SC Helmet Mod - The Noobtastic "Sink or Swim" Thread

[bwattsup]

WOW!!!! That's a wealth of info UK Scout!!! Much appreciated!!! Thanks for the compliments on the build.

 

As for the SC helmet, Yes...It does have tons of soft pull issues. Warping in some spots as well. Every SC helmet has soft pulls. Since I'm modding mine, the pull issues aren't really "issues" to me. I can work around that. It's just going to be more work in the long run.

 

As for the warping, the biggest thing is symmetry issues in the pull process. The right front side of the shell is crisp. The left front side is really warped. Every picture I've seen of an SC also has issues on the visor. The right top (at the mount) pulls towards the inside. That then causes the visor not to sit squarely over the face plate. The face plate also has lots of issues that need to be addressed in the mod process. It's pretty uneven from right side to left side. The snout angles don't match up. The bottom "flare" also occurs in 2 different spots. I'm going to eventually make my snout a touch longer by adding the bottom V-plate.

 

It's all just work though. If I wasn't enjoying this, I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. I definitely feel like I'm learning something every day. And truthfully, that's what I wanted out of this project. When I saw how much work there was in a Boba Fett costume, I decided to learn about prop building/modding on the Scout. The Scout has always been my favorite of the armored ranks. Hopefully, Lonewolf will make some helmets available in the future. I'd love to have one of those for "everyday" use.

[bwattsup]

I've been jumping around on the helmet to keep things fresh. Lately, I've moved to the top and face. The top flattening is nearly complete. I still have to paint, fill and sand. But for the most part, it's close to being finished. I have to finish it up in order to complete the side mounts and brow rim. I need attachment points.

 

As for the face, It's been "calling me" to do some work on it. It's not finished by any means. Still lots of work to go

 

I'll show more progress pics in the new year. I just wanted to share a couple with everyone.

 

Flat Top:

 

 

Face Lines:

 

 

Happy Holidays to everyone! Cheers

[bjsavage7]

Wow! I'm diggin' all the great pics! Keep up the good work!

[bwattsup]

Wow! I'm diggin' all the great pics! Keep up the good work!

 

Glad you're enjoying it BJ! More pics to come

[bwattsup]

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn’t have heated/back filled the top. It would have been much easier to fill the inside with Apoxie Sculpt, and then sand the outside flat. I filled the dimples with a couple of layers of Apoxie Sculpt. The different looking filler is Squadron White. I’m not really a fan of it too much. Yes…it’s easy to sand, and quick to dry: but didn’t hold up when I rinsed it in the sink. I need to do a little more research on fillers. The Apoxie Sculpt works well as filler, but takes forever to dry. I’m open for suggestions.

 

Overall, I’m still pretty happy with the results. It took forever to sand though. Really hard feathering everything out. I’m sure that I’ll see more that needs to be fixed once it’s painted.

 

Wanting to have a better understanding of how the lines flowed, I traced them around the face. During that process, I started observing what needed to be more defined on the face. The snout and nose vent/bridge needed to be more defined as well. The facial lines have been the hardest portion of this project. They are pretty tricky to understand by looking at 2 dimensional images. I’m going to be working them out all the way to the end of this project. Here are some general shots of the face prior to sanding.

 

 

 

Here’s my before/ after sanding pictures. I forgot to snap one before I started on the next phase of the project. Here’s a list of all that I defined:

 

1. I sharpened the top rounded portion of the snout.
   
2. I flattened the snout face.
   
3. I beveled the inside walls where the greeblie sits.
   
4. I sharpened the bridge/vent face and transition point
   
5. I defined the arc across the round/upper portion of the snout.
   
6. I lightly sanded the facial lines.
   

 

It may be hard to see in the pics, but I feel like everything is much crisper now.

 

 

These are my pics of both sets of lines. They are not finalized. Again, paint will need to be applied in order to see if I got it right. I’m still playing around with them as I go along. After I made the first line, I felt like I was looking at a tauntaun. lol

 

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[Southscout]

This thread is always an amazing read

 

As for the painting, I always heat my spray cans in as hot water as I can get out of the faucet (it's around 45 degress centigrades, I have no idea what that is in Fahrenheit however...). To boil it seems like a good way to get something exploding...

