Boba Fett pep build WIP

[InventiousTech]

Hi,

I hope this is in the right place, but here goes. I started building my own Boba Fett helmet last weekend, and here is my progress so far. I got the pep file from FierFek's repository here. I got the pepakura pretty much done, except for the ears which will be fabricated later, after the bondo. Take a look at the pictures and let me know if it looks like the alignment is good. If not, I can put in those big pieces on the bottom, but that would make the interior harder. Here's how I see the process from here:
1. Put bondo fiberglass resin with fiberglass cloth in the inside to hold the form.
2. Put bondo filler on the outside for shaping.
3. Shape it with mouse sander.

Does this process look good? Am I correct in thinking that I should leave the paper in place? Take a look at the pics, let me know what you think. What I am kind of worried about is the ear outward angle, it may need bracing while I do the fiberglass.
The other thing is that it seems a little big. when resting on the chin and the back of the head, the highest point is 10 inches off the table. It's 10.5 inches from chin to bottom of the back of the head, and 10 inches from ear to ear. That's not including ears, since I don't have the ears on yet.

EDIT: I've got a google photo album with all the pictures here, in case the inline pics stop working for some reason. It's happened before.

 

[Crank729]

I think that's a good base you got there my friend. And yes, you leave the paper in place after fiber glassing and then you fill on top.

 

[InventiousTech]

Well, I got a layer of fiberglass resin with matting in part of the helmet, but after almost 24 hours, it's still sticky, so I don't think I used enough hardener. I am planning on doing another layer over it with more hardener.

 

[InventiousTech]

Well, I have been busy, not much time to update. I got the fiberglass working when I put a space heater in the room with it. I have also applied and started sanding the bondo filler on the outside. As you can see, I have sanded into the paper in a couple places. The only two ways I see to fix this is to go farther and then build it up again with bondo so that there is no paper showing, or to build up the rest of the dome, so I don't have to go into the paper. I am leaning toward going too far into the paper and building back up with filler. The inside still smells like resin, so I might put filler in there too. Here are the pics:

 

[Toxx]

My adwise:

10 Add less bondo
20 try to apply smooth
30 start sanding early
40 goto 10



here is my build at "bondo stage" http://www.therpf.com/f24/anh-asymetric-stunt-stormtrooper-helmet-wip-complete-159152/#post2464311

Do you sand by hand?

invest a few bucks into a cheap palm / mouse sander!


.

 

[InventiousTech]

Yeah, I was thinking I needed less bondo, but it was kinda hard since it's so thick. As to the sander, I'm currently using my palm sander with 80 grit paper, and it's working fine. Should this be taking a whole quart-ish sized can of filler? Because I am pretty close to the bottom of mine.

 

[Toxx]

Yeah, I was thinking I needed less bondo, but it was kinda hard since it's so thick. As to the sander, I'm currently using my palm sander with 80 grit paper, and it's working fine. Should this be taking a whole quart-ish sized can of filler? Because I am pretty close to the bottom of mine.

I've used a palm sander with 120 grit, worked well also


I've used approx. 1,2 kg of bondo on my whole Stormtrooper helmet, and 110 gr of Milliput, (before sanding)

 

[InventiousTech]

Yeah, the can I am using is about a half kg, so I imagine I will be using at least two cans. Pardon my ignorance, but am I correct in thinking that the milliput is just used to fill small holes and such? Anyway, I have been bondo-ing and sanding, and sanding, and sanding. On the left cheek, the depression was not deep enough, so I had to put filler on the inside, and sand all the way through the paper and fiberglass. You can see it in the pictures:

 

[Toxx]

Milliput is a 2k epoxy modeling compound i've used to sculpt some areas, easier to use than bondo and it can be smoothed with wet fingers or tools, cures within 24 hours to be sanded.

Watch my anh trooper helmet WIP thread, the yellow stuff is milliput (the golden/orange stuff is a finer type of bondo)

I've run into the same trouble sanding through the pep to get the right shape, it may be a problem if the paper gets wet and swell.

.

