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[Arno Kal-Torra]

So as I begin my slow process of making a second kit to have approved in 3 years (being 15 sucks sometimes) I've always loved the NME Assassin and finally got my hands on one. However I want to make this kit very custom in custom trauma playing ect, and I want to especially costumization the helmet. My first thing are the ear caps. They're simply not going to work for me at this point, but I also like them to a degree and would like to maybe add them back on later using magnets. So I've got a plan but I was wondering if anybody has taken the ear caps off this perticular helmet and how? I'm considering going around the edge with a dremel, then fixing whatever I mess up and put magnets in it so its attachable and detachable, and then my custom caps and stalk would also be removable using magents in the same spot. Any thoughts suggestions?! Thanks! Also just got an air brush for my birthday so if anybody has any tips, tutorials and what not on how to use that that'd be awesome!! Haha

Thanks everyone!

Arno

[Bowfanny]

I'm pretty sure the assassins earcaps are cast with the helmet so removing them is going to mean cutting into the helmet itself and repairing a giant hole. Why not come up with a detachable cover plate that simply magnets over the existing ones. Sort of a hollow earcap that mounts over the old one but gives you the custome look you want. It's simpler and doesn't require cutting up your helmet.

[Arno Kal-Torra]

I'm pretty sure the assassins earcaps are cast with the helmet so removing them is going to mean cutting into the helmet itself and repairing a giant hole. Why not come up with a detachable cover plate that simply magnets over the existing ones. Sort of a hollow earcap that mounts over the old one but gives you the custome look you want. It's simpler and doesn't require cutting up your helmet.

That's a great idea!! Definitely going to look into that, that sounds much better than my idea haha, thank you!!

[jedisalamander]

Wow you are really lucky! Too bad I'm stuck with a standard one (even if I got it for free)

[Bowfanny]

That's a great idea!! Definitely going to look into that, that sounds much better than my idea haha, thank you!!

You're welcome vod.

[Arno Kal-Torra]

Wow you are really lucky! Too bad I'm stuck with a standard one (even if I got it for free)

I've got a standard too, it's the second helmet in my signature, and absolutely love it, but I've adored this helmet for forever and thought it'd be perfect for my second kit!:-)

[The Unknown Mando]

Gday vod, an airbrush is not hard to use at all. There's plenty of online tutorials, but it depends on what you plan on using it for. To use it to spray at helmets or parts of armour etc isn't hard at all, mix your paint and blast away. If you want to learn to go other stuff like portraits etc then it gets more complicated.is your airbrush single action or double?
Play with your airbrush using cheap paint, learn to mix it to the recommended thickness, I've heard people suggest try get paint to same consistency as milk......id say this is a rough guide. Paint consistency plays a lot into the enjoyment / frustration levels
Experiment with air pressure as well, an inline moisture trap is a good idea as well. Trigger control is very important on a double action ( I haven't used single in years) basically with a double action pressing down on the trigger fires air out of the end of the airbrush, pulling back releases paint.......small amount don't pull back much.....if you want lots of paint then pull right back.
Make sure you wear a painters mask, having an extraction fan is a bonus. Using some paints is very dangerous, some give of fumes very similar to cyanide gas, these are more the uerathane paints used in car industry......look after yourself
As for a real tutorial just YouTube airbrush tips, plenty on there, I don't know your skill levels or desires with art or how far you want to go
Online is plenty from airbrush courses, to tips on painting guitars etc. best guy I've seen is an Aussie called Daniel powers
Good luck playing with your airbrush

[Arno Kal-Torra]

