My Contribution to TDH

Right, we are nearly done with the model, the back plates are nearly done (when I say nearly I would say 98%, there are a couple of dinks I need to sort out).

Most of the work, as you will see is needed straightening up the key slots to make them look neater and symmetrical.

I spent about 5 hours today getting it this far, but I must say I am proud of the fact that the left rear quadrant is so shiny, you can see reflections in it :D hehe

anyhoo, here it is... so close I can smell it!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/rear.jpg

pretty pretty shiney shiney ;)

That should make the mould slide off much easier.

Still sorting out the fine detail, but I have managed to buy myself a Lazy Susan, which is short for a turntable, I've also bought some modelling clay to help me seal off the model for casting.

I'm going to post pictures of the fine detail soon so hopefully you can all help me see if I have made any errors.

My dad's had a little go at me about my perfectionist streak, he pointed out to me that if I am selling it as not movie accurate I shouldn't be spending my time trying to make it movie accurate.

He's got a point. Once I am happy with the key slots (nearly done now) and a couple of dinks that need filling I am going to cast.

Finally...

:cheering:cheering:cheering

Oya ner vod!!! Kandosii!!!

Hey EVERYONE who is watching this, I got SAZ's first "DEMO" bucket, and the quality is EXCEPTIONAL!!!, and that was a "dinked up" bucket, so I KNOW when SAZ puts these up for sale you WILL WANT ONE TRUST ME!!

Just a quickie for anyone who's experienced with Silicone molding, if I put mold release onto the model prior to putting the gunk on, will it not stick properly to the model and cause the detail to be lost?

Ok picture time and be honest.

Is this Keyslot ok? If not, where does it need improvement?

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Keyslot.jpg

Ta

I took a look at the picture myself and spotted a few things that needed changing/straightening.

Guess what?

Stick a fork in me, I am done!

Yes! After a long hard slog of repairing the original model, I will be preparing the thing for making the mold.

Mold making will start on Monday and I will progress it for you, so peeps who want to experiment with silicone can do it themselves.

A part of me knows that it is all done, another part of me wants to continue until it's "perfect" but as it was pointed out to me, I'm not supplying movie accuracy!

I will probably spray mold release into the keyslots and the left ear piece to prevent damage like what was seen last time, but I think the model is pretty much sorted for ripping the mold off again.

I'm quite excited as I can begin to look into the other artistic pieces I had in my mind that I will be able to create from this master mold.

With all that's happened whilst I have been repairing and literally reconstructing the back plates from scratch, I think it may have been easier to start from scratch again, but perseverance is a Godly trait, or so they say...

Anyhoo, I shall be back with you on Monday with the first shots of the molding.

I've been watching your progress through this, and I think you've done a great job! My friend is looking into doing a custom Mando, and I know who to refer him to once you get these things rolling!

I appreciate your comments, thanks :)

Looking good mate!!! Glad to hear that you are gonna mold it!!! (ahem...FINALLY!!! perfectionist...:b jk vod. this is the best bucket I have ever seen that isnt movie accurate.)

Keep the pics coming!!! Id love to see the molding and casting process.

Great work AS ALWAYS vod!!!
:cheers
A'den

Thanks mate.

Anyhoo, just so you can all see how done I am :)

Here are all the pieces, spent most of this morning finishing off the extra parts. They are due a final coat of primer.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Pieces1.jpg

All the pieces, the rangefinder is in two halves so you can put in any electronics and keep it nice and light so it doesn't bend the stalk. I haven't put the screen on as there are different types, so it allows you to custom it to your own specs.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Pieces2.jpg

The RF is put together.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Side.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/rear-1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/rside.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Wholelot.jpg

The whole caboodle :)

Phew! Now, off to a barbeque I go!!!! :D

I really like it, I hope you take LOTS of pics if the moulding process, I want to see how to do it so I can cast my customs I have in mind.

XLNT WORK VOD!!

Ok, so I've started to seal off the bottom of the model ready for coating it in silicone goop.

First of all I took a plastic sandwich tray cover (the big display ones) and cut off the sides, placed it on the lazy susan (which is a turntable).

This will allow me to rotate the model without touching it.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Lazysusan.jpg

Then I roughly put the modelling putty (Plasticine) on the bottom edge.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Putty1.jpg

I used my finger to smooth it in and then I cut an angle from a coffee stirrer and used that to smooth it out to the line. The important part here is not to allow any gaps, get it as smooth as you can so it looks like it is part of the model, it will give you that extra bit for cutting down when you cast your models from the mold.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/putty2.jpg

And that's it so far, the great thing is that once you let the modelling putty cool down it becomes a harder surface and becomes quite sturdy.

Without this process the silicone will seep under your model, which causes a few casting problems and usually means you have to cut it away afterwards. Plus it looks a lot neater too :)

Looks GREAT!!!

