Build your own bucket MLC pic tutorial

[Han Hunter]

Hi,

I'm sure Mardon needs no intro from me.

In the follow up to a number of different projects, he found he had quite a bit of card left over, so he decided to do a quick tutorial in pictures of how to make a 3d physical rendering of a bucket. This is how he makes his mock ups which are then moulded and cast, etc.

basically it involves making measurements, scaling it up to the desired size, then cutting out the card and fixing it together as shown below. The most intricate bit appears to be filling in the quarters on top with bondo to give the dome.

Now his secrets are out, I guess we'll all be making our own buckets.

Enjoy the pics!

Pretty good stuff, eh. He makes it look so easy!

Thanks for sharing Mardon.

Thanks also to Sergio for hosting.

Si

 

[Bountys Hunted]

Yeah, I just went out and made a Fett helmet out of aluminum foil and a milk carton...

 

[secol FETT]

nice looks pretty cool
and you'r welcome

 

[Jedi Bob]

Bounty Hunted

I used an old water bottle , 3 wire hangers and a broken tennis racket.

Mardon puts McGuyver to shame!!! I am always amazed to see his work!

Great job!

 

[batninja]

I have an old KFC bucket laying around here somewhere...

 

[Fett4u]

Wow thats frikkin' amazing! I think I might try that. What kind of card is that and where can I buy some?

 

[Han Hunter]

I think it's just regular card. Not the corrugated stuff that packing boxes are made of, but the sort you might use as a border to frame a picture. I got some from an art and craft shop over here in the UK. It's about 1/16th of an inch thick. Not sure if it's the same as what Mardon used, but it looks pretty similar.

It's not too expensive, a few £/$ for a 2ft x 3ft sheet. I guess a couple of sheets of that would do you.

I guess Wal-mart might have it over there (they seem to have everything else ), or a hobby shop/arts and crafts shop.

Post pics if you do try it, and good luck. It'd be interesting to have a showcase of members home made, card buckets.

Si

 

[SEEKER]

This is great!!!

 

[Fett4u]

This turtorial is great! I started work on mine a few minutes ago using old poster board that was laying around the house. I ran out though, but I'm running to walmart tonight to buy some more. Its really simple once you get your measurements right, it took me forever to get the proportions right. I used my rubies as reference , modified the shape and sized it up to where I wanted it. I will post more pics as I progress!

 

[Jango Fett Jr]

Awesome, it does look so easy!

I'm definitely going to use this method to make by gauntlets.

 

[Jangos kid]

Wow, thanks for sharing that! Yeah, Doesn't look too terribly difficult from the pics (what I mean is- You make it look easy bud!) I'm shure its a lot harder to do than it looks.

 

[METALBOY]

AWESOME .. It's nice of you to share your skills,very impressive..

 

[BoJangleFett]

I never thought of this method! This is great! I've got no choice but to make one now. Yes! This is what TDH is all about!(sniffs and tears of joy)
Hey mods...We have to archive this topic!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Fett4u]

Well Ive gotten pretty far on my work, and I need your opinions on my work so far. I took a few pictures of my helmet next to my rubies, it loooks to tall to me. There is a ruler in there for reference as well. I think the shape of the dome is off abit too. what do you guys think? How big ( height wise) is an MLC bucket? Tell me what you think?

 

[Jango Fett Jr]

Say, would you also be able to post a tutorial on how to cast your helmet once the carboard mock-up is done? I have never tried it because I have never found a really definitive tutorial on that process. Like I said, I would like to make some gauntlets to be vacuformed, so I would make the prototype out of cardboard and bondo, but I need to know how to make a cast of my mock-up. If a tutorial for this could be posted, that would be awesome.

 

[MLax]

Hmmm...
I dont think that its that your helmet it too tall, I think it may be too narrow. But i gotta say congrats, starting your own helmet...thats awesome man. Maybe you could go for a custom bucket. Like a different model of the helmet.

