Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build - FINAL p.20!
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
I go back and forth on that bit all the time. My current view is that they are straight until you get to the lightly filleted edge where it angles up.
That said, in the past, I've also though it had a slight curve over its entire height AND that it may be curved towards the top and blend to a flat piece at the bottom.
...and now that I just looked at more pictures, I may be back to thinking there is a curve in the cheeks. The trim piece along the bottom in pictures from their Alive 2007 tour seem to show a rounded edge, and pictures of the black Encore helmets definitely have a curve.
However, I'm still not sure the current generation has the curve. There's just not good enough reference yet.
I think I'll keep my cheeks straight. I can always fix it later if we get better reference.
I'm actually surprised that a bottle of Red Stripe hasn't popped up in any pictures yet. I thought that was your trademark...that or Gorilla Glue. :lol
-Nick
I go back and forth on that bit all the time. My current view is that they are straight until you get to the lightly filleted edge where it angles up.
That said, in the past, I've also though it had a slight curve over its entire height AND that it may be curved towards the top and blend to a flat piece at the bottom.
...and now that I just looked at more pictures, I may be back to thinking there is a curve in the cheeks. The trim piece along the bottom in pictures from their Alive 2007 tour seem to show a rounded edge, and pictures of the black Encore helmets definitely have a curve.
However, I'm still not sure the current generation has the curve. There's just not good enough reference yet.
I think I'll keep my cheeks straight. I can always fix it later if we get better reference.
I'm actually surprised that a bottle of Red Stripe hasn't popped up in any pictures yet. I thought that was your trademark...that or Gorilla Glue. :lol
-Nick
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Hey Volpin I sent you a PM, but im a new member not sure if you got, let me know thanks...I'm trying to get the dimensions from ya. btw You guys know how the originals have the like neck cloth thats attached to them...they were like that head cover... I have a bunch of those if you want one Volpin, maybe you can incorporate it into the padding and sew it in...now sure if thats what they do though
the black stuff under this helmet is what im talking about
Hey Volpin I sent you a PM, but im a new member not sure if you got, let me know thanks...I'm trying to get the dimensions from ya. btw You guys know how the originals have the like neck cloth thats attached to them...they were like that head cover... I have a bunch of those if you want one Volpin, maybe you can incorporate it into the padding and sew it in...now sure if thats what they do though
the black stuff under this helmet is what im talking about
Agent RayBans
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Just FYI, that is a picture of DJ AM (R.I.P) wearing a Thomas Bangalter costume for a Halloween festival concert type thing. You can't tell in this picture, but the studs on the back of the jacket actually say "DJ AM Punk" instead of Daft Punk.
I read some articles that seem to be convinced he "borrowed" the costume from Thomas Bangalter himself, but I believe the whole outfit, helmet jacket and gloves, are replicas. Who ever made them did a nice job, but the finer details are the most telling.
That being said, I don't think the spandex/lyrca hoods Daft Punk wears actually attach to their helmets, but thats an interesting concept.
Just FYI, that is a picture of DJ AM (R.I.P) wearing a Thomas Bangalter costume for a Halloween festival concert type thing. You can't tell in this picture, but the studs on the back of the jacket actually say "DJ AM Punk" instead of Daft Punk.
I read some articles that seem to be convinced he "borrowed" the costume from Thomas Bangalter himself, but I believe the whole outfit, helmet jacket and gloves, are replicas. Who ever made them did a nice job, but the finer details are the most telling.
That being said, I don't think the spandex/lyrca hoods Daft Punk wears actually attach to their helmets, but thats an interesting concept.
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
ya i knew it was DJ AM...I read that in the other thread, its just a good picture of what I was trying to describe
and ya I think your right...I dont think it does either...but it maybe something that he would want to incorporate, or even just have, I have like 5 of them
btw agent Rayban, did you ever get anymore of those awesome pictures from that guy who said he made the original one...those were really helpful...I'm a brand new member, but I've been creepin around these threads for a little while now
ya i knew it was DJ AM...I read that in the other thread, its just a good picture of what I was trying to describe
and ya I think your right...I dont think it does either...but it maybe something that he would want to incorporate, or even just have, I have like 5 of them
btw agent Rayban, did you ever get anymore of those awesome pictures from that guy who said he made the original one...those were really helpful...I'm a brand new member, but I've been creepin around these threads for a little while now
Agent RayBans
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
I did not. I sent him one e-mail and didn't get anything back, so I just took that as he wasn't interested in sharing any more pics or information. And thats his right, of course. I think it was very nice he shared those two pictures in the first place, considering I don't think they've ever been made public before.
Also as far as I know the gentlemen who posted the pictures said he knew someone who worked on the helmets, not him himself. But thats beside the point.
btw agent Rayban, did you ever get anymore of those awesome pictures from that guy who said he made the original one...those were really helpful...I'm a brand new member, but I've been creepin around these threads for a little while now
I did not. I sent him one e-mail and didn't get anything back, so I just took that as he wasn't interested in sharing any more pics or information. And thats his right, of course. I think it was very nice he shared those two pictures in the first place, considering I don't think they've ever been made public before.
