iceknyght Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 So, I got my SC kit back in February and put an order in for an RS Red Label helmet right after, which I got today, so both helmets are the most recent versions available... Overall impressions are that I like the overall shape of the RS one better, but I am sad that the color is so different from my SC armor. I had requested it to be more shiny, but that did not happen, cause it's definitely a matte paint job. I took the chin cup out of my SC one, but I am on the fence with the RS one... With everything on, it doesn't look too bad (and I plan on weathering my kit at some point, which hopefully will help), but hopefully I can take some pics soon to see how they look in photos (both inside and outside)... Below are some quick comparison shots... SC on the left, RS on the right. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Both the RS armor and helmet have more of a muted white color, vs the bright white of the SC ABS. Obviously the RS helmet, due to it's screen used lineage is going to be the most accurate, but, as you said, there will be a color difference between the RS helmet and the SC armor. If you decide to stick with using the SC helmet, it can be modded to look very, very good, particularly if you can open up the visor eye slot a bit more. One of the best mods that I've seen recently was by @equuspolo as a part of his Lancer application. The modded eye slot just makes a world of difference on that helmet. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 4 hours ago, Chopper said: Both the RS armor and helmet have more of a muted white color, vs the bright white of the SC ABS. Obviously the RS helmet, due to it's screen used lineage is going to be the most accurate, but, as you said, there will be a color difference between the RS helmet and the SC armor. If you decide to stick with using the SC helmet, it can be modded to look very, very good, particularly if you can open up the visor eye slot a bit more. One of the best mods that I've seen recently was by @equuspolo as a part of his Lancer application. The modded eye slot just makes a world of difference on that helmet. I am on the fence... That SC with the larger eyes does look good, but I really like the overall shape/size on the RS (and how it looks with the rest of the armor)... The ONLY thing I don't like on the RS is the paint. And while it does look "different", when I have everything together, it doesn't look "that" different... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
equuspolo Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 7 hours ago, Chopper said: Both the RS armor and helmet have more of a muted white color, vs the bright white of the SC ABS. Obviously the RS helmet, due to it's screen used lineage is going to be the most accurate, but, as you said, there will be a color difference between the RS helmet and the SC armor. If you decide to stick with using the SC helmet, it can be modded to look very, very good, particularly if you can open up the visor eye slot a bit more. One of the best mods that I've seen recently was by @equuspolo as a part of his Lancer application. The modded eye slot just makes a world of difference on that helmet. Hello Corey and thank you for such a wonderful compliment. Means a lot brother. Jason, I agree with you. The shape of the RS helmet is awesome. To be fair, I measured and sized everything on my kit as close to possible against an RS kit as well as against an original scout helmet. One thing that I did to cheat the look a bit, if you notice is kept a bit sharper edge on the lens cut out. It gave it a more aggressive look the way the RS helmet is. And I kept my helmet as shape as close to RS as possible, given the structural limitations. Same with the body armor. The one thing that I could not change was the sharpness of the RS nose section with the Greeblie as compared to the more rounded edge of the Studio Creations. If you like your RS helmet, you could strip it down and tape it and have it painted to match your Studio Creations armor. The issue with distressing is that it still wont match the base color. Look forward to seeing what you do with it. On another note, one thing I highly recommend, that I have seen on a few scout armor and it was an issue on the originals as well, take two strips of 2mm abs and shape one for the top and one for the bottom inside front of the chestplate. If you look closely at mine, there is a diamond shape cut out on the top and the bottom like the originals. Some were larger and some smaller. I chose to do the smaller ones like a friend wore on ROTJ. But because of that, and even without that, just by nature of the chest and the way it is built, you risk splitting the armor. So reinforce it right from the get go. If you look at my Lancer submission you will see the reinforcements I put in. Corey, thank you again for the recognition, I am honored. Jason, if I can help in any other way, let me know. And that RS helmet is amazing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 7 hours ago, equuspolo said: Hello Corey and thank you for