helmet build

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 27, 2015

• #1

Hi guys! Spartan here, I'm new to this whole costuming thing but would like to jump right in! I'm starting a scratch build on a mando helmet, and will add pictures as I go! Any advice is greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy this is step one for me! Lemme know your thoughts and ideas!

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2015

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #2

So I've seen a few different ways to harden this into a fiberglass helmet, but I want to hear what you guys think? How can I harden it and smooth out the paper bumps, while still being able to paint it with fiberglass later? Do I paint the pieces with resin as i go or use bondo or spackle? If I use spackle or bondo will fiberglass resin still stick later? And advice ASAP would be great!

 

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RalfSkunk

Jr Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #3

Start with coating it with a light coat of fiberglass resin to make the paper stiff. If you use too much, it gets soggy and it will lose its shape. You can then add the bondo and sand until smooth after the resin sets up. The resin in the bondo is the same as fiberglass resin, so they should stick together just fine, but it's still probably worth sanding the surface a bit to remove the wax layer from the fiberglass resin and to provide some extra mechanical bonding. Good luck with the helmet.

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #4

RalfSkunk said:

Start with coating it with a light coat of fiberglass resin to make the paper stiff. If you use too much, it gets soggy and it will lose its shape. You can then add the bondo and sand until smooth after the resin sets up. The resin in the bondo is the same as fiberglass resin, so they should stick together just fine, but it's still probably worth sanding the surface a bit to remove the wax layer from the fiberglass resin and to provide some extra mechanical bonding. Good luck with the helmet.

Click to expand...

Awesome thank you! Then after the bondo do I need to add more fiberglass?

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2015

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #5

Got the frame done!

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #6

Can any one tell me how to put this inner surface on?? I feel really dumb but I can't make it fit my base template(the part with the flat cheeks on the bottom of my frame) and idk if I'm supposed to or not... Wierd roadblock, but it doesn't seem like any one else is having this problem..View attachment 85382

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Feb 28, 2015

• #7

Got a lot of work done on my bucket today, mainly correctional, but I think I'm headed in the right direction

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 2, 2015

• #8

Almost done!

 

hamsandwich72

Hunter

• Mar 2, 2015

• #9

I'd suggest reinforcing from the inside. Start with a couple coats of rondo (50/50 mix of resin and bondo) to smooth out the sharp corners. Then a layer of fiberglass cloth and resin. That'll get you a solid bucket!

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 4, 2015

• #10

Thanks for the advice! I did what you said and I have a way more solid helmet dome and face(excluding the material I'll need to cut for the visor) this is where I'm at now, im starting the ears thanks to a thread from antman, this is my progress so far I haven't glued the ear on yet because I haven't decided how wide I want them to be.. I'll compare them both when I finish the second one. As of now the materials I've used are the RDF file courtesy to WOF, cardstock, some corrugated cardboard(for the frame), a crap ton of glue, hot glue, and some brushes, fiberglass resin, bondo General repair paste, and the rondo mix hamsandwich72 suggested. For the ears I'm using a thicker cardboard(not corrugated) taken from the back of legal notepads. I'll keep you guys posted!

 

hamsandwich72

Hunter

• Mar 4, 2015

• #11

Looking good!

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 5, 2015

• #12

Thank you! Sorry for the wierd file uploads, I'm still getting used to this site. As of now I've done 3 coats of bondo, using a radial sander to smooth them out, it's as glassy as I'm going to get it before I do the mold of it. I also got the keyhole piece in and am almost done with the ears. Thanks for the support! If any one knows where I can get a boba fett ESB/ROTJ jumpsuit for cheap let me know, I'm considering doing the armor as well

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 9, 2015

• #13

Got further! I also have the visor cut out now, but it's a bad picture... Haha you you guys go

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 15, 2015

• #14

Gotten a lot further, I did some more bondo and spackle to smooth it all out, layered the inside with fiberglass cloth and resin( seriously sturdy bucket now) and then painted it with a primer gloss grey to keep the silicone from sticking to it when I mold it. Also I added an approximately 3/16 of an inch thick band around the base of the dome(not in the templates but it looks more Boba Fett - esque.) now I've covered up the visor and keyhole with plasti- cardboard (like on toy packages) and am about to start molding!

 

animefan

Active Hunter

• Mar 15, 2015

• #15

looks like your cheeks need a lot more sanding.

 

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Spartanwarrior

New Hunter

• Mar 16, 2015

• #16

Haha yeah a lot of that was the lighting.. I didn't notice that before