Should I build a helmut or not???

[Bighouse]

Honestly... you WILL burn yourself on that gun. ...Keep us posted with your progress!

Oh, I'm sure of that. I purchased a hot glue gun to install an electric resistance floor heating system under a tile floor in my bathroom (www.warmlyyours.com for anyone interested). And I managed to burn myself a bit with it back then even though I was just dropping dollops of hot glue on a fiber mesh! I'm quite sure that in attempting to apply small drops of hot glue to small tabs of paper and then quickly positioning and holding them to dry, I'll scorch my fingertips more than a few times!

I guess it's about time I put this thumb controller calluses and bass playing calluses to use for something other than moving my character/view around a screen and abusing my poor Rickenbacher 4001!!!

I'll post WIP pics from time to time once things really get underway.

Update: Went to a local craft store to buy gluesticks for my hot glue gun. They had a "low temperature" 10W mini glue gun for $2.79 and, since most of the gluing seems like it's small bits of glue, seemed like a good fit for the pepping task. So I'm all set to cut my cardstock (all of which has been printed) starting tonight. So, do you guys cut all your parts, then glue, or mix it up as you go along? Should I start from the top of the helmut and work down, or what? Can I assemble the collar first and work up?

 

[Master Beef]

Ok wether I like it or not to this site I would be a noob, even though contructing suits is old hat for me. Ive seen this site since 2007 but for some reason didn't think I should of joined it until I started contructing a Spartan suit or suit of Halo design ( didnt know you guys had threads of Iron man till it was too late lol) well I started building the mrk IV Spartan suit used in Halo 3 mostly for the purpose for airsoft wars. However, I figured since you guys are discussing helmets ...I could ask my question, how would you make the visor metallic orange, see -through and plastic? I bought a 12'-17' peice of plexiglass sheet from home depot two problems though 1. it isn't entirely see-through more like that of glass for a standing shower. 2. its a flat sheet is there a way I could just sculp a positive mold of the visor out of wood and then heat the plastic till it falls into place? Any news on this topic would be greatly appreciated (apologies if in future for posts mssng the "I" or "L" both keys are damaged on my laptop requiring extra pressure to use)

 

[Master Beef]

53? Dude.....I'll probably do this till I die!! ITS JUST HOW ME ROLLZ!!!!!

HA awsome just the way I think as well

 

[UberSolidat]

Ok wether I like it or not to this site I would be a noob, even though contructing suits is old hat for me. Ive seen this site since 2007 but for some reason didn't think I should of joined it until I started contructing a Spartan suit or suit of Halo design ( didnt know you guys had threads of Iron man till it was too late lol) well I started building the mrk IV Spartan suit used in Halo 3 mostly for the purpose for airsoft wars. However, I figured since you guys are discussing helmets ...I could ask my question, how would you make the visor metallic orange, see -through and plastic? I bought a 12'-17' peice of plexiglass sheet from home depot two problems though 1. it isn't entirely see-through more like that of glass for a standing shower. 2. its a flat sheet is there a way I could just sculp a positive mold of the visor out of wood and then heat the plastic till it falls into place? Any news on this topic would be greatly appreciated (apologies if in future for posts mssng the "I" or "L" both keys are damaged on my laptop requiring extra pressure to use)

Just for future reference Master Beef, this is considered a thread hijacking and is generally frowned upon. A quick use of the search function will show you theres several tutorials on what people have used for visors, be it motorcycle visors or vaccu-formed.

@ Big House : If you have a computer nearby I find it easier to cut all the pieces out and using the Pep software determine what the next piece looks like. It is like a big puzzle. I'd suggest starting on the collar area of the helmet and work your way up. I hope you printed the edge IDs on your pieces as well, makes positioning the joints much easier Can't wait to see how your helmet turns out!

 

[Bighouse]

Master Beef, do a search on the forums for "dual visor" and you'll see some really fantastic methods of doing the visor. When I get ready for my visor, I'll do something quite different, but will start from the same motorcycle/rainbow face shields that look so nice and so similar to what a Spartan visor does look like. I like the lines that appear on the duals, but don't like the two layers. So, I'm thinking of doing something a bit more complicated...more to come MUCH later on that idea.

