SgtFang's new MH: getting rid of those bumps caused by air pockets. (pic intensive)

First off, this isn't a tutorial (I suck at using a dremel) but more of just a log of my progress. Please give me some constructive criticism, I'd like to know how well my work stacks up to everybody else's standards.

Secondly, Sarge's helmet is amazing, but as he stated up front, there are a few minor imperfections; the bumps from the air bubbles.

Thirdly, please excuse the ****** quality of the pictures. My digital camera has a cracked screen so I can't see what exactly I'm trying to take a picture of. I just point it in the general direction of what I'm trying to capture and hope the pic turns out focused. Also the date is wrong, every time I take out the batteries the clock resets itself, and I can't see the menu on the screen to change it since it's cracked. So just ignore the two year old date on all the pics.

First and foremost: saftey first. Don't want annoying chips of resin flying up in your eyes, and don't want to choke inhaling all that dust.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1032.jpg

In this pic i cut out the visor, and held it up in the hole, just holding it where it was once attached.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1005.jpg

In this pic you can see that nasty bump on the left mandible, (as well as my goofy dog).
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1004.jpg

In the next pic you may (or may not) be able to make out the raised bumps on the lower cheeks along the bottom edge. While not horrible, the more I looked at them the more they bothered me.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1025.jpg
Another left cheek angle.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1036.jpg

Here's the right cheek.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1027.jpg

Here's the left cheek after sanding with the dremel.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1039.jpg

Now, in this shot, you can see how much better it looked once I sanded it by hand with a high grit piece of sandpaper. Notice the absence of that bump on the mandible shown in an earlier pic. (Ignore the right cheek; I had to go back and do more work on that side.)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1053.jpg

The bottom tip of the mandibles weren't perfectly symmetrical either. Before:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1038.jpg
After (not a good pic, I know, but it DOES look better):
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1056.jpg

In these next two pics, I was unhappy with where the RF stalk would sit in place. I wanted to insure that when it was up, it was completely vertical. And when down, absolutely horizontal and parallel with the top line of the t-visor.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1043.jpg
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1045.jpg

Now, after some sanding. Much better.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1050.jpg
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1048.jpg

And now the ear pieces. Just a tiny bit of sanding needed.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1009.jpg
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1011.jpg

Finally, once all that was done, I taped in the visor just as a temporary placeholder to see how it looked when I wore the helmet. Not bad.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...e/PICT1023.jpg


With all that said and done, I'd like to know what everybody thinks of the work I've done. Don't be afraid to offend, it IS my first helmet and I'm no expert, after all.

Thanks!

-Pete



EDIT: Completely forgot to mention the keyholes on the back. The dremel I was using is old, and while it still works, I couldn't get the bit off to replace it with a cutting disc. It's pretty much FUBAR now. So in the meantime, the slots are still filled in. I might invest in another dremel, or just be cheap and drill them out (carefully!) with a tiny drill bit. Dunno yet.

Looks good so far dude. I've been tempted to get one of these myself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jawafive

Looks good so far dude. I've been tempted to get one of these myself.

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Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.

And you totally SHOULD get one. It's so worth it, and the extra work is very rewarding!

Great job so far! Looks like it's not too difficult to sand those bubbles down either!
Nice work on the ear for the RF... That must be something everyone with a Mystery Helmet has to deal with!

Kudos!

great job pete!! thanks for doing this...i was kind of apprehensive about sanding, but you did awesome...i need to get busy with mine, so we can race!! :lol no, dont race....sllllllooooooooowww....;) anyways...keep up the good work, man!!:thumbsup

I have one of the original MSH helmets and have just been too broke lately ot pick up another $100+ item.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jawafive

I have one of the original MSH helmets and have just been too broke lately ot pick up another $100+ item.

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I copy that, man. I gotta take my spending slowww too.

But when you do, trust me, you wont be disappointed!

Get some small files. Do the drill tech and then square the slots up with the files. I found a very nice set of small files at a flea market. I think i paid $2.00
The dremel is a great tool,but if this is your first helmet then go slow and be careful.

Before I forget Sparda, you're about a half hour from me ( I was actually at Crossroads yesterday) so if you ever need anything (help with painting, etc) feel free to PM me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goldenrod

Get some small files. Do the drill tech and then square the slots up with the files. I found a very nice set of small files at a flea market. I think i paid $2.00
The dremel is a great tool,but if this is your first helmet then go slow and be careful.