BTW...even tho it is tall i think it looks great. I bet that once you get the outer part of the helmet down it will all come together great.

 

[Fett4u]

Well after thought I took down the side fins a bit, to give it more dome and that made it look alot better, but I ran out of material again so back to the store. I am also curious about the casting process too. and how do you fo the key holes? can you post a pic of the back of the mock helmet?

 

[MLax]

hh

Could I make a helmet out of that card stuff, then coat it with something and wear it. I dont think I would ever take the time to cast it and stuff, and I only want one. Could it be done so that helmet is durable?


LOL..was it somethign I said?!?!

 

[Jango Fett Jr]

BUMP

Would it be possible to get some information of casting our mock-ups?

 

[mlcallanta]

Hey everyone!

So sorry for responding late....again! Been really busy these last few weeks.
Thanks Si for posting and I guess it wont be a tutorial w/o a little bit of text - but glad some of you took the time & effort to do this as I'm sure the pics are self-explanatory.

Making the inner skeletal structure could be of any material - card, plywood, styrene, etc. You can even use corrugated card if you want as it wont be seen outside anyway.

Start off with making the base - the one that looks like the top profile of the Millenium Falcon As a basis, you can use your DP, those Riddell mini buckets and even your 1/6 scale hasbro figures (just multiply by six).
The base is important as it determines the flare of your earcaps as well as the front & rear of your helmet.
Do take note that if your doubtful of your measurements - just bring a ruler in front of a mirror & check it againts your own head.
For starters, just position the earcaps in the middle of the front & rear.

Next would be the center profile. Place a card on top of your base (looks like an inverted letter "T") and mark the front & rear. From the middle, draw a vertical line with a 10-11 degree angle going to the rear. This vertical line could be somewhere between 6"-6.5". At the end of that line, draw a perpendicular line (90 degress) having a total lenght of 9"-9.5". This line would be your "brow" line. At both ends of this line, connect to both front & rear of the base.

Above your brow line would be the dome profile - for starters, make the height of the dome 4"-4.25".

Glue the center profile in the middle of the base - look at it from the front & it looks like an inverted letter "T".

Next, draw an oblong shape (measure your head) & cut it in the middle. Glue each half-oblong on the left & right of the side profile following your brow line. To support it, just place a card under it. Preferably, place the support card in the middle extending up to the earcaps on the base. Now you'll see the extent of your side flare.

Next, above these half-oblongs - make the front profile of your dome. Make a half-circle, cut it in the middle & glue to both right & left portion of the dome center profile. Look at it from above and it looks like the letter "X" or cross.

Now you'll see the shape of your bucket - structurally.

Sheeting - choose a thin sheet of smooth card (you can use an illustration board - black on one side, white on the other).
Envelope the front to rear by gluing the sheet to the base and the brow line. Then cut the excess sheet.
After sheeting, get a thicker card & cut a long strip of 1/2" & glue this strip below the brow line - or the top most of your sheeting - front to back.
On that same thickness of card, draw your mandible design & glue it in front.
Cut the sheeting of both cheeks & built it up following the fett bucket design. Bondo this to shape.

Place crushed newspapers or foam pieces on the dome & bondo to shape following your card profile.

Then your bucket is done - you can make your earcaps & rear keyholes separately if you want.

Well, I hope you kinda understood what I wrote above
I'll answer questions as they come.

Molding: this is still tricky as I have Fiberglass workers working for me - so I just give the card bucket for them to mold.
Basically, make a flange in the middle of your helmet separating the front & rear. Mold the front, after done then mold the back.
There are also other (less expensive) mediums like plaster of paris or maybe cheaper resin. Paper mache (?) could also be a less expensive medium.
I'm not that familiar with other molding materials/chemicals you can find in your area, so you may ask around your local hardware for what could be used.
I've heard of using clay for molding & baking it to make it hard.

Well, I hope that the above tutorial helps a bit!

Mardon