Accurate Tie Pilot helmet cog decals

[Star Wars Helmets]

I just love the asymmetry!

They look excellent Jay, really well done.

Cheers

Jez

 

[RBJ]

I just love the asymmetry!

They look excellent Jay, really well done.

Cheers

Jez

Couldn’t have done it without you, buddy! You’re my Mr Miagi!

Thanks for all your help on this project.

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

Couldn’t have done it without you, buddy! You’re my Mr Miagi!

Thanks for all your help on this project.

No worries, always happy to help on anything I can

Cheers

Jez

 

[TK765]

Thanks for the input! I too think the light silver is closest to what we see on the helmets today. The light silver ink is a color I custom mixed using reference pics.

I have a theory that they were the straight silver ink originally and have faded and shrunk over time, but that’s just speculation.

With trying all of them on a helmet and just looking at it that way, the straight silver just looks right. I know the light silver looks closest in all the photo tests, but sitting here on a helmet the straight silver just looks right. I need to figure a way to get these next to an original!

I think we can at least put the White cog theory to bed once and for all.

(Pic is straight silver ink)
View attachment 1343661

Great job and detective work.

 

[RBJ]

So in all my looking at cogs I seem to have discovered something.

There are different cogs for ANH and ROTJ.

ANH=thin outer circle

ROTJ=thick outer circle

The outside diameter is the same on both.

I found this first when looking at jumpsuits where it is very evident :

Then I started looking closely at some helmet cogs. Sure enough the ROTJ cogs show up on a couple helmets. They are on the MOM tour helmet, one side of the Propstore auction helmet, and appear to be on the behind the scenes ROTJ helmet. None of the ROTJ ones have the slit cut in them either. However all ROTJ helmets don’t seem to have them as the POC tour costume (hero repainted for ROTJ) still has ANH style. So many strange variances still to be learned on these guys. I also reviewed some pics and this is not exclusive to Tie Pilots. The Death Star Gunners in the archives have both styles as well. Two helmets with ANH, two with ROTJ. Pretty cool that there is still much to learn about these guys!

 

[Nairod]

The ROTJ style looks generally thicker. Maybe something due to the batch of silkscreened.

But the whole shape seems to be similar (this disymmetrical part is present on both movies helmets)

 

[RBJ]

Could be a different process ..The centers of both cogs are identical ..each spoke is asymmetrical in some way. The ROTJ simply has a thicker line...the line is thicker toward the center as the OD is the same.

As an example here is the distance between the end of the spoke plateau at 6 o’clock (directly below the one fat spoke for the slice cut) and the ring on both

 

[RBJ]

Made some At At cogs and it was a big pain! Way harder than the Ties. I stuck a reject one on my daughters motorcycle helmet to see how hard it is to get them in without cutting the slit ..it’s not easy!

p

 

[RBJ]

Since I figured out there were two different cogs (ANH/ROTJ) I made some changes to the art and can now make both styles

 

[Zenwalker]

I think they were more of a light gun metal colour than silver. Just my opinion based on all the pics I have seen.

 

[RBJ]

I think they were more of a light gun metal colour than silver. Just my opinion based on all the pics I have seen.

I do a light silver color as well..seems to react to photo conditions very close to originalsls

 

[Zenwalker]

I do a light silver color as well..seems to react to photo conditions very close to originalsView attachment 1350798View attachment 1350799View attachment 1350800ls

The silver seems to have some flaking in it which doesn't seem apparent on the originals. To me your light silver version looks closer although it could also be a kind of light gun metal colour. Not sure, are printing these from a printer or painting them? The paint I found to be the closest match is Tamiya Metallic Silver (TS-83) in a spray. I also think these were decals and then someone painted over them as they have a certain sloppiness to them and on some it looks as though the paint has been rubbed off/ smudged.

 

[RBJ]

The silver seems to have some flaking in it which doesn't seem apparent on the originals. To me your light silver version looks closer although it could also be a kind of light gun metal colour. Not sure, are printing these from a printer or painting them? The paint I found to be the closest match is Tamiya Metallic Silver (TS-83) in a spray. I also think these were decals and then someone painted over them as they have a certain sloppiness to them and on some it looks as though the paint has been rubbed off/ smudged.

Mine are screen printed on vynil as the originals were. As for the flake look, I’m learning that amount of ink, pressure etc effect the outcome a lot (I’m no pro silk screener) ..the set pictured ended up in my B grade pile. In person they don’t look flakey at all. More like this:

 

[Nairod]

You did a great job. And qcreen printing isn't easy when you don't have a pro set up ;-)

Lot of tries and rejects. You can be proud, nice achievement!!!

 

[RBJ]

I’ve been trying to get a side by side shot next to one of the screen used helmets for a while. Thanks to a friend I was lucky enough to get one of my At At decals next to one of the two screen used helmets. My decals are dark red on clear same as the originals..the white backing makes them look brighter than they appear in person. This is the screen used helmet featured on Starwarshelmets.com.

If anyone out there has access to a screen used Tie and would like some decals let me know!

 

[RBJ]

After further research it looks like the At At used a darker red than my first batch. I miked up a new color that’s much better. If you got a set of the earlier red from me and would like the darker red just message me and I’d be glad to send a new set. Pic is my first batch, new darker red and screen used At At.