eFX A New Hope Darth Vader Helmet

[Zombie Killer]

I have a question. Isn't there going to be mold shrinkage on the old mold and then again on the mold EFX makes? How does this get addressed or do we just get smaller helmets compared to the original?

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Only if they use sub-par molding material. I doubt they would.

 

[vaderdarth]

Let's put our money where out mouth is. Let's get someone in our community that we trust, someone neutral. Each helmet maker send this guy a trimmed but not finished casting of the dome. He assigns each helmet a random number.

Another neutral guy gets the helmets with the numbers and does the multiple analyses of casting versus screen helmet:

Do the line experiment as I described it earlier.

They can compare the "misc details" on each casting to some hi def screen stills of the movie. (BR disk comes out soon)

Then guy # 2 ranks each helmet as it matches the screen helmet.
He sees which domes fit the line criteria ad which do not.
He then re-ranks based on both criteria.

Then it won't be just two guys hollering and throwing beer bottles at each others heads when we discuss vader helmets...........we will have a concrete idea what helmet is best, how all others rank and then have something tangible to compare all other helmets to.

I wanna see all of them, SL, TD, DJ, eFX, gino, VP, GH master in the mix.

Now, who is in and who wants to opt out so we don't have to hear about their helmet anymore???

Dave

 

[Zombie Killer]

I wouldn't get too excited about the blue ray just yet. I've been doing screenshots lately of ANH with my 1977 video tape put on DVD and the remastered version DVD and the cleaned up remast. version has details of certain objects blurred out so you can't see detail. Details i can see on a crappy VHS tape with macroblocking covering the whole screen. I expect them to do it again. Don't get me wrong i can't wait for them too but i know Lucas will find some way to mess it up.

 

[Amish Trooper]

I would get someone who has no vested interest or agenda. I would vote Mic.

 

[sskunky]

Let's put our money where out mouth is. Let's get someone in our community that we trust, someone neutral. Each helmet maker send this guy a trimmed but not finished casting of the dome. He assigns each helmet a random number.

Another neutral guy gets the helmets with the numbers and does the multiple analyses of casting versus screen helmet:

Do the line experiment as I described it earlier.

They can compare the "misc details" on each casting to some hi def screen stills of the movie. (BR disk comes out soon)

Then guy # 2 ranks each helmet as it matches the screen helmet.
He sees which domes fit the line criteria ad which do not.
He then re-ranks based on both criteria.

Then it won't be just two guys hollering and throwing beer bottles at each others heads when we discuss vader helmets...........we will have a concrete idea what helmet is best, how all others rank and then have something tangible to compare all other helmets to.

I wanna see all of them, SL, TD, DJ, eFX, gino, VP, GH master in the mix.

Now, who is in and who wants to opt out so we don't have to hear about their helmet anymore???

Dave

OK,
If you insist. If everyone can send every known casting in raw format for me to analyze I will give a very impartial opinion and present the evidence here for you all to see.

Of course like most send ins I cannot guarantee that the casts will be returned due to time and costs involved......

:lol

 

[OldKen]

OK,
If you insist. If everyone can send every known casting in raw format for me to analyze I will give a very impartial opinion and present the evidence here for you all to see.

Of course like most send ins I cannot guarantee that the casts will be returned due to time and costs involved......

:lol

sskunk you are gonna need some help! I'll take half of the burden for you! :angel:lol

I would really like to see a non SL and non Gino side taker do the comparisons. But I think no matter what there will be something that wasn't fair or done right.

My guess? Neither are 100% accurate. After all the time that has passed and micro things to fathom in. (dust, casting material, shrinkage warpage etc etc.)

They are probably both off a mm here or there. One scratch is missing on one yet there on the other etc etc. I think there will NEVER be a diffinative answer.

For the record I think they are BOTH awesome. They both really represent the feel and "soul" of the ANH Vader.

My guess is they are BOTH really close. Neither 100% in EVERY minute bubble bump wart scratch warble barble booble babble blah blah blah. :sick

:lol

 

[micdavis]

Just because two things come out of the same mold, does not GUARANTEE they have the same EXACT shape.

Especially in fiberglass and resins, unless conditions are JUST right, GREAT care is taken and HIGH quality materials used.

I've never seen any of these applied to any fan made replica. Ever.

We have no idea the real conditions any of this was done.

More often than not, it seems the molding is a clandestine event.

 

[voice in the crowd]

I hate to be a nay sayer, but what if the SL, DJ, eFX, TD etc etc etc.....all had different moulds (remakes) but all originated out of the Baker moulds.
Dave

Hi Dave,

The TD, TM, VP etc could not have descended from the Baker moulds they have too many features on them that were removed from the moulds that made the DJ, SL, eFX. Rick Baker cleaned up the screen helmet of that there is no doubt he did not however change any of the shape or structure of the mask. With the state the screen helmet was in by the time he moulded it, it is obvious why it needed minor clean up.

The Baker / US moulds are every bit ANH as the UK style moulds are. They are both cast from the original mask just at different times.

I see the US and UK moulds being of equal value just I see them as two separate snapshots of the screen helmet.