 

Anyway, by letting it sit in the hot water for maybe 10 minutes (sometimes I have to refill it since the can cools down the water) the paint comes out more fluid and it dries much quicker since the thinner evaporates much faster.

[bwattsup]

This thread is always an amazing read

 

As for the painting, I always heat my spray cans in as hot water as I can get out of the faucet (it's around 45 degress centigrades, I have no idea what that is in Fahrenheit however...). To boil it seems like a good way to get something exploding...

 

Anyway, by letting it sit in the hot water for maybe 10 minutes (sometimes I have to refill it since the can cools down the water) the paint comes out more fluid and it dries much quicker since the thinner evaporates much faster.

 

Thanks for the kind words and painting advice Patrik Do you have any recommendations for specific brands of paint you've used in the past?

[bwattsup]

Every time I look at reference pictures, I seem to find something else to modify. I made a defined line on the top of the lens area. Small detail, but not one that required much time. The top pics also show the new layer I put on the bottom of the top under eye line. I’ve since sanded them again. They still are not “rightâ€. It’s a work in progress.

 

 

This section of the project did require some time. The brow on the SC has a continuous slanted brow. The screen used helmets have a flattened section that merges into the slanted section. In order to keep weight off the faceplate, I used as much plastic and empty space as possible. I only used Apoxie Sculpt in limited areas.

 

These are wedges that I made out of ABS strips. I staggered the lengths by ¼â€™, and then stacked and glued them. I also sanded them to give me more surface to glue to.

 

 

I continued using the staggered concept across the center. I glued the pieces together before mounting them on the helmet, but found it was too hard to bend. I pulled them apart and then remounted each one at a time across the brow.

 

 

After mounting the wedges, I cut out a new brow plate. I purposely left excess material on both the sides and top. I want these areas to sit flush against the inside visor. I flex-bent the brow plate into a curve. This keeps the plate from being stressed when mounted to the wedges.

 

 

 

After I glued the top in place, I cut a couple of strips for the bottom of the brow. After gluing them in, I sanded them just a touch.

 

 

These are the before and after pictures from both front and side view. I cut away some of the side and top of the brow in order to mount the visor. The line of Apoxie Sculpt on top of the brow plate flushes the top to the visor. I still have to add a touch more. I was just using up some material that had already been kneaded together.

 

 

This is the next phase of the project: The “cheeksâ€. Just thought I’d give everyone a quick peek.

 

[Smitty]

you gotta admire the skill you've shown on this build, almost seems like re-inventing the wheel but I can't wait to see it finished.

[bwattsup]

you gotta admire the skill you've shown on this build, almost seems like re-inventing the wheel but I can't wait to see it finished.

 

Thanks Chris! I know it seems like I'm nitpicking the SC helmet to death, but that was never my intention. I really do like the way it looks naturally too. I can't wait to see it finished as well. Feels like it's going to be forever before it's done.

[Donovan]

Dang bro, the sc was really good but now its just amazing!you've taken it an extra no 5 extra steps. R u going for lancer bro?cuz its top notch!

[bwattsup]

Dang bro, the sc was really good but now its just amazing!you've taken it an extra no 5 extra steps. R u going for lancer bro?cuz its top notch!

 

You know it! Lancer is on the agenda for 2013. The only things I'm planning on taking the extra mile like this are my helmet and boots. The MC armor is going to be assembled "as is".

[Griffin-X]

Awesome work so far Barry.

[bwattsup]

Awesome work so far Barry.

 

Thanks Jim! I just looked at all of those "Stormtrooper Ted" photos. Good stuff

[Donovan]

Awesome bro!I'm not going to assemble mine to lancer spec.maybe wen Im over 18 but not any time soon haha.

[Donovan]

Lol u strtd working on ur helmet the same day I joined BSN

(Srry it was off topic I just noticed tht lol)

[bwattsup]

Lol u strtd working on ur helmet the same day I joined BSN

(Srry it was off topic I just noticed tht lol)

 

Some call it chance....but I think we'll call it DESTINY!!!

