ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *pic heavy, big new update*

[rambow13]

Hey guys, I have been lurking for the past few months reading up on a lot of builds, and the one I have always wanted was a Stormtrooper Helmet. I didnt want to just buy one, and I think making it is a lot more rewarding. Inspired by the works of guys like Terra1, Toxx, and Echo I decided to give it a go.

I have updated this post with pictures of my second build a few posts down, I left the original build attempt pictures in the thread just for reference.

Any and all criticism or advice are welcomed as I really want this project to turn out great.

 

[mydigitalvoid]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

When you increased the scale, did you do it by up'ing the percentage or did you increase the width, depth, height dimensions individually? If you up'd by percentage it will scale evenly. It does look a tad wide. Do you have much room inside the helmet that would allow you to reduce the scale? I'm not an expert by any means, having never done a pep stormtrooper helmet.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

I scaled it by percentage.

I have decided to go forward with this helmet as the more I look around the more the scale looks correct for me. The first bondo stage is ongoing, I will be updating tomorrow after my first dose of sanding is done.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Here are the results from the first layer of bondo and the first rough sanding. Getting an idea of how much work there is left to do (a LOT ). This is my first project so it has been an adventure thus far. Im hoping to get some of the shaping done over the next few days, several spots need to be raised.

Question, if a part warped a little during the resin stage and seems to high even when I'm almost down to the paper what are my options? Can you realistically sand threw the paper and into the rondo? Or would I be better off hacking a piece out of it and redoing it?

 

[Toxx]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Looking good so far, but there are some things that make you run in trouble...

I'll come back to that later, but now i'm to tired to translate my thoughts, i've to go to bed (its 00:00 CEST)

cu


Toxx

.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Thanks Toxx, any and all advice or criticism is welcomed.

I have definitely realized already that being a little off on my pep has made a lot of extra work for me now. I think if I didnt have my son's birthday party in a little over 2 weeks I might just re pep it to make it "perfect" as I eventually want to mold and make several casts for myself. That isnt to say i cant make this model as good as I want, its just going to take a lot of work. I have many problem areas marked down for repair and improvement.

The lower jaw/nose needs to be lifted, the upper jaw/mouth needs to be lowered, the vocoder area needs to be completely reshaped. As well as many other areas that need a lot of shaping and detailing.

 

[Toxx]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

That is what I also want to say, and that the nose is not that flat but more concave.

Another thing are the cheeks where the meet the tubes, that area have to be more indented and defined.

If you going to re pep I would recommend using spacecowboys files. Firfeks are highly detailed but that is the problem when going to bondo it.
These details like the brow or the ears can easily added with putty after shaping the bucket out of bondo.


.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Following Toxx's advice, I decided to re-pep this helmet. My summer was fairly busy and i was a little disheartened by having to start over again so it took me awhile to finish. That being said I am much happier with the results this time, using SpaceCowboys file.



I think the only thing i'm not completely happy with is the center/front of the dome where it meets the eyes did not want to come together straight, so i had to cut and re-glue it, so that its not exactly perfect. This should be easily corrected with bondo, however i still want second or third pair of eyes to look over it and give any feedback. I put a layer of Resin on it tonight, and tomorrow I will rondo the inside, once I get some bondo on the outside i will update with some new pictures.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

The resin did not cure as "stiff" as I was hoping, so now I am going to resin the inside of the helmet before moving on to rondoing the inside. Hoping to get the first layer of Bondo on the outside this weekend, then I'll update with new pictures.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

I got a lot done yesterday. I "rondo'ed" the inside instead of using fiberglass cloth, once that was hard I got the first layer of bondo on the outside (minus the detail areas). Tonight I'm going to try and get it all sanded down and get a good idea of what kind of shaping needs to be done.

Overall I am very happy with how it looks so far, if you have any tips/feedback let me know!

 

[OBI WAN KEN0B1]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Looks like it is coming along nicely. I have always wanted to make one of these could you share the file you are useing ?

