Mine was packed really nicely. The helmet is set in two halves of styrofoam to create a protective shell. In my opinion, the damage is not from the packaging.
Chronicle / Efx Mandalorian prop replicas
- Thread starter ghostryder
- Start date
Mine was packed really nicely. The helmet is set in two halves of styrofoam to create a protective shell. In my opinion, the damage is not from the packaging.
Bryan was very responsive to my emails as well. Not sure how his customer service was in the past, but he's been dead nuts on with me. Giving him a 10/10.
My replacement Mando shipped the next business day after they received my first one (last Friday). Just received it today (1 week later). Pics coming...
Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
When you kick gelcoat a little too hot, it can form stress cracks like that. Usually they’re a bit more spiderweb-y though.
I assumed the ones near the visor were perhaps from a working picking the piece up by the mandibles before installing the visor or something, but the other cracks on the helmet above? That’s very weird..
I assumed the ones near the visor were perhaps from a working picking the piece up by the mandibles before installing the visor or something, but the other cracks on the helmet above? That’s very weird..
gabe3666
Well-Known Member
Can you check the weathering on your exchange helmet to see if it looks all white like my exchange and if the whole helmet is extra glittery? I emailed him about not being happy with my replacement and he said all the replacements were the same. If that’s the case, I might ask for my cracked one back.
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replacement helmet arrived today. The Mandibles are bang on straight. Over all the cast is very excellent. the lines are straight across the mohawk. I also like the weathering on this helmet much better than the last one.
There is faint cracking in the paint on the cheek. Isn't noticeable unless you're literally inspecting the helmet for any kind of flaw.
Very happy with this. But one thing that bugs me is, there are going to be numerous unhappy customers, because EFX is going to hit their limit with "best of" options for replacements. And their only response can be: "We're now out of replacements". And that's doubly bad for the 'second' wave orders being shipped out. The longer it takes to get your helmet, the less chance you have in getting a replacement, if your helmet is majorly flawed, cracked, chipped, what have you.
This is where I like the idea of what RS Prop Masters does. Do a small run of 25, 50 or 100. When that run is complete. Do another small run of 25, 50 or 100. When that is complete. Do another small run. They can be more meticulous with their pulls. More meticulous with their finishing. If something goes wrong with a helmet during the process, they can pull another cast, and redo the finishing if it has to go back that far. If they end up having this many issues with their helmets, and there are lot of complaints, it's something they could think about.
Anyway - pics of the new helmet - sans the black backdrop. Wanted to see how this looked with more soft directional light bouncing around the helmet. ...wish I could display it like this. Where I have it placed now, it's a dark non-descript blob.
There is faint cracking in the paint on the cheek. Isn't noticeable unless you're literally inspecting the helmet for any kind of flaw.
Very happy with this. But one thing that bugs me is, there are going to be numerous unhappy customers, because EFX is going to hit their limit with "best of" options for replacements. And their only response can be: "We're now out of replacements". And that's doubly bad for the 'second' wave orders being shipped out. The longer it takes to get your helmet, the less chance you have in getting a replacement, if your helmet is majorly flawed, cracked, chipped, what have you.
This is where I like the idea of what RS Prop Masters does. Do a small run of 25, 50 or 100. When that run is complete. Do another small run of 25, 50 or 100. When that is complete. Do another small run. They can be more meticulous with their pulls. More meticulous with their finishing. If something goes wrong with a helmet during the process, they can pull another cast, and redo the finishing if it has to go back that far. If they end up having this many issues with their helmets, and there are lot of complaints, it's something they could think about.
Anyway - pics of the new helmet - sans the black backdrop. Wanted to see how this looked with more soft directional light bouncing around the helmet. ...wish I could display it like this. Where I have it placed now, it's a dark non-descript blob.
Oh no. I'm now debating whether I should send mine back. I think I'd rather have great weathering with cracks than bad weathering with no cracks. That's what my decision is coming down to.
First helmet and new helmet comparison from the front.
Just a quick note. I was not standing the exact same distance from the helmet in these to shots. So the shape looks a bit off. The big comparison for me are the mandibles. They actually line up on the second helmet, and there's a bit of a taper to the visor whereas the taper was missing on the first one.
Just a quick note. I was not standing the exact same distance from the helmet in these to shots. So the shape looks a bit off. The big comparison for me are the mandibles. They actually line up on the second helmet, and there's a bit of a taper to the visor whereas the taper was missing on the first one.
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The paint they used definitely has a sparkle finish in harsh light. My first had it. My second has it. The weathering on my replacement is a little less... gaudy. Actually prefer my replacement helmet over my first helmet in every way. It sucks, not everyone is going to feel the same way.
