Getting fresh air in a mando helmet

I am starting a jango fett costume, and planning on making a black vinyl seal around the bottom of the mask to conceal my chin. Having experience as a 501st Vader, I know about how restrictive these masks can be when it comes to fresh air, AND fogging internally.

Has anyone come up with a way to provide fresh air exchange in the mando helmets without sacrificing visual accuracy?

I have a single fan in my vader mask pulling air out of the helmet, this in most cases is fine, but if the humidity is high, my eyes fog, and I go blind.

Any help here in the early stages would be great!

DM

Well. the only real thing you could do is install a single large computer fan, or several smaller fans in various points on the inside. Other then that, I dont know what else to tell you. I only have one, but then again, I dont go out much in it.

-tubachris

Also, when installing the visor, don't feel that you have to 'seal' every inch of the edge. Instead, use just enough glue, sparingly, to hold it in place. This will reduce fogging quite a bit.

I have two small fans in my helmet to kep cool. I also applied an "anti-fog" spray on the inside of my visor that I bought at a dive shop nearby. It is the same spray divers use on there masks to prevent the same thing. I'll look for the bottle this weekend to give you the name. I guess living in FL does have it's perks...LOL

I agree with the anti-fog spray ... and a fan is a must just to keep the air moving around enough.

Well, I just recieved my Raw MSH (Mara Sun Helmet).
Aside from looking very small,(I cannot even wear eye glasses in it) The overall construction, from a composite technitions perspective, is very poor, huge voids in the fiberglass, curled in edges from the glass not having any support along it edges when curing. Pits, chunks peeling off, bumps and warps galore.
Now that I have effectively spat upon its condition, let me say, its not a lost cause by any means, just alot of unecessary work I wasnt counting on.
But the person whom casted this should have just buried this helmet. LOL
But for 30 bucks Its not bad for my first bucket.

To compare this helmet I have to what an actuall legion approved 1:1 scale helmet, can somebody toss some measurements my way, like length and height of the T in the helmet, Maybe overall width across the base, and depth of the brow ridges? Cause this thing almost looks like it would fit my 10 y/o son.

Im making mine into a jango helmet. So given silver will show off all things wrong with it, Im going to be nit picky as heck with this fix job. Any frankly this is my first fett bucket so any help, you guys can toss my way would be greatly appreciated!

And back on topic for this post. I (given the lack of space for nothing other than my head) Am planning on using thin glass sheets preformed into a channel going from the key holes at the rear, to the visor in the front (using the smallest cpu fans X2 I can aquire). It will make a long arc like a V around over the ears, with openings venting at an angle from the outer edge of the T visor facing downward toward my mouth. Given that the ducting I am making will only be about 1/8" high it shouldnt crowd my face.
And with a good couple of 9volts in there, along with some no fog spray, I think I should have quite abit of fresh air.

For anyone interested in how this is done I can send pics, and or a drawings to you along with a description. Its very easy to do.

Thanks

DM

Originally Posted by Darth-Malevelus

Well, I just recieved my Raw MSH (Mara Sun Helmet).

But for 30 bucks Its not bad for my first bucket.

No way you have a Marrow Sun helmet. Sounds like you got a ****** copy of a mystery helmet.

This problem shows up often enough in paintball...and probably more so, since you're running around in the heat and humidity while breathing hard. Some use the aforementioned anti-fog spray on the exterior of a standard (single) lense to help reduce fogging, but in my experience this doesn't help a whole lot.

What I've used for a long time with great success is a thermal lense (my mask, the 'Spectra' model made by JT USA, has one). Basically, a thermal lense is two layers of polycarbonate that form an air pocket between them...which allows for a difference in air temperature between the inside and outside of the mask. This way, it's much harder for condensation (fog) to form. What you need to watch out for is getting ANY moisture between the two layers...that'll ruin the lense.

If we could figure out a way to add an inner lense to a t-visor, in addition to at least one fan pumping hot air out of the mask, I'm fairly sure it would eliminate nearly all of your fogging problems...and I doubt you'll be running around in your getup, anyway.


Just a thought.


-Mand’alor
------------------------------
Josh: “What’s faster than the speed of light?”
Dan: “I dunno…what?”
Josh: “The speed of DARK…when you turn off the light, the dark’s already there!”

Originally Posted by Ripcode

No way you have a Marrow Sun helmet. Sounds like you got a ****** copy of a mystery helmet.

Yep.

