Building a Boba Bucket - A detailed scratch build tutorial using WOF templates

digifett

Hunter
Here you will find the wizardofflight (WOF) Templates !!!! http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=10497

What's the best way to make a scratch build helmet using the WOF templates? I don't really know!
This is way how I did it.
In this thread I try to show my way as much detailed as I can,
that’s the reason why I will call this a scratch build tutorial. During building this bucket I’ve learned a lot. So don't wonder when I start first this way and later on
I changed to a -maybe- better way :eek:
This is how the helmet looks now !! Update Sept. 29th '07
Update.jpg
Update2.jpg
Don't wonder about the funny shaped dome again, its just a 3D template for a new free formed kneaded dome. Later I will explain much more about the procedure.
This is how my Helmet looked in July'07:
IMG_7418.jpg


In August'07 the bucket was looking like this, do you see the differences :rolleyes ??

IMG_7705.jpg

IMG_7520.jpg


A little bit like a trashcan !!! :lol:
As I got my TDH reference CDs (I ordered them way too late), I recognized that the shape of the dome I built wasn't really good.(Alan's - WOF - dome template is very good !!) So I chopped it off, man I felt so terrible !! :cry

A little bit about me: I have a very nice wife and 2 and half super cute kids :) and also a very liable job,
I am a kind of professional model maker, but usually I work in digital space only. Before I did
some scratch building, but most of the time with metal. So please don't be impatiently when I cannot
answer questions you may have right away, it may take some time...
Also I come from Germany so for many TDH members I live halve a day ahead :)

How it all began:

I was looking for Boba Fett reference material in the internet to build a detailed digital Fett helmet.
Later from this digital version I wanted to build the real lid. I already had a plan how to do it.
But then I found this forum here, and those wonderful helmet templates from Alan !
So I changed my building plans. Inspired by the very nice bucket creation of SD68 I started my own one.
Only the new (2nd) dome I still want to build in my earlier planned way, but this will come later on...

This forum is so GREAT, and you guys here are so crazy !!! Like me !!:cheers

Chris

To build my helmet I use those tools

IMG_7247.JPG
 
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Wilkommen, Chris!
Nice work on your helmet. I love seeing the scratchbuilt stuff, it's amazing! :)

Und ja, Wir sind Alles sehr veruckt hier! :lol: (I hope that's right! I haven't practiced my German in a long while. ;))
 
STEP 1: Pre-assembling the helmet and checking size

OK, as I found the WOF templates I rushed to my little laser printer. But before I 'd visit tk409 website at http://www.tk409.com/images/fett/helmet/measurements.gif
to see how big the print should be to have an authentic sized helmet.
I found out when I hit the "fit to paper size" check mark, I have the perfect measurements. That was easy! In Germany we have DIN A4 letter size. That's 29,7x21 cm (2,54cm is 1 inch) So with your US letter format you may have a slightly different size. See more infos here US letter format vs DIN A4 sizes
then I took some really good, big and very sharp scissors and cut out the templates perfectly ON the black outlines. You have to be very precise, specially at the dome !

I just used the outer surface and the dome and cheek parts. The inner surface is the helmet shape without the mandibles. I assume you need the inner surface only when you work from the inside to the outside of the helmet with material thicker than paper or thin cardboard. I used 200g paper, that means it weights 200g per square 1m ! (200g is 0.440925 lbs, 1m is about 3 feet) 200g paper was very good to handle, it bends very well.

The easiest way to make the paper dome: Start gluing each triangle at the very top with scotch tape and then go down to the base. The rest is very easy...

My paper bucket:

IMG_6652.jpg

IMG_6657.jpg
 
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i put my first one together that way then realised that at the back behind the ear peices Fett helmet has a little raise to it so if u put the inside peices in then cut the line out there is still a solid area with a bump just before the ears.
That sounded really confusing ill try to find a picture for ya
Actually if you look at sd68s' pictures he has a great one of the back of the helmet that you can see the area i', refering to
 
STEP 2: Building the dome (First try)

To build the dome you need these WOF parts here:
Fett-Dome-Flat_THB.jpg

As I saw the fantastic result of the pre assembled helmet and the nice shape of the paper dome I made the decision to build the fiber glass dome from the paper dome. Hence we have no batting helmet here in Germany I thought it is a good idea.
At first I made the paper dome stiffer and tougher by applying spray glue at the inside of the paper dome.

