I wanted to cry

Hey gang!
My wife saw the effort I was putting into a DP97, and decided to treat me to an early birthday present, and buy me a fiberglass "Mystery Helmet" off ebay. Money order was sent, and the day the helmet arrived via UPS, the driver informs me that "The box looks banged up a bit. Want to check it out?" I opened the box, and it LOOKED alright, but after he left, and I pulled it out, not only was it shattered, but a rain of fiberglass chips came pouring out as well. I felt ill. I had really looked forward to having something better than a DP 97, only to get this. I contacted the seller, showed him the pics, and he is going to be sending me a replacement, and tossing in a resin rangefinder and stalk as well. WHEW! Anyways, here's the pics:


Tell me you wouldnt cry seeing this?
Thankfully the seller is honorable! He told me the replacement would be sent out within the next week. Can't wait, but I am nervous as heck till it gets here, hopefully in ONE piece!!!

I'm getting a little teary-eyed, and it's not even my helmet. Sounds like you're dealing with an honorable seller, though. That makes a world of difference! Good luck!

And UPS should pay you something too becasue that looks deliberate.


Lee

What a piece of ****! Looks paper thin. What Ebayer sold you that? Was it either amiadfilter or r.fett37? I would get my money back and buy a good helmet from someone who knows how to fiberglass like JD
I've Honestly thrown helmets against the wall in fits if RAGE and caused less damage.

What Marrow Sun said.

Lee

Originally Posted by MARROW SUN

What a piece of ****! Looks paper thin. What Ebayer sold you that? Was it either amiadfilter or r.fett37? I would get my money back and buy a good helmet from someone who knows how to fiberglass like JD
I've Honestly thrown helmets against the wall in fits if RAGE and caused less damage.

Yeah, I agree!
That Helmet's not All it's Cracked -Up to be.
But seriously, Who did you get it from.
I don't want to make the same mistake.
Wayne

The most obvoius damage occured by mistreatment, but what I'm also noticing, is that there are telltale signs of major air pockets between the surface layer, and the fiberglass layer. The chips are broken away cleanly, and the fiberglass layer left behind is smooth in areas. If it were a nice tight, clean lamination, the only damage you would see, is the actual cracks.

My advice: If you want a mystry helmet, send a pm to M_S, and don't mess with the ebay recasters.

Ah! What a shame!

But don't blame the seller. Blame the sender.

I'd rather send a helmet packed in a perpetually running industrial paint mixter strapped to the back of lowland mountain gorillia during an earthquake than send it with UPS. I've had nothing but bad experiences with them.

Anyway, at least you get a rangefinder and stalk for your trouble...althought I'd strongly recommend to anyone that they get an aluminum stalk if they can find one.

Cheers!
TJ

I think you got your helm from the same person I did. My 1st impression was that it felt fragile. As soon as my weather is better I am going to reinforce mine with some more cloth and resin. By the way, I've had nothing but bad luck with UPS. I will even go as far as to say I will pay extra to avoid using them.

Check out member bigkidbiggertoys on TDH for an aluminum stalk .Cheers


Mike

Oh NO!

I know how you feel about ups been their before.IM SO SORRY TO SEE THAT BRAKES MY HART.Hopefully the seller will keep his word.

Dosent UPS have some kind of insurance?

Call your local UPS and tell them you recieved a package that was handled roughly and the contents inside are broken. The shipping label will have the shipping code and imformation. Since you have already signed for it, it might be to late, if so its a lesson for the future to never accept a package that looks damaged without fully inspecting it.

Originally Posted by shortimer52

Dosent UPS have some kind of insurance?

UPS is automatically insured for up to $100, you have to pay for anything higher.

That is too bad, it leat the seller is making right.

Lynn

Oh man. That sucks especially since it is something you were looking forward to getting. Well at least your able to get it replaced. Good luck.

*cries* man that sucks at least you got a good seller there

It was amiadfilter, Marrow. He wrote to me and told me the replacement he is sending is going to be fiberglass matt? Says it will look the same on the outside, but be smoother on the inside. I've been told by a friend that will be stronger, but I haven't a clue about the strength of fiberglass.

I feel for you, a while back when I got my first M_S 1 I was well into painting it when one of my kittens knocked it over, it split in both corners of the t - visor section, thankfully though it was quite an easy fix, I really hope the sender sorts you out with a new bucket asap!!!

I also agree with what JD said

I honestly feel for you. It hurts me to know a fella TDH'er gets **** like that.
I do not wish that on anyone. I hope this is rectified as soon as possible!
Post us pics of your new bucket so that you can carry on!