As you'll see in the next shots, the first coat of silicone RTV has been painted onto the model.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Goopfront.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/gooprear.jpg

The RTV I am using is condensation cure, which I believe means that it cures via evaporation as opposed to Additive cure, which I believe is a chemical reaction.

First things first though, some technical terms.

Cure: The process where the liquid silicone becomes a solid rubber.
Pot life: How long it takes before the silicone has cured too much to put on the model without gunking it up.

To make the RTV paste, you need to mix two ingredients, usually the main form and the catalyst, sometimes the catalyst is dyed a colour to help you mix the two together.

There is usually a ratio of how this is mixed, this is very important to get right as they add to the confusion by changing the way the mix should be handled.

There are two main ways.

1. By weight.
2. By volume.

1 needs to be measured on the scales, 2 needs to have a measuring cup, painters' mixing cups are great for this.

The ratio is usually around 20 parts silicone to 1 part catalyst but can go all the way up to a 1:1 ratio.

So you need to ensure that you measure out the silicone and use a calculator to find whatever weight or volume of the catalyst you need.

The silicone should give you an idea of when it should totally cure, but with the painting part, you need to have it still partially cured so the next layer will bond to the one underneath it.

Most layers should cure within 24 hours, so you can spread layers over a 2 day period.

I will be following Stormtrooperguy's advice and go for 2 thin layers, then add the thickening agent for 2 layers and finally going over with 1 smooth layer.

2 things you should note about silicone, it will run, so, give it a once over so the area is covered, but also ensure that there is more silicone at the top of your model, after the 24 hours, it will be at the bottom of it unless you use a booster, but I've found that they are unpredictable. The second thing is keep a note of your potlife and aim to get an even spread quickly, the last thing you want is your silicone beginning to harden on you and it not getting into the right crevaces.

I'll be giving that silicone 5 hours and will go for the next coat.

Second coat is done, but there's no need for piccies :)

Right, first load of thickened goop has been added.

The best way I found is to add the thickner a part at a time until you are happy with the consistency.

I might have to do three layers of thickened goop to ensure that the dome part is covered with a thick enough area of rubber, as that was where it went wrong last time!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Hardgoop1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Hardgoop2.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Hardgoop3.jpg

Great! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out. ;)

Amazing work so far Saz.!

Thanks guys.

I've put the third thickened coat on and begun to create the key.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/key1.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Key2.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Key3.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Key4.jpg

The key will be used to help re-align the outer jacket to the body, I will be making a small pot to ensure that this is a nicely defined key and use the rest to coat the outside a little bit more before the final light coat.

Getting there :)

The cardboard key is in, but I have had an influx of money making work, so I will have to concentrate on that first.

I've the final smooth coat to do, I'll get pictures up as soon as I get my work done.

Hokie Cokie!

Work's done, so here's the progress so far:

1. Final Thickened goop is put on with the cardboard Key so it has an object to lay against, the cardboard will be usefull in the jacketing stage.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Finalgoop.jpg

2. Coat of normal runny goop over the top to take out some of the hard edges. It may need another coat though.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Finalcoat.jpg

I am ordering some more silicone today as I still have the other items to cast!

I'm being ultra cautious at the moment and will wait till the new silicone comes to put another coat over to smooth it off.

Meanwhile, I did try to do a step by step on how to make a mold for flat pieces, but I ran out of silicone completely whilst doing it, so the end result isn't very good at all :(

I will post up the steps later though, as I think it would help a few peeps here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saz.

I'm being ultra cautious at the moment and will wait till the new silicone comes to put another coat over to smooth it off.

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Better safe than sorry with this sort of thing! I cant wait to see these done!!! :cheering

:cheers
A'den

While we wait for the main helmet to be completed and because people have made mention that they want to know about the techniques I use, I thought that I would show you the simplest method for molding with silicone. Now, this has been done with extensive research into the process, so I know that that I won't be steering you wrong.

I call this method the "Drip" method and here it is step by step:

Type of objects you should mold with this method

You should only use this method if your item has a large flat area you can use as your base, so I will be using this method for the RF stalk.

1. You need a smooth base.

A flat bit of glass or large tile is best, but you can use plastics, anything that won't allow the silicone to get under it and get caught in crevaces. Trust me, it's pretty persistent stuff and if there is a hole, it will find its way in there.

2. Making the container.

Silicone needs an area with which to work in, if that area is thick enough then you can mold straight into a silicone mold without the need of a hard jacket. So you have to be generous with it. The problem is that with a variety of shape your containing box needs to vary too. depending on the size of the object you can use cups and boxes, but I found an ingenious method to make custom containing boxes.... LEGO!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone1.jpg

I can't remember the name of the guy who put this method out there, but serious props to him and if he's here thanks mate!