Also as far as I know the gentlemen who posted the pictures said he knew someone who worked on the helmets, not him himself. But thats beside the point.
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Yeah, its a tough call. Right now my helmet has a very very gradual curve to the cheeks. I like how it looks so far, and hopefully once I get a couple coats of primer on it I'll continue to like it!
I don't recall getting a PM From ya, but if you need the blueprints then drop me an email: contact@volpinprops.net
Spent even MORE time with the bondo this weekend! I've almost used an entire pint on this thing.
Started off by adding the visor plate in
Then I added small "D" shaped curved pieces above the chin at the bottom of the lower visor. These will be the not-always-agreed-upon flat spots that sit above the cheek plates. They're as subtle as I felt I could make them without making it look like a mistake.
The side piece next to the ear got a flat piece of styrene to fill in that shape, and the upper and lower visor areas got a skim of bondo
...then, another skim after some sanding...
There's a metric crapton of accelerant in there since it was so cold in my garage. Despite being almost red, that stuff took forever to set fully. After a bunch of sanding (and carving out the ear sections in the visor for the ear pucks) we have this!
I really want to get a coat of primer on it to start sussing out the larger problem areas, but there's still a bit of sculpting left to go. I need to fill in the front chin piece, add in the lower cheek "lip" edges that face inwards, and refine the cutouts in the ear areas as well.
So far, I'm 2 weeks into this project. I know the first steps always go quick, but I'm pretty thrilled things have moved as fast as they have!
Yeah, its a tough call. Right now my helmet has a very very gradual curve to the cheeks. I like how it looks so far, and hopefully once I get a couple coats of primer on it I'll continue to like it!
I don't recall getting a PM From ya, but if you need the blueprints then drop me an email: contact@volpinprops.net
Spent even MORE time with the bondo this weekend! I've almost used an entire pint on this thing.
Started off by adding the visor plate in
Then I added small "D" shaped curved pieces above the chin at the bottom of the lower visor. These will be the not-always-agreed-upon flat spots that sit above the cheek plates. They're as subtle as I felt I could make them without making it look like a mistake.
The side piece next to the ear got a flat piece of styrene to fill in that shape, and the upper and lower visor areas got a skim of bondo
...then, another skim after some sanding...
There's a metric crapton of accelerant in there since it was so cold in my garage. Despite being almost red, that stuff took forever to set fully. After a bunch of sanding (and carving out the ear sections in the visor for the ear pucks) we have this!
I really want to get a coat of primer on it to start sussing out the larger problem areas, but there's still a bit of sculpting left to go. I need to fill in the front chin piece, add in the lower cheek "lip" edges that face inwards, and refine the cutouts in the ear areas as well.
So far, I'm 2 weeks into this project. I know the first steps always go quick, but I'm pretty thrilled things have moved as fast as they have!
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Man! What is your secret to such smooth skim coats?! Are you mixing it acetone, or are you just a squeegee Jedi?
Looks great...It's seriously taking everything in me right now not to scrap my own current attempt in order to use your method. I should be able to fight that impulse...for now.
Awesome work. Keep it up!
-Nick
Man! What is your secret to such smooth skim coats?! Are you mixing it acetone, or are you just a squeegee Jedi?
Looks great...It's seriously taking everything in me right now not to scrap my own current attempt in order to use your method. I should be able to fight that impulse...for now.
Awesome work. Keep it up!
-Nick
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
That, and he knows what he's doing this time around...
It's looking great H!
I get you on the bondo.
Metric Crap-ton is about right when you're working in 20 degree weather.
Did I mention that my room-mate and I opted not to turn our heater on?
We're sleeping in sleeping bags *under* our covers...
....But at least we're saving on our power bill!
Project related question:
What sort of setup are you planning for electronics? Have you thought that far ahead yet?
P.S. Oh, how heavy is it currently? Just curious....
That, and he knows what he's doing this time around...
It's looking great H!
I get you on the bondo.
Metric Crap-ton is about right when you're working in 20 degree weather.
Did I mention that my room-mate and I opted not to turn our heater on?
We're sleeping in sleeping bags *under* our covers...
....But at least we're saving on our power bill!
Project related question:
What sort of setup are you planning for electronics? Have you thought that far ahead yet?
P.S. Oh, how heavy is it currently? Just curious....
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Never heard about the acetone trick, sounds neat. Everything there is just straight bondo, applied with a soft plastic squeegee. I guess thats my superpower; smooth bondo skim coats... Also, I worked as an auto body repair tech for a few years, and I guess that helped a little.
I've seen your pep helmet on the Daft Club, its looking really good - I wouldn't scrap it just because of my bucket, but I'll take it as a compliment!
This is pretty true, the whole thing does break apart into some easier-to-manage geometry - you can see that in how I've decided to make it, almost like kit pieces coming together.