IMG_6660.jpg

After the glue was dried I used the inner surface paper ring of Alan’s template as a modeling holder for the prepared paper dome.
With that it was very easy to apply all the layers of glass mats and resin without deforming the dome when it’s still soft.

IMG_6667.jpg

I forgot that the dome will become more and more heavy and will be deform more in a drop shape. Way too late I recognized its bad shape and reshaping it with loads of putty will make it too thick and also too heavy. That’s the reason why I had to cut it off and will try a second one in a different way later.

Maybe a solution idea: Preventing the deforming by reinforcing the paper dome also from outside. I would use the negative shapes of Alan’s side and front dome templates and glue them perpendicular as a cross from outside to the dome. (Picture will come up later)

When the resin got hard, strip off the paper as much as you can and sand down the edges caused by the paper.

IMG_6670.jpg

Fill all holes and uneven areas with 2 component putty. Sand again and fill, sand and fill.... about a thousand times:lol: Maybe a little less...
After applying a thin layer of primer I got this:


IMG_6671.JPG


A about 2mm thick very very strong dome !
 
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i put my first one together that way then realised that at the back behind the ear peices Fett helmet has a little raise to it so if u put the inside peices in then cut the line out there is still a solid area with a bump just before the ears.
That sounded really confusing ill try to find a picture for ya
Actually if you look at sd68s' pictures he has a great one of the back of the helmet that you can see the area i', refering to

I am sorry cleavis I don't understand what you would like to say to me, maybe its my bad english ;)
A picture would be great !

Chris
 
STEP 2: Building the main body

To build the body part, I took these WOF templates as follows:
Body_Templates.jpg
Then I roughly cut out those parts from paper and glued them together with scotch tape. For the whole helmet I used 1mm polystyrene. Then I always glue the paper on the polystyrene sheets simply with a glue stick. (Glue stick is perfect because after removing the paper it will does not keep on the plastic just on the paper) Then I cut out the parts with a regular but strong scissors. 1mm polystyrene cuts very easily, nice!
By gluing a piece of polystyrene from the backside I glued the main body ring together. IMG_6865.jpg
Here you can see I did cut out the cheeks already, don't do this, its better to wait until the body is baked in it's end shape... But it will also work this way...

I want to got home now, I am still in the company and it's now in the middle of the night. More will com soon !

Bye, Chris
 
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Empfang, Digifett! Die Arbeit, die Sie Aussehen gemacht haben, groß!

(I used an internet translator to sound more important:lol:)

Brett, I've seen polistyrene (PVC) sheets at Home Depot and Lowes. Also, check the phone book under "plastics - dealers." That's how I found a supplier in my area.

Good luck!
 
thanks i have a question about how much is a sheet of polyiester and where could i get it?

I buy my polystyrol in a special model shop close to a college for architect students. 1m x 0.5m is about 6$.

Sorry Jaiden, PVC is Polyvinyl chloride not Polystyrol or Polystyrene (EPS, XPS, PS-E)
See more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene

Empfang, Digifett! Die Arbeit, die Sie Aussehen gemacht haben, groß!
:D

This really sounds very important, thank you! You did sound like Yoda (y)
 
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I added these parts here to strengthen the main body ring.

Body_Templates_Adds.jpg

All inner parts I built from strong cardboard. They are not glued, I just put them in place. The special glass fiber adhesive tape is keeping all together and is heat resistant.

Fass_V01.jpg
Fass_V02.jpg

Hence I used cardboard for the inner parts I could not use hot water to cook the helmet in its shape, so I had to use the oven. At 100°C (212°F) I "baked" the "Boba barrel" for only 3 min.

IMG_6879.jpg

What I got right after heating it up was almost perfect in shape.

IMG_7036.jpg
Building the cheeks will come up very soon !
 
I just want to make sure that I said a very big THANK YOU!!! for putting the helmet build in a tutorial. This will be a great help to those wishing to make there own and for those that are completely fed-up & ticked-off with me for not having done one.

(y)(y)(y)

Alan

P.S. it is looking great it is going together just the way I had envisioned it would!!
 
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