Yes, Lego is probably the most diverse box making material you can use as in the picture above, you can size the box to the model. You can see that I have given it a lot of room at the sides and top, this is the level of thickness you want to be looking for.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone2.jpg

Of course a mold is 3d, so I have put another layer of bricks to sturdy the model and have some depth to the mold. Ideally, you'll be wanting to fill this to the brim with silicone.

4. Seal off the model

This is an important step, I can't quite emphasise enough how pervasive Silicone is in its liquid form, if there is a micro fracture in your model, it will find it, that isn't too much of a problem as you can trim the model afterwards, but to ensure that you don't have to, you will need to seal off the model.

I use re-usable modelling putty or paste, it's sometimes known as plasticine.

The important part with this is to keep the lines of the model, but get the plasticine in underneath the model where the cracks are, if the putty is in there, then the silicone won't be and that will prevent skinning (Where a fine layer of silicone covers the part you are supposed to pour into).

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone3.jpg

You can be pretty rough when applying the silicone, I tend to use a coffee stirrer to push the putty under the model, use a craft knife to cut off the excess to the line and fill in and use the stirrer again to smooth off.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone4.jpg

Till you get the above picture.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone5.jpg

You will also need to seal off the box because, believe it or not, the silicone will seep under the lego and through the gaps in the bricks. No, I am not kidding! If you look at the white brick to the right, it still has the remains of the silicone after it managed to sneak through the gaps.

You can be rough with this on the outside as it won't affect the model on the inside, be sure to cover all the gaps between the bricks.

5. Preparing the drip method

So what is the drip method all about?

When you mix up silicone you create air bubbles between the mixture, which, if caught up against the model will produce flaws in your final model, imagine if an airbubble settled down next to the model, it would leave a hole next to the object and anything cast would have a bubble attached.

The pro method is to buy a silicone vaccuum tank, but they cost a fortune, so the cheaper method is to use gravity to remove the air trapped in the silicone.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone6.jpg

First, cut a hole into the cup with a screwdriver or some sharp implement. Put some tape over the hole, but make sure you are able to take the tape off.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone7.jpg

Put the model below and get the cup in a position so the hole will be able to drip silicone into the hole.

6. The drip

This method uses gravity to stretch out the silicone as it slowly drips onto the model, because the stream is so fine, the air bubbles trapped in it pop and you get pure silicone dripping into the model case.

You will need to mix up some silicone in one cup and then pour it into the second cup with the hole. If you want to try be conservative with your silicone (as it costs a fortune!!!) then you can use rice to fill the model to the brim, then empty the rice into a cup and mark off the height, this is the rough amount you'll need. Though I usually have another project that I can use the silicone for.

Also do not use thickners or quick cure agents with the gel or it will clog up and harden long before you have used it all. It needs to be pure drip. I've never used thinning agents, so I couldn't tell you if that would speed up the time from cup to mold.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone8.jpg

Take off the tape and watch in wonder as the silicone slowly pours out and becomes a fine stream of liquid. Make sure you manouever the model so that the drips do not touch the model as this could trap air between the two, you want it to hit the space around it and allow the silicone to slew over the model.

You will also have some useable bi product in the other cup, I tend to hang over the model with the mixer cup upside down, you usually get quite a bit dripping out into the model.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...pSilicone9.jpg

You may get little bits on the model while you are adjusting but they should be ok.

Note also how I have positioned the model on the tile, so it's closer to the edge, this will prevent you having to invent ways of getting the drip cup as far away from the edge as possible, if it's closer to the edge then you don't have to put the cup out so far and thus prevent family members and/or pets knocking it over.

Oh and make sure you do it in a room without a breeze, the drip is affected by the slightest breath let alone a breeze! :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...Silicone10.jpg

Finally here you see the silicone beginning to slew around the model, you want to fill this to the brim. In my case I didn't have enough and had to abort the process.

Once it is done LEAVE IT ALONE on the floor for about 3-4 hours, then move it to higher ground.

That's about it, I will try again with the new silicone when I have it and will show you the end result.

Hope that's help you in your modding needs :)

And with the silicone coming yesterday I was able to finish this off:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...oldrfstalk.jpg

It is thick enough so it will not need to be jacketed.

And also put another thickened layer on to smooth things out:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...enultimate.jpg

One more layer and I'll be ready to make the jacket

That is crazy sweet!!! Great work!

Thanks for your comments :)

Right, last coat of silicone is now on and it's time to prep for the Fiberglass jacket.

I've been doing a little trimming of the key to ensure that the fiberglass goes on as smoothly as possible, this is using a craft knife to cut a straight edge and the unwanted parts of the silicone is peeled off across the top and bottom.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...trimmedtop.jpg

The other thing I did is a lesson from my last attempt. I found it difficult to realign the base of the mold to the jacket when I took it all apart and put it back together again and I felt that I needed to find a way to ensure proper alignment.