Gday vod, an airbrush is not hard to use at all. There's plenty of online tutorials, but it depends on what you plan on using it for. To use it to spray at helmets or parts of armour etc isn't hard at all, mix your paint and blast away. If you want to learn to go other stuff like portraits etc then it gets more complicated.is your airbrush single action or double?
Play with your airbrush using cheap paint, learn to mix it to the recommended thickness, I've heard people suggest try get paint to same consistency as milk......id say this is a rough guide. Paint consistency plays a lot into the enjoyment / frustration levels
Experiment with air pressure as well, an inline moisture trap is a good idea as well. Trigger control is very important on a double action ( I haven't used single in years) basically with a double action pressing down on the trigger fires air out of the end of the airbrush, pulling back releases paint.......small amount don't pull back much.....if you want lots of paint then pull right back.
Make sure you wear a painters mask, having an extraction fan is a bonus. Using some paints is very dangerous, some give of fumes very similar to cyanide gas, these are more the uerathane paints used in car industry......look after yourself
As for a real tutorial just YouTube airbrush tips, plenty on there, I don't know your skill levels or desires with art or how far you want to go
Online is plenty from airbrush courses, to tips on painting guitars etc. best guy I've seen is an Aussie called Daniel powers
Good luck playing with your airbrush

This is very helpfull thank you!! Love your work on your helmet and am hoping to do a rust feel as you have done.

It is a dual action though I'm not sure what this means, it came with a compressor, air pressure regulator with gauge, and a water trap filter. The brush itself is gravity fed with a 1/3 ounc fluid cup and a .3mm nozzle. Definitely going to be watching lots of YouTube videos ect. I'm not planning on using it for anything more than my armor, helmet, and other various decals and such.

[The Unknown Mando]

Thanks vod, dual or double action is basically
1st action .......Push down.....air is released
2nd action ..... Pull back.....this determines how much paint is released. The more you pull the trigger back the more paint is released. 
Have fun playing with it
Different paint help with different results as well, some paints are transparent, others opaque, you can use acrylic and enamel paints

[Arno Kal-Torra]

Thanks vod, dual or double action is basically
1st action .......Push down.....air is released
2nd action ..... Pull back.....this determines how much paint is released. The more you pull the trigger back the more paint is released. 
Have fun playing with it
Different paint help with different results as well, some paints are transparent, others opaque, you can use acrylic and enamel paints

Haha awesome thank you! Most the paints I'm looking at are opaque, do you have a preference? I'm gonna go to hobby lobby after school this week and see what they've got and find some cheaper ones to start out on and go from there.

[The Unknown Mando]

No preference really, they each have their uses, just depends on what you are after
If you're after a rust effect, on mine I had given the area a few coats, and they weren't flat coats.
A way to get the same results is use a masking medium ( toothpaste ) and go through the process of creating some weathering. Build up some edges, just some random shapes. Now give area a flat coat, spray over all layers....no sanding at all
What you'd have is one colour area, with various layers. Look over the area for an interesting bit, like a raised line/ edge. I used something like this for my rust.
I used a thin brush and used sparingly.....brown and orange paint
This page goes through a bit of it

http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=109954.0

That's just one way, plenty of others, have fun

[Bowfanny]

Just got my Wicked paints for my airbrush in the mail on Friday.

[The Unknown Mando]

I've never used wicked yet, heard abit about them a few years ago
I mainly use humbrol, revell, an Aussie brand that is acrylic and another brand called trident
Mainly used trident with a paint brush though

[Arno Kal-Torra]

Found some wicked paints at hobby lobby, and boy do they look wicked! Very I tense colors! I picked up a bunch of black to begin practicing on, I'll start that up tomorrow. What I realized is I don't have any airbrush cleaner, can I just use paint thinner or is that a terrible idea? Also, I want to make a dent in the back left of the helmet, could I use my heat gun and then push into the dome with my thumb to do so, or is this once again a terrible idea? Thanks guys I really appreciate all of this!

[The Unknown Mando]

I haven't used wicked, but I think they're water based, I'll have to look after work, I've used createx which is who makes wicked and Ve thinned and cleaned with water, I've heard people use window cleaner......but heard someone say too much can possibly cause paint to crack. This may be an issue if you're after a smooth finish, It may not if you're after a high weathered look
I'd say experiment, practice few tricks, trigger control, learn how to clean, pull apart and reassemble......gently
Paint thinner as in turps is ok for enamels, acrylics I wouldn't really do that.....more water, or try window cleaner
Remember to wear a paint mask and well ventilated area