lonewolf

Gloss black is too dark looking , I always use matt black, a light polish gives it a slight sheen, just like the originals. Also spraying matt black always seem much less likely to "leak" under the masking tape. I have painted up a lot of nose details and this seems to work best. Give the nose section a wee wipe down with panel wipe or similar prior to masking and spraying for a clean surface, finger prints are very oily and could mess up the finish. The MLC has a very thin nose front which makes it even more tricky to get a nice separated line. Good luck mate.

Looks really nice Verne, maybe sink the visor bolts and deepen the nose section.

Hi Neil, I used grey , I know the originals were grey primer colour, the unfinished original and the scratches on the screen used helmets possibly shows this. I hope never to see any scratches on my lid, DeathStar pen pusher!

Use a primer spray first, this will help. A bright white spray can should do the trick, just finely spray from a good distance, and resist the urge to do one heavy coat, this is the main reason for runs and sloppy finishes. A few light coats is the way to do it. Prior to any painting use panel wipe to wipe the whole helmet down, finger prints are oily so avoid over touching it as well. Use a fine wet and dry sandpaper, 250-400 grit between coats. Choose a dry day, and if a fly sticks to the fresh paint leave it on, it is easy to remove after, trying to get it off will wreck the paintjob.Sorry all you fly lovers! I can't advise make of paint, just avoid bargain paints.

Looks great Jules, almost too good

Thanks guys, yes sorry it seems a bit of a tease, I was just happy with this lid and thought I would share some pics with my Biker Scout friends.

My latest Biker Scout helmet is finally finished, the joint line is visible deliberately on this build. I think it looks more accurate. The visor curve is reduced slightly, the nose a bit stumpier and a few other tweaks. Sorry I have none available.

I still think we will all want an EFX Biker Scout helmet, even if it is fibreglass, interior padding and other inaccuracies in the prop.It will be from the original molds, agreed it will not be what I hoped for initially.

Great job on your kit, well done. Only minor fix would be to reduce the lengths of the drop box straps.

I am not sure the armour was not painted Andi, I have no evidence it was either. The ROTJ Stormtrooper armour may be a yellowish plastic, the Biker Scout helmet is the same texture, pinseal/haircell. It could be quite possible that they were vacformed in the same ABS/styrene? and both were off white/yellow? The Royal Guard helmet was the same type of texture and vacformed apparently. The armour in the movie is slightly dull, satiny ? not shiney ABS appearance, maybe because the "finish" side was inside? We can't say things that may be inaccurate.

Is there any screen grabs to show what the real version looked like? Now is the time to make it sweet.

Great Smitty, I had a Doopy Doos version, the lettering is so slightly raised but actually shows on the resin, it is a nice touch imo. If the extra piece is added I think this will be awesome, it was the "Hero" version after all! If folks don't like it they could always cut it off the cast. Definitey interested in a new blaster now, great work.

Great job Chris, the original "Hero" blaster has another smaller circle on the end of the other three circles, never been reproduced[i think]. Are you keeping the singlepoint writing on the scope? this would be nice.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NB1574-OMP-MECHANIC-SUIT-KART-OVERALLS-BLACK-SIZE-60-/350519292217?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=bin519c93f139 Matt, this is Ebay UK, they have a lot of different sizes.

Hi Rob, I had a flight suit and took the pockets,zips, and other loop bits off it.They are light and quite nice fitting but I have since changed it to a racing suit/racing overalls. Look up Ebay for racing overalls, it shouldn't be much more expensive compared to the flight suit, the size range is better and the suit is possibly more accurate than a flight suit, with a lot less to strip off it. All types of undersuit, boiler worksuit/flight suit/racing suit all need the riding patch, 2" elastic thigh straps and mudflap after the initial mods. Here is my racing overalls, it is all black so no need to worry about dying things black,

I remember my first Biker Scout helmet, a modified Don Post. I added black padding and really "pimped " it all out , putting it on was like slipping into a nice comfy pair of slippers, unfortunately after a very short period trooping it was becoming uncomfortably warm and itchy! I sometimes feel like a broken down record but I now always tell guys to consider a hard hat liner/welders headband. The original welders headband is still readily available , the 3M Speedglas headband 9000/9001 is the same as the 1982/83 headband as used in at least one original Biker Scout helmet. These guys had to stand and act/play extras in the Red Woods, in hot summer so a headband works very well. It is comfy, holds the helmet nicely onto your head, has a very easy adjustment screw[can be adjusted whilst wearing Biker Scout oven gloves] and has a good airflow around your head. It works for me.