So what I have done is cut peg holes into the base lip of the silicone. What will happen then is that the resin and fiberglass will be pushed into the hole creating a peg. This will mean than when I come to marry the two together once the model is removed I will know exactly where the model should be placed and make it quicker to align the mold and the jacket together correctly.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...mmedbottom.jpg

I will hopefully be able to get started in the next few days, but the weather has been pretty poor here.

I haven't had a chance to comment in this thread, but I wanted to say that this is probably one of the best casting WIP threads I've ever seen.

Major props Saz!

You're right there NT! ;)

Saz, you're not wrong about the weather mate. :( Very poor. :(

Great work SAZ, I am begining to understand the process of molding... I actually found it to be confusing before now. :wacko

Thanks for your kind words guys! It is appreciated.

I had a little spare time so I have begun to mold the RF hood, I'm taking a bit of a risk with this (Vader :D) as I am using the flat drip method shown above and I hope to work it back out of the silicone without breaking it!

It is actually good if it is difficult to get your item out of the mold because it means that the thickness of the silicone won't have allowed the resin to warp the model and model warping is downheartening!

Skupilkinson, if the weather here doesn't improve I'm going to have to stink the house out with resin :(

Not my first choice, I can tell you!

I'll be going onto two part casting sometime later as I need to get the earpiece and viewfinder part of the RF to mold. Mind you, I'll be doing that purely from theory that I have researched (which is why I left it till last :D)!

I tried that mate, got into a spot of bother when the wife came home. LOL!

Whoops! Ahhh, the amount of ear bendings our love of Starwars has caused mate! Nevermind, If I were you I'd convince her that Torchwood was real and the smell of resin prevents attack by Plugarths from Nord.

Though you might do well to run if she calls the men in white coats :lol

LOL!! Nah, she'd just put it down to me talking rubbish again. :) She "doesn't do sci-fi.". LOL!

Just thought! Bet you are popular with your pep experiments :)

Popular? You mean with the wife?? LOL! She tolerates my hobby, I think it's fair to say. :) we have enough space here though that they aren't dotted all over the house. She's a good one. :)

Right, the RF top cover came out of the mold pretty easily, which has me a little worried that the rubber might be too thin, only way to find out is a test piece.

The other problem is it's going to be hard to get mold release into the mold. I may have to try another method if this doesn't work.

I also had an excess of silicone, which I poured onto the bucket mold for more smoothing, so it's still a bit tacky.

Might be tuesday before I can start jacketing this bad boy.

Ok, well I got a bit of nice weather yesterday and I managed to do the front half jacket and cast an RF stalk.

Can't show you the pictures atm as photobucket is having a wobbly, but will get them up as soon as I am able.

My only concern really is the stalk, it's a little flimsy, so I will have to find something to add to it to give it a little bit more sturdyness.

Right, now Photobucket is playing ball, here are the photies :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...castjacket.jpg

Don't ask me why my resin has turned green, I have absolutely no clue.

Once I had done the jacket, I had enough to do the tests on the extras, including a fun little bit I made to use if I had a little bit of resin left over :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Caststalk.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/castsaz.jpg

Pouring with rain today, so went out an bought more matting and some fiberglass tissue to see what that is like for reinforcing the rf stalk.

Ok, are you ready?

Second jacket is applied:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...Jacketrear.jpg

Placement screws are drilled in:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...Moldscrews.jpg

Mold is removed, which has left a damaged model, but not as bad as last time, I could fix this up pretty quickly.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...oldremains.jpg

And here we go, TDH meet Mold version 2, mold version 2 this is TDH

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Moldsolo.jpg

By the way, that mold is being held by my left hand and it still keeps its shape!

I've reconstructed the mold pieces together ready for a test cast:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...onstructed.jpg

Also, the two part mold went horribly wrong, the mold release did not keep the two halves from sticking together, so I reckon that a wax should be used instead to keep the mold surface watertight.

However, with a scapel and a lot of patience I managed to create a slit from the sprue which meant I was able to cast with what I had and slip the model out of the mold.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/Castear.jpg

The hood test casting didn't go as well, so I will probably re-mold it using the paint on method.

So... I find it a little ironic that I get on this site in the first place to get to pretty much just see what the hype is about for my fiance's sake (though he doesn't know I'm on here yet,) and I spend an hour and a half reading through this thread while he's at work, completely engrossed in how you're doing this and totally can't wait to see the finished product. Good going, Saz! Keep up the hard work, mate-- it's felt rewarding just to me as I'm reading through and seeing the photos; I can't imagine what it'll feel like for you when you finish, but I imagine it will be a lovely feeling!

Edit: I posted this after only reading the first page of things, not realizing I was missing a whole second page of information and pictures. AWESOME! Again, amazing job and you have shown much more patience than I think I would have. Props to you, mate!

