boomsha'kra scratch build helmet

[boomsha'kra]

I decided to get my feet wet in my Mando build by taking a shot at building my own helmet.  Looking at other scratchbuilds, I originally thought that it would be too much trouble and/or hassle...but when my budgetary proposal was shot down by the boss, I realized that it might be awhile before funds would be available, so what the hell!

I downloaded the templates, bought a couple of posterboards, sat down, scissors in hand, and started cutting.  Once everything was laid out, I started with the cap, since that would be the most challenging (in my opinion) part of the build.

I was pleasantly surprised to have this after a couple of hours:



The fit was pretty good on my odd-shaped melon, so i taped up the rest of it & headed to the garage with the hot glue gun.  Going off the scratch build tutorial in the archves, I glued down all the seams, inside and out, to give the dome some strength.  Once it set, I started attaching the back and visor to the cap.  I reinforced the seams around where the visor would be cut out with cardboard, but upon gluing they didn't really want to stay flush/rounded, so I grabbed a couple of my rare earth magnets to hold down the middle & corners better.  Here's the result:



Cost to me so far: about a dollar for posterboard and ~4 hours of labor...which I probably would have spent farking off on the computer anyways.

Here's the problem I am now faced with.  While there is plenty of room inside the helmet right now, when I put it on the bottom of the front of the visor is about parallel with my chin.  If I fiberglass inside and/or add any padding whatsoever, my face will be partially exposed.  My first thought is to just add about 1" more around the bottom, but that would probably lead to some challenges extending the 'cheeks' - those have not been glued in yet. 

Any thoughts or suggestions are most welcome - this has actually be kind of fun to do!  When I am out & about today I'll see about getting the needed components to start the fiberglass part of the build...after I find a solution to my 'short' helmet

[Barbarossa Kad]

I'm no expert on scratch building but what helped me keep mine the right shape was the inner cylinder that is in the templates. Looking good so far

[Serim Merec]

Excelent work so far    As far as a short helmet goes, according to my still limited knowledge, your only option would be to extend the visor and then work out how to adjust the cheek shape to fit.
Of course I've never made one so my advice shouldn't be the last word 

Good luck on the continuing build! I'll be watching 

[boomsha'kra]

Thanks, guys - I'll probably just add some length and adjust from there. 

But...it is going to be put on hiatus for a bit...my TK Armor arrived today!  That trumps my Mando build, but...i'll have times where i'm waiting for the glue to set here & there so I'll see what else I can get done on this lid.

[boomsha'kra]

Ok...what's the secret for getting the cheekbones to sit inside the helmet?  I spent about 3 hours trying to get them glued in...and was somewhat successful, but not totally happy with the result.  Forgot to take a pic, but it is pretty ugly, especially on top of trying to 'extend' the length around the helmet/visor for my pointy head.

Anyways, it is in condition to start with the fiberglass, so once I get to a stopping point with my TK armor build I will give that a go. 

I am assuming I will need to also put fiberglass inside the helmet?  Silly question, but the tutoral I am going by doesn't reference that step.

[Barbarossa Kad]

Just wondering are you useing the A4 templates or the standard ones? The standard are a little bigger that's the ones I had to use. I fiberglassed the inside of mine by that I mean I put the fiberglass cloth and fiberglass resin in it and just a coat of fiberglass resin on the outside of it.

[boomsha'kra]

Thanks for the fiberglass info - I figured something needed to be applied to the inside of the helmet. 

I think I am using the standard templates.  I wrestled, bent, twisted and manipulated the heck out of the template to mould it to the inside of the visor.  It worked...but it is UGLY.  Hopefully I'll be able to shape it accurately after the fiberglass & bondo.  Next time I think I might cut slits along the side and fill in the gaps with hot glue - this is my first time working with a glue gun and I was pleasantly surprised how well it works - burnt fingertips notwithstanding

[Serim Merec]

Well whenever you can get a pic up of what it looks like (messy cheeks and all) would be great cuz I'd love to comment on it 

[boomsha'kra]

Here ya go:

A couple next to my TK helmet...just wanted to show it off





And a close up to the ugliness...



I thought I was going to start on the fiberglass tonight, but will see what I can do about cleaning it up a bit & trimming it down...Not sure if my 'extending' idea is going to work or not...