I've also got all the experience from the Guy V1 behind me too. I'm guessing that if (when) I decide to make Guy's TRON variant helmet, the process will go much quicker as well.
I am planning on the "Discovery" era electronics, but not 100% sure if I'll be making the ears light up as well. Full LED matrix for the visor, possibly RGB LEDs, but thats up in the air. Fancy bells and whistles might be iPhone control by remote... We'll see. I have some other prop friends that are a hell of a lot better at programming than me, so I'll need to pick their brains about it.
As for the weight, my silicone scale says its 4lbs, 2oz. Pretty light compared to Guy (he clocked in at over 10)
Progress from last night:
Grabbed some Apoxie Sculpt and worked on the areas where I knew not even my bondo-superpowers would work. These were easier to sculpt in apoxie - I'll sand the lumps out of them and then blend them into the bondo visor areas once they're dry.
Also sculpted the front chin in apoxie. This piece has a very gradual curve to it, hard to pick up on in photos, but most obvious when viewed from the side.
You can see in the shot above I added the chin inner lip to the edges. All styrene, this took a little while to get the geometry right. About a dozen paper templates later, I had this. Needs a bit more shaping on the seams but I like the look of it
Which leaves us here:
Sitting pretty! Now I really need to get some primer on it and start ironing out the kinks. If the weather clears up, I might be in the molding stage by February! One month for a completed master?! HERESY!
Never heard about the acetone trick, sounds neat. Everything there is just straight bondo, applied with a soft plastic squeegee. I guess thats my superpower; smooth bondo skim coats... Also, I worked as an auto body repair tech for a few years, and I guess that helped a little.
I've seen your pep helmet on the Daft Club, its looking really good - I wouldn't scrap it just because of my bucket, but I'll take it as a compliment!
This is pretty true, the whole thing does break apart into some easier-to-manage geometry - you can see that in how I've decided to make it, almost like kit pieces coming together.
I've also got all the experience from the Guy V1 behind me too. I'm guessing that if (when) I decide to make Guy's TRON variant helmet, the process will go much quicker as well.
I am planning on the "Discovery" era electronics, but not 100% sure if I'll be making the ears light up as well. Full LED matrix for the visor, possibly RGB LEDs, but thats up in the air. Fancy bells and whistles might be iPhone control by remote... We'll see. I have some other prop friends that are a hell of a lot better at programming than me, so I'll need to pick their brains about it.
As for the weight, my silicone scale says its 4lbs, 2oz. Pretty light compared to Guy (he clocked in at over 10)
Progress from last night:
Grabbed some Apoxie Sculpt and worked on the areas where I knew not even my bondo-superpowers would work. These were easier to sculpt in apoxie - I'll sand the lumps out of them and then blend them into the bondo visor areas once they're dry.
Also sculpted the front chin in apoxie. This piece has a very gradual curve to it, hard to pick up on in photos, but most obvious when viewed from the side.
You can see in the shot above I added the chin inner lip to the edges. All styrene, this took a little while to get the geometry right. About a dozen paper templates later, I had this. Needs a bit more shaping on the seams but I like the look of it
Which leaves us here:
Sitting pretty! Now I really need to get some primer on it and start ironing out the kinks. If the weather clears up, I might be in the molding stage by February! One month for a completed master?! HERESY!
Charles Kline
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Absolutely amazing.
Absolutely amazing.
Agent RayBans
Sr Member
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Great progress! I love these every other day updates.
I took one of your images and filled the visor just for giggles, since that's what we are used to seeing. Looks good!
Great progress! I love these every other day updates.
I took one of your images and filled the visor just for giggles, since that's what we are used to seeing. Looks good!
Spicesmuggler
New Member
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Amazing work!
Amazing work!
Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build
Nice! Now 'shop some chrome in there too.
Spent some more time with the helmet over the past couple of days when I wasn't out in the snow flinging my car all over the place like an idiot. Got the seams for the ears filled in a bit better to take up the gaps and have sanded the Apoxie in the visor areas a bit as well.
Might brave th cold and shoot some primer just to get SOME idea of what I need to do from here. Getting to the point where its hard for me to narrow down problem areas by feeling alone. Having the whole piece one color will help a lot.
No pics just yet, but will come soon.
Great progress! I love these every other day updates.
I took one of your images and filled the visor just for giggles, since that's what we are used to seeing. Looks good!
Nice! Now 'shop some chrome in there too.
Spent some more time with the helmet over the past couple of days when I wasn't out in the snow flinging my car all over the place like an idiot. Got the seams for the ears filled in a bit better to take up the gaps and have sanded the Apoxie in the visor areas a bit as well.
Might brave th cold and shoot some primer just to get SOME idea of what I need to do from here. Getting to the point where its hard for me to narrow down problem areas by feeling alone. Having the whole piece one color will help a lot.
No pics just yet, but will come soon.
Grey
Sr Member
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