Black Series Darth Vader Helmet Mod Thread!

[jhfagan]

Aaaaaand , we have it....!
Just completed some finishing touches and it's as done as I can get it.
I didn't bother adding the extra material for the neck flange, as eventually this will be setup in an exploded view, similar to those others have crafted, and it doesn't really look bad in that view . Pics on that later.
Here, is final detail in the jaw interior, the backing of the jaw set with some black felt, with extra materiel folded over the top and bottom of the plastic insert,sandwiched between the back piece and the insert.
Completed mask interior and exterior head details.
In the end, it seems to me anyway, that Hasbro may have attempted an amalgamation between ROTS, Empire and Jedi helmets.
So, it seems appropriate to have detailed it accordingly.

 

[jhfagan]

one last pic...had to zoom in a bit on the nose, after using the same foil as with the other metallic parts, it looks much nicer than painted silver.
Vader is done...now I begin to mod my Rogue 1 Black Series Stormtrooper. : )

 

[jhfagan]

It's been over a month, but other projects having gotten my attention, delayed my stand for the magnificent beast.
There MIGHT be a lighting solution in the future, as the structure of the stand will allow adding something later.
So...here it is.
First, the base was just a black heavy vinyl/plastic water drain for a floor in a commercial building, turned upside
down. ( yes, I bought this clean and new at Home Depot....lol )
Next ,using heavy coarse long wood screws, secured a 2inch thick piece of 15in long PVC pipe, at the bottom below the bases' opening.
The bottom grill of the base screws off and reveals the bottom of the opening, making it easy to access to do it.
Added an outside pipe cover at the top, using a high strength "instant cure" styrene glue/cement, and covered it with self adhesive black felt. ( keeps the helmet from rolling around on it, plus it looks good.
Paint is next.
Cover the whole base, and stand shaft, in Rustoleum Gloss Black.
After that dried thoroughly, taped off the lower layer and round opening of the base, also leaving the raised lines that go around the opening, exposed as well, and covered with Rustoleum Metallic Aluminum.
Again, once thoroughly dry, taped off some curved designs, intended to be reminiscent of Vader's helmet's cheek, and manually laid down some flat Testor's Gun Metal, to again, remind of the two-toned nature of the cheeks.
Done.
It holds up the Dark Lord well.
Cheers!

 

[Lazerjock]

Next ,using heavy coarse long wood screws, secured a 2inch thick piece of 15in long PVC pipe, at the bottom below the bases' opening.
The bottom grill of the base screws off and reveals the bottom of the opening, making it easy to access to do it.
Added an outside pipe cover at the top, and covered it with self adhesive black felt. ( keeps the helmet from rolling around on it, plus it looks good.

I love this!
Please help me understand this part. I'm a little confused.
Do you have more pictures and what the part is on top you covered in felt?

 

[jhfagan]

I love this!
Please help me understand this part. I'm a little confused.
Do you have more pictures and what the part is on top you covered in felt?

I don't remember exactly what it's called, but I got it at Home Depot in the plumbing aisle with all the PVC piping. I wasn't paying attention. Was just rummaging until I saw something that might work. Lol
I got two just in case I boogered it up. Here it is.
It's made out of hard plastic and is 4 1/4" diameter.

 

[SPYHUNTER705]

ain't my art

 

[Bruce Willes]

Hi, I am looking to tweak the button for the breathing sound. I'd like to make it an on/off trigger button. Is there a solution for that hidden in that super thread? Reason: Currently sound stops after some breaths.

I searched for it but whether I used the wrong search terms (as a non native English) or being to hasty, I haven't found it.

 

[Lastsonofkrypto]

Congratulations on how incredible all of you are at crafting all these mods. I do have a question? Why do many a people like ANH so much.? The red lenses and the two tone colour was made only for the films for the lighting and I feel that is the only thing the rubies helmet got right albeit inverted. It was gloss black and matte black. All these gun metal colours and I too have done it look so bad in real life.like a Picasso painting not finished. I regret doing that to my Rubies. I prefer the ROTS helmet in everyway and I know I am basically alone in this. All gloss black and symmetrical. Nostalgia holds nothing on me. I grew up with original trilogy but still I hate ANH costume. Prefer a modified Rogue One

 

[jhfagan]

Congratulations on how incredible all of you are at crafting all these mods. I do have a question? Why do many a people like ANH so much.? The red lenses and the two tone colour was made only for the films for the lighting and I feel that is the only thing the rubies helmet got right albeit inverted. It was gloss black and matte black. All these gun metal colours and I too have done it look so bad in real life.like a Picasso painting not finished. I regret doing that to my Rubies. I prefer the ROTS helmet in everyway and I know I am basically alone in this. All gloss black and symmetrical. Nostalgia holds nothing on me. I grew up with original trilogy but still I hate ANH costume. Prefer a modified Rogue One

