Alternate helmet strengthener?

[kupokitty]

Hey, y'all. I'm trying to think of what I can use to strengthen my MC helmet after I actually put it together. I'm dirt poor, and I need to know a cheap, yet effective way of making a strong helmet.

My helmet's going to be made of regular printer paper because this is my first try, and I don't want to spend a hundred or more dollars for fiberglass on a potential piece of crap.


Should I make duct-tape cloth and cover the back sides of my Pepakura patterns with it before I make the helmet, then apply a lot of paper mache glue for firmness to the inside when I'm done?


Help a clueless newbie, give good suggestions!

 

[Sigma LS]

Spend the extra $2 to get cardstock. You will be happier with the results. I've done pepakura with regular paper and it is a PAIN.

You can get enough resin for your entire helmet at Wal-Mart for $10. Fiberglass cloth for $4.


Total cost with no visor. $19 plus tax.

All the other stuff you're talking about would likely end up costing that much anyway.

 

[kupokitty]

Spend the extra $2 to get cardstock. You will be happier with the results. I've done pepakura with regular paper and it is a PAIN.

You can get enough resin for your entire helmet at Wal-Mart for $10. Fiberglass cloth for $4.
Total cost with no visor. $19 plus tax.

All the other stuff you're talking about would likely end up costing that much anyway.

I'm an art freak, so I have an abundance of paper mache glue in a large container. I also have duct tape in large quantities because of a recent house project.

Do you think making a helmet out of stuff I already have would be okay for my first try? I made a mask out of paper, stretchy things, and glue once, and it turned out okay, aside from it being a bit warped because someone sat on it. ):

 

[dannifood4less]

Spend the extra $2 to get cardstock. You will be happier with the results. I've done pepakura with regular paper and it is a PAIN.

You can get enough resin for your entire helmet at Wal-Mart for $10. Fiberglass cloth for $4.
Total cost with no visor. $19 plus tax.

All the other stuff you're talking about would likely end up costing that much anyway.

QFMFT. trust us when we say copy paper sucks. if you dont believe, try one on copy paper, then do it again with cardstock... also if you dont want to paint your helmet and dont mind using a bit of your ink. it dose not have a visor, since it was made for these projects where you end up adding one later..

http://rapidshare.com/files/53161783/helmet.pdo
PIC is here

 

[kupokitty]

Alrighty. I'll try my way AND your way in the morning! I just found my paycheck.



If the printer paper helmet turns out like crap, which I'm sure it's gonna be anyway, I'll just give it to my friend. She's a Halo/GoW nut.

 

[Chaman]

EDIT Dang it, I spent too much time looking for prices, but here's my two cents anyway

forget about paper, it's going to cost you more to strengthen it then to just by cardstock; on that note

Buy cardstock, you can get a ream (250 sheets) for under $15 at most office stores.

To finish it, you might try plaster bandages or papermache, both applied very dry (squegee as much water as you can from the strips)

Of course, a quart of resin is under $15; if you can find pints they will be less.

8 square feet of fiberglass cloth or mat are a little over $5 for either

So, most of the materials would cost under $50

start small, you need the card stock first

then resin the outside $15 or less

then fiberglass mat and cloth for $11

The most expensive single part is the visor at around $36, granted, you really need this before you start the helmet
See if a cycle shop has some used visors that match the type you want and you can use that as a template until you can get a new gold one
(or whatever finish you want)

So, you can do a helmet for under a hundred dollars, spread it over a number of months
if you can save $5 a week (I know, some weeks are tough) it'd take around five months to get everything you need

 

[kupokitty]

I have a visor from my motorcycle helmet; it's all beat up and I want a new one anyway. Would that work for a template?

 

[Chaman]

everybodys suggesting this one
Visor Link

If your visor is similar it should, you might want to compare them at a shop and make sure
Or...
if there's a gold visor that matches the one you have and wouldn't be too expensive, yes.

 

[kupokitty]

Mine's fairly close to that, but I think it's a little longer vertically.

It looks kinda like this: DOT helmet

 

[Chaman]

It should work, but make sure that there's a gold version you can afford or that it has a similar curve to one you can afford

 

[Macattack64]

you might be able to print them out... And cover some of it with packaging tap to make it thick... That might make it stronger...

Also When I first decided to do this project I started with regular paper... Regular paper just folds and bends so if you do... You will want to try the packaging tape before you start putting it together...
Yea when I started with regular paper I didn't finish it... Got about 2/5 of the way done with it before I went and bought cardstock...

Just though this might help...

~ Mac

P.S. - I would suggest this link for a Visor...
(the link was sent to me by Sean Bradley)