(Also, how long did it take you from start to where you are now? Not having a date shown for each of these posts--that I can find-- has been a mite bothersome.)

He-Hey! Looks like you've converted a girl Saz!!! Always a good thing. :) Maybe I should sit my other half in front of this thread and get her to read through it all. ;) LOL!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nomadbride

Also, how long did it take you from start to where you are now? Not having a date shown for each of these posts--that I can find-- has been a mite bothersome.

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I first bought the cycle helmet in October 2008 and built it up from there using pictures from the internet and a few measurements someone gave me. I joined TDH in February and banged my head against the desk when I realised just how much resource there was for building helmets.

My first attempt to create a mold and cast was in April and it's taken me up to today to repair the model and remold it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skupilkinson

He-Hey! Looks like you've converted a girl Saz!!! Always a good thing. :) Maybe I should sit my other half in front of this thread and get her to read through it all. ;) LOL!

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1st minister for the church of Star Wars me!

"Oh happy daaaaay! (Oh happy day)
Oh happy daaaaay! (Oh happy day)
When Luuucas walked..."

YES!!! The mold looks awesome mate!!! Hurry up cast some of these so i can buy them!!! :cheering

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skupilkinson

He-Hey! Looks like you've converted a girl Saz!!! Always a good thing. :) Maybe I should sit my other half in front of this thread and get her to read through it all. ;) LOL!

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I think he has! And Skupi, you just might be surprised... (But it helps that I'm doing this to surprise my man rather than me sitting here as he explains and most of it going over my head. I just need a bit more time to sit and look and read and get interested.)

Man, that's looking so good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nomadbride

I think he has! And Skupi, you just might be surprised... (But it helps that I'm doing this to surprise my man rather than me sitting here as he explains and most of it going over my head. I just need a bit more time to sit and look and read and get interested.)

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For me I grew up with Starwars, so it's a little difficult for me to attract you to its appeal without sounding a bit childish, but the best way I can describe it is that it has always tapped into my imagination and made me a creative person because I allowed myself to believe and care about the characters, including that bounty hunter we are all trying (in our own way) to emulate.

Men tend to look up to heroes and Starwars had plenty.

Spiderman, Transformers, X-Men and the Thundercats, they are all cool from my childhood and I still hold a candle for them :)

But I really hope that you begin to love Starwars for Starwars and not just because your man likes it.

Because it's a very personal thing, well, at least in my opinion anyway :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saz.

For me I grew up with Starwars, so it's a little difficult for me to attract you to its appeal without sounding a bit childish, but the best way I can describe it is that it has always tapped into my imagination and made me a creative person because I allowed myself to believe and care about the characters, including that bounty hunter we are all trying (in our own way) to emulate.

Men tend to look up to heroes and Starwars had plenty.

Spiderman, Transformers, X-Men and the Thundercats, they are all cool from my childhood and I still hold a candle for them :)

But I really hope that you begin to love Starwars for Starwars and not just because your man likes it.

Because it's a very personal thing, well, at least in my opinion anyway :)

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Did you grow up on the movies or the books (including fan books) or both? (And for anyone here who are fans of the books, what would be some good ones for me to read as starting out on Star Wars and getting to know it all better?)

I understand what you mean about heroes, as it's not limited to men but I think maybe is stronger for them? I don't know. My man's a big comic fan and knows a TON about the Marvel and DC worlds and alternate worlds. I grew up in South America and Europe and never heard much about most of the superheroes until recently. Figure I'll start with Star Wars and do some reading, etc. for now : ).

I'm curious though, what IS the draw to Boba/Jango Fett? My younger brother is a big fan as well-- maybe I haven't read enough? It's more than him just having cool armour, I assume...? (maybe this last question brings my comment more around to staying on topic again, too : ))

I think you'd love the Republic Commando books by Karen Traviss. ;) The stories( There are 4 books so far with a new one out in the next two months) are very emotional. It details the Clone Wars from the perspective of the Republic Commandos and CloneTroopers. There's alot in there, plus there's also alot of Mandalorian history and references in there. Mandalorians are what Boba and Jango Fett were, it's a culture of warriors.

And there's also a very gripping love story in there too invloving one of the Commandos and a Jedi which I'm not ashamed to say kept me hooked.

The first book in the series is titled Hard Contact. Give it a go, you won't be sorry. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nomadbride

Did you grow up on the movies or the books (including fan books) or both? (And for anyone here who are fans of the books, what would be some good ones for me to read as starting out on Star Wars and getting to know it all better?)

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I grew up on the movies and only read a few of the books/Comics that expand the universe. Watching the original trilogy (that's episodes 4 to 6) would be great, I might do that sometime this week to get me in the mood.

