Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
I suspect most of that is because of the visor. Its a lot easier to bend a pre-tinted shield into the shape than to vacuum-form, which is why there are so many Thomas helmets!
That being said, my client has asked me to reserve my next available slot for a Thomas build so he can have a matched set. Look for that in a few months!
To people asking me about selling copies of this: I will be offering them eventually, yes. However, my initial client will be the first to receive his copy, seeing as how this project is a result of his funding. I wouldn't feel right selling it to other people before he sees the return on his investment.
Further, I am really really slammed until the end of September with commissions, and I've seen plenty of people bite off more than they can chew when offering a run of a prop, which ends up shooting their reputation to hell. I will offer these ONLY when I am 100% certain that I can meet the volume of orders that will be coming in.
I suspect most of that is because of the visor. Its a lot easier to bend a pre-tinted shield into the shape than to vacuum-form, which is why there are so many Thomas helmets!
That being said, my client has asked me to reserve my next available slot for a Thomas build so he can have a matched set. Look for that in a few months!
To people asking me about selling copies of this: I will be offering them eventually, yes. However, my initial client will be the first to receive his copy, seeing as how this project is a result of his funding. I wouldn't feel right selling it to other people before he sees the return on his investment.
Further, I am really really slammed until the end of September with commissions, and I've seen plenty of people bite off more than they can chew when offering a run of a prop, which ends up shooting their reputation to hell. I will offer these ONLY when I am 100% certain that I can meet the volume of orders that will be coming in.
Chronos
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Great news!
And thanks for being honest and realistic concerning your workload.
:thumbsup
Great news!
And thanks for being honest and realistic concerning your workload.
:thumbsup
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
A great way to keep the work load down and less stressful is to offer kits.
If the price was in my range, I'd be in for a just-out-of-the-mold helmet, untrimmed, and a visor. I can do all the trimming, finishing, and painting myself.
A great way to keep the work load down and less stressful is to offer kits.
If the price was in my range, I'd be in for a just-out-of-the-mold helmet, untrimmed, and a visor. I can do all the trimming, finishing, and painting myself.
saxe coburg
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Same here, just a resin of fiberglass casting with a visor and I'd be happy as a clam
Same here, just a resin of fiberglass casting with a visor and I'd be happy as a clam
LeMarchand
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
beautiful work, hope you will offer kist eventually
beautiful work, hope you will offer kist eventually
C0mmand3rC0dy
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
I can't wait, although a finished one would please me quite well:thumbsup
I can't wait, although a finished one would please me quite well:thumbsup
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Thats the most likely case. The nice part about my mold is that the trimmed-out visor is actually used as the back dome in the helmet that gets covered in wires. Thats efficiency!
I have been working on making the visor mold as well, and I need to find a place to get the pulls done. I don't own a vac-former myself, but there has been another RPF-er thats offered to help me pull them. There's been some issue with the PET plastic picking up a lot of dust speckling... anyone have any tips on that?
On that note, Updates!
Test helmet (old, crummy resin that went on way too thick) used for spacing the LEDs. The first try was measured on-center, but looked pretty off visually. I altered this to a more "visual" center on the other side.
Guide coat of primer on the resin pull, sanded with 320 grit. You can see where there are some light fisheyes in the resin that the primer filled in
Ears hollowed out, and a test with some translucent PVC to see where the disc will sit.
Wetsanded, and we're off to the platers! Next time you see these, they'll be bright gold chrome!
Thats the most likely case. The nice part about my mold is that the trimmed-out visor is actually used as the back dome in the helmet that gets covered in wires. Thats efficiency!
I have been working on making the visor mold as well, and I need to find a place to get the pulls done. I don't own a vac-former myself, but there has been another RPF-er thats offered to help me pull them. There's been some issue with the PET plastic picking up a lot of dust speckling... anyone have any tips on that?
On that note, Updates!
Test helmet (old, crummy resin that went on way too thick) used for spacing the LEDs. The first try was measured on-center, but looked pretty off visually. I altered this to a more "visual" center on the other side.
Guide coat of primer on the resin pull, sanded with 320 grit. You can see where there are some light fisheyes in the resin that the primer filled in
Ears hollowed out, and a test with some translucent PVC to see where the disc will sit.
Wetsanded, and we're off to the platers! Next time you see these, they'll be bright gold chrome!
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Jacket came in today! It might be a bit small, can't really tell on my own.
Its not exact to DP - their jackets were custom made for them. This is the closest I could find, and besides, I think most people will be looking at the helmet.
This gives you a decent sense of scale versus my frame. Again, I'm 5'8" tall, about 135lbs. Small dude. This is perfectly scaled to people around 5'10-6'4 or so. Any shorter and it looks a tad large, as you can see here on me.
I don't mind the size though, it will be much easier to get all the electronics into it this way. Also, the "Discovery" helmets were slightly larger than the ones from the "Human After All" era. Since my sculpt is an amalgamation of those two designs, I think I'm in the clear!
Jacket came in today! It might be a bit small, can't really tell on my own.
Its not exact to DP - their jackets were custom made for them. This is the closest I could find, and besides, I think most people will be looking at the helmet.
