My helmet is here!!!

[SkaT73]

Ok so my helmet from CF just came in (well it came in over the weekend)... Should be able to get started on it this weekend. Will have pictures up once I get going on it.

 

I'm really excited for this build, one of the reasons I choose CF for the bucket was because he makes them in halves which is film accurate. It's a little more work (because you have to join the halves and do bondo work), but to me it is well worth it.

 

Have I mentioned I'm excited?

[Chex]

Like you said, more work, but better helmet. Post up progress pics if you can when you start wrking on it.

[SkaT73]

Like you said, more work, but better helmet. Post up progress pics if you can when you start wrking on it.

 

Will do...

 

BTW Chex where are you in relation to Orlando? Going to be down there in October and would love to try and meet up with some of the Florida Garrison...

[Oberkisstillalive]

Just curious but what does CF stand for?

 

Edit: never mind I remember now.

[SkaT73]

So just wanted to post a little update... Still working on the helmet. Only get to work on it during the weekends and I'm taking my sweet time to make sure it is right. Currently on the bondo stage and it is a trial and error kind of thing for me right now. First try was kind of a mess, so I scraped the bondo off and now in the process of redoing some of it.

 

Still having fun working on it though...

[Chef]

My advice with the filler (Bondo).

 

Put it on in thin passes, rather than trying to fill the whole area in one go.

 

This way you can just knock off the hight spots with a block and paper and then just a thin skim of filler back in the low spots.

[SkaT73]

My advice with the filler (Bondo).

 

Put it on in thin passes, rather than trying to fill the whole area in one go.

 

This way you can just knock off the hight spots with a block and paper and then just a thin skim of filler back in the low spots.

 

Do you suggest going with the seam or across it when applying (I know to sand across the seam)...

[bugdozer]

The standard advice is to sand across the seam, but I found that sometimes created a tiny "step" where the outside edge of the filler met the helmet (presumably caused by it flaking off at the edge when it got thin). Sanding along the seam removed that.

[Chef]

Yeah, apply along the seam, sand across it.

[Southscout]

And my two cents on joining the helmet is to use ABS sludge (if it's ABS) as much as possible. I used only filler first on my Lonewolf and it cracked pretty fast. Especially in the neck area.

 

If needed you can cut a groove in the join and fill there. It will make it a bit more flexible.

 

Skickat från min LG-D802 via Tapatalk

 

 

[Chef]

Where as I would severely recommend against using an ABS paste.

 

I did it on one of my lids and it sat in a warm workshop during the day. The heat must have reacted with some 'un evaporated' acetone in the paste and it bubbled the paste ruining the surface paint job of the helmet.

 

I had to remove as much as possible to stop it happening again. The whole helmet needed to be resprayed.

 

I now don't use it at all.

 

 

Now obviously, everyone has a different experience and what works for one, may not work for another.

 

I'm merely pointing out a problem that I had personally, one which was pretty catastrophic.

[bugdozer]

I have a CF helmet and it looks great when it's all together. Definitely one of the most accurate models out there.