Help: reinforcing a DP Fett helmet. Will Bondo-Glass do?

** EDIT ** Maybe changing the title will get the experts to chime in.

I am trying to reinforce a 96' DP fett helmet, especially know that I have it at a desired shape. I've read that fiberglass is a excellent choice but would Bondo-Glass be equally as good. If you don't know Bondo-Glass is the same as regular Bondo but with strands of fiber in it so it's twice as tough. I am trying to make the process of fiberglass reinforcement a little easier.

I know I am pretty new but any bit of advice will be appreciated.

Andrew

Hey B's bounty, & welcome to TDH. Guess I don't know much about fiberglass reinforcement, but I'm a big advocate of lining the helmet w/ metal strips. (I'm assuming that you're considering glassing the inside of your helmet to correct warpage/overall shape?) Guess you'll have to see if someone chimes in w/ glassing the inside advice, but I really had good results w/ the metal strip technique. I pre-bent 2 strips to the shape I wanted for the back of the helmet, (each running from the ear pieces to the rectangular indent in the back)then attached them w/ screws from the outside of the helmet. You'll have to grind the screw heads flat and cover w/ bondo/hobby filler, then sand. For the cheek area, I cut two pieces of thin flat iron w/ a blow torch roughly the size of the green cheek area, then epoxied them in place. I used a number of vise-clamps to hold them secure till the epoxy dried. THis method does add some weight to the helm, and it is a bit time consuming, but it worked for me. Of course glassing the inside may be the best way to go, but I just thought I'd share annother alternative. Good luck,
Damian

Just finished fiberglassing my Dp97 helmet... the smell!!
I sanded the inside to roughen it up a bit...and in areas the fiberglass resin is not sticking....I think i will have to use epoxy or Goop to fix it. Other wise the helmet it now
solid!! Soon it will be painting time!!!

* rknight waits anxiously for someone with extensive knowledge to post a tutorial so i can attempt this myself on my rubies........8)

I'm with rknight. I just got my rubies and I'm looking for instructions on how to reinforce it correctly.

come on guys........somebody must be able to help us out here??........you long timers ??....anyone know of a site that has the info we need??....with so many fiberglass helmets floating around here i find it hard to believe no one can help us here

something i have found that works excellent is going to walmart or some kind of craft shop and buying a 12" metal ring like they use for kniting,cut the ring in a half circle where it will go into the back of the helmet on the inside edge and where each tip fits to the side ear peices, heat the helmet and insert the ring to hold the desired shape. and hot glue it in place. after installed you can pull it at each ear and it will hold whatever shape you want it. ive had one in my helmet for over a year and it has never fallen out or lost its shape, and you dont have the smell of fiberglass keeping you near the point of passing out. and it only costs about $2.00 to do. my 97 helmet looks almost like the real thing you can give it any flare you want this way!

try it it works!!!!!!!!

Wow. Great idea mandaloriancostuming. I'll try that. But I still want the whole helmet to be very rigid.

What I have done is taken some 60 grit sandpaper and sanded the walls of the helmet to a very thin 1.5mm to 2mm in spots. I then took a heat gun and softened the helmet and pushed out on certain spots like the dome to get the right shape. After all that I cooled the helmet in the freezer to maintain, only temporarily, the desired shape. So now with the walls of the helmet being thinned out, I want to add rigidity and strength.

Maybe I'll just try coating the inside with the Bondo-Glass on my own and update everyone on the process and outcome.

Andrew