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Oh thanks, I didn't think of using files. I sure my dad has some in his tool shed somewheres.
And yeah, I'm definitely taking my sweet time. I'd hate to mess up this beautiful helmet. It'd be a crying shame if I ruined a $120 work of art.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jawafive

Before I forget Sparda, you're about a half hour from me ( I was actually at Crossroads yesterday) so if you ever need anything (help with painting, etc) feel free to PM me.

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Cool!
We'll continue this convo over PM so as to not clog up this thread.

Great start.... Fangs helmets are awesome.

here are a few links to mods and final pics of what i have done..

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...n13%27s+helmet

It is fiber-glassed on the inside, has a metal BKBT rf stalk, a acrylic piece from *(EDIT) SingleSeat's* run.

I did a few mods to get the right ear-cap to look right, I also made it a 2 piece part, it also "slides" on to the RF stalk, bt way of a piece of sheet metal bracket.
I also did work on the cheeks to have them look correct , and not round, like it was originally cast.

Everything was done topically, the kill stripes, ear cap details are all painted on, except the one WHITE curve detail on the right ear-cap! It is a vinyl decal, I didn't want tape to pull off the BLACK paint.
The rf top was scratch built to fit the acrylic piece.
It has a green shade 5 t-visor which is just held in place w/ hot glue.

and it also has a Resin Casio MQ-1 board on the back!


http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7968/h1ok8.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3418/h2if2.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5206/h3cq1.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6953/hd1ce2.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2827/hd2rx3.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/830/hd3ix5.jpg
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4452/h4mx4.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3517/hd5dq8.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7617/hd6pi4.jpg

Very nice Sixxgunn13. I was wondering how to go about attaching the RF to the stalk.

And WOW, that topical paintjob looks great.

Thx... i no longer have this helmet:cry sold it cause i have a FPH on the way.
Here is SSs AWESOME tutorial..Enjoy.
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f23/singleseats-rangefinder-scratch-built-pics-9190/

great job on the sanding!

Thanks for all the great feedback guys!

One more thing tho, I completely KILLED the left and right corners of the T hole where the visor sits in. That was the first thing I ever cut with a dremel, so I didn't do too great of a job.
You can't see from the pics, but it is actually very sloppy. I'll try to get some pics of them later.
Does anybody have any good suggestions on how to go about fixing them up nice and neat, using some kind of filler or something?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LostSonOfSparda

Does anybody have any good suggestions on how to go about fixing them up nice and neat, using some kind of filler or something?

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plumber's epoxy putty!

you can find it at your favorite hardware megastore. at home depot they have it in 2 places. the adhesives section has a nicely packaged, small, overpriced version. the plumbing supplies aisle has a larger tube for about the same $$, but no carded blister pack to throw away.

you cut a little off, mix it together (it's a white layer wrapped around a dark grey core. mix until it's all 1 color)

you can then shape it however you need to. it cures to steel-hard in about 5 minutes, so only mix a little. once it's cured you can sand and file it.

it bonds to just about anything, and it's easily workable. i find it way easier to use for stuff like that then bondo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tk7602

plumber's epoxy putty!

you can find it at your favorite hardware megastore. at home depot they have it in 2 places. the adhesives section has a nicely packaged, small, overpriced version. the plumbing supplies aisle has a larger tube for about the same $$, but no carded blister pack to throw away.

you cut a little off, mix it together (it's a white layer wrapped around a dark grey core. mix until it's all 1 color)

you can then shape it however you need to. it cures to steel-hard in about 5 minutes, so only mix a little. once it's cured you can sand and file it.

it bonds to just about anything, and it's easily workable. i find it way easier to use for stuff like that then bondo.

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Wow, thanks man. That stuff sounds perfect!
I appreciate it.

Great start bruv... I was worried about the Front of the mandibles and lower cheeks but you've done a stand up job! you should be well chuffed! ;)

As Brian says putty is probably better in this instance (without seeing pics) then file with small set of needle files till the correct shape is required.

Now get those key slots cut out and start painting! :lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mojo-Fett

Great start bruv... I was worried about the Front of the mandibles and lower cheeks but you've done a stand up job! you should be well chuffed! ;)

As Brian says putty is probably better in this instance (without seeing pics) then file with small set of needle files till the correct shape is required.

Now get those key slots cut out and start painting! :lol

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Thanks man, I really appreciate all the great feedback you guys are giving.
The little bumps are no problem to fix, so no need to worry. You just gotta take your time and be careful and it turns out great.

Need to cut out the key slots, but I'll have to get a new dremel I think. The bit in right now is STUCK. and nothing i do will get it out. Might have to bang it around or just break it off. Probably wont turn out good, I'd be better off just buying a new one I think.