Problem With Mark Vi High Detail Helmet

[Farhan]

Hi,

I really need some opinions and tips. I've almost finished my Mark VI HD Helmet by FS. I seem to be having a problem with the flash light area, it doesn't seem correct and I have a thought that once it's resined it will just come out wrong. Please take a look at the pictures below, let me know what you think and if I should carry on with this helmet? Does everyone make some mistakes like this on the way? My helmet is not completely symmetrical either...

[attachment=7758:IMG_7540.jpg]

[attachment=7757:IMG_7539.jpg]

[attachment=7756:IMG_7538.jpg]

[attachment=7755:IMG_7536.jpg]

[attachment=7754:IMG_7533.jpg]

Thanks.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan 9 2009, 10:30 PM
------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

I've been browsing this forum for a long time now and have decided to create full Master Chief armor using the Mark VI high detailed parts. I have some experience in Pepakura work, however I'm getting a little frustated with the high detailed parts.

I noticed that I've misaligned two or three pieces on the back of the high detail FS helmet, I've attached a picture below to show you what I mean. I was wondering whether or not I should carry on with this helmet and start on a new one.

[attachment=7730:IMG_7531.jpg]

As you can see, the numbers aren't facing each other exactly, some are moved up. It's hard to fix this since the tabs are so small and getting hot glue to soften will cause damage to other parts. How exactly are you putting these pieces together? What happens if I use normal paper glue (prittstick) and then use hot glue afterwards on the inside? Will the resin still eat through the tabs?

Here is another picture just for reference:

[attachment=7731:IMG_7532.jpg]

Thanks for your help.

 

[LastSpartan]

Well I'd say finish it. It's so small and bondo will easily correct this.

Your link's dead by the way

 

[Farhan]

Thanks, I've fixed it. But one misalignment can cause other parts to misalign as well, wouldn't this be a big problem?

 

[LastSpartan]

Well if this was the last piece you put, no.

If you still have pieces to put near that piece, you have to make sure the rest of the numbers are aligned correctly. Or just cut it out, and put some fiberglass cloth inside instead. That's what I did

 

[Farhan]

Alright, I'll carry on with this helmet and see how it turns out. I would still appreciate it if others can post their opinions as well. Can you kindly link me to a thread which shows and explains what Bondo is and does please? I know it's used after the resin phase right? I'm interested to know how it will easily correct this.

 

[ratsta]

i have to agree that while it will cut your time when you get to bondo etc you can easily fix little issues like these with a dremmel and a bit of filler

 

[delta38]

Yeah i've had to cross that bridge befor too. I just cut out a peice of the paper where there was space so it matched the other numbers

 

[sirblood]

It doesn't look very bad, doesn't appear to be anything that can't be fixed up later with either bondo or puddy.

Well, this may help you if you have a gap or two here or there. Cut off a small piece of cardstock and hot glue it to fill in the gap.

Using hot glue you can touch the tip to the tab afterwards to heat it up and allow you to move it around a little. Never glue more than 2 tabs at a time, even then only when they are very small tabs

I would suggest when you first attach 2 pieces, glue only 1 tab, and preferably one in the middle, makes it a LOT easier to allign them. If you actively make sure each tab is lined up before/as you stick them, you will be happier with the results.

IF you decide that you aren't happy with this helmet and decide to restart... save it and practice applying resin and fiberglass to it.

 

[Spartan 129]

I have been around awhile, and though I did DF4L's hi def helm, in a couple places i had the same problem, one of those mini tabs ripped when i glued the others, so my helm looks like it has a dent on one side because the top is slanted. Anyway, I am going to finish it, and make all my noobie mistakes battle damage. just my thoughts.

 

[jawshwaa]

Hello,


[attachment=7730:IMG_7531.jpg]

i had to edit that part right there because for some reason on fs's model it was 2 pieces on the right side and one piece on the left ( not that it wasnt a baddaz pep file, thanx fs)...but yeah it looks like it could be smoothed out in my opinion just take your time on the rest of the helmet and you should come out with somthing awesome

p.s. the better your folds are the less bondo you have to use to fix it......sanding sux

 

[Farhan]

I've updated my first post, please take a look. : )

 

[HeavyGunner]

Don't worry dude. If your first helm doesn't come out the way you want, you can always try again. I would finish this one just for the experience of an HD build, and then if you want, you can try again knowing that you'll be better at it than the last time. But actually, I don't see any indication that you will need to redo it though. It's shaping up very nicely!

