Murray1134[501st] Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I just got my FX kit the other day and I can tell by reading the instructions and looking around on here, that the instructions that came with it are worthless. However, I wanted to ask are they completely worthless when it comes to the helmet? They seem fairly reasonable for the bucket, almost no velcro! I know there are a wealth of tutorials out there, and I'm just trying to get as much info as possible so that I can keep screw-ups to a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott M.[TK] Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Well, that is really a loaded question. Some might say put it in a box, post on the xBay, and take your money and by an AP or TE2 lid. While I am not there yet, I think there are a few things you can do to help your FX work out without too much hassle. Please keep in mind these are my suggestions and mine alone. Others may have ideas that have worked well for them, I am only saying what I think works well and worked for me!! 1) Do not put the front and back together prior to adding the top cap. While the instructions say to do this, I found by attaching the face to the crown, I got a much better overall fit when done. 2) Add your helmet liner prior to attaching the back of the helmet. This also allows for a better fitting, and provides a much better working area. 3) Use sandpaper and CA glue or a Dexcon Welder instead of the ABS Cement that came with your kit. In case you have not noticed, the cure time for the ABS is insane, and sometimes you get a spotty seam because it takes so long to set. 4) PAINT YOUR FROWN!!! The decals are not that great, especially if you do step 5! 5) Cut out the teeth. You can add some screen inside the helmet, and it will provide a little better airflow. 6) If you are not going to upgrade your mic tips (or areators) to a Hovi-Mix style, go get some new ones at Lowes or HD with a white ring and a real silver screen in them. The gray plastic just does not look even close. 7) (Insert selfless plug here) Get some blue tube stripes!!! I am sure there will be other tips, but this was my short list. Some will say all of this is like putting lipstick on a pig, but I think you can make an FX bucket look really good (all things considered). Besides, very few if any children are ever going to say "Hey mister Stormtrooper, what happened to your head?" I cannot speak for the guys here though!!! Good luck, and keep us posted. We love pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naglium[TK] Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 i agree with each and everyone one of those suggestions... besides.. an FX bucket is a great one to sit on the shelf and have non-501st people admire and drool over... if you make it look good enough, you can keep your TE2 or AP bucket with the rest of your armor... remember, only us troopers will know the difference between a nice TE2 or AP, and an "average" FX bucket... but the average fan will still appriciate a nice looking stormtrooper, regardless of what type of bucket you're wearing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Steve Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 All in all the above way to get a FX bucket into one pice is the way to do it. Have a look at some of my pic's in my photo album for ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooperdad Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Let me add one thing. Paint the inside black before assembly. It makes the overall look better. And, If you're thinking of making the vents in the top back of the helmet functional for better ventilation and less overheating your head, cut them before assembly too. See related topics for cutting the vents. Don G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott M.[TK] Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Excellent addition. Thanks, Dad!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted March 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Let me add one thing. Paint the inside black before assembly. It makes the overall look better. And, If you're thinking of making the vents in the top back of the helmet functional for better ventilation and less overheating your head, cut them before assembly too. See related topics for cutting the vents. Don G. Just to make sure I understand, you are refering to the back of the helmet where the two decals would go? Are you saying to actually cut them and make them true vents rather than just decals? Kind of like what is done with the frown on the front? Never thought about painting the inside black, that's a good idea. Seems like it would hide the real me inside a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted March 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I think I have the portions to cut figured out, and the whole assembly figured out thanks to everyones advice. For the detail portions on the helmet, I think it will be easier for me to paint instead of using the decals. I found the paint number for the grey (1138, how perfect). Anyone know a good number for the blue? The black and white seem pretty straightforward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper[TK] Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 One thing that may go without saying.....tape the helmet together first and take your time. Tape it one way, look at it, take it apart and tape it again. This way you get a chance to see how all the parts relate to one another and its a great way to practice before you commit to the glue. Two inch wide blue painter's tape is your friend. And above all enjoy the project. It may not be the most accurate helmet but it will be your first helmet. I haven't even tackled another one yet mostly because, I love my first one. (And I have this TB bucket sitting in a box...........) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus[TK] Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Take the standard instructions and start a fire in your chimney. You will find much better and more detail on our site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvinrobot Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Concur with all the above, except I attached the back to the cap first to get it to look like a TE2 does when you first get it. I used rivets on the helmet. 2 on the sides which get covered by the ear pieces. For the face plate I also used rivets one on the forehead and 2 on the sides all gets covered by the brow trim. I used no glue on mine, of course this was after my second rebuild on the helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekduvalle Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 (edited) Hi -------------- This guy has a very long tutorial made up of 9 Minute episodes. The full tutorial is nearly 5 Hrs. He spends quiet a long time just on the helmet (episode 10, about 8 parts to this episode) . The rest of the tutorial is on all other aspects of building a Stormtrooper Armor suit. Well worth a watch. I am currently building my 1st suit and have started with the helmet, I like a challenge. I attatched the front to the top temporarily with a couple of very small bolts, the holes of which are covered by the trim, and then attached the back, with the ears, and then the top. He does it the way the instructions state but the tutorial is still worth watching as there are a few tips in there. Edited February 16, 2021 by gmrhodes13 link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 I've seen the YouTube video and it's very helpful to actually see a few things being done. Online tutorials are great, but sometimes you just need to SEE it actually being done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PandaMan Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Concur with all the above, except I attached the back to the cap first to get it to look like a TE2 does when you first get it. I used rivets on the helmet. 2 on the sides which get covered by the ear pieces. For the face plate I also used rivets one on the forehead and 2 on the sides all gets covered by the brow trim. I used no glue on mine, of course this was after my second rebuild on the helmet. How do you like the helmet built with rivets? What advantages or disadvantages do you think you have over glue? Any pics? Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvinrobot Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) First off minor correction/clarification, I used glue to attach the cap to the back to make it look like other helmet kits as far as starting point. I also used glue around the lenses. The "no glue" was in reference to the front and ear pieces. OK back to what I was typing. I did my first build with all glue to include the 2 ear pieces with bolts, the helmet did not breath and actually looked...different. Air did not circulate well even after venting the frown. After a few weeks the glue started popping loose on the front. Riveting the ace plate has made a huge difference plus now the face won't pop off. ----------- Edited February 16, 2021 by gmrhodes13 link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted March 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Well, I've started assembling the helmet and after using almost an entire roll of blue painters tape I think I've got a good fit for the front, back and dome. I should only need a small bit of sanding to get those three together. I had a question about the earcaps, I'm going to have to reshape them and Dave from the YouTube tutorial suggested using a hot water method to rebend the plastic. That should work good, but I'm still worried about gaps. Any recommendations about how to fill those. Bondo seems like a common suggestion, but what about getting the white paint to match? Could a type of caulk be used? It's already white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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