such a wonderful compliment. Means a lot brother. Jason, I agree with you. The shape of the RS helmet is awesome. To be fair, I measured and sized everything on my kit as close to possible against an RS kit as well as against an original scout helmet. One thing that I did to cheat the look a bit, if you notice is kept a bit sharper edge on the lens cut out. It gave it a more aggressive look the way the RS helmet is. And I kept my helmet as shape as close to RS as possible, given the structural limitations. Same with the body armor. The one thing that I could not change was the sharpness of the RS nose section with the Greeblie as compared to the more rounded edge of the Studio Creations. If you like your RS helmet, you could strip it down and tape it and have it painted to match your Studio Creations armor. The issue with distressing is that it still wont match the base color. Look forward to seeing what you do with it. On another note, one thing I highly recommend, that I have seen on a few scout armor and it was an issue on the originals as well, take two strips of 2mm abs and shape one for the top and one for the bottom inside front of the chestplate. If you look closely at mine, there is a diamond shape cut out on the top and the bottom like the originals. Some were larger and some smaller. I chose to do the smaller ones like a friend wore on ROTJ. But because of that, and even without that, just by nature of the chest and the way it is built, you risk splitting the armor. So reinforce it right from the get go. If you look at my Lancer submission you will see the reinforcements I put in. Corey, thank you again for the recognition, I am honored. Jason, if I can help in any other way, let me know. And that RS helmet is amazing. Your helmet did turn out great! Part of me liking the RS is that it's slightly larger and thus fits the rest of the costume better. The SC fits on my head fine, but the RS is just *slightly* larger and sharper and looks *right*. I don't really want to repaint it, but we'll see. Like I said, with everything on, it doesn't actually look *that* different, but I still want to take some pics to see how much in photos... And honestly, if I was going to repaint, it would probably be the armor to match the helmet... I think that would be easier! LOL! I have seen the little notch cut out before and don't plan on doing that at this point... Like you said, it becomes a stress point, and honestly, I think the armor looks fine without it... But if I do end up doing it, I *definitely* will add the reinforcement! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aradun Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 10 hours ago, iceknyght said: I am on the fence... That SC with the larger eyes does look good, but I really like the overall shape/size on the RS (and how it looks with the rest of the armor)... The ONLY thing I don't like on the RS is the paint. And while it does look "different", when I have everything together, it doesn't look "that" different... I agree Jason. It doesn't look that different. I was concerned about the sheen difference between the RS helmet and RS kit, but it's hardly noticeable in my opinion. You've seen my WIP and the recent test fitting photos I posted. It's barely perceptible. Those photos were taken indoors, and I imagine it will be even less perceptible in bright sunlight. Now with the color difference of SC's abs, perhaps might be slightly more noticeable, but keep in mind that the bucket, due to its relative size, has a smaller surface area visually when viewing someone wearing a complete kit, so I don't think it'd be an issue for you. You'll know the difference and will be able to see it, but others who see you trooping will be far less likely to notice. You're more likely to hear, "Hey, look at that "Stormtrooper" mom!" than, "What's up with that guy's helmet?" However, If you still have concerns about the color difference, you could reach out to Andrea or Rob over at RS and inquire as to what brand of paint they use on their buckets and perhaps you can either get a matching semi-gloss clear coat to "brighten" it up, or get a white in the same brand that better matches your SC armor, which should allow you to repaint it without sanding. In either case, make sure to tape over your decals. I'm no paint expert, so perhaps an armorer can weigh in on this suggestion if they don't think it will work or if there are additional concerns I'm over looking. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I have two RS helmets. One is a re-paint of a helmet I picked up second hand. I purchased the other one directly, which still has their standard paint colors. When I painted my first helmet, I wet sanded the decals off and smoothed out the surface, then I applied a new layer of white primer and then gloss white. I believe they use their own formulation of paint, which almost exactly matches the abs color of the armor. The Rusto 2x Painters Touch Gloss White I used did react with the original paint a bit, which tells me that the solvents are different. A coat of white primer was all that was needed in order to lay down a new paint layer without any further reactions. The Rusto gloss white is more of an appliance white, which would likely match the SC armor better. Obviously, there is some work involved in a repaint, and the process of painting the scout helmet properly can be tricky, so take that into account. You could also try and commission an experienced painter to do it for you. If you should choose to try and do a repaint on the RS, I might have an extra set of decals that you could use. Let me check. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 32 minutes ago, Chopper said: I have two RS helmets. One is a re-paint of a helmet I picked up second hand. I purchased the other one directly, which still has their standard paint colors. When I painted my first helmet, I wet sanded the decals off and smoothed out the surface, then I applied a new layer of white primer and then gloss white. I believe they use their own formulation of paint, which almost exactly matches the abs color of the armor. The Rusto 2x Painters Touch Gloss White I used did react with the original paint a bit, which tells me that the solvents are different. A coat of white primer was all that was needed in order to lay down a new paint layer without any further reactions. The Rusto gloss white is more of an appliance white, which would likely match the SC armor better. Obviously, there is some work involved in a repaint, and the process of painting the scout helmet properly can be tricky, so take that into account. You could also try and commission an experienced painter do do it for you. If you should choose to try and do a repaint on the RS, I might have an extra set of decals that you could use. Let me check. Good to know! Was the one you repainted the Red Label, or the ABS one? Would the difference in materials matter for the repaint if you're just sanding the top layer of paint? 57 minutes ago, AradunFF said: I agree Jason. It doesn't look that different. I was concerned about the sheen difference between the RS helmet and RS kit, but it's hardly noticeable in my opinion. You've seen my WIP and the recent test fitting photos I posted. It's barely perceptible. Those photos were taken indoors, and I imagine it will be even less perceptible in bright sunlight. Now with the color difference of SC's abs, perhaps might be slightly more noticeable, but keep in mind that the bucket, due to its relative size, has a smaller surface area visually when viewing someone wearing a complete kit, so I don't think it'd be an issue for you. You'll know the difference and will be able to see it, but others who see you trooping will be far less likely to notice. You're more likely to hear, "Hey, look at that "Stormtrooper" mom!" than, "What's up with that guy's helmet?" However, If you still have concerns about the color difference, you could reach out to Andrea or Rob over at RS and inquire as to what brand of paint they use on their buckets and perhaps you can either get a matching semi-gloss clear coat to "brighten" it up, or get a white in the same brand that better matches your SC armor, which should allow you to repaint it without sanding. In either case, make sure to tape over your decals. I'm no paint expert, so perhaps an armorer can weigh in on this suggestion if they don't think it will work or if there are additional concerns I'm over looking. Definitely! Most people won't know... Most people think that the TIE pilots are Darth Vader too, so... LOL! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 1 hour ago, iceknyght said: Good to know! Was the one you repainted the Red Label, or the ABS one? Would the difference in materials matter for the repaint if you're just sanding the top layer of paint? Both of mine are the 5-piece ABS helmets. I didn't sand the paint all the way down to the plastic, so I don't think the underlying material was an issue. With the sort of reaction I was seeing (paint crackles), it's usually a reaction between two different types of paint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 2 minutes ago, Chopper said: Both are mine at the 5-piece ABS helmets. I didn't sand the paint all the way down to the plastic, so I don't think the underlying material was an issue. With the sort of reaction I was seeing (paint crackles), it's usually a reaction between to different types of paint. That was what I thought, but just wanted to be sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 I believe RS uses a cured/2K paint so that would explain your experiences Corey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