I had considered drilling holes (uniformly so it looks like grill-work or the like) in the resin circuit-board and attaching a fan there blowing hot air out the back. However, I have long hair and don't relish the idea of getting a couple strands of hair hung up in it. I'd also considered drilling holes in some pattern or shape on both sides of the helmet with fans directly inside to suck in the outside air-that's what's convenient about customs...Just a thought.

fans are your friend.
I have also seen some drill tiny holes by the right ear piece in between to allow some air movement (along with the keyholes of course).

At the really hot events I leave my gasket off.

I just found two oldskool lense inserts on ebay, which I ordered (they should be arriving any day). These were once used to upgrade a single-lense paintball mask to a double (thermal) one. I *should* be able to cut and modify one (or both) to fit the t-visor I have sitting on my desk...waiting for my Sarge helmet to arrive. I'll let you guys know if I can make this work.


-Mand’alor
------------------------------
Josh: “What’s faster than the speed of light?”
Dan: “I dunno…what?”
Josh: “The speed of DARK…when you turn off the light, the dark’s already there!”

Originally Posted by Dha Syntir

I had considered drilling holes (uniformly so it looks like grill-work or the like) in the resin circuit-board and attaching a fan there blowing hot air out the back. However, I have long hair and don't relish the idea of getting a couple strands of hair hung up in it. I'd also considered drilling holes in some pattern or shape on both sides of the helmet with fans directly inside to suck in the outside air-that's what's convenient about customs...Just a thought.

Before I got a severe haircut, I had the same problem while trooping. I found wearing a moisture-wicking balaclava (sp?) did WONDERS. kept my head cool, and with fans, never had any hair pulling problems.

I'll see if I cant find the time to draw out and scan/post up here a drawing of what I was thinking of.

My design wont matter if you have long or short hair.

and be a dual fan system

Here is a couple of pics of the inside of my MS2.
I cut a hard drive cooler in half and went this route.

-Tim-

Very nice!!!

I was planning on carving out the side of the fans over the key holes, and doing the same on the other/outer sides, then making a thin channel to bring the air to the front. To bring the fresh air from outside the bucket to the face and eyes.

Very nice setup! i like that its only running off one batt too! how long is the run time on one batt?

Originally Posted by Edrrak Nolat

Before I got a severe haircut, I had the same problem while trooping. I found wearing a moisture-wicking balaclava (sp?) did WONDERS. kept my head cool, and with fans, never had any hair pulling problems.

I actually have a comfortrel balaclava around here somewhere-that should help and work as a neck-seal...I wonder if they make grey ones, as it'd match my armor.

Originally Posted by Dha Syntir

I actually have a comfortrel balaclava around here somewhere-that should help and work as a neck-seal...I wonder if they make grey ones, as it'd match my armor.

I wear a gray Nomex (same stuff firefighters wear) sweat-wicking balaclava. I can't put fans in my MSH1 helmet. There's not enough room with my overly-large head, and the constant droning of the fans drives me WaCkO.

With the Fett helmet being open, and the fact that you breathe downward, fresh air isn't necessary in a Fett helmet. The only reason one would need fans would be for cooling.

instead of just a neck seal, i wear a ski mask, its more like a ninja mask because it goes all aount your head, with just a horizontal cut out for your eyes, the way i wear it i leave my nose sticking out of it and i breath through my mouth, it gets hot, but not to the point were im sufficating lol

I was wondering how I was going to keep my hair from getting caught in a fan I'll probably put in my helmet...and now I know that that is a problem. I guess like its already been said, putting something like a holed covering would be good. When I troop I'm going to put my hair in a french braid and probably wear a swimming cap, since that will definitely keep it from the fan..

You can also glue a piece of mesh screen on the front of the fan. That should go a very long way to helping.

If you're going to put mesh screening in front of your fans or vent holes, might i suggest that you use nylon window screen mesh. It's fairly inexpensive and super easy to work with. ( you can pick up a roll at most hardware stores like Home Depot for around $10 )

Originally Posted by Kashyyyk4ABY

I was wondering how I was going to keep my hair from getting caught in a fan I'll probably put in my helmet...and now I know that that is a problem. I guess like its already been said, putting something like a holed covering would be good. When I troop I'm going to put my hair in a french braid and probably wear a swimming cap, since that will definitely keep it from the fan..

I'd go with an UnderArmour skull cap. stretchy like a swimming cap, but wicks sweat too! I picked up one off of eBay for $9 shipped. I wear it in the summer when it's too hot for the full hood.

I was going to suggest a wig cap instead of a swimming cap. Wig cap costs between $1-2, check local costume shops, and is made of panty-hose type material. It'll keep your hair contained without being even half as hot as a swimming cap.