Aluminum Helemt Casting Process -A real Hand-Schaub!

A lot of people ask me how my Fett helmet was cast in Aluminum. Well, for starters I work at a comercial foundry so that helps But all the work you see in this thread was done primarily by me. I'm very proud of my newly sculpted and cast helmet at this thread:
http://forum.thedentedhelmet.com/vie...c=2355&forum=2
but I have pictures of The helmet I cast several months ago. (the Deluxe - which I only made one of)


Each one is hand cast in wax from a mold (the new sculpted helmet was molded and cast the same as this one)

- then cleaned and gated (this is where modifications for Jango or Boba come in).

a silicate waste mold is formed over the gated wax

then the wax is melted out (holes are drilled to relieve preasure on the shell)

The holes are patched up and the shell is checked for leaks and painted with this stuff to make the shell stronger (we did a bit of an overkill on this one. It is placed in the kiln to reheat the now hollow shell


Here is the furnace where the metal is melted. We are heating up aluminum cutoffs before putting it in the pot.

This is me getting ready to pour the metal (it's about 120 degrees in the foundry)

pulling the pot out of the furnace

the shell is removed from the kiln and racked close to the furnace


Here I am actually pouring the metal into the rangefinder

a view inside the cup with the still liquid metal inside the shell

after the metal solidifies, we can break the shell and start the clean up process (cutting off the gates and grinding away all the imperfections)


The final result of the Deluxe casting:

Wow, that is an amazing amount of work! Really awesome!!!

Unreal man, what a rush to actually forge your own real armor!!!!!!!!! I've worked with pouring Bronze and its not the easiest to work with especially the clean up!! Beautiful work man, make us proud!

Words escape me . . . I'm simply in awe. Incredible work.

Makes me feel like a chump for BUYING my stuff!

Jer

very nice. wish i had a place like that to work.

lucky man

Awesome work. And to think that there were those who said it couldn't (or wouldn't) be done.

man thanks for share, great work

<|-thumbsup
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That was great. I really like the pictures of the process. They allow you to appreciate the work that went into the process.

Now that looks hard. The results are that much more impressive now.

Dude you are too cool.
ST

That is just amazing..


Great job!!!!!



Jodo

wow! cool!!!

i was wondering how that worked!

Amazing

This cant be cheap
Great work!

Now that is some cool work

Nathan

That is definitly a labor of love. Strong Work!

I'm glad that you are all enjoying the process. It's a great combination of work, art and this great hobby that has infected us

Totally outstanding man! What is the overall time of the entire process?

wow that is very nice!!! how much does it weigh?

Wow, thats amazing. You trully are a Fett fan.

I'm speechless..........

Yeah, great job, impressive. How heavy is it and how much time does it take to make one?

Wow, looks great. I've only worked with sand molds, and just a LITTLE bit. Yours looks fabulous.

Whew, **** is that an amazing looking helmet! Lots of hard work must have went through that, & just to make 1 helmet - but I think it was well worth every second, looks great!

that is truly awesome! mucho applause to you

Outstanding!!

That has to be the coolest thing I have seen here so far. Sweet! That's pretty hardcore and very interesting. I never knew how you do that. The pictures are great too, thanks.

Ah man is that one grate piece of work or what. There's a puddle of drool on my keyboard. Grate work man.

(speechless, my voice amplifier system is damaged due to the beauty of this work...incredible and awesome!

Robert

I just received my copy yesterday.

What a true piece of art.

Thanks, Brian.

Tom

Is it bendable metal or can you actually travel back in time and slay king arthur with it?

great work man, I wonder what it weighs aswell and if there is anyway you could start a line-up for these buckets and make some more fett fans wear REAL armor.

Well I have no clue what kind of aluminum was used but I have a Medieval gorget that is aluminum plate, and its made from aircraft aluminum, 5 times harder than regular steel.

Casting your own aluminium helmet isn't that hard anymore, can I draw your attention to "Lost Foam Casting".
You sculpt the helmet from polystyrene foam and pack it in casting sand, liquid aluminium is poured into the top, it melts the foam but not the sand leaving you a very good representation of the foam part.

That's stunning! Simply stunning!
Can you tell us how much it cost?!

Evilution - Is it possible to cast a wearable helm that way though?

Originally Posted by Evilution

Casting your own aluminium helmet isn't that hard anymore, can I draw your attention to "Lost Foam Casting".
You sculpt the helmet from polystyrene foam and pack it in casting sand, liquid aluminium is poured into the top, it melts the foam but not the sand leaving you a very good representation of the foam part.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH yeah , not hard,,,,,uuuummmmmmmm,,, yeah. goes just like that

Hmmm - interesting - I didn't think this thread ever got attention anymore.
Evilution - Your process sounds similar to the lost wax sand casting but what is shown above is not the same. It would be difficult to make multiples if you were sculpting each foam piece beforehand.

Anyway, the aluminum is virgin aluminum so it doesn't have the strength as traditional medieval armor. Although I suppose it would do all right in a dragon battle. It weighs around 5 lbs and oddly enough it is quite comfortable if padded correctly.

And while we are on the subject... Here is my favorite shot of my all aluminum Fet and Stainless steel ride...


All armor elements are aluminum (cast and formed) and the helmet is my own sculpt and cst using the same method as above.

where did you find that car?lol

find it??? I own it!

Folsom California to better answer your question.

1.21 jigawatts!

You still making the helmets?

If you're going to make a time machine you might as well make one with some style!!


Awesome suit Brian,and an equally cool car

Steve

Originally Posted by cal196

You still making the helmets?

Not any more... but here is an earlier one I did that is in need of a new home:

http://rpf.prop-planet.com/viewtopic...81808&forum=36

WOW WHERE DID YOU GET A DALORIAN????? MY FRIEND WOULD KILL FOR THAT RIDE!!!

Absolutely amazing process my friend. How did you make the wax mold? It is truly amazing the amount of work you put into that suit. Mucho kudos to you. The car is not too bad either, is it pure stock or have you put the real goodies in the front and back?

Also I could not open the other site, PM me and let me know how much your other helmet is.

I work in a bronze foundry. It's called a "lost wax" process. Very cool and dangerous if you aren't careful. Good job! You should let me make one in bronze for you. It should ONLY weigh about 75 lbs!

is amazing sir regars from Chile:thumbup