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EFX to make a Biker Scout helmet from the original molds


lonewolf

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Guest GrendelBlitz

Gang,

Just received word from Bryan @ eFX on the status of the Legend Scout... Here is his response to me:

 

 

From: Bryan

Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 6:33 PM

To: Matthew (Grendel_Blitz)

Subject: RE: SW Scout Trooper LEGEND helmet

 

Hey Matthew

 

We are still in the very beginning stages of development, so we are not close to a pre-order yet. Please sign up an account with us and you will receive our newsletter. Also, you can check our website and we will post the latest information that we have.

 

Thanks!

 

Bryan

 

 

Needless to say, I registered with the site and I am hoping to get word before they go public and sell out - I cannot miss this one.

 

~ Grendel_Blitz

 

\m/

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fingers crossed jeff that this won't happen the TB helmet, I think the x-wing helmet took a couple of

days too sell out.

 

I think we may be in for a long wait until this lid is in development going on past expierance of past EFX products.

 

I hope they don't do it out of fiber glass, this would stop me from buying a EFX TB lid.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

I take it back... may not be done in ABS after all.

 

Why not? Any news you'd care to share?

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This is a quote from Gino regarding the Legend line Stormtrooper and Scout - it's being discussed on RebelScum from post #93:

 

http://forum.rebelsc...om/t1074009-10/

 

And on the RPF from post #316:

 

http://www.thereplicapropforum.com/f9/efx-reveals-stormtrooper-hero-legend-edition-helmet-121699/index13.html

 

"For those unaware, the original Scout Trooper helmets were vac formed in 6 pieces, fit together like a puzzle, and then painted white.

At this point in time, out plan is to make the Scout Trooper in fiberglass.

Reason being that several of the the Scout Trooper helmet pieces were created in vac formed halves that were glued together with scrap strips of ABS and hidden with body filler spread on top of the seams then sanded down to a flat finish, then painted. These seams were very fragile and would not hold up to general consumer handling over a period of time (you can even see the seam line broken though on the originals).

For the Scout Trooper molding masters, we had to form, assemble and finish a helmet in ABS just like the originals so that it could be molded for fiberglass production.

This way it would still have the proper look of an ABS formed helmet...but in fiberglass.

I can say first hand that creating the helmet in the same manner of the originals in ABS was EXTREMELY laborious and time consuming.

Upon making the master, it was immediately apparent there was a total lack of confidence in a factory performing this task with a high level of quality, with any sort of consistency, and in anything approaching a timely manner (ie time spent working on each unit).

Switching from ABS to fiberglass for this item was for certain the only way to go."

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Hey Carsten - Thanks for posting that info. Can I inquire as to who "Gino" is?

I recieved word from Bryan over at eFX about the Scout build.

 

Also, Not having one built in ABS is a bit disappointing but after all the work that goes into LW, I can see their point from a mass prodcution and QC POV.

 

I will still buy a fiberglass one!!! \m/

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I guess you can call him a sales representative and product advisor. Not sure of his job description. He has plenty of full scale Star Wars statues and that's likely why eFX hired him. I don't know. Usually a stickler for absolute accuracy and bashing licensees for not going über accurate and using the right materials... so... the fact that he's involved and this is happening... is just feeling rather ironic. Guess he doesn't mind as he'll probably get the formed ABS master the fiberglass molds will be made from...

 

Anyway... I was hoping for a cheaper Limited line of fiberglass helmets... but now... it will be Legend line prices for a limited line type of product. They may do them in ABS... but the fact they are putting out feelers already regarding switching doesn't make me hold a hope.

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I still think we will all want an EFX Biker Scout helmet, even if it is fibreglass, interior padding and other inaccuracies in the prop.It will be from the original molds, agreed it will not be what I hoped for initially.

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If EFX are to produce the lid in FG, I think that this can't be called a "legend" helmet

it may be from the original moulds but is far from being like the screed used helmets

 

The original helmets where pulled from plastic, the only reason EFX want to propose

to use FG is due cheap production costs and high return in profits from the production

of these lids in FG

 

Doing this will not give the true fans an true linage to the screen used films which saddens

and concerns me

 

If you look back what MR produced over the years - the helmets I've got in my collection

are far from perfect with regards final FG finish.

 

The FG clone trooper helmets I've got have several dips and low points in the surface of the lids.

 

So this gives me concerns in the final finished product for the upcoming EFX scout helmet

 

Most fan made helmets are far better finished than some mass produced SW products

 

If EFX are to make copies of screed used helmets they should make these are they where

produced in the films.

 

I'm looking forward in seeing what EFX do - listen to the fans/customers of their products or think

of the profits they can make from us - proof will be in the pudding

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It's one of those things...

 

If you want something that is exactly as the screen used lid, even down to the build method, then GRP isn't the way to go.

 

It's certainly not a cost issue here, because moulding one and then producing a bucket in GRP is considerably more time consuming than pulling one from ABS.

 

 

The cost for making them in ABS, comes from the construction method.

 

The lid that John makes is awesome, but because of it's awesomeness it's actually a pretty involved build, and potentially beyond the skills of the novice builder.

They then need painting.

 

 

With GRP, you can gel coat it white, make the bucket all one piece and end up with a relatively simple build.

 

As for the finish, that depends on how good their moulds are.

If they use a silicone jacket mould for ease of production, you are more likely to suffer dips and warps as the GRP can pull on the jacket as it cures.

You're less likely to get this using a hard mould, but it is more time consuming to use.

 

 

 

I think EFX are barking up the wrong tree with this one, if they intend to use GRP, mainly because I think most people would want one to be ultra screen accurate, even down to the build process...

 

I could be wrong on that, and people will just buy one anyway.

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  • 3 weeks later...

As a vacformer myself, I can see why EFX is going with fiberglass and not ABS. The Original scout helmet has many nuances in the design that do not allow for "mass production" with ABS. The undercut depth in the ears, the vent indentions in the back of the helmet, and the sloping sides of the Blinder/Visor all contribute to a vacummformer's nightmare. Going with Fiberglass allows for EFX to capture all these details quickly and more efficiently.

 

I am in no way sad by this decision of EFX. I am ultra happy that they are taking the time to trying to get as-close-as-possible on a first run of such a low-demand character. This is not a fan sculpt, or a 3rd party company sculpt, this is a master model being made from vacuumforms off the original molds. Usually the fans have to endure years (or decades) of market testing of innacurate products before a company goes to this level of accuracy. I applaud EFX for "geeking out" and doing this helmet this level of justice the first time.

 

I know I will try to be first-in-line on the website, the second they open up presales. :D

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The different material/less accurate version was what the Limited Edition was for, where the Legend was for the über accurate. I just fear they are merging the two lines and selling a Limited product at Legend prices. Sure, it's a good business strategy - but it just makes eFX just another prop company like all the others, whereas the Legend line originally set them apart from the rest.

 

What we can learn from this is that it doesn't help one bit that someone from our community is actually employed with the company, so in the future, if someone claims things could be more accurate with one of us involved, we can now say that that is a load of BS.

 

Sorry for the rant, but I had high hopes for the Legend line... just doesn't seem to be there once things actually start going into production. Big claims and the actual product not living up to those claims... we know that from all the other prop companies... oh well. Moving on to something else.

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  • 2 months later...

I few shots of the EFX Scout bucket have shown up on the Starwars.com blog. Looks like one is on display at SDCC. Keep your eyes peeled for more photos or ask anyone you know attending Comic Con to snap some more.

 

7559327744_b7b5276c5f_b.jpg

7559328282_248911308d_b.jpg

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