Adam Savage's Black Series Mando Helmet

[Jedisushi]

I build gunpla/Gundam from time to time, and Pledge is very popular as a gloss coat. You can airbrush it or use a paint brush. It has excellent self-leveling properties and makes a great surface on which to apply the finicky water slide decals.

Wonderful stuff!

 

[Halliwax]

pledge still amazes me.. i have to try this stuff

 

[E Williams]

And does adding clear coat over silver paint can give that amazing chrome finish? or depends brand of silver used?

No, it only worked in this situation because of how the Black Series helmet is made. The factory finish on it is chromed plastic with a matte clear coat sprayed over it - when Adam sprayed it with the gloss clear, the matte coat was largely counteracted, restoring the chrome finish.

 

[drftfan]

Got my second one clear coated, smoothed, polished and weathered. I sparyed this one with a gloss clear coat and in a few places it glossed up. Not all over like Adams did.
Do NOT use sandpaper on these helmets no matter what. The stock paint job is massively thin. I ended up using #oooo steel wool to smooth out the clear coat.

 

[woodywaverider]

Future floor wax is the go to, it’s a clear liquid acrylic that dries super hard and shiny. Using it as a clear coat is about as old as model kits, I remember first hearing about it from the guys at the hobby shop when I was a kid.

Edit: it’s called Pledge now

Funnily enough I used to use futures floor wax as a finish coat back in the days that I used to make surfboard, I no idea they had changed the name

 

[TheLordFett]

Whilst very reflective mine is very sort of waver looking, gave I sprayed in too thick coats or am I doing so thing else wrong? Thanks

 

[TheLordFett]

Whilst very reflective mine is very sort of waver looking, gave I sprayed in too thick coats or am I doing so thing else wrong? Thanks

Answered my own question, polish, a lot!!

 

[woodywaverider]

Whilst very reflective mine is very sort of waver looking, gave I sprayed in too thick coats or am I doing so thing else wrong? Thanks

‘Orange peel’ is normally from the paint being too thick, or not leaving the correct timing between coats.

Lots of fine coats are much better than 1 or 2 heavy coats.

‘Fish eyes’ are normally caused by contaminants either in the paint line, such as oil from the compressor, or on the surface, such as silicon residue. Depending on the finish even dust spect can cause them.

‘Cracking’ is usually caused by incompatible paint types, or by applying a top coat before the base has fully cured.

Hope that helps and good luck.

 

[TheLordFett]

‘Orange peel’ is normally from the paint being too thick, or not leaving the correct timing between coats.

Lots of fine coats are much better than 1 or 2 heavy coats.

‘Fish eyes’ are normally caused by contaminants either in the paint line, such as oil from the compressor, or on the surface, such as silicon residue. Depending on the finish even dust spect can cause them.

‘Cracking’ is usually caused by incompatible paint types, or by applying a top coat before the base has fully cured.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Thanks, I appreciate it!! It was the orange peel look, eased it back with some automotive scratch remover and it polished up really nice. I’m blown away by it for the price and the results you can get with very little effort.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Whilst very reflective mine is very sort of waver looking, gave I sprayed in too thick coats or am I doing so thing else wrong? Thanks

I actually kind of dig that! It looks like a hammered texture.

 

[Halliwax]

You guys are making me want to open mine up and do this this weekend..

 

[JamesM242]

You guys are making me want to open mine up and do this this weekend..

DO IT!

 

[Halliwax]

I gotta dig this stinka out now..

 

[JamesM242]

I gotta dig this stinka out now..

Looking forward to hearing about your results!

 

[Jodo]

I’ll add my repaint to this thread as well! There’s a few shots of it compared to the stock TBS finish as well.

 

[Halliwax]

I was curious why everyone is using a gloss clear and not a matte clear to dull it down?

 

[Vagabond Elf]

I was curious why everyone is using a gloss clear and not a matte clear to dull it down?

Is not the underlying problem that Hasbro's finish is already matte, and thus everyone is trying to make it less dull?

 

[d_jedi1]

I got mine a couple of weeks ago and had seen Adam's video.
I bought the clear spray but haven't brought myself to use it yet because I kind of like the finish that I was starting with.

 

[drftfan]

This is what I wrote a member today on exactly how I did mine.
I taped the screen off. I sprayed the helmet down with Krylon Crystal Clear.
I then used #0000 steel wool to smooth it out as best as possible. I never could get it as glossy as Adam Savages did that's for sure.
But once I felt the finish was smooth I took some "formula one" carnuba car wax and rub it all over. I then simply hand buffed it out. I that once or twice if I am not mistaken.
I took some Craftmart Satin Acrylic paint (black) (Hobbylobby) and did the ears and eyebrow line.
Then I took Folkart from Joanns #2908 "real brown" and started weathering by applying it with a brush then wiping it off with a paper towel before it fully dried. I did that until I was satisfied with how it looked. I thinned the paint out with either water or rubbing alcohol depending on the consistency I wanted.
I then followed up that weathering with Folkart #452 Raw Sienna same as I did the darker brown.

That is it. Do not use sandpaper. The stock paint is so thin you will go right through it on the edges. Also be careful with the steel wool. I could see that doing the same thing if you over did it but I personally didnt have an issue.

 

[Halliwax]

so I just dug out my mando.. I Pre-order this when it first went live, and never opened it… opened it for the first time now.. there’s some pretty big scratches in this thing.. to the point where I can see the plastic in one spot..

Gives me a excuse to try this.. fingers crossed for this weekend.