Originally Posted by judz dwedd

The most obvoius damage occured by mistreatment, but what I'm also noticing, is that there are telltale signs of major air pockets between the surface layer, and the fiberglass layer.

What Dwedd said. I firsthand know what airpockets can do to a bucket! Unless you really know how to work with fiberglass it's tricky getting out every air pocket fast enough before the stuff kicks over.

I say get a JD bucket.

Just fill the air pockets with some Bondo and use some 2-part epoxy to re-attach the plates...you can have it fixed in no time. It looks quite nice, well, except for the gaping crush marks. I do agree there seems to be a "bubble" issue.

UPS also is terrible, they lost a clone-trooper helmet of mine 10 days ago...you are better off doing insured mail. They treat that stuff carefully.

And by the way, kidding about the bondo and epoxy...that bucket is dead.

Good luck!

John

Dont give up Hope White Commando(john). My body armor parts where lost for almost 2 weeks. I got the notice on my door the same day UPS tracking showed my stuff out for delivery to me. Then when I went to pick it up they couldn't find it. Almost 2 weeks later I got another tag and was finally able to pick it up. I am glad I got Sintra cuz in the condition the box was in if it had been fiberglass I'd be posting like Bullfett. UPS = Bad News(in my opinion).

Look what happened to my predator bio helmet when I shipped it, ouch!!! I think someone decided to play football with it

Yup..

I won`t go near UPS....I always send something that important via FedEx, it costs more, but I know it`ll get there in one piece.
And I echo what everyone else said.


Stick with a M_S or a JD.

UPS is horrible. A friend of mine works there and he says they ALWAYS find damaged boxes and such but just throw them into the trucks anyways. Sad really.

Originally Posted by BigaboyFett

And by the way, kidding about the bondo and epoxy...that bucket is dead.


John

On the other hand................you COULD try and re-enforce the inside, and maybe make a custom "super dooper damaged hey I just got chewed up by the Sarlac" helmet. Throw in a cracked visor where you can see one of your eyes and you're set

DPR

heh. I'll try my hand at resurrecting it. I use a two part glue, Plastic Weld, for almost everything, and have had excellent success with it. I taped up the huge broken chunk in the back, and used what I had left of a tube of that glue on it. I'll need more, but I think if I build it up enough, and sand it down flush afterwards, you probably would never know it was there. The other cracked sections will be a pain, but I can do it. I've over 20 years plus of modeling experience, and I can treat this like any of the other model kits I've had over the years, be they resin, vinyl, or styrene. Definately a rainy day type of project, and will probably take a BUNCH of glue, but I can do it. I'll post pics of it as I work on it.

Hmmm brings a tear to my eye. I hope justice is served and you get a good helmet you are waiting for.

We can then assume that he made the helmet from chop strand? Please tell me you didn't buy a helmet made from chop strand!!!! If this is the case it wouldn't have much strenght at all and probably would have shattered the same if you dropped it at some point. Goes to show any dummy can pour silicone, but it takes a bit of knoledge and experience to produce quality reproductions. I'd say your seller needs to study his FREEMAN DVD a little more
Better settle down before I get myself into hotwater.

Originally Posted by Bull Fett

It was amiadfilter, Marrow. He wrote to me and told me the replacement he is sending is going to be fiberglass matt? Says it will look the same on the outside, but be smoother on the inside. I've been told by a friend that will be stronger, but I haven't a clue about the strength of fiberglass.

It looks as if Boba took a fatal sniper hit!

Thats just depressing!
All around!

UPDATE:
The replacement helmet showed up today, via FED EX. The seller wrapped it in about a mile of bubblewrap, and most importantly, it arrived in ONE piece! He also included a reference CD, with about 256 pics of Boba Fett on it, detailing almost every single angle possible. Finally, I can do this RIGHT! I am going to take this nice and slow, and not rush a thing. If it takes me a year, it'll take me a year, but I want this to be the best looking helmet/mask in my collection.

This too is exactly why I avoid UPS like the plague. Here is the condition the box containing my ESB Vader helmet arrived...never mind that Ace Ventura simply dropped this very expensive item at my front door...for all to see...despite a required signature.





When I called UPS and took the box into them, they couldn't have cared less. In fact when I talked to a supervisor, he actually gave me attitude about bothering him with this.

I always implore people to use USPS. UPS, DHL, and Fed Ex all suck.

Shawn

Originally Posted by BobaFettSlave_1

It looks as if Boba took a fatal sniper hit!

Whoa! That sucks bigtime!

I'm developing an indescriminate hatred of any and all people who work in any postal-related service.
Grr.