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I'm curious though, what IS the draw to Boba/Jango Fett? My younger brother is a big fan as well-- maybe I haven't read enough? It's more than him just having cool armour, I assume...? (maybe this last question brings my comment more around to staying on topic again, too : ))

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They are Badasses in cool armour, which is why there was a bit of an uproar about how Boba exits. Men respect badasses, especially when they look cool too!

It also has a lot to do with that helmet though :)

Ok guys and gals!

I've worked on making a cast and here is version 1.2 :)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../castfront.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../CastRight.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/castrear.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ogotu/castleft.jpg

It's in its basic cast form, which means that it's multicoloured due to the layer of resin mud that is used to reinforce it.

I was also a bit concerned about the dome warping again, as it looks like it is in the above picture, so I decided to give it a quick spray:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...eftpainted.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...ghtpainted.jpg

So it's looking acceptable :)

Enjoy! I'm going to take a nice long break and work on trimming the lip off now the weather has improved again.

Whoa, sweet! Looks great--especially after you sprayed it.

Skupi--I think my man actually has that series! Yay! I'll go hunt around his books after that and see if I can dig them out. My brother and man both mention Timothy Zahn a lot, too-- does he have a pretty wide range of what he focuses on or does he mainly write about the Jedi or...?

Saz--I've watched the original trilogy and the new #1, but never #2 and #3. I do like the original tril quite a bit, but it's been a good eight years since I've seen any of them, I think. I might should rectify that soon.

On the mando helmet, what are the two little arrows at the top for?

Edit: I like your new status message there, Saz : ). Made me smile.

You're welcome, you'll enjoy them I think. ;) Now I've only read three of Timothy Zahn's book but they were amazing too! It's a trilogy that follows our original heroes following the Battle of Endor(Return of the Jedi). Well about 5 years after it actually. I can't remember all of the titles now, but one was titled Heir to the Empire.

If you've seen and enjoyed the movies then these three books are also a "Must Read". ;) No doubt your boyfy (LOL!) knows of these books or possibly even has them already?

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Originally Posted by nomadbride

On the mando helmet, what are the two little arrows at the top for?

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Indicators for turning left and right :D

Nah, it's just a design feature I believe.

hahaha! Oh, the SW spoofing ideas that brings to mind...

I'll go check if my "boyfy" (hah!) has them. He's a pretty big Timothy Zahn fan, but I don't recall seeing them off the top of my head when I've looked at his SW books. Definitely could be mistaken, though.

Timothy Zahn is an AWESOME writer. I have read all of his books and then some

Karen Traviss, Aaron Allstone and Kevin Anderson are also REALLY good.

Saz, did you sculpt the helmet entirely from clay???

P.S. Looks AWESOME!!!!!

No, not clay, I started with a cycle helmet made a basic card frame/shape and then worked card onto it covered by car body filler.

Okie dokie, my first cast from 1.2 is done now I have done the prep work on the bucket.

As was explained to me a while back, the major problem with casting in resin is the airholes, you can do things to minimise it, but in the end you will always get one or two, these need to be filled to keep the structural integrity of the bucket.

I've also given it a quick once over with primer, so it's ready to paint if needs be, or it can be sanded back for any work you want to do on top.

Here's the copy master comparison:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Finalcopy.jpg

And here's a side shot:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...Finalcopy2.jpg

I've got the final items from the rf to cast, but once that is done, I should be ready to "regretfully release them to other people due to space constraints".

By the way Adonian, this one's the one I promised you.

Looks very nice buddy! You should be proud!!

Funnily enough I'm kind of "meh" at the moment, not sure it's quite sunk in as I am kinda missing the working on the model, so I'm more "So what now?" with it.

Major thing now mate it to get some casts sorted, but I'm running out of resin, so have had to send off for some more.

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Originally Posted by Saz.

Okie dokie, my first cast from 1.2 is done now I have done the prep work on the bucket.

As was explained to me a while back, the major problem with casting in resin is the airholes, you can do things to minimise it, but in the end you will always get one or two, these need to be filled to keep the structural integrity of the bucket.

I've also given it a quick once over with primer, so it's ready to paint if needs be, or it can be sanded back for any work you want to do on top.

Here's the copy master comparison:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77.../Finalcopy.jpg

And here's a side shot:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77...Finalcopy2.jpg

I've got the final items from the rf to cast, but once that is done, I should be ready to "regretfully release them to other people due to space constraints".

By the way Adonian, this one's the one I promised you.

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Awww man!!!!! I was going to PM you my address!!!! :P Looking STELLAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

O.K so this is just a casting of a scratchbuilt helmet??? Cause if it is DOUBLE PROPS!!!

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Originally Posted by Saz.

Funnily enough I'm kind of "meh" at the moment, not sure it's quite sunk in as I am kinda missing the working on the model, so I'm more "So what now?" with it.

