Tutorial: Install & Detail your visor

[BLACKULA727]

Thanks man, I have pretty much halted on everything except the helmet currently. I'm not sure whether I should continue on my full suit, because I have a very busy life, and I figure as long as I get arguably the most important part done, it's still decent. I hope my Recon will turn out as epic as yours, but it seems like I'm not going to have enough leftover visor from my Mark VI to do the Recon too. But I digress, I'd love if you could get an inside picture of the visor, it would give me a better idea of what to expect from scratching the metallic part off.

Ask & you shall receive.

Front view:

Inside View:

Also, thats not my calendar, Its my daughters.

I hope this helps.

P.S. the view from the inside is alot better than the above pic, it was taken on my camera phone.

 

[Sky Dragon]

Thank you so much for posting that! I finished pepping my recon today, but I'm not posting a thread yet because progress will be slow. I'll definitely keep a look out for your threads in the future.

 

[BLACKULA727]

Thank you so much for posting that! I finished pepping my recon today, but I'm not posting a thread yet because progress will be slow. I'll definitely keep a look out for your threads in the future.

Thanks man, I'm glad I could help. BTW, I update the tutorial with additional information on how to close the gaps.

 

[OP4SFC]

Thanks for the visor source - there is a ATV sports shop close by. Thanks also for the revised tut. I am in various stages on a couple of helms and this should jar me loose to finish at least one of them.

 

[Varsity]

hmm this thread feels sticky.

 

[Roadwarrior]

Thank you for the Tut

And:

NOW!

 

[HushB170]

great tutorial!! very helpful information, ive been brainstorming my options for the visor but i think this is what i will be doing. Just a question, is the visor you used flexible at all? i have been desperatley looking for flexible visors because i want the visor to sit as snug as possible, but have been unsuccessful. Also, the scratching method with the knife is fantastic, innovative and seems like the perfect way to add detail lines. You rule!

 

[BLACKULA727]

Thanks Guys,I'm glad you all like th tutorial. I'll try and update it if It needs aditional details, or If I find a better way.

great tutorial!! very helpful information, ive been brainstorming my options for the visor but i think this is what i will be doing. Just a question, is the visor you used flexible at all? i have been desperatley looking for flexible visors because i want the visor to sit as snug as possible, but have been unsuccessful. Also, the scratching method with the knife is fantastic, innovative and seems like the perfect way to add detail lines. You rule!

Thanks man, I was trying to figure out a less expensive way than buying two visors. I've seen the etching before on other builds, But I neve saw a tutorial. So I messed around on scrap visor pieces and figured it out. Glad it will be useful. The visor is flexible some what. I just bend it into place. With that said, I know they have flexible visors at my local Motorcycle shop (the kind that snap on to an open face helmet). You should look at those types if you want something more flexible. Because the standard motorcycle visor is pretty rigid, it will flex, but you have to be careful not to bend it. You can heat them, but I'm always afraid of jacking up the reflective coating. Glad I could help though.

Keep builing guys!

 

[0235]

wow! i never thought of using a putty to create a tight seal around the mask! great idea

 

[Devious]

Great tut!

Could sandpaper be used for the etching to speed up the process?

 

[Varsity]

Thank you for the Tut

And:

NOW!

Spider! look out!

 

[BLACKULA727]

Thanks for the comments guys, glad to see the tuts helping!

Great tut!

Could sandpaper be used for the etching to speed up the process?

I don't see why not, the exacto knife just works for me. However, I may test the sand paper idea, it may give a cleaner look.

@Spitfire22V, you asked me a while back if a file would work. I tested that method on some scrap visor and I had issues with it. I couldn't keep the file straight on the line, so it turned out like a mess. This doesn't mean it won't work, but for me it was more dificult. Maybe I need more practice with needle files.

Keep building 405th!

 

[HushB170]

Thanks very much, i knew they were out there just wasnt sure where to look. again great tutorial.

 

[BLACKULA727]

Thanks very much, i knew they were out there just wasnt sure where to look. again great tutorial.

I appreciate you bringing it up though. To be honest, I never even thought to try them. However, you got me thinking. I may pick one up to mess around with on another build. I think you are on to something.

 

[HushB170]

Yea, because i didnt use pep to make my helmet, i figured normal sturdy visors wouldnt fit as well. Im going soon to buy some and im goin to see how it works

 

[BlueSol]

Hey great tutorial! I'm just wondering if you actually cut pieces off of the visor? I didn't see any details about that. The visor I got is HUGE, I could probably make two with the helmet I'm making. I'cem just worried about cutting it and it cracking. Thanks in advance!

 

[Spitfire22V]

@Spitfire22V, you asked me a while back if a file would work. I tested that method on some scrap visor and I had issues with it. I couldn't keep the file straight on the line, so it turned out like a mess. This doesn't mean it won't work, but for me it was more dificult. Maybe I need more practice with needle files.

You still used the tape when testing it with a file, right? I imagine freehand would indeed be difficult. Either way, the knife method works just fine and you proved that, so I will do it that way. Just ordered my visor, so I can't wait to try this method out. Thanks again!

 

[BLACKULA727]

Hey great tutorial! I'm just wondering if you actually cut pieces off of the visor? I didn't see any details about that. The visor I got is HUGE, I could probably make two with the helmet I'm making. I'cem just worried about cutting it and it cracking. Thanks in advance!

Step 4 (cont) mentions to trim the visor as necessary. My visor in the tutorial was relatively skinny from top to bottom, but the visor I used for the recon helmet was rather large. Heres how I did it for the recon. I took a piece of paper(extra card stock lying around) and placed it in my helmet, I then traced the edge of the opening with a sharpie to create a template. I then made an oval with the sharpie around the template leaving about a 1/2" to 1" of extra space between the oval & the template. I then taped of the visor and placed the oval pattern on the visor and traced around the oval onto the taped of visor. After that, I cut the visor out using a dremel with cutting wheel attachment. I then washed the visor off under water (to knock dust off of it). I then took a small file and sanded down the rough edges. After that I washed again under water. The dried it and then did everything presented in this tutorial. Be careful to not use the dremel at to high of a speed. at high speeds, the plastic from the visor will melt. It can drip of onto either the visor or your skin. A low speed setting is recommended. I hope this has helped. Thanks for viewing my tutorial.

 

[BLACKULA727]

You still used the tape when testing it with a file, right? I imagine freehand would indeed be difficult. Either way, the knife method works just fine and you proved that, so I will do it that way. Just ordered my visor, so I can't wait to try this method out. Thanks again!

Yes, the problem (is for me) the file kept wanting to go in the direction of the slanted teeth of the file (not sure if thats what they are called). But there may be a certain technique needed in order for someone to do it successfully that I have yet to master. I still have the scrap piece, it may be beneficial if I post a pic of it, so you can see what I mean.

Correction: I did it free hand (No tape to guide). Maybe this would make it work. I had to think about it for a second. Sorry.

 

[active84u]

You could do the same thing real quick with a small sand blaster and fine 'grit' after taping the area off?

Now I have had the idea, some web based research to see if this is practicle or not.