Anyone ever done a vac-Formed Helmet?
- Thread starter hellopike
- Start date
tubachris85x
Well-Known Hunter
There was someone called "blaxsmyth" if I spelled it right, who made a vac-form mando helmet from a two part mold. The face up to the middle top of the dome was one half and the back to the other end of the dome was the second half, just like the two part rubies jango is made.
-tubachris
-tubachris
Bradleyfett
Active Hunter
I've always wanted to do this- it seems like it would work great.
I would do the helmet in 3 parts- dome, front, and back. I would make the ears in resin- they would cover the seam at the side.
If anyone wants to make a mold, I'll offer to do the forming!
Mark
I would do the helmet in 3 parts- dome, front, and back. I would make the ears in resin- they would cover the seam at the side.
If anyone wants to make a mold, I'll offer to do the forming!
Mark
MandalorFett
Well-Known Hunter
I think Rogue Studios or Fettpride has a mold. Let's get started! 
Southern hunter
Active Hunter
I may be wrong, but I remember seeing Snowtrooper helmets being vac-formed in three pieces: dome, rear and front. Vac-formed Mando buckets would be a great starting point for Custom Mandos and Fetts alike. Great idea! :cheers
Bradleyfett
Active Hunter
Now I'm thinking more about this- I have a good fiberglass helmet that I could use as a starting point. I'm thinking that the final cost for a set of parts (front, back, dome, resin ears, resin rangerfinder top) would be in the $50-$75 range. You would have to find your own tinted visor and range-finder stalk.
If I were to make these, how many people would be interested in one?
Mark
If I were to make these, how many people would be interested in one?
Mark
stormtrooperguy
Sr Hunter
at that price i'd be interested in a couple if nothing else than for painting practice
seriously though, i probably would want to do that.
If it were $50 and decent (better than rubies) I don't think I could not buy one. I'd just like to go wild and paint a helmet something crazy, and maybe I could.
Phil
Bradleyfett
Active Hunter
I think were're onto something here with the painting idea- this may be an economical way for everyone to do all those variants we love so much (mcquarrie, albino, pre-prod, etc.)
Hmmm.... I'm really liking the idea.
Mark
Hmmm.... I'm really liking the idea.
Mark
GCNgamer128
Sr Hunter
Weren't Fett Helmets being vacuuformed by TK-560 on his website? I know I have seen them somewhere.
tubachris85x
Well-Known Hunter
You can definitaly do it and it would be alot cheaper for those wanting to do varient helmets. I think a 2 part mold would work better because you can conceal the seam lines better that way. You know how the FX TK helmets are, you can see that line running around the whole thing. I wouldnt mind trying it out if I had time. But you can make it alot more affordable, less than $100 for sure.
-tubachris
-tubachris
Hagen Nor ak
Hunter
A movie sized vac formed bucket for 50 to 75 bucks. I think it would be safe to say your PM's would go through the roof.
Oh and needless to say I'd be VERY intrested myself.
So B.F., you've already started making a mold right
Oh and needless to say I'd be VERY intrested myself.
So B.F., you've already started making a mold right
Rich D
Active Hunter
It would definitely have to be under $100. I would love to have a Fett bucket that was made out of something like ABS, that was less fragile than my resin helmet.
Bradleyfett, I'm not really knowledgeable on the vacu-forming process... would you do the forming on a negative mold (multiple molds)? How would you get decent definition on something like the dent? I've bought a few sub-par sandtrooper parts that were really soft because they formed over a positive mold, rather than from a reverse mold.
I'm curious about the process, and interested to sign up if you try this.
Bradleyfett, I'm not really knowledgeable on the vacu-forming process... would you do the forming on a negative mold (multiple molds)? How would you get decent definition on something like the dent? I've bought a few sub-par sandtrooper parts that were really soft because they formed over a positive mold, rather than from a reverse mold.
I'm curious about the process, and interested to sign up if you try this.
tubachris85x
Well-Known Hunter
You would use a negative mold for vac-forming. Vac-forming is taking a sheet of plastic, heating it up till its soft, and then placing it over a mold on a table with a vaccum attached, and pressed over the mold, with the suction of the vac, pulling the soft plastic around the mold until the plastic cools.
To Lizard, Im not very sure drywall w/ mud would really work. Drywall may withstand it once, but after that, I dont think so. Mud wouldnt last very long at all. Prefered vac-form bucks are gypsum, plaster (best the first time, but may need repair after) MDF, other hard woods, even metal bucks if you can figure how to make them. You can even use dense foam for molds.
-tubachris
In '93 (ish) I purchased a Fett helmet made by MARCO that is vac-formed in two halves. I still have this helmet as it is still one of my favorites in my collection. I know it is not accurate, but it was the only thing available (that I know of) at that time as Don Post had not made Fett helmets yet.
It is a front half and a back half and it is actually rather thick. It was painted in layers with liquid mask used for the paint chips and scratches (there are still a few small bits of the liquid mask left here and there to this day). The paint scheme/colors on mine is actually a lot better than I have seen on my friend's MARCO helmet. I have noticed that Marco had very different versions of his stuff as time went by. My Trooper armor and helmet I had looked different from my friends as well.
The helmet has held up incredibly well over the years. It has mainly been a display piece for me (I did troop in it once about 10 years ago). There are a couple very small cracks in the piece of plastic that they put at the bottom of the mandibles on the inside of the helmet to keep the bottom of the T-visor from pinching.
If any one is interested I can take some pics of it and post them.
JD
It is a front half and a back half and it is actually rather thick. It was painted in layers with liquid mask used for the paint chips and scratches (there are still a few small bits of the liquid mask left here and there to this day). The paint scheme/colors on mine is actually a lot better than I have seen on my friend's MARCO helmet. I have noticed that Marco had very different versions of his stuff as time went by. My Trooper armor and helmet I had looked different from my friends as well.
The helmet has held up incredibly well over the years. It has mainly been a display piece for me (I did troop in it once about 10 years ago). There are a couple very small cracks in the piece of plastic that they put at the bottom of the mandibles on the inside of the helmet to keep the bottom of the T-visor from pinching.
If any one is interested I can take some pics of it and post them.
JD
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