LW V3 helmet build/mod..sort of lol

[Darth Voorhees]

So after comparing my previous LW helmet to the EFX (which is cast from a screen used) at Celebration 7/Anaheim, myself and Gino were very impressed with how close LW managed to get his helmet to the real thing. There were only minor detail variations and a very minor size difference from front to back.

 

The EFX was slightly longer front to back. maybe 1/4"-1/2" or so. Also the detail under the eye lens was softer as well as the "lines/indentations on the back. The traps were closer together on the back also. Other than those differences they were nearly identical.

 

Recently i spoke to LW and he said he saw the RS in person and that his parts were interchangeable. thats how close they are. LW actually worked on the current Bikerscout helmet project (he did the AWESOME pilot variation one) and RS provided the helmets so he was able to see them up close.

 

So fast forward to now..... i have had this V3 LW kit for a little bit now, maybe a month or 2 and havent had time to build it. I also didnt have armor to couple it with so i was in no hurry to build it. But now i have armor and am well on the way into my rebuild. So over the past week ive been working on this a little bit every night after working on commissions/orders.

 

I decided to do something bold and bring the rear traps closer together and soften up the details that were very sharp on the LW.

 

softening the details was easy. I just used a little autobody icing (basically a thinner version of bondo) to fill them in a little and it was pretty much done with 1 or passes of the icing. Moving the traps closer was a bit more extensive, but after thinking about it for a few days a came up with a plan.

 

basically i cut the old ones out, and moved them closer together and filled the seams.

 

So here is where i marked it to cut. toy can see how i cut them "off-center because i was going to play swap-a-roo...

 

 

i then cut them out..

 

and then i "tack super glued" then back into place, swapped. What this did was fill most of the gap where i shifted them inwards due to the way i had cut them out.

 

For extra support, and so when i bondoed the seams outside it had something to attach to, i put some fiberglass on the inside

 

here it is after one pass of bondo and primer...

 

here it is after a couple of bondo and automotive icing passes and white primer. The line indentations have also been made more shallow, and i removed the one on the far right and wided th one on the left matching a particular screen used helmet.

 

here is the faceplate with the softened detail under the lens

 

And here is where its at now, with white primer.

[stasz]

Awesome!

 

I would've been pooping my pants cutting up an LW, but you gots the skills, Lou! Keep us posted!

[Strider]

Great comparison, bro!

[Stroker]

Wow!

[marktoots]

Awesome work Lou! How did you manage to get your hands on an LW kit!?!

[Darth Voorhees]

Wow!

 

thanks

 

Awesome work Lou! How did you manage to get your hands on an LW kit!?!

 

Thanks man...I know him pretty well, we chat all the time.. This is the third one ive owned lol. [i know half the BSN hates me right now lol] I traded him a Fett jetpack kit for this one.

 

My previous helmet was an LW as well. Thats the one in my Avatar and signature. However i wasnt to fond of how a trimmed the visor. I made it very narrow, and although it looked ok, it always urked me. I actully got a replacement visor for it, but never fixed it. I had traded my previous Scout for a TIE pilot and that LW went with it. Now im building a nice new fresh one

[rackey01]

Wow! Cool helmet. Are LW kits still available out there?... I thought not.