equuspolo Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 5 hours ago, iceknyght said: Your helmet did turn out great! Part of me liking the RS is that it's slightly larger and thus fits the rest of the costume better. The SC fits on my head fine, but the RS is just *slightly* larger and sharper and looks *right*. I don't really want to repaint it, but we'll see. Like I said, with everything on, it doesn't actually look *that* different, but I still want to take some pics to see how much in photos... And honestly, if I was going to repaint, it would probably be the armor to match the helmet... I think that would be easier! LOL! I have seen the little notch cut out before and don't plan on doing that at this point... Like you said, it becomes a stress point, and honestly, I think the armor looks fine without it... But if I do end up doing it, I *definitely* will add the reinforcement! Jason, I agree with you, I like the shape, sharpness and size of the RS helmet as well. Plus on the inside it just gives you more breathing space. And you may be right about painting the armor vs the helmet hahaha As far as the reinforcement, trust me do it anyway, because the notch is not what necessarily causes the stress point, it is the way the chest is build on all of them. The whole line down the chest body causes a stress point. I highly recommend the reinforcement. It is super easy. Take you less than a minute to do and will save your armor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 10, 2020 Author Share Posted July 10, 2020 7 minutes ago, equuspolo said: Jason, I agree with you, I like the shape, sharpness and size of the RS helmet as well. Plus on the inside it just gives you more breathing space. And you may be right about painting the armor vs the helmet hahaha As far as the reinforcement, trust me do it anyway, because the notch is not what necessarily causes the stress point, it is the way the chest is build on all of them. The whole line down the chest body causes a stress point. I highly recommend the reinforcement. It is super easy. Take you less than a minute to do and will save your armor. Yeah, the SC helmet sits right above the bridge of my nose (like *right above*), so sometimes it can get a little uncomfortable, but the RS, I definitely don't have that problem! Luckily, I am pretty easy going on my armors (I have a TK that's a few years old and quite a few troops that still looks brand new), but I'll keep an eye out on the chest piece... This costume probably won't get worn a ton (especially this year, boo!), cause I have 4 costumes I cycle through... As of now, even though I got approved a few months ago, I still haven't had a chance to officially troop in it yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 So, I did a quick test (video) today and it is definitely noticeably different... Not that I am surprised, but still... It's still not *bad* overall, but definitely not ideal... But man, I do love the look of the bucket! https://youtu.be/tqvbBMnkWUI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aradun Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 I see what you mean in the video Jason, but not a deal breaker. You could always sand and repaint it down the line. It’d be a lot of work, but it’d give you the look you’re shooting for in the end. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 Yeah, definitely not a deal breaker! And I probably will repaint at some point, cause while the difference isn't huge, it's enough to bug me (and if I do decide to go Lancer, I will definitely need to repaint)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
“ Sure Shot “ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I repainted my RS helmet to match my SC armor. Not a big deal really, biggest thing is getting the proper decals to install after the repaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, “ Sure Shot “ said: I repainted my RS helmet to match my SC armor. Not a big deal really, biggest thing is getting the proper decals to install after the repaint. Where did you get the decals? From RS or somewhere else? I saw that TrooperBay has decals, but couldn't tell if they'd work with the RS bucket... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
“ Sure Shot “ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I repainted my RS helmet to match my SC armor. Not a big deal really, biggest thing is getting the proper decals to install after the repaint. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
“ Sure Shot “ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 1 minute ago, iceknyght said: Where did you get the decals? From RS or somewhere else? I saw that TrooperBay has decals, but couldn't tell if they'd work with the RS bucket... Yes I went with the ones from Trooper Bay. I felt no need to go with the water slide decals RS uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceknyght Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 1 minute ago, “ Sure Shot “ said: Yes I went with the ones from Trooper Bay. I felt no need to go with the water slide decals RS uses. Good to know! I'll definitely pick up a set then. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatfoodRob Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Water slide are screen accurate ...why compromise ??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
“ Sure Shot “ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 If your that concerned about Uber screen accuracy go for it. I am not...I don’t look at fellow troopers helmets and go “ Are those water slide decal’s “??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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