best way to remove back vents?

[Yroc Yar]

hey guys and galls ,

how in the world do you cut out the key holes on a fiberglass helmet without screwing up ?do i just need to get a really small dremel bit ?

 

[Loranar Fett]

I used a small carbide engraving tip. I did the rough cuts with that and then hobby files to smooth it out. Hod the bucket and dremel steady. I would use a flex shaft if you have it.

The bit looks like:

Loranar

 

[Lynn TXP 0369]

Drill a bunch of tiny holes close together in the key holes than take a small needle file and open them up.
HTH,
Lynn

 

[Nobody]

I used the drill and file method and it worked great.

 

[Joren Fett]

Same here. I used the largest drill bit that didn't go
beyond the edges I wanted cut out. Then I went to
work with a file to finish shaping the openings. Take
your time with the file and give it a nice, clean edge.

 

[Neral]

I used an exacto knife, and I do not recommend them. Ill have to file the litle corners down now due to not being able to cut clean with it. Next helm its dremal all the way

 

[Mercutio]

I'm getting ready to cut the vent holes out of my kid's fiberglass helmet. It's a beautiful juddz dwedd special and I'm a bit nervous about damaging it.

Any ideas as to the best way to tackle them? Does dremel make a good tool for this or should I just take the time to cut them out with an exacto knife?

 

[Yautja]

Dremel,xacto and small file.
Start with the dremel make a hole in
center of each vent and then use xacto to trim more of plastic away and then to the small file to square off the edges of each vent.
Thats how i did it on my personal Fett helmet

 

[jawafive]

I wouldn't even worry about it personally. I doubt I do that when I get my fiberglass helmet. I've trimmed those keyslots out 3 times and hated every second of it.

-Matt

 

[Mercutio]

Wait until you get your FB helmet, jawafive. A nice one is so delectable that you'll want to do everything you can to make it look great. I didn't do this for the last helmet, though, so I guess I'm not burned out yet! Probably will be after these vents are finished.

Thanks for the advice, Yautja! I'm definitely going to do use the dremel/exacto/file method...when I'm very sober and alert!

 

[BobaFettish]

Two words: needle files. You can normally get a set of them for under $10. Take your time as a little goes a long way when trimming tiny details like this. It is better to undercut them all first and then go back to widen them than to overcut the first one and then have to do the same to the rest to even them out.

 

[FettTheHunter]

So you are supposed to cut them out !!!.. I was'nt sure about that

 

[Mercutio]

Needle files? What kind of store/department would sell these?Maybe in an arts and crafts section of Wally World? They sound like a good idea. I was thinking of using one of those cheap, really thin fingernail files, but that won't help with smoothing out the protruding divot.

 

[Mercutio]

So you are supposed to cut them out !!!.. I was'nt sure about that

You can cut them out and buy a $100 20 year old Casio MQ-1 calculator, butcher it, and put the circuit board behind there for accuracy. Remember, FettTheHunter, at all cost this costume should NEVER end!! It's NEVER finished!!! (running down the street, ripping my clothes off!)

 

[FettTheHunter]

I think I'll find a alternative to the casio MQ-1 calculator chip... or make a copy of it 8)

Your not wrong about a Boba Fett costume never being truly finished :cheers

 

[DarthBish]

I just went to the local computer shop, got a couple of old cards that were broken, and picked the one that I thought looked the best stuck behind the vents. No one will ever notice that it's not from a Casio.
As for cutting out the vents.......Dremel, Dremel, oh & Dremel.
It's never easy making that first step to cut something out of a helmet..(or anything for that matter)..Indecision and uncertainty are the bane of the Fett maker, but once you do it you'll wonder what all the worry was about.

 

[carbonitekid]

For those of us going the ventilation route, what is everyone using for the wire mesh behind the keyslots?

 

[FettTheHunter]

I got my needle files today ... now all I need is my helmet

 

[cal196]

heat gun and an exacto knive. dunno if its the best way.

 

[Yautja]

I used the flexible black screen stuff for like screen porches or doors on my Trooper and Fett helmets. It comes in little patch kits or a big roll. I just bought the roll so i would have some whenever i needed it. If anyone needs some just PM me and i'll send it out to ya for nothin.