3DImpact

Would you be willing to post a hi-res scan (just set a boot on a flat bed scanner) of the sole of one of the boots? From that and maybe a similar scan of the side wall I might be able to make a fairly convincing 3D model... Dan

Well, I'm all for 762s' idea, or the subset of at least just getting a reference sole recreated, so count me in for anything I can do to help. ShaunPug's and Chef's comments are encouraging... Dan

I agree, probably a nearly-impossible long uphill road to get them back into any kind of actual production, but I completely understand and agree with the sentiment of wanting to have really screen-accurate boots. I do the occasional eBay search just in case. I think one approach that might actually have some chance of bearing fruit with the company might be to see if there might be some chance to at least get some access to the original sole pattern for an accurate mold or 3D scan to be made so that proper-sized reproductions might be retrofitted to existing similar/cheaper boots like we have all been using up until now. That ought not be too difficult a task for a good cobbler... Dan

Thanks much - I had not heard about that. Good news, and I’ll have to email Kathy to ask about it. Dan

Can you elaborate on the "new bucket" (i.e., "new" as of when)? I'm in the queue for an MC and am wondering if I need to ping them to be sure I'm getting the latest... Thanks! Dan

I was surfing around here just now and realized that I never did post a followup on this build - I finished the assembly and painting stage weeks ago! I still haven't weathered it, but I'm holding off on that until I get all the elements of this costume build done so that I can weather everything together to a consistent level. I'm pleased with how it all came together. I definitely learned a lot and have gained confidence for having another go at it. Other collecting and studio-scale model builds have kept me busy lately, but I would like to do another one of these RS kits at some point so that I can have a proper Biker Scout... Dan

Love your shadow scout variant! Very clean build - really nice! Dan

The product description for that replacement welding shield shows the thickness as 0.1 inch. How flexible is it? That seems a bit thick to try to bend to fit the inside of a visor (although it's obviously made to bend to fit the welding hood, so it must bend to some degree). Dan

Thanks for the feedback and help! Yeah, as I'm new to Bondo I now know how porous it is when sanded and so I had already sprayed the first coat of filler primer over those areas just before I posted here. I'll sand that and then do another coat and sand before I even get to painting. And I've been approaching the trimming on the area where the visor meets the helmet cautiously and will indeed sand a bit more out there to give a bit more gap. All this is another reason I'm 'sacrificing' this helmet to the Partisan costume build - I want to have a really nice RS helmet for one of my actual Biker Scout builds so I'm hoping to do better on the second one. I have to say, though, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be once I got into it, so if you're new at this like me and have been hanging back don't worry - it's not that bad. :-) Dan

Sorry I didn't post an actual WIP thread for this, but I was so focused on not screwing up too badly I just kept plodding along. But I've finally got my helmet to the point of being ready for painting. I don't think it turned out too half bad, especially considering that it's my first helmet kit build of any kind. Many thanks to 762s for stepping up with his step-by-steps - watching all those waypoints through the build was a big help. I'm going to commit a minor sin I think and proceed to paint this one as the Saw Gerrera Partisan character that I'm building the costume for: I'll purchase another RS kit to paint up as standard TB now that I know a bit better what I'm doing. I'm at the stage, though, where I'm looking ahead to getting the tinted visor shades shaped to install. I've got them cut out already, leaving about a quarter inch extra around the whole outline of the eye cutout. This plastic doesn't seem as friendly to putting a permanent bend to with heat gun heating as the ABS of the helmet itself. Any tips from the experienced folks here to getting that insert curved to very nicely conform to the eye cutout and how to best glue it in? Dan

