MLC Helmet -- Getting Ready to Build

[CCBacara]

Good Morning guys! Since it has been SOOOOO long (j/k) since I asked a bunch of questions I figured now was a good time to lay out some more. I have my fingers crossed that my MLC helmet arrives at the end of this week, and so I am going to head to the store to get supplies I will need to build it.

 

The store is not easily accessable sometimes and the supplies are limited so I need to take advantage of trying to get stuff ahead of time. Unfortunatly things like paint will not ship to my location so if they don't have it here then I am screwed. So here are the questions:

 

1) Does the MLC helmet come primed but not painted, or do you need to prime it also? The photos that MLC sent me look to be primed, but I never thought to ask the question.

 

2) I was lucky enough to snag an MC snout piece from a fellow BSN member, which of course means I will need to paint it. I am limited to only a few different kinds of Krylon paint. Is there a specific color/code paint that folks use for the grey to match the decals?

 

3) Same goes for the black around the snout...will an acrylic model paint work? Should I paint that whole part and then cover it with the snout peice?

 

4) I have figured I will need a lens, some screen to cover the vent holes, and some magnets/velcro to keep the lid closed. Is there anything else? Maybe some padding for the inside?

 

5) Finally, I am told the shade 5 lens is the one to get, and the "black" effect it gives comes painting the inside of the helmet black. Is that really the best or only option?

 

 

Anyway I am sure that is enough for now. Thanks again for the help...the more I can get at the store and the more questions I can get answered now the faster I can get to work when my helmet arrives!!!

 

 

[ukscout]

1) Does the MLC helmet come primed but not painted, or do you need to prime it also? The photos that MLC sent me look to be primed, but I never thought to ask the question.

MLC helmets come preprimed and also if requested pre-painted white, the pre-primed MLC lids need little prep i.e wet sanding, you may find you need to do some wet sanding in the internal curves of the visor

I wet sanded all of my MLC helmet and pre-primed it again with white primer, awaiting to finish the lid off with the final gloss white I bought from a DIY store

pics of my MLC helmet so far

2) I was lucky enough to snag an MC snout piece from a fellow BSN member, which of course means I will need to paint it. I am limited to only a few different kinds of Krylon paint. Is there a specific color/code paint that folks use for the grey to match the decals?

I used Gamesworkshop paints - chaos black and a grey one I can't remember what grey it was

3) Same goes for the black around the snout...will an acrylic model paint work? Should I paint that whole part and then cover it with the snout peice?

see above comment

4) I have figured I will need a lens, some screen to cover the vent holes, and some magnets/velcro to keep the lid closed. Is there anything else? Maybe some padding for the inside?

you could use a hard hat liner or some construction knee pad inserts

5) Finally, I am told the shade 5 lens is the one to get, and the "black" effect it gives comes painting the inside of the helmet black. Is that really the best or only option?

I replaced my Don Post Lense with shade 5 and did'nt need to paint the inside of the lid

 

Anyway I am sure that is enough for now. Thanks again for the help...the more I can get at the store and the more questions I can get answered now the faster I can get to work when my helmet arrives!!!

 

 

[CCBacara]

Thanks for all the great advice. Has anyone else needed to wet sand their lid? I had not heard of having to do that prior to now.

[Griffin-X]

Good Morning guys! Since it has been SOOOOO long (j/k) since I asked a bunch of questions I figured now was a good time to lay out some more. I have my fingers crossed that my MLC helmet arrives at the end of this week, and so I am going to head to the store to get supplies I will need to build it.

 

The store is not easily accessable sometimes and the supplies are limited so I need to take advantage of trying to get stuff ahead of time. Unfortunatly things like paint will not ship to my location so if they don't have it here then I am screwed. So here are the questions:

 

1) Does the MLC helmet come primed but not painted, or do you need to prime it also? The photos that MLC sent me look to be primed, but I never thought to ask the question.

 

2) I was lucky enough to snag an MC snout piece from a fellow BSN member, which of course means I will need to paint it. I am limited to only a few different kinds of Krylon paint. Is there a specific color/code paint that folks use for the grey to match the decals?

 

3) Same goes for the black around the snout...will an acrylic model paint work? Should I paint that whole part and then cover it with the snout peice?

 

4) I have figured I will need a lens, some screen to cover the vent holes, and some magnets/velcro to keep the lid closed. Is there anything else? Maybe some padding for the inside?

 

5) Finally, I am told the shade 5 lens is the one to get, and the "black" effect it gives comes painting the inside of the helmet black. Is that really the best or only option?

 

 

Anyway I am sure that is enough for now. Thanks again for the help...the more I can get at the store and the more questions I can get answered now the faster I can get to work when my helmet arrives!!!

 

I have some lens material left over from a TK helmet. When I ordered the 3mm sheets, I got 2 in case I needed it. Well...I have way too much. If you want some, send me a PM.

 

[ukscout]

I would recommend giving your lid a light wet sand to make sure your first layer of paint sticks

to the lid and has a good surface to stick too.

 

Also I would recommend if your spraying your helmet with a spray can leave it in a bowl of hot

water, this will enable the paint to be more fluid and give a smoother finish. But the paint will tend

to run allot easier when warmed up.

[303trooper]

I have been told to give it a light wet sand over to take any residue dust off it.

 

Also I received my mlc the other day and the inside was already painted black. Just to save you the inconvenience should you want it to be that way. And I've been advised once after wet sanding to go over the Helmet with White primer anyway.

Just the way ukscout has..

 

 

 

 

 

[Griffin-X]

I would recommend giving your lid a light wet sand to make sure your first layer of paint sticks

to the lid and has a good surface to stick too.