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hahaha!!! I know exactly how that feels. "Man, now that I'm finished...what am I gonna do?" :lol

They look awesome mate! :thumbup:cheering:thumbup:cheering

Yep! I can relate to that feeling too bro.

Whoa! Looks GREAT, Saz! Have you found any airpockets?

I'm curious--what's your next big project after this is finished?

(I'm going to ask this question real, real quietly in case it's a stupid one, but...what about seeing? Through the T-visor, I mean.)

Thanks guys!

Nomad,

Normally I would use a Dremel to cut it out in the prep stage, however, the helmet is designed to be used as a base for custom building, which means that some people may wish to alter the area around the visor.

If you see a few of the other designs floating around here, people like to play around with the "T" area to make it a bit unique, having the visor part in there means that they have a base to work from if they want to place a design where the T would be, then they can cut around any of the mods they make themselves.

You know, I thought that would be easier to explain, so I hope you got it...

Once I get my new resin I shall start casting away.

*Edit* And there's always going to be airbubbles and I have found them all I believe, they have been filled for the buyer, as I believe that they should get the item and begin working on it, in fact, the only real work they *should* need to do is sanding back the primer where they want to work, but they'd have to do that anyway to get things like bondo to stick to it.

I also like to get rid of the flash (the unwanted bits from casting) as well.

I am determined that people get quality from me.

Hey, OUTSTANDING work there, bro! Congratulations on a job well done! :cheers

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Originally Posted by Ordeyn

Sorry bout that vod. :( That's never fun. But, hey, you got us! :) We've got your back vod. Good luck with the dents, too!

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He's got US... oooooh dear....



Lol, Joking
What do you mean it wasn't funny?

....It made ME laugh.

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Originally Posted by PacxIblix

He's got US... oooooh dear....



Lol, Joking
What do you mean it wasn't funny?

....It made ME laugh.

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That's probably why it wasn't funny!!! :P lol j/k

Hmm... fancy yourself as a joker, do you?

But seriously, as i was typing it i giggled a little.

Ok, I'm in a position now where I can guage interest in the basic helmet. PM me if you are interested in one of these for your customs :)

Saz, that is a work of art, and I appreciate the offer, but as per our pm's, I'm broke, BUT I WILL get one when I save up.

EVERY ONE WHO IS LOOKING AT THIS BUCKET, THE PICS DON'T DO IT JUSTICE. SAZ let me get his first 'practice' bucket which had in my opinion only MINOR dings and a cool 'wave' to the top, and by looking at this current bucket, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!

:thumbup
PM sent.

How much???

I'm looking at about £70 plus postage (depending on my overal costs).

so, about 150 bucks not including shipping???

I'll have to talk to the parents, as I am out of money. :P lol

Don't bust a gut over a helmet :)

They'll be there when you can afford it :)

Might have to go for a 2 piece or something similar, maybe a scratchbuild.

Actually Fractal, 70GBP is closer to 115USD. :)

wow all this work for a helmet, I LOVE IT

Wow, I have worked hard today and all for nought, my second cast didn't go off as well in the fiberglassing stage and I have learned from it, the crapped out bucket will be the basis of the krayt helmet and I'll get another done.

RF is a problem though, stalks are ok and the interior are ok, the hood of the RF not so good and my remold has stopped due to lack of silicone (grrrr) so I'm going to have to order some more.

Earpiece, stalk and bottom part of RF seem ok though, but I need to have a more liquid medium as the thickened stuff is not getting into the nooks. Which is a shame, but only the stalks really need reinforcing with material.

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Originally Posted by A'den Kyramud

Actually Fractal, 70GBP is closer to 115USD. :)

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And you have to think that this helmet IS HIGH QUALITY. I will say it again... I got the first "TEST" bucket, and even with it's imperfections, IT ROCKS.

You also need to know that there are of course others that make and sell buckets, but they run $250+ US dollars and $60 shipped from UK to US, SAZ has his bucket for $115 and $50 or so shipping.

LESS THAN $200 for a VERY NICE BUCKET, you could of course make your own, but you are missing out on a really awesome bucket. Mine is on display in my master bed room, I LOVE IT!!:cheers:hug:love:hug:cheers

Adonian's inspired me to do a little bit of a sale's pitch :)

Ok, so what would your £70 plus postage get you?

1. A bucket that has had a lot of the prep work already done (except the visor part remains), so it should be ready to paint, unless of course you want to work on it, then all you need to do is sand back the primed layer.

2. An earcap that fits the design. Odd thing to mention, but a lot of fleabay ones are just the bucket on their own. I also pop in a stalk and RF, unless you specifically don't want it and I can take a tenner off the price.

3. The bucket is made out of fiberglass, so it's sturdy.

4. The RF comes in two pieces, which means you can put electronics in there, it is also very light, which means there is less chance of stalk bend.