[bwattsup]

Here's a quick peek at where my faceplate stands today. It's taken several attempts to get the "cheeks" right, but I'm pretty stoked with the results. Still working on symmetry from left to right side, but I think I finally understand the lines and how they blend into the forehead. I'll post about how I got here later this week.

 

Right "Cheek":

 

[Donovan]

I cant wait till we both finish our scouts!the ladies will be attracted like flies r to poop XD

[bwattsup]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about my bucket. And there’s a good reason for that. I had to adopt a “more working, less writing†attitude about this project. Yes, it’s getting closer to completion, but I still have a loooooooooong ways to go. The pics in this post do not completely represent where I am right now on this project. I just wanted to catch everyone up on the amount of work I’ve been putting into my bucket. I am hopefully going to take some pics today of what it looks like now.

 

A month ago, I promised to show how I made the “cheeksâ€. The reason I didn’t show them then, was that I had to go back and redo a bunch of stuff on the faceplate. I was battling symmetry on both sides. It wasn’t til I actually measured it out, that I realized where I had erred. One side was off by ¼â€. I had to perform a “shift†of the face lines. During that process, it made me study the reference pics even harder than I had before. I saw lots of things that made me unhappy, and I went back and corrected them. My faceplate now is almost complete. The only things I really have left on the faceplate are to cut out the lens, sculpt around the cutout, and make the bottom V-plate. But…I’ve got plenty to do everywhere else. Like I said….looooooooooooooooooooong ways to go. Lol

 

For the cheeks, I started with the brackets I made from ABS. I glued them to the faceplate with some ProWeld. After mounting, I found that they were a little too thick when the visor was attached. I sanded some off the sides of both brackets until they gave me the basic look I wanted. I then placed a large block of Apoxie Sculpt in the bottoms of both brackets. I needed a larger amount of material there because I have a special modification planned. Next, I coated the tops of the brackets with some thin strips of Apoxie Sculpt. I then recklessly spread some more material to the top of the brow and smoothed it out with water. After drying, I sanded the first attempt down. This is when I realized my first attempt was waaaaaaaaaay off. My brackets were not in the same position on both sides. I kept sanding, and then adding material until they were basically the same on both sides. I can’t even remember how many attempts it took me to get it “rightâ€. Even when it was “rightâ€, it wasn’t because of the shift I had to perform.

 

Cheeks - Pre-Sanding:

 

 

Cheeks - Post Sanding:

 

 

Cheeks - Build Up:

 

 

Cheeks - First Attempt:

 

 

Cheeks - Multiple Attempts:

 

 

The hardest part of making the cheeks was the transition to the forehead/brow. It wasn’t until I spread the Apoxie Sculpt out further on the brow, that it all started to flow. There are some really tricky lines on the Scout helmet.

 

 

During the process of trying to correct the cheeks, I worked on some things in parallel. I wasn’t happy with the slope of the brow so I sanded some more out. I’ve since sanded even more out (the complete top layer of ABS), and replaced it with Apoxie Sculpt. Also, that “small detail†line I put under the brow has been sanded out too. It’s been replaced though. I’m one of “those†guys that will keep doing something over and over until I get it just right. That’s just the way I roll.

 

 

I did some work on the snout as well. First, I added some Apoxie Sculpt to the inside in case I sanded through the plastic. Second, I elongated the inside top portion. I’m trying to get as much length as possible so a longer backing plate can be used. The SC snout base isn’t as long as those used on a LW/MLC type bucket. I also crisped out the inside vertical slants. After adding some more material to the bottom tips, I sanded those to the width that both verticals are going to be. I also added some more material to the inside top flat portion to level it out. I’ve actually done more work to the snout, but I didn’t take pics along the way. I guess that was part of the mantra too.

 

 

 

 

As for the facial lines, I kept playing around with them prior to the shift. I just wanted to include a pic to show just how thick these things had gotten. I was like a mad scientist that just kept piling more on. It wasn’t until I started to subtract (a.k.a. sand away) that I was satisfied.

