helping out with after bondo detail?

[HeavyDutyART]

So i'm done with peping my odst helmet and i have moved on to resining. Once i have completed that i'm planning on using bondo but i have one simple question. How does everyone carve detail into their helmets, after they bondo? do you etch in the lines with a fine tool while the bondo isn't fully dry? If your still not quite sure what i'm talking about look at this picture for a second.

http://www.bluerealmstudios.com/wp-content/gallery/legacyodst/odst11.jpg

if you look at the top of the helmet it is not just round. there are thin lines carved, that give it a much more detailed look instead of just a flat surface. Note: if there is already a thread that you know of explaining how to do this, please send me a link.

 

[samuel murray]

If you have a dremel you can use the cutting disk to etch the lines. It's best to do this after the bondo has dried fully. I'm not quite sure how you would go doing it without a dremel though. Perhaps you could get an exacto knife and just keep doing medium hardness lines in it until you have reached the required depth.

Let us know how you get along.

Sam

 

[active84u]

The pic you linked to looks to me like a cast from a mold? If it is, those crisp lines were probably made in oil based clay with some kind of hand tool. No dremel required, but materials for moulding and casting are relatively expensive.

 

[tazzy]

The pic you linked to looks to me like a cast from a mold? If it is, those crisp lines were probably made in oil based clay with some kind of hand tool. No dremel required, but materials for moulding and casting are relatively expensive.

Yes it look like it been mold from cast too smooth all same color shape and way shiny!

 

[JUSTINIAN 117]

Blue Realm did use clay and a mold for his. Only use his stuff as a reference for making the detail, not how he did it.

The best way I can describe it is to bondo everything, and then sand it perfectly smooth. Once you get it to be as smooth as you like, then use a dremel or an exacto knife for kutting the detail. It just takes practice to get it right, so I would suggest trying it on something else before you do the helmet. If you do mess up you can always add more bondo, and sand it smooth again, and the try to cut the detail again. I hope this helps.

 

[ventrue]

If you have a dremel you can use the cutting disk to etch the lines.

They also have special carving accessories that have finer tips and take less material off. But getting lines this sharp is going to need some serious experience/talent either way.

 

[HeavyDutyART]

Thanks for the the tips. i'm going out to practice cutting in some smooth lines with a dremel and an exacto knife. i plan on seeing which works best and then go from there.

 

[vv7]

instructions.

Note: if there is already a thread that you know of explaining how to do this, please send me a link.

It is not a thread, but I wrote up instructions when I cut detail lines on my ODST helmet.
Here is the procedure I wrote (I took pictures). I hope it is useful..

 

[HeavyDutyART]

Thanks for that! once the weather gets a little warmer i'll start the last bit of fiber glass so i can move to bondo and then detailing. At the moment it is snowing really hard and fiber glass doesn't dry in colder areas.