On a separate note relating to your last post I own a GH, TM, VP, SL, and other Vaders I will not mention due to restrictions placed upon me and I can honestly say that they all have some great features but none possess them all.

Some of the masks have strong features others have the remnants of the features and vice versa but all can be compared surprisingly well with each other.

Some of these features also run into the ESB and ROTJ helmets.

There is no great science to it. Sitting looking at these items next to each other tells more than all the photographs in the threads. I would say that all the perceived big hitter high end Vaders have as much to offer as each other.

There are some statements about some of the Vaders being discussed that I disagree. I do not have permission to post photographs to disprove them - or have the energy or time getting into a big RPF Vader debate

I am hoping in the future I get to see and compare the eFX offering with fan mades and will take the positives from the comparisons.

micdavis sums up with some good points in his last post about moulding and casting.

Cheers Chris

 

[Zenwalker]

Just because two things come out of the same mold, does not GUARANTEE they have the same EXACT shape.

Especially in fiberglass and resins, unless conditions are JUST right, GREAT care is taken and HIGH quality materials used.

I've never seen any of these applied to any fan made replica. Ever.

We have no idea the real conditions any of this was done.

More often than not, it seems the molding is a clandestine event.

This is the point I was trying to make earlier about there being possibly 2 albeit slightly different domes used during filming. Yes, both would have come from the same mold but perhaps they came out slightly differently, perhaps one might have had a slightly larger flare to the dome, etc., etc.

Since the SL and efx also came out of the same mold perhaps they too came out slightly differently as well which would account for the dome shape discrepancies.

 

[AJK001]

I'm running out of popcorn. Can we continue this after I go to the store for some more?

 

[Avenger]

First post. And, it's in this debate.

I took an earlier image (thanks to TMG), and animated the DJ under the EFX helmet. EFX is the semi-colorized (for easier identification) and semi-transparent one. I may not be trained in the arts of identifying these discrepancies, but having no Vader helmet at all, and being new to this, I'm stoked to get the legend. So, here's my fuel to the fire such as it is.

 

[GromitFan]

Avenger,

I feel like it should be blinking, "Eat at Joe's."

(Kidding aside, it seems that they are at slightly different angles,
though I love the attempt and the animation!)

 

[Avenger]

Avenger,

I feel like it should be blinking, "Eat at Joe's."

(Kidding aside, it seems that they are at slightly different angles,
though I love the attempt and the animation!)

Ha! Well, on my computer I can turn them on and off as I please and adjust the transparency and colors. Animated GIF seemed like the only way to put out there anything I was seeing at all. It's surprising how similar these are. I wasn't going for detail (obviously) as much as shape. EFX seems to have a more narrow width at the dome's bottom edges/flares. Not sure if that's more accurate or vice versa, or if it's just the pic.

 

[Zombie Killer]

Forget dome shape, you can see 2-3 boogers on the lip of the flare on the right side (our right side) at the bottom on both helmets. Looks like the same exact defects to me. All we are comparing is the ability of mutiple people to cast a helmet from the same mold.

 

[OldKen]

Avenger. You did a great job for what pics u had! We need a pro photo shoot of the eFx SL and DJ. THEN you can take THOSE pics and make a more precise GIF.

Again. All 3 are awesome. But only one has LFL on it. And for the first time EVER... that actually means something!!! A Rubies... This aint! LOL!

 

[Zombie Killer]

I don't know why we are all arguing, the Sideshow version is the best anyways.

 

[micdavis]

Vader is so 2005 anyway.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

I don't know why we are all arguing, the Sideshow version is the best anyways.

I will punch you in the baby maker!

Seriously, Mic hit it right square on the head. "Clandestine" molding going on. We do not know what kind of rush the people who made the SL or DJ were in when they were pulled. The DJ more closely resembles the eFX which was made with LFL approval.

 

[ave4uevoli]

Let's put our money where out mouth is. Let's get someone in our community that we trust, someone neutral. Each helmet maker send this guy a trimmed but not finished casting of the dome. He assigns each helmet a random number.

Another neutral guy gets the helmets with the numbers and does the multiple analyses of casting versus screen helmet:

Do the line experiment as I described it earlier.

They can compare the "misc details" on each casting to some hi def screen stills of the movie. (BR disk comes out soon)

Then guy # 2 ranks each helmet as it matches the screen helmet.
He sees which domes fit the line criteria ad which do not.
He then re-ranks based on both criteria.

Then it won't be just two guys hollering and throwing beer bottles at each others heads when we discuss vader helmets...........we will have a concrete idea what helmet is best, how all others rank and then have something tangible to compare all other helmets to.

I wanna see all of them, SL, TD, DJ, eFX, gino, VP, GH master in the mix.

Now, who is in and who wants to opt out so we don't have to hear about their helmet anymore???

Dave

Uhhhhh. Is it too late to say "I'll do it" ? I'm impartial. I would love to get a chance to view all these helmets in person. I understand cameras and depth of field. I never mold anything as many of you know and based on my collection Im sure people can figure out I'm not some punk out to make a quick buck.

Obviously this is a long shot. But think Dave is right. This is the only way. Pictures really don't do anything. I can take a picture of any vader helmet and make the dome look short in the back or flare out or curve like a circle....pic comparisons just don't cut it anymore.