 

 

The top of the helmet was another thing I tackled. I had used some Squadron White as filler because it spreads like putty. It just doesn’t work well for large gaps. When I rinsed the top in water, it caused pinholes in the Squadron White. I Dremeled the spots out, and filled them again with Apoxie sculpt. The top has since been sanded, and a coat of primer applied. I got it completely flat on top by taping a sheet of 600 grit sandpaper to a table. I then worked it back and forth until it the ABS and Apoxie Sculpt seamlessly blended. Afterwards, I feathered it all out. Like I said, new pics will be coming soon.

 

 

OK….back to the cheeks. These are the pics prior to the shift. This is where I was about a month ago. I was pretty happy at the time. The only thing that kept bugging me was how different they were from side to side. The left side seemed thinner. The right side was thicker. I tried to compensate by sloping the outside right edge back. It worked, but wasn’t “greatâ€. That’s when the tape measure came out, and I saw how wrong I was.

 

 

Before I talk about the shift, I just wanted to share a reference pic that I found on the interwebs one night. I’ve never seen it posted anywhere on the BSN. When I found it, it was like I had finally found the “missing linkâ€. It really helped me understand the flow of the facial lines a lot better. Once again, thanks UK Scout. I know I thanked you previously, but this really helped me out when I needed it the most.

 

 

The shift! Man this was a doozie! I basically had to shift over both of the right side facial lines by a ¼â€. It was nerve-racking to say the least. I also had to correct the upper snout on the left side. It too moved about 1/4â€. As you can see, I went way beyond plastic to perform this task. All of the facial lines have changed in some respect because of the shift. It was close to starting from scratch again. Just glad it’s done.

 

 

I’m going to try and post the most current pics today. I made lots of little adjustments to the faceplate. Plus, I made a chin cup for that lancer status I’m striving for. Update coming soon! I promise it won’t be a month this time.

[bwattsup]

I finally painted some primer on my first piece. And I’m pretty satisfied with the results. I have a little work to do on the right side. Just a couple of places the transitions are off. Most of the other lines that can be seen are because of the different material types used. They’ll go away on the second layer of paint.

 

 

 

Here’s what the faceplate looks like today. I Sharpied the lens shape to give me a reference point while I was reworking the lines. I’m going to redraw the outside edges before I cut the lens out. I’ll probably get a chance to do that soon. I threw in a couple of comparison shots for a reference.

 

Faceplate Comparison Shots:

 

 

 

 

Faceplate (Multiple Views)

 

 

Faceplate (Side View)

 

 

Faceplate (Zoomed)

 

 

Here’s a close-up of the facial lines.

 

Facial Lines (Zoomed)

 

 

This is the new brow shape. It’s a little thinner, and flows into the forehead better. The line underneath the brow is now a little higher as well.

 

Faceplate Brow

 

 

The snout also changed quite a bit. The transitions are much crisper then they used to be.

 

Faceplate Snout

 

 

 

 

I filled in a couple of areas so I could correct the waviness of the faceplate. It’s hard to see, but I think it’s going to look better once some paint is applied.

 

Faceplate (Recess Fill-In)

 

 

I drilled a hole in the sides of each cheek for that modification I was talking about. I’ll be getting to that soon as well. I also extended the bottoms of the cheeks all the way back. I did this in case someone saw the faceplate in the raised position.

 

Faceplate (Cheek Modification/Underline)

 

[bwattsup]

I made a chin cup for my helmet as well. Once I finish my build, I’m planning to perfect the process and make a tutorial. I have this store in my area called “the ReStoreâ€. It’s a second hand building supply that’s run by the charity “Habitat for Humanityâ€. One day as I was walking through, I found some ABS covers that were 2’ square and an1/8^th†thick. I snagged them up for $2 apiece. During my research phase, I measured out the chin cup in the gallery pics. Last week, I converted the measurements to a piece of that 1/8’ ABS. After cutting it out, I folded the sides and front lip using the heat gun and paint stick method. I sanded everything, and then applied some Apoxie Sculpt in the cracks. I also slotted out the area the elastic is going to pass through. Here are my progress pics. I just have to paint it now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Donovan]

Looking good bro! Almost done!

[bwattsup]

Looking good bro! Almost done!

 

Lol. It'll be be done one of these days. I'd like to think soon, but probably not.

[ukscout]

this is looking really awesome, the time and effort you've spent will pay off as it's a

great looking helmet.