FXD2FGHT's Mark VI Helmet WIP

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Long time fan, first time posting...

Firstly, thank you to the 405th community and everyone who takes the time to post and share their progress and tips. I never thought I would use paper and auto-body fillers to build anything in my life.

Project: Mark VI Helmet
Materials (so far): Paper, Fiberglass Resin, Bondo, Glaze
Start Date Pepakura/Resin: October 2011
Start Date Detailing/Bondo: June 2012
Pepakura File: Helmet by SLYFO found on Wikia Pepakura File Index

Note: Being Canadian I took the winter off from building the helmet due to outside temperatures.

--

NEW!!!

Image update. July 30th.

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Stage 1 (October 2011)

- Building the paper frame
- Resin the outside
- Fiberglass inside
- take a winter break due to the outside temperatures

4 Days of tedious cutting. All folds were scored with a dull xacto. PLain white glue used.

Stand made from a shrink wrap tube, old box and extra tape I found in the basement.

Fiberglass Resin started. Did not anticipate the odour it would leave in the garage...

Lesson 1 - Rondo when possible

I did the fibreglass and cloth method which took forever - there are great tutorials on the 405th for the Rondo method which I look forward to using for the next project(s).

My down fall for this project was letting the helmet sit for long amounts of time on the top. This created a bit of a warp which I am not string at constantly. If I took better care at this stage - my current build would be totally symmetrical.

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Stage 2 (June 2012)

- Open the Bondo I bought back in October 2011
- Smooth out some straight spots

I had a few connections that were too straight and I needed to curve a few areas.

Using a few tips I pickup up through the threads, I started to prep for more detail on key areas. The helmet I downloaded from SLYFO is a great file - but I wanted to add a bit more characteristic to it.

I do know the bondo was not the cleanest job (compared to experts on the 405th) but I will say practice makes perfect.

Lesson 2 - Bondo Patience

The first few batches would often dry up to quick. I did find working at temperatures between 17-21° was the best. Nothing like working outside early in the morning before the noon sun hits.

Lesson 3 - Visor

I did not cut out the visor before reinforcing, or before bondo. If I thought ahead I would have placed a flat card-stock in it's place to help frame the visor in place. Now I will need to get some epoxy and be gentle.

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Tools of the Trade

Below are a few items that I've used so far during my process

- Respirator (Stephenson's Rental sells them for $26, Home depot carries the same one for $50)
- Olfa Knifes - spend a few more dollars for a superior blade
- Cordless Drill (with aggravator) to rough up the helmet and swipe away dust in corners before bondo starts
- Micro Grinder (This one from Hitachi is amazing)
- Bondo spreader and xacto blade (break a 1/3 off a LB type [long sectioned blade] and wrap some painters tape for grip)

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Stage 3 (Last weekend)

- Shape and add levels/detail based on Halo 3 model

This is not my strong suit but right now it is all about trial and error. Here are three areas I worked on last saturday.

After seeing Cereal Killl3r work his magic with an xacto, I started using this technique. My issue is because I do my work outdoors, if it is too hot - I have little time to work before bondo gets too hard.

Detailing Light Sections

Shot of side lights getting a ridge built up.

1. Excess Bondo
2. Wait a few minutes, Carve away excess
3. wait a few more minutes and razor edges to form straight lines
4. wait a few hours before sanding

Detailing Top Ridge (Side to top of helmet)

1. Tape (I measured a center point on the top of the helmet to help gauge symmetry between two sides)
2. Form excess bondo in thin layer 2-5 mm over tape
3. Remove tape
4. Shape with razor
5. Repeat until desired height

Detailing front portion

Did not take same angle photos. Principals the same just before (left), after (right side)

1. Pencil in area
2. Tape and cut away excess tape
3. Form excess bondo in thin layer 2-5 mm over tape
4. Remove tape
5. Shape with razor
6. Repeat until desired height

Fxd2fght · Jul 5, 2012

Detailing Front portion - how I made everything level

For the front I wrapped painters tape around some corrugated cardboard. Using my line of sight I was able to build a loose frame on the front to bring the front mouth piece out away from the original build.

Also, cutting a 3mm section away from a piece of coated cardstock, I was able to make a custom bondo applicator for applying the area seen below...

Next up for this weekend:
- Detailing under the visor
- Detailing rear neck piece
- Glaze Putty around the sides
- Fill in any obvious holes

In the not so distant future
- Buy and dry fit visor
- Build up around visor area
- Touch up lines, divots, gaps etc

..Till next time...

Fxd2fght · Jul 7, 2012

So I just realized how easy it is to shape bondo between the stage "not tacky > rock hard".

I'm aiming to have all the helmet done today (pending on rain) and then visor can start.

Anyone have tips on tinting a plastic face shield with window tint?

DBmike · Jul 7, 2012

Fxd2fght said:
So I just realized how easy it is to shape bondo between the stage "not tacky > rock hard".

I'm aiming to have all the helmet done today (pending on rain) and then visor can start.

Anyone have tips on tinting a plastic face shield with window tint?

Looks good man!
As for tinting the visor, I personally bought some self adhesive car window tint and that has done the trick, it's a bit of a pain to get right first time though lol

Fxd2fght · Jul 7, 2012

DBmike said:
Looks good man!
As for tinting the visor, I personally bought some self adhesive car window tint and that has done the trick, it's a bit of a pain to get right first time though lol

Awesome idea. Thanks for the reply.

Off to shop while it is pouring rain here.

Fxd2fght · Jul 7, 2012

Rain and laziness hit hard today. Did some glaze and built up the ears and back neck a bit.

Found safety visor shields today ($5 each) and bought some 5% window tint ($10).

