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 Got my helmet

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Got my helmet
« on: Jul 13, 2020, 03:51 PM »
I just got my helmet in from Drako Katora.  I need to make a Lowes run for some bondo, epoxy, and other stuff for the rest of my armor build
https://imgur.com/a/1yJFPCc

kman

Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #1 on: Jul 14, 2020, 04:12 PM »
I just got mine from him, too!  Appreciate any tips you may have on finishing it... I haven't worked with this combination of materials before.  I'm a little afraid to sand too hard, because the bondo won't care, but the PVC will...

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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #2 on: Jul 14, 2020, 11:10 PM »
Remember, you're going to prime and paint it too.  Sand it until it's smooth and if you gouge up the plastic, you're going to need to bondo the ear caps, so fill it in.  I used my Black and Decker Matrix orbital sander with 120 grit and hand sanded with 160, while the plastic is scratched, once it gets primed, sanded, (rinse and repeat as necessary), and painted, you'd never be able to tell.  It's super easy to tell when to stop, given the bondo is so soft.

Grimstuff


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #3 on: Jul 15, 2020, 01:53 AM »
Yeah, one of the biggest sanding tips I can give is don't be afraid of the lower grits. Trying to take down those bondo ridges with 220 can be like trying to flatten Everest with just some rain- you'll round it down after a few millennia, but there'll always still be a hill there. I often start at 80 or sometimes even 40 grit, and take it down until it's properly rounded. Everything after is just smoothing passes.

Also one thing that can be helpful is to draw some sharpee lines over it, and you'll know you've properly sanded enough when all the sharpee is gone.

Also also, get some sandable primer. It's thicker and more gap filling than normal primer. The Harbor Freight stuff is actually surprisingly good for it's price.

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kman

Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #4 on: Jul 15, 2020, 04:32 PM »
Thanks for the tips!  (especially for the Harbor Freight filler primer.. I didn't realize they carry it!  And local Home Depots have been out for weeks)

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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #5 on: Jul 15, 2020, 06:59 PM »
I was looking for filler primer at Lowes, they didn't seem to have any.  I didn't even consider Harbor Freight.

Grimstuff


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #6 on: Jul 15, 2020, 08:44 PM »
Yeah, a guy suggested it to me a long time ago and I sorta scoffed at it, but then I tried it and it's actually some really good sandable primer. Goes on quite thick and dries way faster than most others I've tried. I've full-on dry sanded it 30 mins after spraying before, with no gumming up of my paper.

The only problem I've ran into is that it's thickness makes the tips clog sometimes, but you can usually always clear it by popping it off and blowing hard into the bottom. Also it's pretty moisture sensitive, humidity will cause it to lay on pretty grainy, but you're gonna be sanding it anyway so that's not a big worry.

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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #7 on: Jul 19, 2020, 02:10 PM »
I did things:
I tinted my visor (but I may get another clear one to sandwich the tint in between to try and keep from bubbling):

I cut the plastic from my helmet so I can actually see, I've also done a teeny bit of sanding:

and I got a coat of filler primer on some 3D printed parts:

That is classified as progress...right?

Grimstuff


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #8 on: Jul 19, 2020, 04:30 PM »
Looks like progress to me!  :D

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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #9 on: Aug 02, 2020, 03:50 PM »
Some more progress.  I got the pilot brow and ear caps glued on, gaps bondo'd and sanded, and used some liquid green stuff as spot filler for the smaller gaps and 3d print lines.



Anansi


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #10 on: Aug 02, 2020, 06:03 PM »
Outstanding work! I really like those ears.

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GraniteDad


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #11 on: Aug 04, 2020, 07:43 PM »
Great work. I've got this helmet as well, so great to see what others are doing.

Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #12 on: Aug 15, 2020, 06:33 AM »
So, I did a thing...I got my hose and cut a hole in the cheek for it.

It's not glued in yet, I'm wondering, should I filler around the flange or will just gluing it in be fine?  Also, should I leave it black?  The scheme I'm aiming for is gray, khaki for the ridge around the visor, olive green for the ear caps and maybe the dome.  Obviously, if I filler around the flange, the hose will remain black the rest will be gray to match the rest of the cheek.

Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #13 on: Aug 27, 2020, 08:44 AM »
I have 2 coats of filler primer on it and am investigating colors.  I'm thinking a dark steel/iron base color, khaki face, and green ear caps with an offset green stripe up the left hand side of the brow that transitions into a centered stripe across the dome and a khaki wing sigil on the right hand side of the brow with my "call sign" in mando'a on the stripe in black or white.

Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #14 on: Sep 23, 2020, 03:14 AM »
It's been a bit, but I've finally gotten my preliminary paint on my helmet.



I need to do some touch up, (all I had was blue painter's tape for my masking), so there are a few spots that need to be fixed, but I can do that by hand, besides shading and other weathering.

Anansi


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #15 on: Sep 24, 2020, 10:00 PM »
That is looking REALLY good. Nice work on the paint job!

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May Hod Ha'ran guide my tongue, may Kad Ha'rangir guide my gun, and may Arasuum guide you to your final slumber.

MMCC #2010 - Nevik Marev
Cabur Akaata Member 139 | O.S.B.A. 007
Gunslinger - Special Weapons Brigade
Anansi's Longstrike Carbine
Another Anansi Nerf Mod
Anansi's Armor WIP
Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #16 on: Dec 03, 2020, 02:58 AM »
So, I've hit a wall, kind of.  I tried to mirror my own visor, it didn't work, at all.  So now I'm debating if I should just forget the whole mirrored look and stick with a standard #5 grinding shield (which is the cheaper option) or go with a Kalevala visor.  I guess the real question is, is the green #5 visibly green from the outside or is the Kalevala visor my only option if I want a recognizably green visor from outside?  I also added some inadvertent "weathering" while gluing the chicago screws to the inside, my 5-minute epoxy did not like staying in one place and I can't find my tube of E-6000.  So, while I didn't intend to have any bright silver showing, I may just add some silver to the edges that got accidental paint chipping because hand brushing spray paint is a pain the the shebs and I don't feel like it.

Celtkhan


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Re: Got my helmet
« Reply #17 on: Dec 03, 2020, 02:04 PM »
No, a green-tinted #5 visor is not visibly green; it looks black. In bright environments, there is a VERY faint green tinge, but under any indoor lighting conditions, it just looks black.

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