 

[sirblood]

it looks like you are missing the triangle piece that goes under the helmet lights section.

A little tip I devised to help with straighting up your helmet before you resin/bondo it... A lot of people have problems with crooked pieces...

materials needed:
hot glue gun
can of compressed air

What you will be doing is adding a good portion of hot glue to the area around the problem area. You will then force align the pieces as the hot glue should allow the model to be moved around. if the pep is to hot to touch either use gloves or a ruler, then you will quickly want to use the compressed air on the hot glue. a good way to speed dry the glue is to hold the compressed air canister UPSIDE DOWN, this will spray out a bit of liquid which will very quickly cool the hot glue.

If all goes well the hot glue will hold the misaligned piece in place. Once you bondo the outside you can use your hot glue gun to melt the glob(s) of glue and then dab it/them up with a paper towel

WARNING: if you used hot glue to assemble the armor, you will want to start off with a couple smaller globs of hot glue first and cool them, that should make sure your armor doesn't come apart.

----------

another piece of advice, make double certain the numbers are aligned when you attach the next piece. I haven't pepped very many helmets, but I have had the best luck on the standard HD one to build the components individually and then to attach them... meaning the almost completed helm will be in 10 or 12 pieces when you start attaching everything. Makes ie easier to keep the numbers attached. Complex helms like the Hyabusa helm are another story

 

[Farhan]

HeavyGunner and Sir Blood, thank you for your helpful posts. I will continue to finish this helmet. I have a can of compressed air and never thought of using it. I also just remembered that I'll be making three or four more helmets as I will be making a series of live action episodes - keeping this one will save me time and will also allow me to work on the rest with more accuracy.

 

[Balthezar]

It actually doesnt look bad. There are mis-alligned peices all over my helmet, but you would never know it. The cheek lights are some of the hardest folds in the whole helmet.

If you really need to, you can re-do a small section of your helmet at a time by re-printing out the specific peices. Just move the peices off the left or top of the page in pepekura and print out the pieces you need. If the model is scaled and unfolded the same way, the peices you print out will fit perfectly with your current helmet. You could even print out 2 or 3 of each cheek section and get some practice in.

I found its easier to make the helmet in small sections, and then attatch the sections along a broad flap, that was easy to glue and line up. Hope this helps!

 

[Spartan857]

In the fourth pic down, I noticed you cout out the 2 small spots, those will take away a bit of structural integrity.

Looks good, my ODST helmet has a few places where the numbers dont match at all.

 

[YURI0510]

GET SOME SCISSORS AND CUT OUT THE PIECE THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE ON THE HELM, THEN GO ON PEPAKURA CHEK THE PART THAT YOU CUT OUT (IF YOU NEED IT ADD SOME FLAPS) AND PRINT IT AGAIN, VERY EASY AND IS THE BEST WAY TO CARRY ON.

 

[Spartan857]

GET SOME SCISSORS AND CUT OUT THE PIECE THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE ON THE HELM, THEN GO ON PEPAKURA CHEK THE PART THAT YOU CUT OUT (IF YOU NEED IT ADD SOME FLAPS) AND PRINT IT AGAIN, VERY EASY AND IS THE BEST WAY TO CARRY ON.

Not to get off topic, but caps lock doesnt look cool, and no offense but your signature pic seems a bit too big.

 

[YURI0510]

Not to get off topic, but caps lock doesnt look cool, and no offense but your signature pic seems a bit too big.

HEY SPARTAN 857 WE ARE HERE TO HELP SOMEONE AND NOT FOR YOUR STRANGE PROBLEMS ABOUT HOW I WRITE.......

 

[Evella]

I agree with almost everyone here, that a few misaligned pieces arent too terrible. Also though it may look a little oddshaped, until you get everything put in place, including the visor, it could look a little off center or unstable. I don't know what advice to give you about the light sections, as I am not familar with exactly how they are supposed to look.

Also if you force pieces that are slightly misaligned to be exactly dead on with a different piece it could cause a crinkle/new little fold in the cardstock, but as people have said, you can fix that with some bondo and sanding. Just be sure when you apply the bondo that you apply it in thin layers and work on smaller secitons at a time so that you dont have a ton of bondo to sand off.
Anyway keep working on the helmet and I'm sure it'll look great anyway.