TX-8687[501st] Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 well, i'm gonna start painting my helmet soon, and i was wondering where do i start? what is wet sanding??? what primer brand should i buy/color? i tried a cheap primer and made things kinda grainy for my blaster, not glossy, i want a primer that will be leave a glossy finish, do i even have to primer? what bondo, should i use? will the paint dry in a week if i use rustoleum hi performance professional enamel gloss? thanks everyone, i'm still a newb at these things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 There are quite a few helmet build threads that should cover the how-to's and answer quite a few questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunchy Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) Indeed there are a lot of good painting tutorials out there. I used an OSH semi-gloss black spray paint enamel for the inside of the helmet.. doesnt have to be glossy, I just like things shiny lol. I decided to paint the inside as to make my head and eyes less noticeable through the lenses and looking up from the helmet so no white is visible from underneath. Wait a few days to let the paint inside cure so you can mask off the inside, frown, and lenses so when the tape or whatever is removed, it doesnt take the paint with it Once it's masked, make sure its all sanded down and smooth. After you've applied the final coats of rustoloeum it will hide some mistakes but not much. Apply a 200 or 240 sandpaper to get any paint already off. Remove any dark colored paint such as the grey that might be on the traps, tears, frown. Get as much off as possible, most of it will be covered by the primer. Apply a higher grit like 400 then about a 600 to make it nice and smooth. If you have the MRCE, make sure to remove all those bits of rubber from the weather stripping, an exacto works good. I applied bondo/a plastic filler on: The MRCE tusk to face seam, all around ears seam, Back of dome to back of neck seam. I originally applied Bondo for cars to the frown seam but that took forever to sand down and required another paste to harden it. I used "KAMPEL SEAMFIL - Special 905" I found at an electronics store for $1 a bottle so I bought 3. I didn't even use a quarter of one tube. it dries fast and can be spread on by your fingers. Allow it to cure for about 48 hrs then sand it down to a smooth finish. Acetone (found in nail polish remover) will easily remove the paint on the traps and tears of the MRCE Once its all masked and sanded down smooth with all seams filled, clean any dust of the helmet with a once over of rubbing alcohol, then apply the primer. I bought Rustoleum Touch white primer from OSH, it states that its wet or dry sandable. clean any dust of the helmet with a once over of rubbing alcohol. I didnt have a stand for my helmet so i put a 2 liter coke bottle half filled with water and a full roll of toilet paper out on my porch then placed the helmet on that so I could easily paint any angle of the helmet. Shake the can up for about 2 mins straight, spray a little in the air to clear the nozzle and apply in even horizontal/vertical strokes. You MUST keep the can 10-16 inches away from the helmet or it will collect paint and run. You can always apply another thing coat, but it's very unforgiving if you get too close and acquire a big blotch of runny paint. The lesson learned here is that spray paint only sticks to sticky surfaces or smoothly sanded ones (the sanded surface has left holes for the paint to collect and stick) I did a once over the helmet 3 times every 5 minutes to make sure I couldnt see any grey paint I had missed with sanding. I went into the danger zone and started sanding the next day with a 600 grit very lightly to make the surface smooth and free it of any paint particles sticking up. To be safe let the helmet dry for 48 hrs and cure for 5-7 days depending on humidity and temperature. Once it's nice and sanded, go over it once again with rubbing alcohol and do the same process with the rustoleum pro white gloss enamel. It leaves the helmet looking nice and shiny, but it still retains a bit of texture. If you want it looking professionally shiny like you would find for a display helmet, Rustoleum also produces a clear enamel gloss that will make it look just that. Though I am not sure if you are supposed to apply the clear enamel before or after decals/detail paint is applied. If you do gloss, do not sand the helmet with the white enamel gloss already applied. The can states that it takes 48 hrs to dry, 5 days to fully cure. You can just feel if it even feels remotely stick in some places then its still curing. this is all found in other paint tutorial, I just happened to condense it into my own words and few details. to get an idea of the shininess and what it looks like with the seams filled.. yeah I messed up a little but no one can tell if they are further than 2 ft. ----------- Edited July 23, 2021 by gmrhodes13 link not working removed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk0471 Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 well, i'm gonna start painting my helmet soon, and i was wondering where do i start? You are in the same boat I am. Yesterday I used some acetone-free nail polish remover to remove all the paint on my MRCE, and still need to go over it once more and sand. I'm just stuck with cold weather, rain, and no where to paint, and I may have to wait thru winter if I can't find a location to do it, which sucks.... cause I'm stuck with my FX till then, argh! I like my FX, but my last troop was with two other troopers who had an AP helmet, and an MRCE helmet, and you could tell who had the bobble head ... well, the folks we trooped for didn't seem to notice, anyway, lol. So, make sure you have a place to paint that had a good temperature, and no dust in the air to stick to your paint!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX-8687[501st] Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 thanks for all the info man, well, i'm trying to find some good threads on how to remove the aerators without damaging them!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cr4nky Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 If it's an MRCE, it's fairly easy- Just use a a Dremel from the inside of the lid. Remove little by little, while trying to wiggle it in between and, voila!! Suddenly it comes loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunchy Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 puting a light inside the helmet next to the mic tips also works too but if it isnt hot enough after 10 mins or so you risk melting the surrounding helmet and warping it, though if it is hot enough they just pull right off with little force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 puting a light inside the helmet next to the mic tips also works too but if it isnt hot enough after 10 mins or so you risk melting the surrounding helmet and warping it, though if it is hot enough they just pull right off with little force. I was able to get mine off with a heat gun on a medium setting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX-8687[501st] Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 lol, well i ruined my aerators trying to take them off, so does anyone know any good inexpensive aerators???? thanks!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cr4nky Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 You should try sending Stomper a PM here on the boards. He does some great mic tips (with or without speakers) in two versions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX-8687[501st] Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 thanks will do!!!! Also, when you paint the helmet, do you have to sand it all, everything, before priming, or just the decals and vocoder???? thanks!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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