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

[KlovisJTBD]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

awesome work..

you know if you need a "model" to wear this helmet for you at Dragon Con while you wear Guy's.....i'll be there...I'm just saying......lol

keep up the good work

 

[Volpin]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

I think im going to have to stick with the spray foam method.

Also a quick question, for other work im sure ill be doing, where do you find you styrene?

You can do the cardboard templates with insulation foam, and its actually cheaper to work with. One sheet of 4x8 2" thick foam costs about $12, then the glue to bond it runs another $5. Between the spray-foam and the clay you'll use filling in the cavities the foam leaves behind, I'd really suggest trying out the pink foam instead. Just trying to save ya some possible headaches!

I get my styrene from a local sign shop - I buy their scraps at cost. Wish I had a better resource, but I ordered a few sheets from McMaster-Carr once and the freight cost as much as the plastic!

you know if you need a "model" to wear this helmet for you at Dragon Con while you wear Guy's.....i'll be there...I'm just saying......lol

haha, thanks for the offer, but I'll be the one wearing Thomas this year. Not sure if Guy will be making it to D*C

 

[Ronster]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

How do you hollow out the master in order to wear it for fitting?
With all that foam and MDF, you'd think it'd be a tad difficult, eh?

 

[Volpin]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

How do you hollow out the master in order to wear it for fitting?
With all that foam and MDF, you'd think it'd be a tad difficult, eh?

I never did. Its still solid. The only fitting I did was virtual - taking shots on a tripod of me and then the helmet, then superimposing them over one another.

 

[Letum]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

You can do the cardboard templates with insulation foam, and its actually cheaper to work with. One sheet of 4x8 2" thick foam costs about $12, then the glue to bond it runs another $5. Between the spray-foam and the clay you'll use filling in the cavities the foam leaves behind, I'd really suggest trying out the pink foam instead. Just trying to save ya some possible headaches!

I get my styrene from a local sign shop - I buy their scraps at cost. Wish I had a better resource, but I ordered a few sheets from McMaster-Carr once and the freight cost as much as the plastic!

That's honestly not as bad of a price for everything that I thought it would be! I may have to go pick up some of that pink foam this weekend, I think Lowes sells it. But if not Maybe Ace does.

And that sucks about the styrene! We do have a sign shop here, I just dont know if they use styrene or not. But thats a good idea. Ill have to make a few calls! ^^
Thanks again!

 

[TheNickFox]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

That's honestly not as bad of a price for everything that I thought it would be! I may have to go pick up some of that pink foam this weekend, I think Lowes sells it. But if not Maybe Ace does.

Just to let you know, Lowes carries insulation foam board in 4x8 sheets as well, but they are blue, not pink.

So don't think just because you don't see pink insulation foam that Lowes doesn't necessarily have it.

-Nick

 

[TechDante]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

wow simply wow cany wait to see more pictures.

 

[giz]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

I know the department stores don't carry EPS foam nationwide. Luckily they do here.

This is a bit offtopic, but I think useful. I've used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive in the past to layer sheets of foam. It doesn't eat the foam, is super easy/clean to apply, and holds great.

 

[Machina]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

looking good. when casts come, we will be in contact shortly

 

[Volpin]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Well, as much as I'd like to show off the finished mold and a few fancy casts, I had a bit of a screw-up.

That looks good in photos, but the thickened parts on the silicone mold in the front half never cured. I added too much thickener to the Rebound and the resulting mix wasn't able to solidify. Removing it was a gooey mess, but I was able to salvage the back half and start over.

My business trip finally caught up with me so I'll be in NYC for the next couple of days. Until then, Thomas sits half-finished. Blah.

 

[Ronster]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Could you possibly salvage the cured parts and use them like this:
Silicone's Recyclable Guys!!

That way all that rubber doesn't completely go to waste...?

 

[Volpin]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Allllllmost ready to start the mother mold. The front half is 90% done, just a few thin spots I need to get another coat onto. Hopefully I can pull casts this weekend. This seems like its taking FOREVER!

 

[Charles Kline]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Can't wait to see more. :thumbsup

 

[Rabid Irish]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Are you going to use plasti paste for the mother mold like you did with the other helmet, or use something else like fiberglass?

 

[Captainyolk]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Good luck on the mother mold Volpin!!

 

[pzfaust]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

I'm very impressed with the speed of this build. Looking forward to seeing your progress this weekend. Thanks for your inspiration... I'm process of building my Thomas helmet right now.

 

[Thermistor]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Volpin -
I was completely inspired by you and started work on my own Guy-Man helmet. I'm doing the Tron version:

http://www.therpf.com/f24/daft-punk-guy-manuel-helmet-build-106798/

I'd love to know what you think.

 

[Jokerjack350]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

how do you make a 2 part mould like how do you make the front part of the mold with out it sticking to the back part?

Awsome build by the way cant wait to see the rest.

 

[fotofixer72]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

Wow! I want one!
I can't wait to see the finished one!

WANT WANT WANT!

 

[Volpin]

Re: Daft Punk Thomas Bangalter helmet build

I was completely inspired by you and started work on my own Guy-Man helmet. I'm doing the Tron version:

http://www.therpf.com/f24/daft-punk-guy-manuel-helmet-build-106798/

I'd love to know what you think.

Your progress is enviable! I want to revisit the Guy helmet myself now that I know what the hell I'm doing. You're off to an awesome start, very similar to how I'm planning on tackling that project as well.

how do you make a 2 part mould like how do you make the front part of the mold with out it sticking to the back part?

Huh, I thought I had covered that. I guess I forgot a lot of pics after the molding snafu.

These, technically, are documenting the part of the mold that was scrapped. In redoing the piece, I actually changed the position of the registration keys and added them later so that brushing the silicone on would be easier. The process is otherwise identical.

For separating the two halves, I use this cleaner wax. Smooth-On makes stuff called "Sonite Wax" for this specific purpose, and when this tub runs dry, I might look into that. For now though, this stuff works great.

Well... pretty great. It doesn't like the brown primer very much, so I have to take pains to only get this wax on the silicone and not on the paint. See the blue painter's tape on the master sculpt there? Thats why that barrier exists.

In prep for molding the front, I added a filler panel underneath and some clay dams along the chin. I also added a small "maker's mark" which will be trimmed off in the end. Not sure how much plastic will even get to this spot, but oh well.

After that it's print coat, thickened coat, and keys. Second verse, same as the first.

You can see in the second pic below how uneven the silicone was because of how I had to brush around the keys. The revised mold half was much cleaner.

The MDF halves in this shot will be for the mother mold. These will make a more even flange, ensuring the sections of the mold jacket stay aligned. The front part of the helmet will also be split into 2 mother mold halves as well - similar to how my Guy helmet has one front section and 2 back halves.

SO! Hopefully I'll be getting the mold jacket finished tonight/tomorrow, then first pulls by Sunday... unless something else goes wrong, then it'll be longer. woo