Looking for advice

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SynthWolf

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Hey all! new to making costumes and was looking to see if anyone had any pointers/advice that could help me make an EVA helmet, im thinking about finding a template and using eva foam for the base of the helmet and doing the visor separate. main reason im making a thread is because its a helmet that i have not seen being made too much and the ones i see usually come from a cast mold or are 3d printed (which i would like to do but my printer is too small). Any advice is appreciated, cheers!
 
Andrew DTF is great channel on YouTube when it comes to EVA foam builds. He makes, shows & has free blueprints. Go check him out. :cool:(y)

 
[B]ArBiTeR1400[/B] funny enough im actually using his odst videos for a good amount of the armor, unfortunately no EVA helmet though.

Sean Anwalt yeah the visor will be the trickiest part, i know there is a site that sells the helmet and has a decent mold for the visor but the price for that helm is ridiculous imo as it comes as a molded kit. looks like there is a template in the armory here though so I'll dive into that and might need to get really creative at this point for the visor.
 
Heya SynthWolf, welcome to the 405th!
First off, here's a thread that you might find useful: Foam Guide
It's mostly a guide to help purchase the right EVA foam when starting a new project, but there's a common tools and tips section at the end that you may find helpful.

I'll share my favorite few tips here though:
1. Use sharp blades.
2. Reread tip #1.
3. Use contact cement (Barge is preferred). This is not only easier to work with imo, but it also allows you to lineup the visible edges of the foam perfectly, and then press the rest together.
4. Be patient. Don't try to rush a build. Take your time, measure 3 times, refer to game references (either here Reference Packs Index or in-game)
5. Don't be afraid to recut/rebuild something. Sometimes it just takes a couple tries to figure something out.
 
RandomRanger Thanks for the welcome! And thanks for pointing out the guide, didn't see it when looking through some stuff, i ordered a heat gun and some eva foam mats from amazon (mats might take a bit it seems though) i think all im missing now is the contact cement but overall I'm excited to get into this hobby, this community seems really wholesome and great overall.
 
Agree with what everyone is saying, big tip if you use contact cement have a respirator, cuz brains don't like that stuff.
Other then that, look up videos on beveling. we have some in the foam section of the tutorial index. Those are what helped me a lot. Also remember seams will look better if you bevel on the first cut, but you can always take more off if needed.
(beveling cuts is when you cut at an angle to create a angled connection to another piece).
Good luck! buy a blade sharpener and extra blades
 
he4thbar thanks for the advice! i think i have a mask lying around but will do the contact cement and painting outside non the less, and im definitely going to have to look up decent beveling techniques. on another hand i think i might have a decent answer to the visor. i'm going to combine the template visor pieces in pepakura and cut it out in some sort of see through malleable material. some people use acrylic folders but ill keep looking.
 
You can buy the visor separate depending on the helmet, it is often cheaper to buy it than get the materials and machine to make molded ones.

I like to fiberglass/ resin over top of the foam. It lets you get stronger lines and edges. It also makes the suit more durable but less flexible. But it is also quite a bit pricier, as it is additional materials. The added bonus of doing the helmet this way is that you can pull out most of the foam once you are done to give more room if you are looking to add lights and fans.
 
ZiggyGrimm sorry for the late reply work has been hectic. In all honesty id love to get it 3d printed out of resin, but i cant find a decent 3d model that doesn't cost money to get a quote on as itd kind of suck to buy a model then not be able to print it
 
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One of the main things I have to say is.... Don't Give UP! Halo Pep armor is very frustrating the first time around (b)ut the more and more you do it the more motivated you become to do more! (Insert dark evil side affects here)
 
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I think the chest piece should be the hardest(actually it should be the easiest part because the parts are bigger which means...yeah it's easier...) part. Mainly because the Eva Helmet is more visor than helmet(couldn't think of another word)
 
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well im going with a more spartan 3 look so it wont be as detailed oriented for the pieces themselves but the paint will play a bigger part. right now i have the eva helmet planned out with odst shoulders and im debating on what to do for the chest piece
 
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