5. A thickened faceplate, now what does this mean? It means that there is a bit of depth for screwing in your faceshield to the helmet, I would say there is about 2 or 3 centimeters of resin so you can get your screws in good and deep :)

6. It's not a Boba bucket, so you won't have to fill in any dents :)

That's about all I can think of :D

I will add:

These are awesome lids. Saz has put TONS of time and hard work into making them great, and they are well worth it.

I cant wait to get mine!!! :D

I feel like the ghost of Billy Mays is trying to kill me!!! :p

I KNOW Saz is awesome, and I know his buckets are, the only thing I DON't know is if my pocket can stretch that far, I am only 13 for crying out loud.

Also Saz, you said it's made of FIBERGLASS????? How do you do that???

Also, If I sculpt something out of floral foam how can I seal it to cast it??? (You know, to raise money for a new lid)

P.S. I love the Krayt design in Your other thread.

Hehe! No pressure from me to buy, like I said, when you can afford it I will make one for you, or save up for the Krayt version, totally your choice :)

My comments were more for people who have picked this thread up late.

I do 2 layers of resin for the shape, then 1 layer of resin mud, followed by fiberglass mat soaked in resin.

I also found out recently that I can make carbon fibre helmets too :D

I would say that, as floral foam is porous, you use a water based sealant and let it soak in once your model is done, it will take some experimentation, but I'm sure you'll be able to work out what is best.

If not, try PVA glue, don't know why, but I think it will work.

Thanks for the compliment :)

What is resin mud???

Also, I'm sorry I sounded frustrated, I didn't mean it at all.

thanks for the tips.

Resin mud is a combination of resin and micro glass balls, it costs a fortune, but it adds rigidity to the weaker parts model and can be the difference between a cracked helmet and a shattered one if dropped, so the cost is offset by the quality.

Got my new silicone in today, as it is raining, It's going to be unlikely I can get the prep work done for my orders (as I have to cut and resin outside, the stuff stinks the house out). So I'll finish off the RF cover and perhaps start work on the Krayt.

I'm on holiday from 9th August for 3 1/2 weeks, so I'm on a tight deadline!

oh, ok, that makes sense, what is this about carbon-fiber helmets, and why don't you use urethane casting plastic???

I use fiberglass at the moment as it's quite a sturdy medium, not really looked into casting plastics to be honest.

Carbon fibre is stupidly stupidly strong stuff, aeroplanes are made out of it!

Good news is I braved the awful weather today and got A'den's bucket cleaned up, so that's ready, just hope I'll have time to cast the other items tomorrow, once the RF hood mold finally sets.

So, how do you get the carbon fiber to stay in a helmet shape??? Help!!! I'm lost here!!! :P

It comes as a flexible mat, you mix it with the resin and it sets.

Resin, like fiberglass resin??? But that sounds AWESOME!!! Do you need any special release agent???

Not that I can think of, because the resin is usually on the outside and the carbon fibre is strengthening on the inside.

When I've made enough money, I'll experiment, carbon fibre is not a cheap hobby!

Yeah, I bet!!!!

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Originally Posted by Fractal-Fett

I feel like the ghost of Billy Mays is trying to kill me!!! :p

I KNOW Saz is awesome, and I know his buckets are, the only thing I DON't know is if my pocket can stretch that far, I am only 13 for crying out loud.

Also Saz, you said it's made of FIBERGLASS????? How do you do that???

Also, If I sculpt something out of floral foam how can I seal it to cast it??? (You know, to raise money for a new lid)

P.S. I love the Krayt design in Your other thread.

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Why don't you mow a few yards, walk dogs, wash cars or dogs. Be creative get out there and off the computer for a few days you'll have the money in no time. good luck:cheering

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Originally Posted by Chucko

Why don't you mow a few yards, walk dogs, wash cars or dogs. Be creative get out there and off the computer for a few days you'll have the money in no time. good luck:cheering

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Trust me, I do, I sell replica ROTJ armor, but I am out of spraypaint, I need more, but I can't drive, so I'm kind of stuck. Also, I don't just sit around, I am building a vacuumform machine, along with a set of accurate knee armor for vacuumforming, Also, I am trying to get my business (Fractal Prop-Shop) off of the ground. In addition, I am building a speeder bike, an r2-d2, a custom Mando, a ROTJ Boba, a scout trooper, a full-size skiff (the small ones, not the sail barge) and the bounty hunter Cad Bane, all in a workshop 4 feet by 7 feet.


So, You can see how the money would go fast, and the time even faster. :)

Don't mean to sound frustrated, just.......... venting. :P ( Note, read, trying to order my thoughts.)

fractal, I was gonna do an Astromech, I wanted to to a shorty, where did you get your body tube and dome from... if you got them already?