StudioCreations Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 ------------------------------------------- Update: Assembled and Painted test helmet images are on page 2 of this thread. ------------------------------------------- Below are images of the first assembly of our fan-made scout helmet parts made from our latest vacuumform bucks. We have made the sides and back of the helmet a seamless, one-piece part. Anyone who saw, or owns, our old helmet will remember the sides of the helmets were each a separate piece and they had a seamline running down the back of the helmet. This meant in order to be approved in the 501st the costumer had to putty and sand the seamline, and then paint the entire helmet a consistent gloss white color. Not too user freindly. This is just a test-fit assembly of the helmet parts, so we did not add in the accurate speedglass bolts or the decals or visor. We were just testing how the parts fit together and still expect to tweak and clean up the molds a little more in the coming weeks. Feedback is highly appreciated. If we have one major group of fans to please, it's here on the BSN! -Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin-X Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Very nice Jeff! So good to see you doing this post. The helmet looks awesome. Is this a 3 piece assembly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chex Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Not too shabby, but I'm not a helmet expert like some are. Be interested to get LW's take on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 That is great that you managed to vacform the whole back in one piece.This will make your helmet kit the easiest plastic kit to build. I like your lids, they are a nice general shape. Only problem for me is the lack of sharpness , decals may make it "pop" better. Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandatrooper Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Looking good so far! I agree with the softness feedback, but is this maybe because the plastic used is thicker? Would going with a thinner plastic stock help? Also, is the inner lip where the strap goes wide enough to accommodate the strap threading through it? And please tell us you will be including a chin cup with the kit! That would be awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TB-7076 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 The prototype looks promising. I can't add anything to that of the previous Posters. Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to see one of your helmets in person. Do you have a size comparison next to other fan made helmets? And not on topic but do you also plan to update your armor parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I'm liking it.......looking at a Kit ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukscout Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Great to see another scout lid being made/developmed Would not use thinner plastic too vac form the helmet as it would weaken the helmet Cant wait for the next update on this helmet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 I agree with the softness issue. This protoype used .080 guage ABS plastic, and we are going to try vacforming it with .060 guage ABS plastic to increase the sharpness, if we can find any .060 sitting on the shelf in the plastic warehouses. Griffin-X - this will be a 4 part assembly: Top, Sides/back, Faceplate, Visor/Blinder (we could not vacform the Top with the Sides/back and release the vacuum-buck from the plastic, just too many undercuts in that buck to make it happen) Panda - We are planing on making the recessed temple area wider to accommodate the strap you talk about. Chin Cup is in the works too. TB7076 - Size wise, our helmet will be similar to the 1996 Don Post helmets. So think small to medium sized heads. No "large head" troopers will fit this helmet. MJ - Kits are actually our main goal here. We want to offer the fans something they can work on themselves, therefore increasing their crafting skills and allowing them to feel like they had personal ownership of their final costume. One of the main problems with our old helmet was the fact that we felt seaming the two side plates together was a little beyond the novice builder, and that the failure of the seam over time could discourage the newbie builder from ever attempting another costume project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil-Inc Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 Would be interesting to see if you could make the snout roll under at the bottom. Looks good so far but would LOVE to see a better defined pull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 We can do that. This particular faceplate was an older faceplate sitting around the shop that we grabbed. Our mold allows for the 'roll under', and we have cut these properly in the past. Good catch! Everyone, thanks so much for the positive feedback on this test fitting. It's very encouraging. We'll plow through tweaks this week and try to post something new ASAP. Would be interesting to see if you could make the snout roll under at the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 I was wondering how you could make the back a one piece! I have thought about the three part "wedge" buck, it is possible to vacform undercuts using this method, used quite a bit by vacshops to get tricky shapes pulled. Look forward to pics of your finished helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin-X Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 I agree with the softness issue. This protoype used .080 guage ABS plastic, and we are going to try vacforming it with .060 guage ABS plastic to increase the sharpness, if we can find any .060 sitting on the shelf in the plastic warehouses. Griffin-X - this will be a 4 part assembly: Top, Sides/back, Faceplate, Visor/Blinder (we could not vacform the Top with the Sides/back and release the vacuum-buck from the plastic, just too many undercuts in that buck to make it happen) Panda - We are planing on making the recessed temple area wider to accommodate the strap you talk about. Chin Cup is in the works too. TB7076 - Size wise, our helmet will be similar to the 1996 Don Post helmets. So think small to medium sized heads. No "large head" troopers will fit this helmet. MJ - Kits are actually our main goal here. We want to offer the fans something they can work on themselves, therefore increasing their crafting skills and allowing them to feel like they had personal ownership of their final costume. One of the main problems with our old helmet was the fact that we felt seaming the two side plates together was a little beyond the novice builder, and that the failure of the seam over time could discourage the newbie builder from ever attempting another costume project. Thanks Jeff, looking forward to seeing more of this helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 I have thought about the three part "wedge" buck, it is possible to vacform undercuts using this method, used quite a bit by vacshops to get tricky shapes pulled. We almost went with a 3-part wedge buck, but cost and time factored in and we went the simpler route of a one piece buck. In order to make that single buck work, we had to make our ear areas shallower than the ILM helmet, so that we could pry the vac parts off the mold once it was sucked down. Currently we are only getting 1 out of 3 vacpulls safely off the table. We'll have a slew of 'Factory Seconds' parts available after this testing phase is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil-Inc Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Altmann did his as a one piece back & so does the people that bought him out... They've even gone for far as to more clearly define the notches in the back of the helmet as they felt they were too soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 This weekend we ran air vent channels to the back indention areas in the helmet so we can get crisper detail in the back, cleaned up the side temple areas to allow for a wider plastic area (for the elastic chin strap that Pandatrooper talked about earlier), and identiied a lock down area in one of the ears that binds when pulling the plastic off the mold. We should be assembling 4 or- 5 helmets this week to test our bolt hole placements in the mold, then tweaking the molds as-need-be next weekend. Picts to follow soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil-Inc Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 My questions are - 1: When can I buy one? 2: Do you need a monkey to test how easy it is to assemble? If I can do it, ANYONE could...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 (runs up behind e-i) I'm with him (grins)....when can we buy them and the other question too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 I am hoping we can offer these helmets very soon. We just have to finish a couple things and then we can concentrate on fine tuning the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boba Leo Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Very nice Jeff!!!!!! Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grendel_Blitz Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Size wise, our helmet will be similar to the 1996 Don Post helmets. So think small to medium sized heads. No "large head" troopers will fit this helmet. Again, getting denied on my large "mellon". The Almann's is still my comfy bucket. Helmet looks promising Jeff. \m/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioCreations Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 Below are images of the first test helmet with the added tweaks to the molds, assembled and detailed. The grey snout is solid resin cast, molded from an aerator and accurate Tamiya Model part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Jeff...how much ....when can I pay and where do I order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandatrooper Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Looks awesome!!! Nice work Jeff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grendel_Blitz Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Interesting chin flare Jeff. Well I want one!!! Let us know a price and a run-time... Gotta put the cash together. Nice work! \m/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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