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Slash1276
Active Member
Indeed, the paint job is very strange compared to the first receipt...
I confess, I don't understand EFX's work on these helmets.
For the price, the helmets should have been in perfect condition and without major defects.
Personally, I'm due to receive mine next Monday...and I live in France, so I paid very expensive shipping costs and I'm going to pay huge customs taxes.
So, I'm a little stressed...
Indeed, the paint job is very strange compared to the first receipt...
I confess, I don't understand EFX's work on these helmets.
For the price, the helmets should have been in perfect condition and without major defects.
Personally, I'm due to receive mine next Monday...and I live in France, so I paid very expensive shipping costs and I'm going to pay huge customs taxes.
So, I'm a little stressed...
Thats why I never would order from EFX direct(I´m from germany).
If I have cracks or something I send the helmet back to my seller here in germany and the story is over for me.
What a shame for EFX...after their great PCR Boba Fett release I was thinking it goes up for them.But this cracked and deformed helmets are a proof for extreme cheap materials and bad molds.If I would not be a big fan of directed molded pieces...and would have the hope for a good one...damn.
Perhaps you could repair the cracks if the material is really fiberglass.You could put some superglue on a thin piece of paper and put it in the crack.After that you press it hard together.But don´t use too much superglue because it can come up out of the crack and ruin your paint.That could be an option if you don´t wanna send yours back?
ggriffaw
Sr Member
What a shame for EFX...after their great PCR Boba Fett release I was thinking it goes up for them.But this cracked and deformed helmets are a proof for extreme cheap materials and bad molds.If I would not be a big fan of directed molded pieces...and would have the hope for a good one...damn.
The manufacturing of the Fett PCR and the Mando helmet most likely was done at completely different factories. Some aspects are in common with the whole process since efx produced both, but probably almost nothing about the actual manufacturing.
That can be...but it makes it not better for us.And a factory should know how thick a fiberglass must be done that it don´t crack.
Another problem is cheap material...what this chinese guys really selling as fiberglass has often nothing to with that what we know as fiberglass.
ggriffaw
Sr Member
I totally agree that quality issues are a problem for the consumer as well as the vendor. I just wouldn't assume quality of one product says much about the quality of other products from the same vendor that were manufactured very differently. Even items that are similar could be manufactured in different factories.
After the vender approves samples from the manufacturer, isn't it pretty much up to the manufacturer to do quality control? I'm pretty sure the vendor doesn't even see most of the items other than the outside of the box.
I'm not excusing the vendors. It's up to them to somehow respond to the issues and hopefully take action to reduce the likelihood of issues in the future.
Slash1276
Active Member
Honestly...I think it's a very good substitute copy. And I think, it's almost impossible to get a flawless helmet. Let's all be aware of that. The only thing unacceptable, to me, are the paint cracks and the badly molded parts of the helmet. EFX should have increased their quality control to avoid all these problems.
We don´t know who made the helmet,the paint or other details.But what we know is that EFX´s reputation goes down after that.
And thats a shame after their great Boba.Your right that it could be made from another factory...but at the end it ruins the reputation of EFX and not the chinese factory.
Slash1276
Active Member
Totally agree. The COVID-19 epidemic has been very complicated for all companies around the world, but that is no reason to offer lower quality products. Anovos, for example, has been able to relocate its production to the USA, to offer its customers a much better service and products. (For example, there are many fewer defects found on the helmets.)
Honestly, I'm pretty disappointed with what I've been seeing all along on these helmets, at EFX. Cracks and cracked paint, misaligned mandibles, molding with flaws, bad lines on the mohawk...
It's very too much and it's not serious for this reputable company!
That Anovos relocated the production to the USA shows that its possible.Its better for the buyers and better for the quality control if you produce something at home.China goes a very bad way from what I see...its better not to be so much dependent from them in the future.
ggriffaw
Sr Member
We may not know exactly who made the efx Mando helmets, but I really doubt it was the same factory that made the efx Fett PCR. If we want to look at previous helmets to predict quality of the efx Mando, I would say the efx Scout is more likely to come from the same factory. We don't know that for sure though. The efx Scout had issues in addition to being extremely delayed. The delay may or may not have been the fault of the factory that finally produced it.
I agree that the vendor gets the credit or blame for the quality, not the factory. If there is a problem with a factory, the vendor needs to do something about it or find a different factory.
These Mando helmets seem to be pretty inconsistent and quite a few have obvious issues. The cracks may or may not have happened before putting the helmet in the box. Casting flaws should have been caught.
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