 

Also I would recommend if your spraying your helmet with a spray can leave it in a bowl of hot

water, this will enable the paint to be more fluid and give a smoother finish. But the paint will tend

to run allot easier when warmed up.

 

Nice hot water trick.

 

[CCBacara]

White primer is going to be impossible for me to get, bust the sanding I can do...expecially if it is just a light sand. I understand the concept of it...you wet the sand paper and dont sand too hard. What grain sandpaper should I use?

[303trooper]

White primer is going to be impossible for me to get, bust the sanding I can do...expecially if it is just a light sand. I understand the concept of it...you wet the sand paper and dont sand too hard. What grain sandpaper should I use?

 

I have grade P1000 but i reckon that you should maybe go higher... All you want it to do is give a good key for the gloss to go on.

[CCBacara]

I have grade P1000 but i reckon that you should maybe go higher... All you want it to do is give a good key for the gloss to go on.

 

I have never heard of P1000, LOL. I think the finest grain I have access to is 350, and that is a sanding sponge.

 

I can also go 220, 180, 150, 100, and 60.

[303trooper]

I have never heard of P1000, LOL. I think the finest grain I have access to is 350, and that is a sanding sponge.

 

I can also go 220, 180, 150, 100, and 60.

 

 

Just get as fine as you can mate...

 

Pop into your local car or DIY store.

[CCBacara]

Went to the store today to stock up on materials to build my helmet. I bought:

 

2 cans - Krylon Grey Primer (grey was the only option)

2 cans - Krylon Gloss White

2 cans - Krylon Gloss Clear

 

AND

 

a hard hat for the webbing

 

I also have some lens stuff coming and hopefully I can find a black mesh or screen for the vents. Germans don't use screens on their windows so finding that here might be tough.

 

Another issue I am having is padding. What do you guys use for padding? There was nothing at the local hardware stores from what I could tell, but I don't really know what I am looking for.

 

Is there anything else I am missing? Did I get the right paint colors?

[lonewolf]

Wet and dry paper can go up to 3000 grit, it feels as smoothe as newspaper. Any carbody repair shop will have this stuff.

The finish of the paint job will always only be as good as the preparation work.

Always a light sanding and some panel wipe between coats.

When the final coat of paint is completely dry , about a week, cutting compound then T Cut will take off the "orange peel" effect for a flawless finish, if that is what you want.

 

As a helmet liner I would recommend the 3M 9000/9001 series Speedglas headband, very comfortable ,not sweaty, adjustable and exactly the same type as the original helmets. If you are going to the trouble of buying a headband then this is the one.

[CCBacara]

Wet and dry paper can go up to 3000 grit, it feels as smoothe as newspaper. Any carbody repair shop will have this stuff.

The finish of the paint job will always only be as good as the preparation work.

Always a light sanding and some panel wipe between coats.

When the final coat of paint is completely dry , about a week, cutting compound then T Cut will take off the "orange peel" effect for a flawless finish, if that is what you want.

 

As a helmet liner I would recommend the 3M 9000/9001 series Speedglas headband, very comfortable ,not sweaty, adjustable and exactly the same type as the original helmets. If you are going to the trouble of buying a headband then this is the one.

 

Is there a tutorial or something on how to do all that...as far as prepping and painting a fiber glass helmet? I had no idea you needed to wait a week to completely dry the last coat...the can says 10 mins or less! And what is a panel wipe, cutting compound and T cut? I must have missed that class in high school that explained all that, LOL. Seriously, you sand in between coats? Wont that defeat the purpose if I am stripping paint? I am so confused...I need so step by steps!!!

 

I got the headband covered, but what about padding? I have heard of people padding the walls of the helmet.

[CCBacara]

Wet and dry paper can go up to 3000 grit, it feels as smoothe as newspaper. Any carbody repair shop will have this stuff.

The finish of the paint job will always only be as good as the preparation work.

Always a light sanding and some panel wipe between coats.

When the final coat of paint is completely dry , about a week, cutting compound then T Cut will take off the "orange peel" effect for a flawless finish, if that is what you want.

 

As a helmet liner I would recommend the 3M 9000/9001 series Speedglas headband, very comfortable ,not sweaty, adjustable and exactly the same type as the original helmets. If you are going to the trouble of buying a headband then this is the one.

 

Is there a tutorial or something on how to do all that...as far as prepping and painting a fiber glass helmet? I had no idea you needed to wait a week to completely dry the last coat...the can says 10 mins or less! And what is a panel wipe, cutting compound and T cut? I must have missed that class in high school that explained all that, LOL. Seriously, you sand in between coats? Wont that defeat the purpose if I am stripping paint? I am so confused...I need so step by steps!!!

 

I got the headband covered, but what about padding? I have heard of people padding the walls of the helmet.

 

No...no padding? No tutorial on helmet prepping and painting? I am lost here people...

[Griffin-X]

 

No...no padding? No tutorial on helmet prepping and painting? I am lost here people...

 

Too deep for me, wish I could help!

[automaton]

 

No...no padding? No tutorial on helmet prepping and painting? I am lost here people...

 

I went to an army surplus store and picked up some helmet pads. They stick in using velcro and make the helmet really comfortable. I skipped the whole headband. I think it's one or the other, not both.

 

I ordered my MLC painted white so I'm not much help on that. Sorry.

[Chex]

I too used ach helmet pads, and they are comfy. As far as prep work, like they said, get the finest sand paper you can get for the wet sanding. When painting, the warm water trick is a life saver, cause if you bring a can from a cold house outside into the heat, you're asking for all kinds of trouble if you paint right away. Learned that the hard way, and had to wet sand my helmet all over again. Once you finish painting, let it rest, give it a lot of time to dry so that paint cures.