 

[InventiousTech]

Well, I decided that the cheek pieces were not going to work the way I was doing them, so I cut out the lower cheeks, and made some wooden ones. I did this for several reasons: 1) it allowed me to get the shape of the cheek much closer to accurate, 2) it made it a helluva lot easier to shape the upper cheeks (black parts on the painted helm) and 3) the lower cheeks are sure to be perfectly flat. Any comments on the mandible/cheek shaping so far? Also, how thick should the 'hatband' be in relation to the dome? I am thinking of taking it completely off and making it out of something else, but that will be later. Anyhow, here are the pics:

 

[archytekt]

You should have used multiple thin layers of bondo. Another thing is that you should sand it untill you see the seams of the paper (on the first and second layer at least. That way you ensure the roundness of the the shape you want to obtain. In other words you control much better what is round and what is sharp.

I used more than a can of bondo (more than 1,5Kg) on my trooper build so far.
Don't coat the inside you wont need to unless you have spots where the fiberglass isn't attached to the paper. And even so, I see you cut out the cheeks (best thing to do when its plain wrong) so I'm guessing this wont be for you to use on.

Its a good job!

 

[InventiousTech]

You should have used multiple thin layers of bondo. Another thing is that you should sand it untill you see the seams of the paper (on the first and second layer at least. That way you ensure the roundness of the the shape you want to obtain. In other words you control much better what is round and what is sharp.

I used more than a can of bondo (more than 1,5Kg) on my trooper build so far.
Don't coat the inside you wont need to unless you have spots where the fiberglass isn't attached to the paper. And even so, I see you cut out the cheeks (best thing to do when its plain wrong) so I'm guessing this wont be for you to use on.

Its a good job!

Thanks for the feedback! As to the thin layers, I'll chalk it up to a learning experience. Maybe next time it will be easier. I wasn't using the paper as a reference point so much as a framework to hold my bondo. Perhaps not the best plan... The cheeks are a much better shape now though.

 

[Sentinelforce]

Definetly watching the progress on this..
I have a mando bucket in the works as well. First coat of bondo on the top and sanded.

Looking forward to your next update.

 

[duke nukem]

I've got a Boba pep that I've gotta resin and bondo yet so this thread is much appreciated! What you did for the ears was smart. I may end up cutting them off mine and putting a solid piece of paper if I don't like it when I recheck it. Or repep


But good thinking with the cheeks. Way better than scrapping it when things start to get screwy.

 

[WBE]

You may want to build up the flare on the bottom. Right now it's a tad narrow while Fett's helmet is known for that wide bottom.

Great work so far!

 

[InventiousTech]

You may want to build up the flare on the bottom. Right now it's a tad narrow while Fett's helmet is known for that wide bottom.

Great work so far!

If you mean the distance between the bottom of the ears, I had noticed that, but I don't know how else to fix it other than a lot more bondo. Anyone have measurements of that distance, not including the actual ears?

 

[WBE]

If you mean the distance between the bottom of the ears, I had noticed that, but I don't know how else to fix it other than a lot more bondo. Anyone have measurements of that distance, not including the actual ears?

Yeah basically the bottom of the ears to the bottom of the chin. Ill take some measurements of my bucket for you when I get home

 

[InventiousTech]

Yeah basically the bottom of the ears to the bottom of the chin. Ill take some measurements of my bucket for you when I get home

Thanks! It looks to me as though I need to add another 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch of material. Do you think I will need to redo the placement of the inner cheeks after the ears are fixed? The distance between the inner cheek and ear might be to great after I fix the angle.

 

[Fierfek]

It's great to see another pep Fett helmet build. Keep up the great progress and remember a popsicle stick wrapped in sandpaper can work wonders on narrow corners or edges.

When I have the time, I'll probably make some improvements to the model for greater accuracy and an easier assembly.

 

[InventiousTech]

It's great to see another pep Fett helmet build. Keep up the great progress and remember a popsicle stick wrapped in sandpaper can work wonders on narrow corners or edges.

When I have the time, I'll probably make some improvements to the model for greater accuracy and an easier assembly.

Thanks! As to accuracy, the only thing I noticed was that the visor slot goes too far to the left and right. Too close to the ears. At least that's what it looks like to me.