UberSolidat- thanks for your suggestion. I'm on track with you and have started my pepping project. I started from the top, however, and now have ten pieces of pep all glued together. It's not too difficult to do, but I have discovered that you don't have MUCH room for error in positioning the parts. Get it set RIGHT the first time! So far, my parts are all within 1/64th of an inch (well, there's that ONE that's 1/32" off!), if not spot on...so I'm hoping for a final product that's fairly warp free and symmetrical. I'm a LONG way from the finish line though! It'll be fun to finally glue the last piece in on the helmut and harden it. It's past my bedtime here (I usually rise very eary in the mornings!) and will continue it tomorrow morning. I will post pictures of my progress once I get it further along. Much thanks to all for the encouragement! This is gonna be FUN!

 

[Dh748]

hey man, welcome to 405th. Its cool to see some older people on here, Just shows how far we "Reach" XD.
Oh and just to make sure there are some ways to make sure everything matches up good too. usually the numbers are parallel
right on the other. and sometimes folds match to foldsso a dotted line continues on another piece... wow that sounds confusing!
just keep doin what you're doing I'm sure it'll be great!

 

[Bighouse]

Thanks for the welcome Dh748. Funny thing about being "older" is that you're STILL the same person you were when you were "younger"...it's just that your eyes don't work as well, your body has aches and pains and time moves MUCH faster. I suspect I'll still enjoy doing stuff many of my age would thing was childish even when I'm one foot in the grave. Who knows, maybe they'll bury me with my Halo armor on one day!

Update: I've cut up and glued together 4 sheets of my 24 sheets. The top portion of the helmut is pepped....it's looking okay I think!

 

[Josiahmann]

welcome man. I think this is a great hobby for everyone. Heck, my dad is 56 and he likes to help me cut out pieces!

 

[sasimiv11]

This hobby will be with me for the rest of my life and it should be with you till the end too.

 

[Bighouse]

Well, here's where I'm at so far!

I'm happy enough with it, though I think when I attempt to harden it I will try to tweak it a bit to straighten out a few oddities...and nothing extra bondo won't cure anyway.

For sculpting it I'm thinking I want to use a subractive process mostly, not add a bunch of bondo to hardened paper. I think I have enough helmut space to do that and it'll take a few mm's off the size of the helmet. But, I'd like to fibeglass it as well for added strength and for just practice using FG. Coud I apply the Rondo to the inside as two layers, then a layer of fiberglass so that my sculpting will mostly leave the fiberglass intact? Then the Foam-It layers?

 

[Dh748]

Well, here's where I'm at so far!

I'm happy enough with it, though I think when I attempt to harden it I will try to tweak it a bit to straighten out a few oddities...and nothing extra bondo won't cure anyway.

For sculpting it I'm thinking I want to use a subractive process mostly, not add a bunch of bondo to hardened paper. I think I have enough helmut space to do that and it'll take a few mm's off the size of the helmet. But, I'd like to fibeglass it as well for added strength and for just practice using FG. Coud I apply the Rondo to the inside as two layers, then a layer of fiberglass so that my sculpting will mostly leave the fiberglass intact? Then the Foam-It layers?

I don't know about foam it but, If you're going to fiberglass it, its better to put in the fiberglass then Rondo. the weight of the rondo will, pull crush warp.. etc the helmet so fiberglass, resin it parts at a time, top,, side, etc... then you can rondo... wait, you want to subtract?... yeah just resin and rondo if you cut into the fiberglass while subtracting its gonna be hard to fix, it'd mean bondoing!

 

[CoolC]

I don't know about foam it but, If you're going to fiberglass it, its better to put in the fiberglass then Rondo. the weight of the rondo will, pull crush warp.. etc the helmet so fiberglass, resin it parts at a time, top,, side, etc... then you can rondo... wait, you want to subtract?... yeah just resin and rondo if you cut into the fiberglass while subtracting its gonna be hard to fix, it'd mean bondoing!

I'm not sure if you want to put both fiberglass and rondo together inside. If you put fiberglass, you will skip rondo. You can apply rondo or bondo outside. There are some tutorials on rondo and it should not cause any warp if applied correctly. I suggest you apply resin outside first then apply rondo inside. That should be strong enough not to cause any warps.

