MY First Attempt- Any pointers?

[cujo3131]

Greetings 405th'ers!

New nugget on the block and I wanted to post my first build thread and ask for a few pointers.

Background: Using white 110lb paper from Wally World with a Aileene's Original Tacky Glue. File was scaled only slightly to 325mm in height. Just playing with this helmet as a learning tool and to see if I could use the designer to scale, mod and move parts around on my own....

I looked at a lot of files and played with several of the smaller ones... and decided to try something a little more complex. (Maybe I bit off more than I can chew)

I decided to try the Kirrou's ODST Rookie bucket as you can see. I started in the visor area with the build, which was cruising along pretty well till I hit the area at Marker 1 and had a tiny gap where it didn't meet up exact. Up to this point, the only difficult area I had was at Marker 2 with the very thin lip. Does anyone have a helpful tip for getting fine edges like this?

Continued working today on my lunch break and got to the "ear hole/vent" of the helmet. OMG... Printed and tried it 4 times and butcherd it...How in the heck do you get these thin strips 1 mm cut out and bent without wrecking the whole thing... WAS SO frustrated!

This is the piece I am speaking of....

so anyway.... How am I doing? What do I need to watch for?

I really do appreciate your reading this and REALLY appreciate your input...

thank you!

Cujo31

 

[Agent Arizona]

Small gaps are ok. They get cover by bondo if you use it or by the fiberglass from behind. Those thin parts are just a pain, you just have to be careful. Score your paper really really well. that should help a little. But it looks really good so far, just remember to take things slow. Helmets are one of the hardest things to make. Keep it up

 

[box o crayons]

chill your doing fine looks great, keep takeing your time and you will have a great helmet in the end.

 

[SPRTNBD50]

Score the lines. Get a cutter and ruler and score the lines so it has a clean fold and easier to fold.

 

[taurus656]

if your using scissors that might be the problem. i use a hobby knife personally

 

[gaj2714]

yeah, the craft part of it can bea pain. but once the resin goes over it and the fiberglass is on the inside, it will be fine. just mkae sure it retains its original chape and watch for leas onto the other side of the model. the resin will run through the gap

 

[active84u]

Hmm, I dont rate these thin stips around a edge/fold either. I think the next time I pep something with them, I will leave it intact till I have resined and cut with a new blade. Should be easier to fold too.

 

[silentd3at4]

Great job man. Alot better than my first attempt. Those thin lips are a pain!!! I just fold through it and see if between resin fiberglass and bondo I can recover some minor details. (This i can only see working if the pieces are a little dimpled from bending not full on creases, tears, or folds lol.

 

[cujo3131]

Update: 10/5/10

Here is where I am at:

Still have the rear section of the helmet to finish and the inserts....

Notice the smaller helmet beside it? Th 9 year old took a interest in what I was doing
and wanted one... So now the smooth Recon helmet is under way... in size small

I will post more as I go

thanks to all who are looking!

Cujo

 

[xxn00berxx]

OMG amazing for a first time!

 

[cujo3131]

OMG amazing for a first time!

Thanks xxn00berxx!

The big props go to Kirrou though... his helmet model and unfold is bitching!
I had the visor, top of helmet and chin finished EASILY even as a novice. The only
thing I really struggled with was the very thin accent creases... and I suppose that
will come with practice folding these things. I am also using Aileene's Original Tacky
glue to put these together with...using thin applications to stick tabs... then going back
and smearing glue over the seams after they dry to seal them.

Is it any easier using the cool temp hot glue method?

I am also using the Pep Viewer to guide me as I build... cutting out one piece at a time and
applying it, rather than having a hundred pieces all over my work table. This method worked
pretty good for me in the beginning...but now as the helmet starts to come together... I have
less and less room to reach inside and glue pieces. I wonder how hard it would be to have
Kirrou's model "sliced" down the middle.... so you could build one side of the bucket at a time...
Then simpley glue the two halves together at the end? Or would that cause a weakeness in the
helmet?

Just some thoughts and my usual rambling!

Thanks for looking all!

Cujo

 

[cujo3131]

Another update pic...

Jr.'s helmet is awefully small compared to my ODST... Let's hope I scaled it right

Coming along fine... Should have Jr's finished tonight and then I can go back to finishing mine.

Anyone know if Kirrou release the smoothed down version of his ODST Rookie helmet?

I also scaled down the images... didn't realize the ones I posted were that big... sorry about that....

Cujo3131

 

[taurus656]

im working on the same helm right now and i had a problem with the tiny lips too. but yours looks really good so far keep up the good work

 

[insanetrooper]

Your doing very nice clean work, keep it up. I think your going to have a very nice helmet in the end

 

[Jack7226]

As long as you have a good referance picture like pep viewer , if you mess up on a line. You can always fix it with bondo when the time is right. I had to do the same thing with my MK6 helm. I had a bit of warping and i wanted to change a few things. The Pep your doing looks wonderfull and clean tho. Good clean lines you should be fine. Cant wait to see it painted

 

[cujo3131]

Your doing very nice clean work, keep it up. I think your going to have a very nice helmet in the end

Thank you! Coming from you IT, I'll take that as a compliment! I read all 12 pages of you clay build and that was INSANE and very cool! If I can
get it half as good as yoru helmet I would be pleased!

As long as you have a good referance picture like pep viewer , if you mess up on a line. You can always fix it with bondo when the time is right. I had to do the same thing with my MK6 helm. I had a bit of warping and i wanted to change a few things. The Pep your doing looks wonderfull and clean tho. Good clean lines you should be fine. Cant wait to see it painted

Thanks for the insight and kind words Jack! I can't wait to see mine finished either... but must force myself to be patient.... cut ON the lines.... and wash all the tacky glue off my hands BEFORE bed hahahahah

this resin/bondo/fiberglass thing will be a completely new adventure for me....

Cujo

 

[becks]

Looks very good. While its always great to strive to have a perfect pep always remember: Bondo covers all Dont fret too much over little mistakes that can be easily fixed in the body filler/sanding phase. Keep up the good work!

 

[chris uk 83]

That's looking really good so far. I personally use the hot glue gun hot glue method. Tried the cool one and it wouldn't melt the joins I'd already made. It's really useful to be able to unstick joints again. So my fingers get a bit hot, no pain no gain!

 

[diver2441]

Your build is looking great, i'm going to be starting my own ODST and i plan to use the same pep file for the helmet (after i use the tester to get the size right ) i hope your build comes out as well as it is looking now.

 

[Grave Hawk]

Your helms are looking really good and your pep work is awesome. Can't wait to see some more updates on this build. Keep up the awesome work!