UPDATE 2/10/07
Earlier in the week, I did some light heat-gunning to close the gap between the mandibles to a uniform 1 3/4". This also lined up the top edge of the mandibles to the brow:
So today, following Spidey's suggestion, I coated the inside of the helmet with Rust-Oleum 'Hammered' spray paint. It gives the interior a clean, fresh-off-the-assembly-line look. I used black as my color choice, but in hindsight, I should have gone with a more 'metallic' color like silver or aluminum. I'll save that for my
next helmet...
Next was the final sanding stage. I gave the entire helmet a good sanding with a 150-grit flexible sanding sponge and rinsed the helmet off in the shower. Now I have to clean the shower.
And finally, I applied several coats of Krylon white primer to the exterior and earcaps. It was at this point I learned an important lesson:
to avoid overspray, mask off any openings (visor, keyholes, earcap mount holes) before applying the primer. I had to touch up the inside before continuing.
In between primer coats, I examined the entire surface of the helmet with my hand and good lighting, looking for any lint/hairs/imperfections that I could sand off.
The results speak for themselves:
The visor shown in these pics is not the final visor, as the heatgun episode caused me to have to make some adjustments to the alignment of the mounting posts. Once I had the visor and posts installed exactly where I wanted them, I dabbed a spot of paint around the existing hex-nuts. This way, I can verify the exact center of the holes I'll need to drill into the final visor. I hope that all made sense.
Anyway, this project is drawing to a close. I won't install the rear screen until after the final painting. And since there are already several outstanding painting threads, I'm not going to 'blog' about mine.
And of course, there is the range finder issue. I have one of Asok's clear versions (and Bobo's self-contained LED system), and I will post a separate thread on that piece once I get closer to the servo system installation.
I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions over the last few months. I hope this thread serves as a helpful tool for those preparing their own helmets for painting. Special thanks to the other members of the infamous
Fort Worth Four:
SpideyFett,
DarthMiller and
evan4218.
Let me know if you have any questions!