Welcome on board! The two tone thing was done on all Vaders to define the face detail more on film, and the asymmetry unfortunately a result of everything being hand made on a budget and short time frame.
Even though I just love the way the ESB looks onscreen, I agree that ROTS was the best onscreen representation of what Vader's helm WOULD be like, made to precision by technology with the Empire backing it.
You don't think the Dark Lord Of the Sith would be given a hand me down lookin new set of armor and helm, right? lol

 

[Lastsonofkrypto]

Welcome on board! The two tone thing was done on all Vaders to define the face detail more on film, and the asymmetry unfortunately a result of everything being hand made on a budget and short time frame.
Even though I just love the way the ESB looks onscreen, I agree that ROTS was the best onscreen representation of what Vader's helm WOULD be like, made to precision by technology with the Empire backing it.
You don't think the Dark Lord Of the Sith would be given a hand me down lookin new set of armor and helm, right? lol

Lol thank you for your response. i often feel alone when defending the ROTS as the best. As from the original trilogy i love the ROTJ. its so shinny and imposing. if anything I would think fans would prefer that version over the ANH version which does look to old to be a fully functioning Sith Lord. You are right about the colour for details on film. in real life though my God its ghastly to look at .

 

[AdmFrancis]

Hello all together, its a pleasure to see how awesome your results came out.
well i am not really satisfied with the dome. and i dont have the skills to add some bondo etc....
is there a STL file available to 3D print a new dome ?
i still dont found some....
thanks on advanced
Francis

 

[UtanteV27]

Top half of the face is painted, tusks redone, I stuffed a bunch a padding on the sides of the dome, so when I put it on the head it bunches out to the sides, looking much more accurate without having to resculpt the dome.

 

[UtanteV27]

Finished, the exterior at least.

 

[JesusKeanu]

I've been watching this thread for at least a full year now and I must say - everything here is so inspiring towards what I intend to do.

I'm extremely new to this forum and I doubt I'll spend much time here apart from this thread. I build quite a few model kits and 3D computer models, so my eye for detail is pretty intense.

The goal here is to take this BS Vader helmet that I totally messed up 3 years ago and make it look extremely close to the ANH or Rogue One variant (they both look the same to me.) I've looked at EVERY image in this thread and looked at the various conversations that have taken place, so just know your previous advice is guiding this monster of a project.

I have a pretty detailed plan set out, and everything right now is just in the planning phase. and as you can see, there's a lot of work to be done.

I've got plenty of plaster and milliput on standby.

 

[SPYHUNTER705]

seriously hasbro is coming out with this next year... welp

 

[gunnerk19]

View attachment 1572863
seriously hasbro is coming out with this next year... welp

Yep, just preordered it yesterday.

 

[UtanteV27]

View attachment 1572863
seriously hasbro is coming out with this next year... welp

They didn't fix anything tho so

 

[Synz314]

They didn't fix anything tho so

They fixed a lot of things on it, but the sculpt of the dome and face are still way off.

 

[darkapprentice]

Ok, so basically I'm not buying the new BS Vader helmet, even though they made longer neck, red lenses and the gunmetal paint. I already painted my old BS vader helmet the last few days. Had tweaked two years ago a bit my later toy a rubbies deluxe vader into "R1/ANH". I'm not a sculptor by any means and not even that skilled or technical as many of you guys here. Just had his paint fixed, red goggles from old ski mask but not temporary installed and fixed the dome's angle.

Now it looks a bit closer to what Kenobi series already showed up and saw some artists already have re-created as 3D models or even fiberglass sculpts.

Am wondering another thing. Given that many of us are modifying the BS helmet as a "decent" low-priced version so to speak. Should anyone capable of modeling a 3D models, ready for printing as stl files etc. to have a couple domes based on ANH, ESB, ROTJ or just the ANH (for example if I could do it myself, I'd recreate EFX's ANH dome as 3D print) and adjust it to fit the BS Helmet. Seems to me that the original dome for BS uses a plate where the magnets are placed with couple screws. Just should be able to sit over the helmet, given that it's based on the reveal look from ROTJ. Does anyone know if such thing is being made already or could make it?

 

[InfinityLord]

I think it would look amazing modded by the skilled people on this thread. If I buy it, I will try to mod the dome and give the neck a better flare. As for the lenses, we'll have to wait and see...