This gives you a decent sense of scale versus my frame. Again, I'm 5'8" tall, about 135lbs. Small dude. This is perfectly scaled to people around 5'10-6'4 or so. Any shorter and it looks a tad large, as you can see here on me.
I don't mind the size though, it will be much easier to get all the electronics into it this way. Also, the "Discovery" helmets were slightly larger than the ones from the "Human After All" era. Since my sculpt is an amalgamation of those two designs, I think I'm in the clear!
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
THIS is the jacket I bought. I ended up exchanging it for a Large (yes, its a ladies' jacket, but I needed something with a shorter torso hem) The one in the shot is a Medium, and I think it just accentuates that the helmet is a bit large on me. Hopefully a larger jacket will give me a bit more bulk and make up the difference.
THIS is the jacket I bought. I ended up exchanging it for a Large (yes, its a ladies' jacket, but I needed something with a shorter torso hem) The one in the shot is a Medium, and I think it just accentuates that the helmet is a bit large on me. Hopefully a larger jacket will give me a bit more bulk and make up the difference.
Darklighter
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
This is looking awesome.
This is looking awesome.
.:MirrorminD:.
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
it looks great so far, cannot wait til these bad boys are offered
it looks great so far, cannot wait til these bad boys are offered
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Warning: Rant ahead. I'm posting this on my Daft Punk threads, as well as any car forums I'm a part of. I know you guys making replicas are always looking for vac-metalizing, and anyone looking into this should read the following.
M&M Metalizing is a shop in California that does vacuum-metalization on plastic and other surfaces (http://www.mmmetalizing.com/) Basically, if you want chrome on something other than metal, this is one of your only options.
I ran across these guys originally when searching for places to do plastic chrome refinishing for automotive restoration. Initially, I called them and was quoted $125 per helmet. I figured it would be around there, so I went with it.
A few days before sending the pieces off, I called to confirm they knew I was sending them. The same guy (Mike) took all of my calls and was generally terse and uninterested. Crap customer service, but I've worked with some car guys that aren't people fellows before, no big deal. Mike upped the quote that time to $175 per piece. I was in a time crunch, so I said okay.
I overnighted the parts out to them (this was Monday), and sent an email explaining exactly what I wanted. Mike called me the next day to inform me that the Gold tint carried a $25 surcharge per part, upping my price to $400 total for both pieces. This was after I had mentioned I needed it in gold on three separate phonecalls prior.
Pissed, I told him to send it back to another shop in Atlanta that had quoted me $150 originally. He agreed, but said they only ship UPS and only ship C.O.D. A little while later, I got a phonecall telling me I needed to have a money order ready for $100 for 2-day shipping (overnight had cost me $43.70 a few days before) upon receipt of my items.
I know there are only a few people who will ever need this service, but the less people that use this company the better. I know times are tough, but these guys are just trying to squeeze money out of me every chance they get. I'm out $150 on shipping alone and have lost a week in production time because of their **********.
I have a few other updates, other mold stuff being wrapped up, but i'll post that when I have more to show.
Warning: Rant ahead. I'm posting this on my Daft Punk threads, as well as any car forums I'm a part of. I know you guys making replicas are always looking for vac-metalizing, and anyone looking into this should read the following.
M&M Metalizing is a shop in California that does vacuum-metalization on plastic and other surfaces (http://www.mmmetalizing.com/) Basically, if you want chrome on something other than metal, this is one of your only options.
I ran across these guys originally when searching for places to do plastic chrome refinishing for automotive restoration. Initially, I called them and was quoted $125 per helmet. I figured it would be around there, so I went with it.
A few days before sending the pieces off, I called to confirm they knew I was sending them. The same guy (Mike) took all of my calls and was generally terse and uninterested. Crap customer service, but I've worked with some car guys that aren't people fellows before, no big deal. Mike upped the quote that time to $175 per piece. I was in a time crunch, so I said okay.
I overnighted the parts out to them (this was Monday), and sent an email explaining exactly what I wanted. Mike called me the next day to inform me that the Gold tint carried a $25 surcharge per part, upping my price to $400 total for both pieces. This was after I had mentioned I needed it in gold on three separate phonecalls prior.
Pissed, I told him to send it back to another shop in Atlanta that had quoted me $150 originally. He agreed, but said they only ship UPS and only ship C.O.D. A little while later, I got a phonecall telling me I needed to have a money order ready for $100 for 2-day shipping (overnight had cost me $43.70 a few days before) upon receipt of my items.
I know there are only a few people who will ever need this service, but the less people that use this company the better. I know times are tough, but these guys are just trying to squeeze money out of me every chance they get. I'm out $150 on shipping alone and have lost a week in production time because of their **********.
I have a few other updates, other mold stuff being wrapped up, but i'll post that when I have more to show.
Re: Daft Punk Helmet Build
Good to know. This was a company that Don Bies had found but never heard anyone using.
Scumbags!
Brad
Good to know. This was a company that Don Bies had found but never heard anyone using.
Scumbags!
Brad
Similar threads
