3D print perfect mark V (5) B Reach helmet.

[Icon Props]

OK.... this is most likely not going to be what you want to hear about 3D printed models. The biggest misconception MOST people have about 3D printed helmets or props or armor for that matter is that 3D printing is cheating and that anyone can be a builder using this new method. (keep in mind that the same things were being said about pepkura by people that can sculpt just a few years back).

The BIG advantage to 3D printing that does give you a near perfect base to work from instead of dealing a more common than not, not so perfect pepakura model.

I'm finding that the same amount of finishing work that I have put into my pepakura based builds go into the 3D printed builds as well.
The same people that pep out a piece, harden it & then paint it and call it finished are the same people that claim that they can just 3D print an object and the have a finished masterpiece in there hands.

It is my opinion that when finished correctly you should not be able to tell that the piece was 3D printed (no print lines / steps or any other evidence, just like a pepakura model should leave no evidence that it started off as a pep model.

 

[Icon Props]

For now lets skip all the file prep that goes into this. Keep in mind most of us will have to work off small building platforms so the model must be sliced and printed out in pieces. Heres most of the printed pieces.

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My first step is to start cleaning and burs or high spots of each piece a minute or 2 of sanding with some 100 grit paper on each piece should do.

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These plastics DO NOT sand well.

 

[Icon Props]

Next I used the usual body fillers / clays & putty's to begin smoothing out each piece. This is only the first, base coat of smoothing of each piece. Keep in mind these will all be sculpted over again & again. There is an advantage to working on individual pieces first before assembling it together. Many of those hard to reach places can be much more accessible at this point.

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I quick coat of prime helps to find the areas that need a little more work.

 

[Serin]

Planning on releasing the model dude?

 

[Icon Props]

I believe this model is out. It was modeled by Jacob Morin. You will likely find it as a pep or obj file somewhere on this site. Hours of detail work was put into it, first smoothing it out, adjusting some details, and slicing and prepping it to print. That process will need to be another thread in itself. The pep or obj base file likely had a few 100 polygons, by the time I finished butchering this one up the poly count was smoothed out to nearly 30,000 edges. Im not a 3 D modeler or very good with a computer so if I can learn to work on the files then anyone can do it.

 

[Mstruvmgc]

looking good sar far

 

[Icon Props]

Now to put the puzzle together.
I've heard of a couple of ways to do this but I wanted to try something other than what I've been told works.
I'm using hot glue to put the pieces together and also to seal all the seam lines on the inside helmet. The reason for this is that I want to slawsh a couple coatings or casting resin on the inside of the helmet that way it will be able to take the abuse I'll put it through during the sculpting, sanding, & molding process.

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Now for 2 coats of about 10 oz of smooth cast 65D



The hot glue worked out well and I'd recommend this process to anyone putting together similar pieces. The hot glue filled the seems and made a great seal so that resins didn't leak threw at all. The resin coats straightened the helmet enough to hopefully complete the project without worrying about the thing coming apart.

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

Sweetness! How much did cost? I mean with the amount of material that you used to print out the helmet. Oh, and it looks like one of your pictures is upside down.

 

[Bioshutt]

That's awesome man

 

[Pawing Sloth]

That is super cool right there! where did you find the files for the 3D model? did you like just search it on google or did you actually make the whole thing?

 

[Icon Props]

The original modeled was by my friend & fellow member of Stony Props Jacob Morin. It was made public a while ago an I'll look for & post that link. I did modify it for 3D printing. Each of my attempts to alter it took a couple of hours and the first several attempts at were all fails. With some 3D model guidance from Walter Marlin I've since learned a few things, finished this model and since then converted another helmet project over for 3 d printing.

 

[Icon Props]

This next part never photographs well and never looks very impressive, but this is what makes or breaks any helmet.
Using various auto body and sculpting products the helmet is brought out from the under laying 3D model.

I'll draw lines directly on the helmet as guides, it helps me plan out as well as map out each layer.
I use clay sculpting tools along with files and sand papers to grove-out and smooth out each detail.

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[morkar78]

BRAVO!

looking forward to see it completed!

 

[CLOTHAR]

Great work on this project so far. It is nice to see how new tech can offer more options for building stuff!

 

[Icon Props]

I hate to leave this part of the thread on those last pics,
Here's the same area a little further along and covered with a light primer coat. The seams aren't finished yet, they will still be smoothed over at least once more before that section is finished.

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[blackout11c]

Words cannot describe how good that looks. Incredible.

 

[Icon Props]

Update time.
I do all my sculpting / body work in layers. It's time consuming but I'm happy with the results that I get from building them that way. I also get my hands right into the material, I put a lot of hands on sculpting into these. It adds a fluid look and feel to it. It's just my style of doing it, everybody does it a little different.

This first pic is w/ the ear area being worked on. I put a semi ruff layer down & let it cure for about 24 hours.
("semi ruff" I sculpt it in by hand the best I can so that later there's not a lot of sanding and finishing on that one small section)

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Same piece / same stage / dif. angle

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Same piece / cured & sanded, / I use primer in many of the stages to help me locate areas that require more work.

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[Icon Props]

It's getting closer. I've got a lot of clean up yet and more details to add but its moving in the right direction.
Thanks for looking.
Jim McCrea
Proud member of Stony Props
Founder of Icon Props, Replicas and 3D Printing.

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[Harri51]

That is a one sexy looking helmet. Ok I want a 3D Printer now more then ever.

 

[Bonepunk]

Looks very good.