the helmet down with acetone and then used a plumbers torch, very quickly and not to close. I read on a hobby site that makes hdpe rc helicopter bodies, flaming the hdpe will make the paint stick better. We'll see if it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locitus[Admin] Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 You're not supposed to get HDPE ears. They were originally (and are supposed to be) made of a different plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Right. In my kit he included HDPE ears plus ABS ears. Dan told me to use the ABS ears for the helmet and the HDPE ears for practice. And as my first helmet build I needed the practice as they did come in handy to get a good ear trim line. But yes the HDPE ears are too flimsy to hold up to much pressure from the screws. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 I have two of the Humbrol gray Gloss 5 with the same UPC and SKU stamped on the bottom. The labels wrapped around the tinlet are different. The lighter one is marked M5000 with the word Enamel in tan. The darker one is marked M5518 with the word Enamel in blue. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted June 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Thanks for the heads up David. Here is a little progress, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Looking good! You've completed what I found the toughest part of the detail painting (tube stripes). Have fun finishing up this nice helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Looking good! You've completed what I found the toughest part of the detail painting (tube stripes). Have fun finishing up this nice helmet. Yeah, the tube stripes can be troublesome. There was some concern, since the helmet is painted white. I was going to try the method of painting the tube stripes white first then the blue, but the paint no longer matched the helmet. Has your helmet chipped anywhere yet. I got a small one along the brow just above the ear. I plan to troop this helmet, so well see how it holds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yes I'm getting chips also at the end of the brow trim plus near the right mic tip ( below and to the side ) which is usually where I grab it to pick it up. I touch it up occasionally with a sponge brush spray-painted with a bit of the base white, blotting at the chipped spots. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted September 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 This vocoder has a lot of detail, I may have overstated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpoodoo Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Dare to idealize! I think it looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTrooper[TK] Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Sorry its been awhile, Im looking to finish for celebration. Almost done with the details. I hope you enjoy these pic's. I know its over sanitized. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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