Hey everyone !
My apologies for not being able to participate in this thread until now. As Alex already posted, I am in the process of a big move. Third leg of the process. Still not done yet, but getting there. It just requires me to be going back and forth from where I'm currently located, and where I'm moving from time to time.
Where to start? This thread has already grown, so I'll have to attempt to address everything I can. If I miss something, feel free to call me on it, and I'll do my best.
First order of business ...
Many thanks to Alex (Spideyfett), Justin (Evan4218 ), and Jason (Darth Miller) for their contributions, and efforts in this project. They've been a tremendous help every step of the way. From our initial conversations, to their feedback in it's conception stages, to heading up it's introduction and workin their glutes off to take great pictures and answer your questions and comments. It's an extraordinarily hectic time in my life right now, if they had not been so gracious, this project wouldn't have seen the light of day for a long time. Keep in mind, they all have lives of their own. So I am grateful ... couldn't have done it without you guys !! :cheers
A second round of thanks goes out to Lee (Rogue Studio's) and Chris (SS) for being so cool about letting a their RF Earcap Assembly be used for the pictures. I was in such I time crunch before I left for Indy this last time, I didn't have a chance to make the remaining pieces. It woulda looked pretty naked without them. Not to mention, I think that those accurate caps do a 'lil somethin for the look of the bucket too
Thanks guys
The FPH ...
Where to start? K, first and foremost, let me address a few of your private concerns and questions.
Question #1 - Is this one of your un-released ROTJ Helmets from back in 2004/2005?
Answer #1 - Absolutely NOT. It will be very evident soon, when I post a comparison of these two helmets together. This helmet is larger, in every way. I know it was the shape of the dent that threw those of you off that asked this question.. The dent is NOT the same either. The FPH dent is a SCRATCH made dent, and is about 20% larger. Again, it will be clear when I post comp shots at a later date. I have to dust off the un-used ROTJ bucket mold and pull a quick copy to illustrate this.
Question #2 - Is the FPH a re-worked / remastered "Master Replica" recast?
Answer #2 - Believe it or not, the question has not been asked, but it's been implied. Absolutely NOT. Again, this will be evident soon, as I will make a gallery of build up pictures from start to finish available on my website very soon. It won't be anything real organized, in any real order, as they're just pics I took with my cell phone at different stages along the way, but they're all there.
Question # 3 - Is the FPH a re-worked / remastered recast of a "Mystery Helmet", of "Terminal Fettler" helmet ?
Answer #3 - Absolutely NOT, and absolutely NOT. Again, pics to follow, read on
Question #4 - Why do a new helmet, when the MSH2 was still a popular choice?
Answer #4 - This answer is multi-faceted. The MSH2 was of course conceived from an original MSH. A helmet that has stood the test of time, sculpted by our very own Natty15d. A terrific sculpt. Admittedly, there were some things that could be refined, I took on the task and purchased the rights to it. Along the way, with so little reference available, and pics with odd angles and perspectives, all that we had at the time ... the helmet soon took on a very different look during the re-mastering. One that I was never very satisfied with. What's more, although the MSH was a terrific helmet, and the MSH2 was a pretty neat helmet in some respects, I wanted to venture away from the whole "MSH" label, and make my own helmet. Ya know? Something I can call my own, and not ride the coat-tales of another artisan's work any longer. In my opinion, the MSH is a classic helmet, that should have never been tampered with. Hats off to ya Nathan !
So lets just get down to the heart of the matter ....
The FPH did start life as an old un-released MSH2 (Ear-On version). Back in the day, I let the forum decide whether or not the ears should be cast on, or off of the helmet, and the majority wanted accurate "Ears-Off". So it never saw the light of day. The funny thing is, it was a test casting that I've had laying in my shop for years, and looked at it one day after Spidey, Evan, and Miller came back from C4 and thought, Hmm? Lets cut that bad boy into a million little pieces and see what I can do with it
So that's the simple answer. I should note that although I can be a traditional sculptor when I WANT to be, in this case, there was already a base, and I was being lazy. Since there were some aspects of the helmet that appeared "Right", i saw it as a good place to start. But soon, realized, that this base, was quickly going to disappear when I started seeing what needed to be done to it. And it did. There is absolutely nothing left in this helmet that is from the MSH family. Gone. The MSH was already next to nonexistent in the MSH2. So what started out as an "MSH3", quickly became the FPH. In retrospect, it probably would have been easier just to start a clay build-up from scratch now.
The effort that was put into this helmet wasn't just eyeballing either. We've got a few good men that have been able to see the real deal up close and personal, for the first time EVER. Without Plexiglas, and laser measurements. With a few sneaky traditional measurements , and a great 3D video, and plenty of niiiiiiice new pics, I think it's a great alternative to the real helmet. Now, I'm not as full of myself as "some" of you might think
It's still a "Fan-Made" helmet. Always will be. It is, what it is, as they say. But I don't think there will be ANY disappointment. The whole idea of this project wasn't to try to re-invent the wheel. But more to just capture the "essence" of what we all have in our mind's eye of the real prop. How we perceive what we saw in the movie. Perhaps even as bold as making those that saw the real prop at C4 feel as if though they'd have to give it a HARD second look to tell that the FPH isn't it
I thought, if it can give you that fuzzy feeling, where you can say to yourself "Yeah?, Yeah! That's how I remember it" ! Then I've done what I set out to do.
I hope this answers the most popular Q&A. As Alex already stated, this master is not in a finished state. I still have a couple of more tweaks, and refine the finish before it can be molded. I will be finishing it this weekend, and preparing to mold it. Time is REALLY short on this project, so it won't be long, I assure you.
Answers to other pertinent details, such as availability you might ask? Well, as with all of my projects, I will be recouping some of my R&D, and sweat equity. So I will make a few reasonably available if there is interest.
On one final note, there is another potential point of possible interest that should be noted. It appears (as of right now) that there will be machined aluminum ears (own sculpted ear masters for the FPH) made available at a VERY reasonable additional cost, if there is interest
Details to follow.
Thanks for everyone's kind words and support. It keeps me motivated !
FP
**EDIT**
Thought I'd share a few pics I had too. These were taken right before I sent the master off to Alex, Justin, and Jason. An interesting perspective that hit me in just the right spot
Take note, that the "Waver" in the brow, DOES EXIST. The guys forgot to mention that it is in fact there. But it was evident when seeing the exhibit prop, that the "Waver" is not nearly as pronounced as we've believed. PArt of it is how the helmet was painted, believe it or not. Because of the ledge on the top of the brow, there was silver paint slopped up there onto to that ledge, giving it a more pronounced appearance, because the rest is red.