Sidecarscout Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Hi everyone, I made matching EVA foam biker scout costumes for my son and I a few years ago. They've been pretty fun, but I want to upgrade mine and try to join the 501st. I recognize that will ultimately involve entirely re-doing everything, but I'm going at it little by little starting with the helmet. I've built a ton of models and other costumes, mostly with cardboard or EVA foam. This forum is a great resource that I've been exploring for a while, but now that I've taken the plunge, I find I could use some guidance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecarscout Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 I got a helmet from Kropserkel about a year ago and have been struggling to figure out the trimming. It's much less obvious than other kits I've worked with. I'm trying to work from reference photos of screen used helmets. Any other advice from folks who have built a Kropserkel helmet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecarscout Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 My biggest area of confusion is the visor/blinders. How much "return" should there be? The screen used helmets clearly have a return edge on the front, but I can't tell if it should curve around at all back towards the face. The screen helmets also seem to have more return on the bottom than is even available with the Kropserkel helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecarscout Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 From the on screen reference I have found, it looks like the back of the visor should just be a completely straight, flat piece of plastic--so no return at all, right? I've tried to mark the portion for removal here with pencil: Could I use the inside as a guide? Basically remove everything not flat on that entire back edge, including the rounded top portion?: Or might having some return at any point along that back edge be desirable? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm nervous about cutting too much away! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Hi Adam, if you haven't already, take a look at the Kropserkel build video on youtube, linked below. It has pretty good resolution, so that might help give you a sense of your questions about the return edges. Just looking at your photos, I think your eyeslot is pretty much there. I'd open it a little bit more -- doesn't need much though. There is usually a slight return edge on the back of the sides of visor -- it shouldn't be totally gone. The screen used helmets had a flat return edge -- it did not curve back in towards the face. That is a particularity specific to the Kropserkel helmet. Most Kropserkel helmets I've seen do have a slight return edge that comes back towards the faceplate, but what's in the video is fairly un-noticeable. There are some parts of the video that can be done better, like the mesh in the ears (leave it out), the decal on the snout (paint it instead), and the rotator bolt (use the 3M versions). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecarscout Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 Thank you very much, Chopper. Really appreciate the eyeslot feedback. It seems like it should be taller vertically in the center, but also feels like both the nose and eye-brow line are about right relative to the molded-in ridges. Yeah, I've gone pretty exhaustively through the Kropserkel video several times. I really wish there were a prequel showing some of the trimming in more detail, but if there is, I haven't seen it, and I haven't come across any Kropserkel builds on these forums that discuss the trimming yet either. Also really appreciate the note on the return on the back edge of the visor. When you say "slight" are you thinking like about half of what I have here? LIke 1/8 inch? Maybe just enough for it to make the bend around the corner? Leave what I have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 I would start by taking off an additional 1/8" from the edge, yes. Check the return edge example from the video in the photo below and aim for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kacrut Posted May 12, 2022 Share Posted May 12, 2022 I found this from his(Kropserkel) Fb album page https://i.postimg.cc/QCXHMNJT/FB-IMG-1652336930183.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/bJ0Z8SkP/FB-IMG-1652336710568.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/QCXHMNJT/FB-IMG-1652336930183.jpg Hope that helps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kacrut Posted May 12, 2022 Share Posted May 12, 2022 On 5/8/2022 at 12:21 PM, Sidecarscout said: I got a helmet from Kropserkel about a year ago and have been struggling to figure out the trimming. It's much less obvious than other kits I've worked with. I'm trying to work from reference photos of screen used helmets. Any other advice from folks who have built a Kropserkel helmet? You Can see my build here Or just search in the forum "kropserkel helmet build" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecarscout Posted May 12, 2022 Author Share Posted May 12, 2022 7 hours ago, kacrut said: You Can see my build here Or just search in the forum "kropserkel helmet build" Thanks, Kacrut! I did come across your build and saw it as a cautionary tale! I was hoping to avoid having to do as much rebuilding because too much was cut away by whoever started yours! But there is helpful information there also, so thank you again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kacrut Posted May 13, 2022 Share Posted May 13, 2022 😁 13 hours ago, Sidecarscout said: Thanks, Kacrut! I did come across your build and saw it as a cautionary tale! I was hoping to avoid having to do as much rebuilding because too much was cut away by whoever started yours! But there is helpful information there also, so thank you again. 😁🙏anytime... Happy Fun build.. Ooh, don't forget "measure twice, cut once"... Slow and steady. Goodluck. Louis DZ-17026 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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