To crack or not to crack that is the question???

I've come to a MAJOR decision in painting my ESB bucket. What is the general consensus regarding the crack (repair) in the ESB Hero helmet....as far as replicating it on paintjobs????

I was NOT going to put it there,but I've stared at it so long while painting the details around it that I'm getting used to it and was debating putting it on.

Just looking for some food for thought............................

Steve

can you post a pic of the cracked helmet your refering to?

It's the AoSW helmet....the one from the Fett ref. CD or BBs photo archive pics taken by cking.......you guys know the helmet. The pics that best show the detailed shot are waaaay to big to post,and the ones that are just right don't show the detail.

I'm referring to the crack/repair over the left ear and into the kill stripes. The original crack looks like it was repaired with "Liquid Nails" or something similar.

I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that kind of commitment on my MSH At least I know that it can always be added later and still be accurate just like the original

Steve

mabie you could do somthing to the paintjob to look like its cracked and repaired without the risk of breaking a good helmet.

Keep in mind in all likelihood that crack was caused AFTER the filming of ESB, from being used in stunts, and after being handled poorly after all these years travelling around in exhibits.

First let me ask you this. Are you going for the AoSW look or the true ESB look? Because that crack is not on the helmet during The Empire Strikes Back. If you have one of the recent IG-88 action figures on the 'Retro Cards', there is a picture of Boba Fett(with IG-88 standing in the background) on the back of the card and the crack is definitely 'not' there. However, if you are going for the AoSW look, I still WOULD NOT crack it. It's too dicey for such a nice bucket. The most I would do would be to dremel a 'faux' crack in it that could later be filled if I wanted. But that's just me.

Well, I did add the crack to my helmet, but strictly cosmetic. I didn't actually crack my bucket. What I did was, I used a really gummy glue(E6000), and ran it in the shape of that crack. Let it dry, then weathered it with a little bit of acrylic paint, and mustard, that I also let completely dry out. I did this after I had totally finished painting my bucket. It looks like the repaired yellowing crack on the original bucket...I think it adds alot of character to my helmet, and I'm happy with it. The color of the crack gets a little washed out with my flash, but it is there! Hopefully its easy enough to see the basic idea. The top right pic, and bottom left show it best...Add the crack on! It looks cool!

can you circle the crack. I cant see anything but a kick a** paint job . but realy I cant see the crack!

Originally Posted by sithlord23

Well, I did add the crack to my helmet, but strictly cosmetic. I didn't actually crack my bucket. What I did was, I used a really gummy glue(E6000), and ran it in the shape of that crack. Let it dry, then weathered it with a little bit of acrylic paint, and mustard, that I also let completely dry out. I did this after I had totally finished painting my bucket. It looks like the repaired yellowing crack on the original bucket...I think it adds alot of character to my helmet, and I'm happy with it. The color of the crack gets a little washed out with my flash, but it is there! Hopefully its easy enough to see the basic idea. The top right pic, and bottom left show it best...Add the crack on! It looks cool!

I was thinking about going the route you did sithlord. I would NEVER crack the bucket so to speak,more like add a nasty scratch with the proper tool and accentuate it from there.

I'm aware that it did happen post ESB since,as mentioned, it does not appear in ANY ESB promo. pics,production stills,or screen caps. and therefore must have happened due to poor handling.

Note,if you look REAL close on BBs pics you can notice in pics #13+14+15+19+20+50+51+52+53 that during the cracks occurence it revealed the nature of the buckets construction which clearly IMHO appears to be styrene of some sorts...ABS/HDPE possibly...definitely NOT fiberglass throughout,but surely reinforced since we can also see the inside from some pics which clearly is fiberglassed. I just thought I'd mention it since I don't think it's been discussed for a loong time.

The more I think about it I really AM going for a "screen accurate" ESB suit which would leave the crack out.......looks like the tide is turning......

any others??

Steve

here's a pic of my crack . i did it buy just scorring it with a pocket knife then putting the epoxy in the crack .

I agree that it occured due to poor handling. It is a week point in the helmet. I accidentally droped my M_S bucket and got a very similar crack. Luckly it was not too bad and I was able to repair (haven't painted it yet). If I was doing an ESB I may have kept it.

Loranar

As stated, the crack was NOT present on the helmet at any point during filming. So, it's really a question of whether an individual wants AoSW/SE accuracy or film accuracy.

In the past, many Fett researchers believed the Empire helmet might have been plastic. However, after analyzing the recently taken high-resolution photos of the Empire helmet at AoSW, there are several features that strongly suggest the helmet is fiberglass.

The crack on the visor area is not unique to the Empire helmet. The Empire-Style helmet shown in the Best of the Lucasfilm Archives book and the Jedi helmet both show signs of cracking in the same area. It's reasonable to assume that area of the helmet is a weak point. I've seen many fan-made helmets also crack in the same area, and those helmets are made from resin or fiberglass. While it's impossible to tell what the Empire-Style helmet is made from, we do know the Jedi helmet is made from fiberglass.



Additionally, the crack in the helmet looks very representative of a gelcoat crack. As many TDH members know, fiberglass is often covered with a thin, smooth layer of gelcoat. The Jedi helmet and Empire helmet have several of these gelcoat cracks.



While the previous two features I discussed certainly suggest fiberglass construction, this next feature virtually kills any chance of the ESB helmet being ABS, Styrene, or any form of plastic on the outside.




These one two damage areas, one on the mandible and one on the cheek, respectively, would be very difficult, if not impossible, to make on a shell of vacuform plastic- even it was backed or reinforced with fiberglass.

Originally Posted by DL44 Blaster

Note,if you look REAL close on BBs pics you can notice in pics #13+14+15+19+20+50+51+52+53 that during the cracks occurence it revealed the nature of the buckets construction which clearly IMHO appears to be styrene of some sorts...ABS/HDPE possibly...definitely NOT fiberglass throughout,but surely reinforced since we can also see the inside from some pics which clearly is fiberglassed. I just thought I'd mention it since I don't think it's been discussed for a loong time.

The more I think about it I really AM going for a "screen accurate" ESB suit which would leave the crack out.......looks like the tide is turning......

any others??

Steve

Man, I gotta say that is one outstanding paint job!! I am curious about one thing though. I have noticed that a great deal of attention or should I say detail, is given to recreating the ESB version (as it is in its present state) crack and all as with your helmet. Does anyone know how much of the "present" detail occoured after shooting was completed on ESB? In otherwords, what would a "screen accurate" paint look like?

Cheers,
-Kevin

Originally Posted by TK172

Does anyone know how much of the "present" detail occoured after shooting was completed on ESB? In otherwords, what would a "screen accurate" paint look like?

A lot less mucky in some areas, particularly around the dent area where all those brownish marks are.

But more or less, it would be similar.

Just my two cents...I say add the crack it adds that certain battle damaged look to the helmet ! The way I see it...Fett is a man on the move who has to constantly upgrade and repair his armor...even though it wasn't in the actual movie version...who's to say it couldn't have happened later on. I like the way it looks...again...I say add it.


-Scott

I never really thought about the gelcoat factor tyler I should have given it a thought considering my own MSH has a topcoat of such material and would produce such a crack...............


Good forensic skills my friend

Steve

Oh,.............I pussed out and went without the crack...ESB movie style

crack kills :moon

Steve