The two knobs on the back of the helmet vent

Anyone know what they are? are they a "found" item, or does someone have some casted up?


I have something similar I whipped up, but they are a bit too large.

They look like the "knurled" screw covers on the old time computer cases to me...

Originally Posted by stonerook

Anyone know what they are? are they a "found" item, or does someone have some casted up?


I have something similar I whipped up, but they are a bit too large.

They look like the "knurled" screw covers on the old time computer cases to me...

I found something that looks close. I went to Lowes in the electrical section and bought some lamp sockets. The bakelite switches looked a lot like those parts in the helmet keyholes.

Evan4218 has my helmet and those parts. PM him and see if he'll post a pic of them in the keyholes on my helmet.

I'm also trying to source those parts... Or something close....

Ripcode,

thanks for the lead! - will have to swing by and see what I can find.

I sent Evan4218 a PM. Hopefully he can post a pic soon.

These are the what you are talking about. They are a special type of wire nut if I am not mistaken. Sadly the wire nuts at your local home depot are too large. (As were the ones that RIP sent me for his helmet) So I am casting some. I will post when I have them done.

Originally Posted by evan4218

They are a special type of wire nut if I am not mistaken. Sadly the wire nuts at your local home depot are too large. (As were the ones that RIP sent me for his helmet) So I am casting some. I will post when I have them done.

Wire nut? Has that been confirmed?

You found something better than the parts I sent you? These I have to see!

Originally Posted by stonerook

Anyone know what they are? are they a "found" item, or does someone have some casted up?


I have something similar I whipped up, but they are a bit too large.

They look like the "knurled" screw covers on the old time computer cases to me...

I was thinking something along the same lines...the post like screw thing that you use to screw in a monitor cable or a scsi cable to the back of the computer.

so whatever they are are the glued onto the calculator circuit board?

I will post more info on this sunday.

Well, I went to Wally World and found light sockets that had the "bakelite" type switches on. (ripcode idea)

About $2.67 USD.

Snapped them off, put a little JB to make the dome top, (they had a flat top with a little concave surface) and tonight I will paint them up.

They have the same length and width from what I can see on the pics, and with the dome, they are pretty close to looking like the prop knobs.


I will be gluing mine straight to the circuit board with CA probably.

All in all, they look good enough for my purposes!

Thanks for the info guys!

I thought perhaps they were wire nuts, but most nuts are flaired at the bottom, these are not.... Plot thickens lol

(will post pics tonight)

Originally Posted by stonerook

I will be gluing mine straight to the circuit board with CA probably.

How I had mine originally attached:

Drill a tiny hole into the part (The hole is the size of a paperclip). Drill that same size hole into the circuit board where the part is going.

Use CA to glue a length of paper clip into the part. Then glue the other end of the paper clip into the circuit board. This gave me a way to control how high the part sat off the circuit board and you could easily bend the part to get the correct looking angle.

However... since Evan4218 has a hold of my helmet... this method may change...

I failed to mention that,

I always pin anything like this with clipped off nails/paperclips and drill holes,

stuff is less prone to snap off like that.


Works really good on resin model kits of people, I've dropped them, and where I had it pinned, it survived.

However, unpinned items went spinning off into the carpet, never to be seen again....

Originally Posted by stonerook

I always pin anything like this with clipped off nails/paperclips and drill holes,

Great minds think alike...

Well, with the lead from Ripcode, I went to wally world and picked up two GE lamp sockets (52877) for $2.76 a piece.

I ripped them out of the assembly:



I added a few drops of JB weld to fill in the top, after it cured, I sanded it to the shape I wanted.

Painted them up with red spray paint, then using dry brushing, put on the silver/chrome highlights.

I then cut them a little pass the ridges, and added "pins" to them.

Drilled two holes in the circuit board assembly, and used CA to hold them in place.

I made the holes angled to the prop angles - makes it easier to mount.

and this is what I came up with:





I think they came out pretty darn close to the real thing!


thanks for the help Ripcode - would of never thought to look at lamp assemblies for this.

great find!!! I'll be shopping this weekend.

Originally Posted by stonerook

thanks for the help Ripcode - would of never thought to look at lamp assemblies for this.

Sweet! They look great! I knew they would!

Evan4218 isn't using the ones I sent him... I gotta see what he is cooking up! (And he's making me wait until Sunday! )

yeah...Justin( evan4218 ) is such a tease...

Originally Posted by Gilmore of OK

yeah...Justin( evan4218 ) is such a tease...

You know it!