My Contribution to TDH

So I was just about to start putting the silicone on the master, I had put it in a plastic sandwich serving tray I'd half inched from one of my Mother's parties, cleaned off the model so there were no dust particles and noticed that part of the rear cardboard sections had a part of the top layer come off.

Use your imagination and insert your own expletive driven rant! :)

So I'm doing a quick repair and will come back with shots of the goop all over the helmet!
 
You know, I'm not sure if today is going to be my day, RTV seems a bit runny and it's making a nice boba fett shaped hole but because it is runny, it's running off and down the side of the helmet, leaving thin parts, especially where the angle turns, I've just done the third coat, but took my time to let the silicone cure a bit first.

Fourth coat should be the final, I'll leave it to cure for a while before placing it on, so hopefully it will thicken up and I can plaster it on!

I'm running out of goop too :(

First coat:

coat1.jpg


Second coat:

coat2.jpg


Third coat:

Coat3.jpg


Nailbiting stuff! :)
 

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Gah!

Still got the lines where things are weak at the corners!

I do have some other RTV but it's a different type to the other stuff I used! Not sure whether mixing the two will cause any problems, but I don't think I have a choice, will really need to allow the mixture to thicken as well.

Coat4.jpg
 

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Right, well believe it or not but the cheaper stuff is like glue!

It's gone on much thicker and I hope that the two different types of silicone will mix ok.

If they do then I'll probably use the expensive stuff for the first detail layer and the cheap stuff as the thick part!

1 more coat I think and then it will be time to build a key.

coat5.jpg
 

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Seems the cure time is a little longer on the cheaper stuff, it has a potlife of 20 mins, but it's still tacky, I'll leave it till tomorrow and hope it's cured from then.

Might need another coat as well, but I've been advised not to rush it :)
 
Well, the good news is that the cheap stuff bonded to the good stuff. The bad news is that, even though it took a little longer, it's all dribbled off to the bottom.

The mold is still tacky in places, but hey, you don't pay for good silicone, this is what you get! There's a tip for all you guys if you want to try this.

So today, I've tilted the model, so that the stuff won't run as quick and hope that will get me some sort of result.

On recommendation I have bought some silicone, booster and thickening agent from another shop, it's cheaper than the good stuff, but with the booster it should have a similar cure time.
 
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Ok, I've made a key using saturated tissue for it working from ear to ear as the front and back have distinct ridges that will help the fiberglass sink in.

Depending on how well this comes out in the end will depend on whether I will be able to produce a final piece, I may have to cast a one off and then work from that, now I know what I know now :)

It will need one last final coat to seal the key and then we can go on to the jacket! :)

Anyhoo, got to head off to lunch with a client, I'll take pics later
 
Well, came home to find my mando helmet looking like he's got a wig on...

I'll let it dry some more and put in the cardboard separator for the jacket, the pot has gone, so I reckon that I can put on the final layer about 8pm.

Hope my ranting hasn't put anyone off too much :)
 
ALAS THE IRONY!!!! i cannot see your pics of what is surley a splendid build ill have to wait till i get home, but kandosii ner'vod it sounds like this is going to be an amazing piece of work
 
Well, here's one more that you can't see :)

I've got the key and the cardboard in, ready to settle down and cure. Now, fingers crossed nothing moves while the RTV is slopping towards gravity!

Anyhoo, here it is:

finalcoatkey.jpg
 

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Not yet, I've seen the screen accurate stuff go for loads, so I'm probably going to aim slightly below that price as it isn't screen accurate. Basically because I want to ensure it's a quality product still!

I do intend to have it complete though, including ear cap, stalk and RF, but I wanted to get the bucket done first.

I will also look into doing cold castings too, I have aluminium and brass to play with atm.

As long as my costs are covered, I'll be happy.

The art pieces will be a little more expensive as I will be doing only 10 of each, so they will be pretty custom to the people who buy them (I hope).
 
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dude sweet im def gona be interested in one of these, and i like the sound of cold cast this is a great bucket you got here,perfect for my custom mandos:D
 
Ta,

The RTV is still a little tacky in places this morning, so I may have to leave the jacket till tomorrow, if it dries ok later, I'll pop some mold release spray on it to prepare for the process.

Good news is that I got to it whilst it was thickening and filled in the gaps between the cardboard using a coffee stirrer and some of the off dribble, I even managed to fill the earpiece in too!

Even better news is that my dad's given me a fiberglass repair kit that he never used since he quit windsurfing, there's just enough to make a jacket and i don't have to fluff about with measuring the resin I bought!

That will make the process quicker for me.

I will have to trim the rubber back once it has completed as I looked underneath and there has been some underseep, I expected that. A Stanley knife is all that's needed to correct that :)

Working on the ear piece today now my business work is completed :)
 
Well, the mold is a lot less tacky than it was and I have given it a mold release spray, tomorrow is the day for the fiberglass jacket and hopefully the mold will be completed.
 
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