Corvus' Builds: Helmets!

[corvusadstrum]

As suggestion, I have started my first thread! Hello everyone! I've followed the 405th for some time and now finally joining up as I develop my skills more and more. Here, witness the mistakes and updates as a noob struggles to build his own costumes and stuff- starting with my Helmet projects! Once I get through these, I am hoping to start expanding on building full armor cosplays. Any feedback will be appreciated! More to follow shortly!

 

[corvusadstrum]

Alright, so now that the thread is up- let's get into this.

Helmet 1 --- ODST (H3) :

Bit of backstory for this one. I've had my printer I think about for two years and some change but I never seemed to have it print correctly. At the time, I figured it was a leveling issue but could not figure it out. I tried adjusting and fixing but never worked, I then got really busy before moving so it sat in my old room at my parent's house for a long time. Within the two months, I visited and noticed my dad had set up his printer finally. Since we had the same model and I knew a bit more for 3D printing, I picked up "Calypso" and went home to diagnose. After repeating everything to test it out, I found out that I needed just a little bit more adhesion on my plate at that time. Once I tested out with a glue stick (don't judge), my first successful print occurred. I've adjusted how I need extra adhesive and developed a setup method for the beginning. After multiple projects I decided to say "go big or go home" and did my first attempt at helmet. Here is the developmental process for my first helmet, a 70% scale ODST helmet.

Why 70%? Whelp, for one it was the first time printing a helmet so I wanted it to fit on my base plate and at 70% scale I thought with that estimate it should fit directly onto not only my nieces but my youngest son's head. That did not work out as I accounted for interior and not the hole. The closest one that can wear it would be our dog, Cookie.

Here she is being a good sport about it and needing a cut, lol.
And since it was first time printing a helmet and scaling, I did not also account for proper placement for the model on the bed, as it seemed fine in the slicer, the extruder stayed short when printing cause the weird chin cutoff. Luckily, I have printed the chin section as same scale and attached it with super glue to the front of the helmet. I intend to customize it the same time as the other helmets and shape up the chin portion so it is properly flush with the rest of the print and have a smaller ODST model for my collection!

 

[corvusadstrum]

Helmet 2 & Helmet 0 --- Mark VII (Infinite) & EOD (Reach) :

Looking back, I have somehow lost some images of progression with developmental images for my first full scale helmet, the Mark VII. I think a lot of times it was showing on video calls so might be why I don't have too many. I do got bits to work with though, so I am here to show everyone!

Major thanks to MoeSizzlac for providing the files on Thingiverse.
I had started to plan on printing a helmet for each of my family members. I am starting to work my way through everyone but when picking out came the tough parts because my youngest is a toddler and still learning to talk but gets excited for Halo stuff so he can't pick out a helmet, my oldest changes his mind on everything so finding a helmet through the hundreds of the Halo catalogue would also take a while, and then my wife who is busy like me and had been introduced to Halo by me. Adults absolutely settle on our helmets but the kiddos figure it out. So I did the next logical step... age of Mjolnir. Since my youngest is the youngest, and will still develop over time- a basic Mark VII since currently newest model. The oldest, I had in mind to do the Cavallino since its the default in Infinite as well but close in design and still making sense settled with the Halo 4 Recruit helmet.

Since I was figuring out details for helmets with family, the first one on the block to test if I could do full scale helmets compared to the 70% is the Mark VII as could always learn with it and make a new one if I needed to. We got to work printing and everything was turning out fine. Support clean up sometimes a mess but that's just in general.

I was still running on my previous roll during this project so half way through one of the prints we had to swap over to a fresh new roll.

I had somehow though dealt with weird stringing issues on bottom section of one of the back plates that might be noticeable here, a lot of clipping the separation helped smooth it out eventually. I don't know what occurred but by the time of noticing it quickly became a larger issue. The upper section parts turned out fine. I grabbed my soldering iron and some spare excess filament and after taping up got to work a bit. I soldered the whole thing together where everything lined up fine. I do have some gaps in between a few sections. I plan on printing out a few Dremel attachments and friction weld some of the gaps and use filler for others. Here is the put together raw Mark VII alongside Helmet 0, my EOD. My EOD I haven't printed off this printer but was a surprise commission, the model was provided by the Galactic Armory and printed out. It is not intact like the Mark VII is, as I intend on finishing it up and wearing up but due to my bigger head- I will need to add magnets on the inside to piece it together.

 

[corvusadstrum]

[WIP] Helmet 3 --- Air Assault (Reach) :

Figuring out which helmet to do next would've been the easiest. I was originally planning on doing our eldest's helmet next. I had an STL of a Recruit helmet and managed to split it into parts to fit on my printer. The files and everything seemed fine. Several days ago, I intended on starting sections on the Recruit helmet and ensure it was properly printing before heading out for errands, when splicing the files seemed to cut out sections of the print that still should've been there on the model. I tried adjusting and fixing but wasn't working. So for not wanting to lose time and needing actual sit down time to print, my spouse's helmet became the next project. I managed to properly slice the parts with that model and began the prints for it. I have two sections off the printer and cleaned up, one had a little heat issue in the back that should be easy battle damage if not fixed. Part 3 just now came off the printer. On average for all the models to fit, its been 8 pieces so 5 left until Helmet 3 can be intact. Air Assault pieces despite having few more cosmetic damage, seem to be cleanest with the lines so far. Everything is lining up perfectly. Helmet seems a bit small right now so once more pieces are together I can see the whole thing. I am low on this current filament roll so I am waiting till morning to start up another section compared to now, especially as since it is complete- I am moving the printer into office space as I have available spot now.

More Updates To Follow!

 

[SgtSaint]

You do you... I generally recommend helmets as last not first. So that you beauty part comes *after* you've gained skill instead of being your learning-curve part. But hey, ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different yet right answers.

SgtSaint's FAQ post

So I tend to post this response to the common or Frequently asked questions when people ask on the various social media channels. I copy/paste it to Facebook, or the Discord server and some folks urged me to post it here and just link it in the future. Ok, here goes. These are my tips and how...

www.405th.com

 

[corvusadstrum]

You do you... I generally recommend helmets as last not first. So that you beauty part comes *after* you've gained skill instead of being your learning-curve part. But hey, ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different yet right answers.

SgtSaint's FAQ post

So I tend to post this response to the common or Frequently asked questions when people ask on the various social media channels. I copy/paste it to Facebook, or the Discord server and some folks urged me to post it here and just link it in the future. Ok, here goes. These are my tips and how...

www.405th.com

I have seen from some people about holding off till a bit late, but its that bit of a challenge aspect that pushed me to attempt in first place. Then once seen I could do something close, its what been pushing me more. I do intend on building armor and setting up the plans currently to figure out what to do. I am gonna keep your FAQ post pinned so can reference it. Thank you!