Fiberglass was the first choice of strengthening the armor. My understanding is that most members start to use rondo or smoothcast. Fiberglass is very difficult to apply and it takes much longer to cover every nooks in a helmet. If you missed any part, the helmet will not be strong enough. Rondo is easier. Just slush it inside the helmet and you are done.

 

[Bighouse]

Seems like not everyone's on the same page with the Rondo/Fiberglass/Smoothcast options. I want my helmut to be very strong, so I'm leaning towards the longstrand fiberglass mat interior reinforcement. But, I want to be able to carve away detail as well as adding bondo to the exterior, so I want the benefit of Rondo on the INTERIOR to do that...to allow me to enlarge the openings and carve relief detail through the paper with minimum damage the fiberglass layer. So, here are the steps I plan on taking, if any experts out there see any conflict with the materials please let me know!
1. Pep the helmet...I'm like 90% done with this task!
2. Apply layer of Resin to helmut in stages, Exterior and Interior sides to harden the cardstock
3. Rondo Slush the interior of the helmut to smooth out surface to allow for easier application of fiberglass mesh/resin. Depending on the thickness I may apply two layers for additional carving depth for detail work (I want nice deep separation joints between my armor plates.)
4. Apply fiberglass matt/resin layer to inside of helmet atop last layer of Rondo slush.
5. Apply thin layer of foam-it or Rondo slush to smooth out surface appearance of fiberglass.
6. Sand/carve the exterior of the model adding bondo/putty where necessary for added detail.

The Noble 6 helmut I'm building has a huge visor in it and i want the jaw and collar on the helmut to be very strong and stable. So I really want to use Fiberglass to accomplish the strength and stability needs for it.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Update: Picked up a disposable OV 3M respirator & some "Bondo" brand fiberglass resin from Home Depot today...and a case of disposable brushes from Harbour Freight tools...I will be done pepping my helmut tonight and will harden it later this week when I have a day off from work!

 

[Bighouse]

Well, I'm pepped out. How's my pepping look?

The helmut currently is a bit too wide. I want to put a string through it when I harden it to bring the sides in some. Is that a common way to change the general shape of a helmut while hardening it? Making it a bit more narrow opens the depth of the opening up nicely so I can get my head in easily. I thought it looked too big, but it seems to fit perfectly. Many thanks to Ral for the scaling formula he uses.

 

[UberSolidat]

Hey there bighouse! Looks like you did a great job on it, minimal warping that I can see from your pictures. I know when I'm preping to harden my helmet or other parts of the suit, I plan on building supports out of cardstock to maintain the desired shape. Many pieces of the armor come with supports already built in to maintain the original shape the model was designed in. Definitely can't wait to see what you do after the hardening/rondo or fiberglass or mudglassing/ and detailing!

 

[Bighouse]

Thanks Uber! Sadly, though, I fear my work was just "practice". I won't be hardening that pep! I found a few differences between that pep and the helmet as I see it in the game, so i'm going to hope that I can find or modify a pep file to get exactly what I want. hmmm...seems a shame to let it go to waste though- maybe I'll harden it and give it a home somewhere else?

 

[UberSolidat]

You can always go ahead and get practice with that one so you have a base for the final product. I have a few scraped works that I'm using as my practice pieces and I'm glad I did. You learn how its going to react to each part of the process.

 

[Master Beef]

Apologies I had no intention to thread hijack must not have worded it correct I'll keep that in mind in the future.

 

[Master Beef]

Thanks for the welcome Dh748. Funny thing about being "older" is that you're STILL the same person you were when you were "younger"...it's just that your eyes don't work as well, your body has aches and pains and time moves MUCH faster. I suspect I'll still enjoy doing stuff many of my age would thing was childish even when I'm one foot in the grave. Who knows, maybe they'll bury me with my Halo armor on one day!

Update: I've cut up and glued together 4 sheets of my 24 sheets. The top portion of the helmut is pepped....it's looking okay I think!

childish is overated just have fun and go with it you only live once right? keep up the good work this build will turn out great

 

[Ral Partha]

childish is overated just have fun and go with it you only live once right? keep up the good work this build will turn out great

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