Rubies Conversion

[arccaster]

So i started to mod my Rubies today, i used a hairdryer to heat up the inside until it was plyable the put a basketball as far inside the helmet (which wasnt very far) The put it in a bathtube of freezing water and this is the result. I'd like some advice as to what more i should do besides rounding the top, is ther to much flair, to little flair etc.
(sorry for the horrible camera quality)

-Alex

 

[GrottyFurball]

is the vinyl thick enough to just sand down that ridge on the ledt side? The right side looks pretty good.

After that, I'd straighten out the cheeks by heating them and flexing them back in. I think the inside measurement side to side should be about 9" or so.

 

[Zurath Kodul]

Hmm, I shall be wathcing this topic with great interest, as I have the same style of helmet that I would like to remold into an accurate version.
I'm going to agree with Zombierepellent, asaide from those minors areas, it's looking very good.

If you want to try something smaller but just as good as a basketball, a soccer ball could work for higher into the helmet.

Are you going for ROTJ, ESB, or a custom? Either way, I wish you the best of luck.

ZK

 

[arccaster]

Im going ESB, originally it was gonna be ROTJ but the ESB version just started to grow on me.

I'll be doing those suggestions today and hopefully should have pics up by tonight.
-Alex

 

[GrottyFurball]

I had that helmet, the esb version is hard to paint on it, too many discrepancies in the helmet it's self. I'd do a rotj on that one or just use it as a practice bucket for if you get a nice accurate helmet.

 

[arccaster]

Sounds good, I as of now dont have proper funding to get the high end helmets so this will pass the time until i do. What colors should I use for the green parts and the red parts?
-Alex

 

[GrottyFurball]

The dome and the cheeks are rustoleum spruce green, it's a satin paint. as for the mandibles you can get away with rustoleum claret wine. and the loweer cheeks are black. that's for esb not too sure on the rotj colors.

 

[Zurath Kodul]

This should help you with the painting:
http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showthread.php?t=11819

Keep us posted,
ZK

 

[arccaster]

Thanks for the link Zurath, These cheeks are proving more difficult than orriginally anticipated, i've been working them for about an hour and they've only improved slightly. As suggested i put a Soccor ball in the helmet to help keep its shape, i'll post pics of the outcome in the moring. and not much can be done with the ridge, but since its on the Range finder side i'm hoping it wont be too noticable.
-Alex

 

[GrottyFurball]

Can you use a peice of metal or wood to glue the cheeks to, to keep the straight? I'd i remember correctly on mine after straightenning them I had to make the cut more square.

 

[arccaster]

I was actually going to do both of those suggestions The side of the cheeks on my helmet is uneaven, I was thinking of using an X-acto knife to just trim the sides to make them better looking. as for the peices on the inside i'll probably cut out some sheet metal peices and glue them in. Thanks for the thoughts though.
-Alex

 

[Zurath Kodul]

On my custom helmet, I bent a wire coat hanger to help hte edge keep it's shape. So far it's holding.

Maybe you could try that.

 

[GrottyFurball]

I'd put a portion of a big craft ring in the back to keep that round, as for the cheeks i'd use something that's allready straight

 

[Zurath Kodul]

.......as for the cheeks i'd use something that's allready straight

i.e., coat-hanger.