Thanks - looking forward to getting this done! Dan

I was going to ask the same question about the square hole for the bolt. I've been working away slowly and quietly on mine as well and am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Getting to the point where I'm looking at those bolts and thinking that it made sense to cut out the square hole for the visor side (in order to 'lock it in', as you say). But then I'm thinking that I don't want that square on the bolt to extend too far through that hole because I'd like the flat face of the bolt recess on the inside of the visor to ride flush with the flat face of the bolt mount disk on the outside of the helmet. Does that sound right? If that's the case I'm going to have to epoxy the bolts in place in the visor so that they don't naturally want to extend too far through the hole. What's the standard setup with the bolts in other helmet builds? Some pics of that would be a huge help. I was also fiddling with the helmet liner yesterday. I'm probably missing something because it doesn't look to fit inside at all. I took out the plastic bolts/screws that come attached to it thinking it might make sense to run the visor bolts through those areas on the liner in order to hold it in place inside the helmet. But when I do that there's just no circumferential room for the blue padded cloth band to fit inside. It'd sure help if RS would release the assembly video they promised. Thanks, 762s, for posting all your progress pics - it's been a big help as I approach mine through this learning process. It started out rather intimidating but as things are progressing I'm gaining confidence and familiarity and the workflow is accelerating. I'm happier with it all now than I was a week ago. That said, I'm likely going to relegate this build to my Saw Gerrera Partisan costume build and purchase another kit from RS to build up as a proper TB... Dan

Yes, this helps immensely - thanks a bunch for taking the time to share those details! I'm doing just as you say - look at it a lot, measure a bunch of times, think about cutting, look at it some more... :-) It's my first time assembling an ABS kit like this so I'm just learning my way through it. If I screw this one up a little I'll buy another one, but I'd like to try to get something usable out of this one. If it's just so-so in the end I'll use it for my Saw Gerrera Partisan build project (https://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=278922). Thanks again! Dan

Looks great! Tell us a bit more about your process for fixing up the return edge along the bottom and rear of the chin line. It looks like you might have done a bit of filling and sanding along the rear in addition to bending the ABS back into shape? I did a bit of heating/bending along the bottom edge but I'll need to do some filling and sanding as well I'm sure. Yours looks really clean there. I'm still very timidly working along on mine trimming just a little here and there as I gather up the courage... Dan

I'll add the pics I put up in the other thread here as well, as long as we're collecting reference. This is a production helmet from the Star wars and the Art of Costume exhibition (unknown whether screen-used or not). Dan

Yes, looks like a good faceplate-to-helmet line along the sides for sure. Haven't gathered the courage to start mine yet - I'm still staring at it and strategizing... Dan

I had the same thought, but have to admit that as a newb I'm waiting to see if someone with more experience gives it a try. Over in the other thread I posted some pics of a production helmet, one of which shows that nice 90-degree return edge... Dan

I know there's no shortage of photo ref out there, but here are a couple images I took of one of the helmets on display at the Star Wars and the Art of Costume exhibit that toured through the Denver Museum of Art this winter/spring: I thought these might be somewhat helpful as we build... Dan

Ha! :-) Dan

Looks like the helmet kits are arriving - I just got mine and I've seen posts from others that they have received theirs. Any signs of the assembly video online anywhere? I'm a complete newb working with an ABS project like this so any pointers from those of you who have experience would be helpful. For instanace, right off the bat, what's the best/cleanest way to cut/trim the pieces to the trim lines? Dremel, special scissors, etc.? Dan

Great review with a lot of helpful info - thanks! Can you describe how you'd go about fixing that gap between the face place and the main helmet? I don't have my kit yet so I can't look at the pieces, but for our own self-made kits will it just be an issue of carefully choosing where to make the trim edges? Dan ETA - my kit arrived about 5 minutes after I typed this!

Would that it were so simple... :-) Dan

No word on mine yet, but I'm sure it's not too far behind. Any sign of the assembly instructions video? They mentioned that they'd fire it off via Facebook when the time comes, but hopefully we'll see notice of it somewhere else (for the social media Luddites among us :-) )... Dan

Ahhh - yes! This is almost certainly correct. Fun to solve that little puzzle. Dan

Just ordered mine as well! It's going to be an adventure building it, but it'll be something new and fun to learn... Dan