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *First update with Questions*

Looks like it is coming along nicely. I have always wanted to make one of these could you share the file you are useing ?

The file I used was SpaceCowboy's most recent ANH hero file. I believe he has the link posted in one of this thread's, if not PM me and I can try to help you locate it.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Quick update. I got through my first "rough sand" I just wanted to get everything sanded down to get a better idea of the shape and where i need to add/subtract ect. Mainly just getting a feel for the helmet, and where i need to take her. Please feel free to point out any feedback you have.

Now it's time to break out the dremel and really hit some of the spots that i was a little heavy handed or sloppy with the bondo.. hope to get another update up later tonight after the kid hits the hay.. if not look for it tomorrow.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Added more bondo to several spots that needed to be build up, and then gave it a second quick sanding. Tomorrow my plan is to get some epoxy putty to fill in all the small divots and do a little more shaping around the eyes/nose/cheeks. Then hopefully give it a good long sanding.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Posting a quick pre-sand update. I just added a few layers of fresh bondo on some of the more uneven or "holey" spots. Then I tried out the Kwik-Plastic I bought as an american alternative to Milliput. I used this to add some shape around the eyes, but i think i did too messy of a job or at least i made it to rounded and not squared enough. It's not like I wasn't going to sand it anyways but its more work that could have been avoided if i had prepared a bit more before apply it. Hopefully the stuff work's well when its all said and done because i would prefer to not have to order milliput and this stuff was really easy to work with.

Here are the pics, again any feedback is welcomed, and i will post the "after" pictures later tonight.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Here it is post sanding session. The Kwik-Plastic sanded really well so that made me happy, sadly i have yet to really improve on my tight corners sanding with any of my auto sanders to get the angles and tight corners done right. Might have to bite the bullet and go with my hands. Still a lot of divots but they are smaller and less numerous. Post sanding session I have covered many of the divots that might not need more bondo in the area with some putty. Tomorrow I plan on using more of the kwik-plastic to build up the lower jaw and where it connects to the neck, as well as continue to refine the area around and between the eye's. After that another sanding session and probably a quick primer coat to get a really good look at what area's are still problems and what still needs to be done before moving on to really finalizing the shape and sanding.

As always, any feedback is much appreciated as I am totally new at this. But from first coat of bondo to this in 3 days I think is pretty good.. at least for the amount of time i get to work on it

 

[Altoidian]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Good workmanship. Thanks for posting this.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Good workmanship. Thanks for posting this.

Thanks! I'm still just hoping to be able to finish with an acceptable replica.

As for an update, after my last long session of sanding I noticed to many spots that had been sanded down to the paper. So I have done almost an entire new layer of bondo. Hoping to get more sanding done tonight, then working on a few area's with Kwik-Plastic and seeing where I am in going into the weekend. Hopefully will update with more pictures on Saturday.

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Quick question for anyone out there, this is my first helmet and every WIP i have read through doesn't go into detail on the sanding so, how is the best way to do the detail or small area/tight corners sanding? Or how is the best way to get good edges through sanding? Just all by hand? My mouse, dremel are both slightly to big to do any detail work, and my router seems to cut to rounded. I have been looking for more of a detail attachment for my router but until then I guess i'll have to make due with hand sanding.

Any tips would be great!

 

[rambow13]

Re: ANH Stormtrooper Helmet WIP *new updated pics*

Added more bondo to the top of the dome and the back "tube" section to help the shape. Then i used more kwik-plastic to shape out the eye/brow area and the tube/jaw connections. I also used a knife to cut the mouth a little more open. I then sanded and gave it a quick paint job to get it back to 1 color.. sadly that color was black so the pictures may not look the best but in person i can see every little divot. Tomorrow I plan on filling those divots in and sanding a lot.

Area's that are currently bothering me, you can tell from the side profile picture that the upper nose needs to come out more, also the jaw needs more volume. Those are the next things on the list.