Question for owners of "new movie sized helmet"

E

Ego

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I've done all my cutting and filing and sanding, and, I'm just about ready to paint.

But, I can't decide on what to do with the ear pieces. Did you attach them to your helmet before painting, or after painting?

Just curious. I'd like to do it after, but I'm worried that when I clamp it down it'll alter the shape and maybe crack the helmet (well, I'm positive it will slightly alter the shape--obviously to the correct shape, but, that won't be the shape it was painted in)

Now that I've confused everyone, I'll go now! :)

Jer
 
Leave them off to paint, you'll save yourself a lot of headachs of extra masking. Just epoxy the ears on with 5 minut epoxy and your good to go, NO need to use clamps.

I scratched off some paint under the ears down to the bare gelcoat so the epoxy will stick a little better, You could also place a piece of tape where the ears go to keep the paint off for a better epoxy adheasion.

I also did not paint the back sides of the ears, there is no need to.

HTH,
Lynn
 
I've just finished work on the ears on my helmet so they can be removed ready for painting.

Starting with the left ear (the one piece ear), i drilled three holes in the helmet where the ear fits, and i then drilled three holes in the inside of the ear to line up with the helmet holes, i didn't drill all the way through the ear, but about as deep as i could go without going all the way through.
These three holes are down the middle of the inside of the ear, one at the top, one in the centre and one at the bottom, i then found some nuts and bolts, only the bolts are allen key screws, then pushed the nuts into the holes in the ear, they have to be a very tight fit, infact i had to use a tool to push it all the way in.

Then i mixed some araldite (which is a resin glue) and applied it in any small gaps around the nuts and then over the edges of the nuts.

Now the ears are bolted in place, i like to know that these things can be removed if i ever want to remove them, don't ask me why, i'm just a very fussy person lol!
My helmet is in primer grey at the moment, but at least its all complete with the ears attached, untill i get around to painting it, then i just have to unscrew the ears.

Please note that there are two kinds of resin used for the ears on these helmets, i have the plastic resin ears, which are a very light sand coloured plastic, if you have the other kind of resin ears, you will have to make sure that the nut is not a tight fit, or you will crack the ears.
Make them a loose fit and use a resin glue to hold them in place, be sure not to over tighten the bolts though, or the nut will pop out.

Keith
 
I attached my ears prior to giving my helmet the final sanding. I have my Fett helmets painted by a specialist who has always painted DP's so they always have the ears on. Its just the way that he'll do my movie-sized helmet as well.
 
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