Bushido Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I just wanted to show you guys what happened to my back helmet piece. So what happened was the side was kinda warped outwards a bit so all I needed was to heat gun the inside and push it in so that the visor can fit flush when closed. I brought it to a friend's house since he's good with props. All I needed was a heat gun and what did my friend use?... A blow torch... and... well. Tried to save himself by saying that KS did a terrible job making it and that the price for the kit is a rip off. Even tried to assure me that it'll be fine when he used the torch. It was too late when I stopped him, the helmet was done. I tried emailing KS about getting a replacement but I haven't gotten any response yet. I'm very frustrated that he, who was supposedly an expert with making props, made such a idiotic decision. I think this piece is destroyed but what do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunk Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 How about you go to Harbor Freight & buy a heat gun for $9. Lay that piece flat on a work bench, use on low for just a few seconds, because it will melt your helmet too. Press a piece of wood into that corner & make it flat again. Then once you receive the desired shape, let cool & use some Bondo Fiberglass repair kit (Walmart $15) & apply to the inside to reinforce that repair job. sand & paint the inside of your helmet & its saved. im no expert, but I have been making props & costumes for the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin-X Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Yeah, lesson learned...heat guns (or a torch) can really warp ABS and HIPS plastic. It does not take much either. I learned this one on a belt. Good suggestion from Joe, give it a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandatrooper Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 That would be an easy fix with a heat sealing iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Cut out the warped stuff, I think it is past saving, use abs glue and glue some abs to the sides. Then you can fix the shape with some bondo, abs paste or "American glue?" Sand it all nice and spray the helmet with plastic undercoat and then two pack white.All salvagable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goubatsu Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Oh wowwies. Thats some damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NegativeEleven Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I use the heat gun on 1/8" sintra. I go to my hairdryer for ABS or Styrene. Just a little too much heat and ABS likes to wrinkle up like that. It totally shrinks when heated, where most plastic just gets soft. I wasted so much when I was learning to vac-form last year. Having a frame that was not tight enough, when I put it over heat, it would pull itself into a little warped, wrinkled mess. Then trying to heat and smooth out vac-formed ABS after it'd been cut out of the original sheet, I made a mess of some rather decent pulls. Lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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