While bending overnight will not give permanent results, better then laying flat.

DBmike · Jul 8, 2012

I should of mentioned process for making visor, not saying what you've done is wrong, but what I did was take 5mm Perspex and templates visor shape on to it with about an inch around for excess to glue into helm. Heat at 200 degrees C for about 10 mins to make flexible then drop it in when floppy to take shape, obviously cutting out visor shape before heating and bending.

Hope some of this helps you out buddy

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

DBmike said:
I should of mentioned process for making visor, not saying what you've done is wrong, but what I did was take 5mm Perspex and templates visor shape on to it with about an inch around for excess to glue into helm. Heat at 200 degrees C for about 10 mins to make flexible then drop it in when floppy to take shape, obviously cutting out visor shape before heating and bending.

Hope some of this helps you out buddy

Smart idea. Can you just place it on a baking sheet?

I'm doing a raw fit today with screw posts. Scratched the sheild pretty good testing how it would sit.

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

Fitting the visor in place. Sitting in the garage now - hoping the epoxy sticks.

hyundai2806 · Jul 8, 2012

Visor installation

hey there bud!!! its lookin great keep it up

i couldnt figure out what to do with my JFO to mount the dual layer inside

so unless you already epoxied it already id see if you could maybe epoxy some hardware inside???

i did it on mine just so i could remove it and replace it if i ever decided to chance the color or got something on it a couldnt clean

its just a suggestion plus i feel more comfortable with the bolted in i didnt want the visor popping out and smacking me in the face lol

like i said its just some constructive criticism, something to look into maybe
the visors like that are very polized so glue and epoxys will only hold so much it would be a shame to have it pop out on you at a con or something

but its looking really great, im on my first suit too
all the best of luck to you!!

drack · Jul 8, 2012

Fxd2fght said:
Smart idea. Can you just place it on a baking sheet?

I'm doing a raw fit today with screw posts. Scratched the sheild pretty good testing how it would sit.

I will answer this for you as I have to take credit for the technique as I showed DBmike how to do it. I took a nice fresh/new wide baking tray and used the underside of it. My explanation is on my MK VI thread here,
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/35911-MK-VI-Foam-Build/page3.
Scroll down a little and the explanation is just above the visor pics. If you go to page 6 I have pics of the cut out section.

I wish I had used 2-3mm Perspex now though as the recess is a little deep. Not sure how easy it would be to work with as the 5mm was like warm toffee where as 2-3mm might bend too much. I guess you would just have to heat it less to stop it bending all over the place.

Hope this helps

Tom.

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

hyundai2806 said:
hey there bud!!! its lookin great keep it up

i couldnt figure out what to do with my JFO to mount the dual layer inside

so unless you already epoxied it already id see if you could maybe epoxy some hardware inside???

i did it on mine just so i could remove it and replace it if i ever decided to chance the color or got something on it a couldnt clean

its just a suggestion plus i feel more comfortable with the bolted in i didnt want the visor popping out and smacking me in the face lol

like i said its just some constructive criticism, something to look into maybe
the visors like that are very polized so glue and epoxys will only hold so much it would be a shame to have it pop out on you at a con or something

but its looking really great, im on my first suit too
all the best of luck to you!!

Thank you. You make a very valid point.

I have not glued anything yet (thankfully), those pics are just to show how nice it fits in. Lol - my bad cause my text was outta context. I'm hopIng the epoxy works when I try it.

After dinner I'm hoping to epoxy three screw posts in (sides an one where the mouth is). The dry fit for the screw placement will determine my outer layer, I'm aiming for a simplistic double visor cut. Fingers crossed.

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

drack said:
I will answer this for you as I have to take credit for the technique as I showed DBmike how to do it. I took a nice fresh/new wide baking tray and used the underside of it. My explanation is on my MK VI thread here,
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/35911-MK-VI-Foam-Build/page3.
Scroll down a little and the explanation is just above the visor pics. If you go to page 6 I have pics of the cut out section.

I wish I had used 2-3mm Perspex now though as the recess is a little deep. Not sure how easy it would be to work with as the 5mm was like warm toffee where as 2-3mm might bend too much. I guess you would just have to heat it less to stop it bending all over the place.

Hope this helps
Tom.

Thank for the tip and link. Will defiantly give this a try.

Quick question - when doing the second layer on the visor, did you do anything special when you trimmed?

drack · Jul 8, 2012

Fxd2fght said:
Thank for the tip and link. Will defiantly give this a try.

Quick question - when doing the second layer on the visor, did you do anything special when you trimmed?

Will do a shortened explanation for you. Took Perspex. Cut it to the visor shape. Heated in oven. Placed in helmet to take shape. Allow cooling. Removed from helmet dremeled out recess. Took one of the 2 motorcycle visor inserts and cut the recess shape out of that. Double sided taped it to the outside of the Perspex. Took the second motorcycle insert and just double sided tapped it inside.

Hope this explains fully

Tom.

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

drack said:
Will do a shortened explanation for you. Took Perspex. Cut it to the visor shape. Heated in oven. Placed in helmet to take shape. Allow cooling. Removed from helmet dremeled out recess. Took one of the 2 motorcycle visor inserts and cut the recess shape out of that. Double sided taped it to the outside of the Perspex. Took the second motorcycle insert and just double sided tapped it inside.

Hope this explains fully
Tom.

Amazing. Thank you for the tips.

Fxd2fght · Jul 8, 2012

Progress shot for this week.

Left to do...

Side detailing, nose, gap/actual visor lights and inside padding to go.

Not to mention the internal struggle of which colour to paint it at the end.

FXD2FGHT's Mark VI Helmet WIP

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