DarSec[TK] Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 Got my super awesome TM 2mm Hero almost ready to paint (thread is at My 2mm TM Hero build). I am stumped as to how to get those thick green beauties put in. Any help or build pics would be great. I saw the Eye reference pics and it helped a ton!!! Just wanting to know the best, safest and most secure way to mount them. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87ninefiveone Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) I didn't do bubble lenses on mine, but I did attach flat ones by molding the curve of the helmet onto the lenses. Here's how... 1. Start with a disassembled helmet. It makes access roughly 1.2 million times easier. 2. Use a pencil to trace an outline about 1cm larger than the eye opening. 3. Gather your courage and cut out the shape you traced. 4. Boil some water. 5. Get some tweezers. 6. Dunk the lens into the boiling water, have your helmet at the ready and immediately transfer it onto the eye socket. The plastic should go all flappy with a few seconds in the water. Dont overdo it. 7. Next, You'll need a round tool to press it into place quickly before it cools. I used a metal teaspoon and tablespoon. You'll also need to push down around the outside edges a bit to form a return edge around the outside of the eye socket. 8. Repeat for the other. Eye. 9. Celebrate! Note, you can redo the heat and mold process to the lenses ad finetum without issue until you get it just right. Edit, for attachment I just used e6000 glue at about four points around the perimeter of the lenses. Edited September 16, 2014 by 87ninefiveone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarSec[TK] Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Dude that's a cool idea!!! Thanx for the tip! Any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone[TK] Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) Okay, I can chime in, because I did the exact thing just yesterday with a TM in 1.5mm. First of all, if you cut out the eyes in the faceplate, the lenses already have a rather decent fit. In my opinion, you can't have any return edge on the eyes, because the lenses wouldn't find correctly. You can trim the openings a bit more to your liking and make the fitting even better. The worst part will be the lower portion on the outsides, as there the bubble is the most pronounced. Honestly, I wouldn't try to form the bubble lenses with anything, because they are already made to fit. (And besides, the material is so sturdy with it being 3 mm thick, I doubt that hot water will change anything formwise ...) By now you have the faceplate (87ninefiveone is right, do that before assembling the helmet!) and two separate bubble lenses with no flat surface to glue anything. Here is what I did: in germany we have two-part-epoxy that acts as if it is some kind of dough and will get stone hard in ten minutes. I am sure you will get this stuff in any home depot, it was made for plumbing and will even cure underwater. You knead the two components together 1:1 and get a small ball of elastic putty that sticks like hell to any surface. Put in the lens and put small balls of that putty around the lens. It will stick to faceplate and lens and thus creates the surfaces to glue. If you press the pieces together you can even close minor gaps between faceplate and lens by sheer pressure. Now you can loosen your grip (even if the dough is not cured yet) and the epoxy will stick to the lens like crazy. Let it cure and now you have a lens that is even more fitting to the faceplate with more than enough surface to apply some glue and stick the lens to the faceplate. Here is a photo, I hope that helps ... ----------- Edited April 21, 2022 by gmrhodes13 link removed no longer working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dday[501st] Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Got my super awesome TM 2mm Hero almost ready to paint (thread is at My 2mm TM Hero build). I am stumped as to how to get those thick green beauties put in. Any help or build pics would be great. I saw the Eye reference pics and it helped a ton!!! Just wanting to know the best, safest and most secure way to mount them. Thanks in advance. E6000 or hotglue will attach the lenses to the ABS. One thing you want to make sure to do is that you do not seal the lens all the way. Just glue a few points to hold it steady and the rest of the gaps leave open. Otherwise you'll have trouble with airflow and it will cause fogging much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone[TK] Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I think it is different with a 2mm TM Helmet compared to the 1.5mm. I tried out hotglue on a spare cap'n'back in 1.5mm and it melted the plastic, okay, it didn't melt, but it made the plastic soft and formable. Although I trust DDay with his expertise, I would test your hotglue first, perhaps at the inside of the ears on the cap'n'back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dday[501st] Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I think it is different with a 2mm TM Helmet compared to the 1.5mm. I tried out hotglue on a spare cap'n'back in 1.5mm and it melted the plastic, okay, it didn't melt, but it made the plastic soft and formable. Although I trust DDay with his expertise, I would test your hotglue first, perhaps at the inside of the ears on the cap'n'back. I never had any problems with melting the ABS in the eyes. Thats not to say it's not possible though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarSec[TK] Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Thanx everyone. Gonna ponder this a bit. I saw where one individual stacked squares of abs and glued them in place at three points around the eye then drilled holes into the lens and screwed the lenses to these anchor points. Lots of great ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone[TK] Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Yep, the stacked squares is the technique Paul uses ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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