Newbie - Fett Helmet

Hey there, I started this thread over at the RPF, but thought I would duplicate it here in hopes of getting more feedback and advice. I hope this is ok.

Hi all, complete newbie here embarking on my first prop and pepakura build. I'm using firefeks file and having a good time giving the pep thing a go. I have nearly got it at resin/fibreglass stage but I am unsure if I should pep the 'ear pieces' or not. I have looked at several build threads and it appears the consensus is it may be easier to leave them off at this stage. What do you think?



So I finished up the pep leaving the ears off. I've started the resining and will post pics off that soon.



I've made a little more progress.. this has been my first experience with fibreglass and bondo. I have read heaps on the forums and checked out lots of youtube vids, so I think I am going the right direction, however please let me know if you have any advice or comments or can help me do things better...

First of I resined the inside and outside and then fibreglassed just the inside:


Now was time to start my adventure with bondo, I gave the resined helmet a light sand and then jumped in. I didn't get as smooth an application as I was trying for, but I guess that will come with practice.


After a bit of sanding:


Lots more work to do... Please let me know if you think I am on the right track. I am just going to keep going with filling the gaps and sanding and filling the gaps and sanding etc... Try to get a consistent shape and then worry about the details later.

I am in the process of sanding/bondo today, as I work I am trying to figure out how to build the ridge around the helmet. I read in my research of another builder using cardboard and then filler over the top. What have others done?

I'm lost! More bondo and sanding today, but I am feeling lost as to getting the right shape into the cheeks and creating the straight edges for the eye section. My thoughts are that is should start by putting the ridge (above the eyes) around the helmet and work from there. But I'm not sure how I am going to do that. Any ideas and what my next step should be?

......

So I decided on trying some foam tape that I found. I stuck the tape around the helmet...

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I then spent the next two days bondoing and sanding trying to create a nice edge..

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I am having problems trying to get it right... Does anyone have any tips/techniques they could share? Is trying to bondo over a spongy foam a problem? Im currently using 120 grit sandpaper and a grinding wheel on a dremel.

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I do think somewhere along the way you have lost some of the forms. what did you use to make the initial pep helmet?

This is a day late and a dollar short, but it works better to do bondo very thinly and a small section at a time. My suggestion is to make reference pencil marks for the main character lines (helmet rim, cheek lines, etc.), then start sanding down towards the paper. If you get into the paper, hit it with a little super glue and a thin coat of bondo. once you have everything smooth and mostly in shape, you can get the rim back by dabbing bondo (what I did), or by laying a couple of layers of cardstock.

You have a lot of sanding in front of you (I was in the same boat), but it will pay off. Here's how my pepakura turned out. I did use resin ears and rangefinder with a stainless steel rangefinder stalk.

Sorry the photos didn't attach to my earlier post. This is what I was trying to attach...

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the feedback.

TheZeroEffect - I used cardstock to pep the helmet. There's pics at the top of this thread.

Queso - sounds like good advice. I will take that in to my next build. I'm learning heaps as I move through this build!

Great start on the helmet. Love seeing the progression of it.

Like the man said that's good start it will be interesting to see where you go from here. Keep the posts coming