KS helmet "build" - trickier than expected

[NegativeEleven]

Ok, I've had it a week and I've been working on assembling the parts. I haven't taken pictures as I've gone along because looking at the tutorial that's linked here, and the pieces in the box, I thought this would be simple and just take a couple of hours. That's not the case. These pieces don't really fit together, there's very little indicating where they are supposed to be attached. I know, I know, I paid for the kit not the complete helmet, but I think this is kind of ridiculous. I've got it mostly assembled and I'd like some feedback.

 

I went with a military helmet eyepiece ($3 at the Army/Navy surplus store) because the one that was in the box was over 1/8" thick and flat. It might not be dark enough. We'll see when I'm done. The faceplate's already gonna be up against my glasses, so I'm looking for anywhere I can make it roomier. I don't like having to heat and curve something that's supposed to be see-thru. It usually ends up warping. I glued some sintra into the snout so I'd have a flat surface. How are you supposed to glue to the edge of .06 ABS (I think that's what it's made of, it's definitely not as thick as the sheet of .08 ABS I bought for my vac-forming projects)? The eyepiece has a couple of holes in it, so I just put one screw into the sintra, and it seems pretty stable. There's a little gap under the eyes, but I don't think it's noticeable. I've got some white duct tape in the corners inside. I don't want to glue it when I'm still working on the fit of the visor/dome.

 

The smallest elevator bolts I could find are a little over an inch across. I think the flat surface trumps the slight size difference when compared to the screw kcovers that were in the box. I'd like to know if you guys think this will pass 501st inspection.

 

 

The ridge around the top needs a lot more work. I started with the acetone/ABS paste mix that was suggested here. It's tricky, but I'll get it figured out and spend weeks sanding till it's perfect. The way I finally got it to fit together, there's a gap on the top left (the right if you're wearing it) behind the elevator bolt that I'm having to fill in. It is such a pain working with clamps and tape, then waiting for glue to dry only to realized it's slightly crooked and you have to pull it apart and start over. I'm pretty angry about the fact that the dome and the sides/back are clearly different colors. The back/sides are a bright white and the top is a dulled, slightly yellowed white like it's been sitting in the sun or something.

 

Making the face and visor fit together was a chore. I had a hard time figuring out how much to trim off the back to hide that wobble that seems to be in all the recent visors (not pictured, it's visible in the pictures on shdwtrpr13's thread). The pre-assembled one my friend bought in October doesn't seem to be as bad as mine, but it's definitely there: a dent in the back edge on the back right of the visor (left if you're wearing it), near the ear vent hole. The back and forth on the trimming of the visor led to it sitting crooked. It's weird, because the face lines up at the bottom and the visor lines up with the face, but looking at it straight on, I kept having to wiggle and shift it because the dome above the visor wasn't level. I'll end up having to fill in a lot of the hole in the helmet that the elevator bolt goes thru before I'm "done."

 

The snout greeble is from DVH (thanks again!), painted the same color as the elevator bolts (Winter Gray Painter's Touch). I've just got 2 tiny screws in the back of it right now, so you can see it's raised a little from the surface. I'll glue it down eventually.

 

[Chef]

It's coming together alright buddy.

 

Certainly not the worst I've seen and judging by the issues some people have been having with the KS lid, I think you've done a stirling job.

 

If you're not happy with the colour difference between the back/top, it may well be better to paint the entire bucket. And if you're going to do that, you're probably better off using bondo for the seam. It's just faster/easier than the paste method.

 

The bolts might be a bit big, you want something that's about 22mm across.

 

I find 10mm Coach (square cup) bolts are just about spot on, but you do need to grind the heads flat. There is always the 3M original bolts though, but they are a bit pricey.

 

I'm sure it'll pass muster, although I have to say I'm not overly keen on the level of detail on the KS pull.

[NegativeEleven]

I don't like to use bondo on something like ABS because when it flexes, the bondo will just split and there'll be a brand new seam. When we build Cobra Viper helmets out of sintra and batting helmets last year, we intentionally put it together so that the seams were on the sides where the mold seams were in the original action figures. We knew that eventually, the little bit of movement in the sintra would cause the bondo to split. Then we could say that we meant for there to be a seam there.

 

I might end up painting the whole thing when I'm done with that seam. That's why I haven't put any decals on it yet. Did I make the black on the snout wide enough?

[NegativeEleven]

Are "coach bolts" the same thing as "carriage bolts" here in America? Those looked too rounded on top and always had some kind of raised printing on them when I looked. Also, they'll have to be cut because any of the ones with a big enough top, are longer than 1".

[Chef]

Yeah, carriage bolts are the same thing.