It all depends on what version you want to replicate, they are all screen accurate. The rules for a Lancer standard can be specific but I think if it is seen on screen it is correct. The Stormtrooper costuming guys have already came to this conclusion, white gaffer tape, no stripes on helmet, worn latex hand guards, hdpe scraped helmets, roughly cut out eyes,super accurate interiors, helmets and armour included,painted jodhpur boots etc etc. Not everyones's cup of tea but the overall appearance of the guys who take that wee bit more time to go all the way with the accuracy definately makes their costume look much more authentic IMO. Luckily by the time ROTJ came along the overall spend budget and quality had improved so we don't have the Biker Scout costume just as rough. Yes the TD greeblie, the boiler suit/racing suit/neckseal/collar/mandarin collar, helmet eyes shapes, visor width etc are all variable as screen accurate I really believe that if somebody wants to spend a load of cash and take a lot of time to build an accurate Biker Scout costume then want to be a Lancer here they should not have any problems doing so because somebody just decided on one version. Over the last couple of years the Lancer standards have continued to be upgraded because of this crazy idea that there should be one way, if there are numerous SCREEN ACCURATE ways it would be better if they were all "allowed" IMO.

Hi Sean, a strange first post, I fully understand what you mean't , of course nobody will know what is missing, the public are easily pleased. Please don't costume to please Joe Public, Halloween costumes are easy to do. I have spent alot of my time almost trying to convince costumed members that the best trooper costume will never be what Joe Public thinks it should look like. Here some of us want/crave a Biker Scout costume that is as good as the real deal, very very difficult to do. If you buy an MC Biker Scout kit I guarantee you that you will want to do it "right". The problem is the wait, I waited over 5 months but can happily say it was worth it. Just think , order it now and it will be ready for Halloween! Joking aside, you don't need to join a 501st club to build an excellent costume, most people are very helpful no matter what costuming club they like to troop with. Ask us loads of questions, if nobody responds please pm me, good luck future Biker Scout.

The lens you have is 3mm perspex, if you try to bend it like Marcel is suggesting then it will break. Do not do this. ABS glue is best for ABS, your local Plumbing supplier will be able to sell you a tub of ABS weld for about a fiver. Good luck.

I can make one for you, pm me on donaldson497@btinternet.com

Wow, I never knew Altmanns had a big gap at the back just like the KS! Terrible looking!

I told you this last month Marcel, glad you agree now

I told you already Jim , thank for believing me I tried to explain my "upside down" greebliee on my new build thread I am still not sure there is a "correct" way, the Blu Ray Biker Scout costume may still be an untampered screen prop. Yes it could be restuck on wrongly, it isn't a major problem. There were also Biker Scouts without this greeb,and without any greeblies. We can see clearly where something similar in size used to be stuck on the TD on one screen Biker Scout. For absolute screen accuracy I think it should be a choice for the guys, with, without, only the round greebliee etc. The Stormtrooper guys who crave screen accuracy have all sorts of personal preferences as to how they get the ultimate costume.

Yes MC is more accurate than SC, so I would call it an upgrade. SC armour is a decent kit, I trooped a lot in it, lots of very happy memories whilst wearing it. Although the differences are not noticable to most guys I can personally say the change to MC was just something I wanted to do. Not much done , the elastics are on the armour

This greeblie seems to be the same size as some of the screen shots, it fits well on the Blu Ray thermal detonator and we know it was used on some other ROTJ costumes. There is a chance it is another archives make do and mend, I believe there is something strange about this , there may have been a couple of different types of greeb on the Biker Scouts, this part may have an opposite part, I don't know. This is the fun part of costuming, the investigating!