Rocketeer helmet finishing

hdtheater · May 13, 2011

Thought I would start a separate thread chronicling the finishing of my Rocketeer helmet from the run by Oz.

I started by cutting out the holes for the mouth and cutting out the eyes. I used my dremel with a rotary drum sander to thin up the material to make it easy to cut it out. After ward, I used the sander to remove all the flash at the bottom and around the eyes.

Next up was filling some of the pits in the surface. Also, I worked on getting the dent out of the top, but did not get enough of it to suit my needs.

After I got to a point that I was happy with, I decided to go with primer and a guide coat to find the sand scratches.

That's all I could get to today. Once the primer dries enough to sand, I'll hit it again and again until I get it ready for paint.

-Eric

mvmagic · May 14, 2011

Thats gonna look good when finished! What type of paint you're gonna use on it?

hdtheater · May 14, 2011

I haven't figured that part out. I want to steer as clear of any paint with metallic flakes as I can.

Has anybody found a brand/ color combo for this helmet?

-Eric

zorg · May 14, 2011

well what is the screen helmet "supposed" to be made off?

material, not what item

this would be the first thing to establish

i never gave it much thought as i didn't expect to own one

-z

hdtheater · May 14, 2011

An old radio.

It's been a while since I have seen the movie. I really don't know what it was made of. Brass maybes? I'll defer to others that know more.

-Eric

TI-6212 · May 15, 2011

Great pics! One quick question about the helmet symmetry.
One side of my helmet bulges out a bit more than the other - do I make the other side curve out more, or should I flatten the side that bulges out?

Mr.Spider · May 15, 2011

i had the same problem with mine, after looking at tons of pictures, i buldged mine out, as it was too hard to push the other side back in and not make something else go out of whack

hdtheater · May 15, 2011

I have not noticed the bulge on my helmet. Where is it dare I ask?

-Eric

Gideon Vanguard · May 15, 2011

If you flip it upside down and look into the helmet through the hole where your head goes you will notice one side of the opening has a much flatter contour than the other. If I orient my helmet so the eye holes are facing downward it would be the area from 2 till about 4:30 in terms of a clock face. At least thats what it looks like on my helmet. I plan to try and bow it outward a bit to try and match the other side once I finish evening out the inside of my helmet. I'll probably go the boiling water route to get the helmet up to an even temp inside and out. I'll also have a heat gun on stand by to provide extra heat if need be.

-JG

hdtheater · May 15, 2011

I looked at mine for about 15 minutes before I noticed it. You are very observant!

I am going to just leave mine alone. I barely squeezed my head in it and even then my chin was still lower than the front of the helmet.

-Eric

hdtheater · May 15, 2011

I sanded it all down today and had to fill in a few more voids with putty. I got it primered too, but no photo of that.

-Eric

Talisen · May 16, 2011

The Rocketeer helmet was one of my first props I built. (I have one of Oz's ordered for costuming). For mine I used a rustoleum gold as a base coat, then rub n buff antique gold over the entire thing (gives a great, realistic metallic lustre) then around all the welds and rivits I used testors burnt metal (it's a metalizer paint, usually applied with and airbrush) applied with a brush, like a wash, and wiped off the high points with a cloth, I used that excess to dab around the helmet for weathering. Man, it's been almost 8-9 years since I did that and I remember the whole thing clearly.

hdtheater · May 16, 2011

Talisen said:
The Rocketeer helmet was one of my first props I built. (I have one of Oz's ordered for costuming). For mine I used a rustoleum gold as a base coat, then rub n buff antique gold over the entire thing (gives a great, realistic metallic lustre) then around all the welds and rivits I used testors burnt metal (it's a metalizer paint, usually applied with and airbrush) applied with a brush, like a wash, and wiped off the high points with a cloth, I used that excess to dab around the helmet for weathering. Man, it's been almost 8-9 years since I did that and I remember the whole thing clearly.

I had heard about rub n buff, but was unable to locate it this weekend. Mine is ready to paint.

Got any pics of your for reference?

Thanks,

-Eric

hdtheater · May 16, 2011

He is all sanded up and I got the fin glued on this afternoon.

I am thinking about trying to make the welds look a little more pronounced and to cover the seem where the fin is glued on. Anybody have any ideas how to make a weld? Thought about using Liquid Nail.

-Eric

Gideon Vanguard · May 16, 2011

I am thinking about trying to make the welds look a little more pronounced and to cover the seem where the fin is glued on. Anybody have any ideas how to make a weld? Thought about using Liquid Nail.

Apoxie sculpt, it's a two part sculpting putty. It adheres to almost everything and in my experience has zero shrinkage. The work time is usually about two hours and it cures hard over night (I usually only wait 8-10 hours). It's even available in two metallic colors, bronze and silver-grey. I have never used the bronze color but I always have black, silver-grey, and natural colors on hand.

Welcome to Aves Studio

You can buy it directly from Aves Studio using the above link. The last time I think I purchased it from the Sculpting Studio but apparently they have dropped the Apoxie Sculpt putty in favor of their own "Amazing Sculpt" two part putty.

Talisen · May 16, 2011

Hey, since i was asked I'll post a couple pics. Just remember, this is the ACME helmet, I haven't got my Oz helmet yet.

228622_10150610318285434_608535433_18935919_4524921_n.jpg

225290_10150610318190434_608535433_18935917_7628444_n.jpg

And some washes help the weld detail really stand out nicely

224777_10150610318470434_608535433_18935920_40712_n.jpg

zorg · May 16, 2011

ooooooooooooh............

thats really nice.

does that rub n buff stuff come off at all or is it permanent?

it really does look like metal

was that rustoleum gold the shiney chrome gold or the regular gold?

-z

hdtheater · May 16, 2011

I second the ooooooooooooh!!!

I bought the rust-o-leum "chrome" gold, but will hold off until you can verify. I want to replicate yours as best I can.

-Eric

zorg · May 16, 2011

hdtheater said:
I second the ooooooooooooh!!!

I bought the rust-o-leum "chrome" gold, but will hold off until you can verify. I want to replicate yours as best I can.

-Eric

i just bought some rub n buff

also waiting to hear what type of gold though

-z

hdtheater · May 16, 2011

Where did you find it? If at Hobby Lobby, what department?

-Eric

Rocketeer helmet finishing

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