 

Yes, you do need to grind the heads flat to take off that dome ( couple of minutes with the flappy disc!)

 

And yes, you do need to cut them down in the shank. (Again about a minute with the cutting disc)

 

So a bit of work, but a tenth of the price of the proper screen used parts.

[NegativeEleven]

Didn't see it right away because I've had it in 2 parts up until I took those pictures, but the Visor is the same color as the dome and the face is the same color as the back/sides (what do we call that?) so I will probably have to paint the whole thing. What do you guys recommend: Krylon Fusion gloss white or Painter's Touch gloss white?

[NegativeEleven]

I can't get an answer out of the GML in my Garrison. Do you guys think I need to repaint the whole helmet? I'm considering finishing it, then weathering and dirtying it up once I have the armor. That would probably hide the color difference. I prefer a "dirty" costume. I wanna look like I've hit a few trees in my day.

 

Oh, and FYI, I don't remember who told me about the acetone and ABS paste, but regular styrene doesn't melt down as well as ABS. It gets soft and breaks apart but doesn't really become fluid.

[Chef]

That was me...

 

I've used it with HIPS (High Impact Poly Styrene) and I almost get the opposite, it goes down into a rubbery goo. Not like a butter, but a soft rubbery consistency.

Sorry it's not working out too well, I've had nothing but success with it so far.

 

 

I think if you are going to weather it, and you're cute with how you do it (taking good care across the seams etc...) then I wouldn't think you'd need to repaint the whole bucket.

Any slight discrepancies can be taken out with the weathering.

 

But ultimately it's your GML who will be clearing it.

[NegativeEleven]

Ok, 2 days of sanding and painting. I'd like to do more, but I've got a troop tomorrow and was asked to provide props for display on the table. Ignore the crooked black vinyl on the back and the metallic trapezoids. I had a friend cut out some vinyl for the helmet I was scratch-building and used that for the back so that when I get back to sanding and painting, I'll still have the better decals from KS to use. I gave him measurements for the black slot-stickers and left my bucket with him. It has more of a curve to it, so he cut the vinyl with a sloop to the whole thing so it'll look right on that. I tried to straighten out as much as I could, but it's gonna get torn off in a day or so anyway. I wish I hadn't slipped and gotten the nose vent kinda crooked. I might be able to fix that with some leftover scraps. Forehead and fish-hook look right, don't they?

 

I didn't notice till the final stages of construction that I put the dome/back together slightly off-center. That is what is making the visor not want to sit symmetrically. It's definitely not closed enough in the first picture, but I made sure it was tight for the other side. Once I put the velcro back in, it'll hold tight in the right position. I also have to make the holes smaller. I found correct elevator bolts (size matches the plastic KS covers almost exactly) at Lowe's yesterday and pulled out the big ones I'd had in there, so there's some wiggle room I have to get rid of. I also have to chop a little off the length of the bolts. If I get hit with a nerf dart doing "shoot the trooper," they're definitely going to hit my face and/or glasses.

 

Paint is drying on the chin cup and I haven't decided on padding yet. The headband from a Hasbro Vader fits pretty well in there, but I don't know about putting it on with that.

 

 

You guys like that lens? It was $3 at the army/navy store. It goes in some fighter pilot goggles or something. It already had the 2 holes in it, so I glued sintra into the nose and just screwed one to that. It's real easy to take out and it's half the thickness of the KS provided lens. I have got to repaint the inside (it's mostly concealed by black duct tape right now). Ear screens are held in with tape for now, because as I said, the dome needs more sanding and another few passes with the paint. I've almost gotten rid of that pesky seam on the top!

[NegativeEleven]

I'm thinking after the troop tomorrow, I should pull out the hairdryer and try to bring that loose side of the visor in a little bit too. It just didn't want to sit flush against the face while glue dried.

[silverBoyd]

looks great Chris...you did a great job with the filler and sanding

[Griffin-X]

Looking really good man. I would hit up Trooperbay for the decals. Also, you can put a small bit of foam just about at your nose tip level and that will help the fit. I did this or my KS and it works well. You've done a great job so far!

[Fistful of Energon]

Is the lens that comes from KS not dark enough? Ive read that there might be inconsistency with how see through they are.

[NegativeEleven]

I didn't use the lens from KS. Mine's probably lighter. I used a lens from the army/navy supply store. I believe it fits in some goggles. KS sent me a flat block that was thicker than 1/8" sintra, not cut to the shape of the eyes, and not curved to fit. My experience trying to heat and curve pieces that I expect to see through has been hit or miss. Sometimes you get a blurry spot from heating, and I would really like to be able to see out of this thing. The army/navy store lens fit nicely, was already curved, and had a hole in it right at the nose so I could put a screw in rather than glue it.