Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build - FINAL p.20!

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Another quick question Volpin. You said you used the Smoothcast 300 on the primary mold (when you covered the styrene). Now you used the 65D to make the final cast. My question is there a difference in the two of these products? could I use one to do the other job? Because as you probably know the smooth-on stuff ain't cheap.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

5399300865_f7e1962d88_b.jpg


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Sweet custom katamari.


Honestly, boy, I don't know what to say to you anymore :I
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Now what type of casting agents did you use? Like what was the stuff you made the hollow helmet out of? And how long did it take to set up?

The Thomas helmets were slush cast out of 65D resin. This stuff works very well for slushcasting, as it tends to "cling" more easily to vertical surfaces. in the past I used Smooth Cast 300, because thats just what I had on hand.

Comparably, slushing with 300 is more difficult. Its much thinner and tends to cover the inside of the mold similar to water - very thin coats and lots of pooling. By contrast, the 65D will cover more like syrup. This can be a little tricky with getting small bubbles caught in tighter crevices, but a toothpick and a little caution takes care of most of that.

I'm still making the ear pucks out of 300, because those are just pour molds.

One Thomas helmet takes around an hour to cast, without ears. I have about 7 small pours which gradually build thickness.

By any chance would you consider taking on an apprentice?

Heh, likely not. I work on this stuff in my free time, and out of my already cramped house. Believe me, the entire operation is a lot more rinky-dink than it looks.

AYou said you used the Smoothcast 300 on the primary mold (when you covered the styrene). Now you used the 65D to make the final cast. My question is there a difference in the two of these products? could I use one to do the other job? Because as you probably know the smooth-on stuff ain't cheap.

See above. They're not completely interchangeable. If you were to only buy one, I'd say get the 65D. It would probably brush over a foam master more easily than the 300 would.

Sweet custom katamari.

Honestly, boy, I don't know what to say to you anymore :I

You coming to DragonCon again this year? You can not know what to say in person then! I think I got to talk to you for... 10 seconds last year?


So starting to gather electronics. I've got 450 LEDs on their way in, and have been starting to design the boards as well as the illumination in the corners of the visor. I've also got one of these little guys on order:

YellowJacket_1.0_4b6faaa363040.jpg


Arduino with WiFi! The gent doing the programming on this piece (James Moss, same guy who programmed the Guy helmet) will be making an iOS app that will even be available in the app store for anyone else who wants to put one of these things together. Should be pretty sweet!
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

You coming to DragonCon again this year? You can not know what to say in person then! I think I got to talk to you for... 10 seconds last year?

YEAH. You told me that you were "the guy who had on a Daft Punk helmet last night in the lobby" or something and I totttttally had you confused for somebody else. I didn't figure it out until I got home :I

I'm so going to pick your brain about tips for my ghetto Iron Man helmet, hope you're ready.

( And the Thomas helmet is excellent as expected, just in case you didn't know.)
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

I'm so going to pick your brain about tips for my ghetto Iron Man helmet, hope you're ready.

You've got what... 6 months until D*C? You'd better be rocking the whole suit by the time September rolls around.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Arduino with WiFi! The gent doing the programming on this piece (James Moss, same guy who programmed the Guy helmet) will be making an iOS app that will even be available in the app store for anyone else who wants to put one of these things together. Should be pretty sweet!

So, are you going to be able to send text from your phone straight to your helmet on the fly? If so, that's crazy cool.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

You've got what... 6 months until D*C? You'd better be rocking the whole suit by the time September rolls around.

Man if only. I'm so slow with bondo it's just silly :/ tell me your secretttsss..
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

So basically if we want to follow your method, we need to have an iPhone? I need to get on that.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

This thing goes through bondo like butter. You can get really clean curves if you keep it moving, especially since the sanding surface on the sander has some give to it.

Man if only. I'm so slow with bondo it's just silly :/ tell me your secretttsss..
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

So, are you going to be able to send text from your phone straight to your helmet on the fly? If so, that's crazy cool.

Correct. The plan is to have a text input with various sliders that will determine how the display functions. For example, you'll be able to send a new message and tell it to flash, scroll left/right/up/down, wipe across, or stay static. You can also control how fast the animation will take place, as well as how bright the display will be.

Additionally there will be a set number of "stock" animations (blinking eyes, EKG meter, dotted line) that will have a similar set of parameters.

Finally, James had the fantastic idea to add an "animation composer" to the program. You'll be able to select what pixels in an 8x8 matrix are turned on, and then the helmet will be able to take your drawings and scroll it like text. We're thinking about making it 8x16 to increase the draw size, but this is all still in development stages.

Some ideas...

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So basically if we want to follow your method, we need to have an iPhone? I need to get on that.

Initially, yes. There's some talk about going to Android, but thats not really something that HAS to be done. Also, all of the code/boards/etc won't be available until AFTER my build is done. I'm not one of those paranoid types of guys, but I don't want someone beating me to the punch!
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

This thing goes through bondo like butter. You can get really clean curves if you keep it moving, especially since the sanding surface on the sander has some give to it.

I've got this one:

51t9yFepwiL.jpg


and it's done a WORLD of good. Thinking of looking for something smaller (I swear the thing is huge irl) and with actual edges, so thanks for the tip :]

Sorry Volpin, didn't mean to derail.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

and it's done a WORLD of good. Thinking of looking for something smaller (I swear the thing is huge irl) and with actual edges, so thanks for the tip :]

Sorry Volpin, didn't mean to derail.

No worries. I've got the same sander (albeit a bit older... I think I got mine in 2003) and the thing is a tank. Works very well.

In this pic you can see it hiding in the background:

4861824953_9bfeeda28b_b.jpg


In the foreground, propping up the gun, you can see my other sanding weapon of choice. Its a 6"x2"x1" brick of 6061 aluminum. For knocking down large passes of bondo, I just wrap some 60 grit around the brick then get to work. Its an incredibly useful tool, that little hunk of metal, and it probably gets used more than anything else in my shop.

I also have a few chunks of rounded aluminum I use for sanding concave shapes as well, though they're used less often.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Initially, yes. There's some talk about going to Android, but thats not really something that HAS to be done. Also, all of the code/boards/etc won't be available until AFTER my build is done. I'm not one of those paranoid types of guys, but I don't want someone beating me to the punch!

Not a problem, I'm sure I'll still be trying to figure out the physical electronics part by the time your helmet is completely finished. I currently have a Blackberry, but I'm not too fond of it. It's terrible for just about anything I'd use it for except texting. It's about time I upgraded, and the iPhone was the inevitable next step.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Correct. The plan is to have a text input with various sliders that will determine how the display functions. For example, you'll be able to send a new message and tell it to flash, scroll left/right/up/down, wipe across, or stay static. You can also control how fast the animation will take place, as well as how bright the display will be.

I can believe it, but its just amazing to me to think that literally 10 years ago Daft Punk needed big cumbersome backpacks to control the LEDs in their helmets. Now you're helmet is going to be able to do everything the original could, and more, over wifi from your iPhone.

My mind = blown.

This should really be incentive for Daft Punk to bring back the LEDs in their helmets.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Wow, I didn't even think of that. Now MY mind is blown, too!
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

This is super exciting. I'm definitely looking forward to the electronics portion.
 
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

This bucket is coming out great. I kinda want to run over to your place and nab your molds, but I have no clue on how to use them.
 
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