eFX A New Hope Darth Vader Helmet

[Avenger]

Let's also consider, everyone is analyzing Gino's work, not production work. He's done A LOT of prop replicating and I'm sure was picked for his skills, skills the average Chinese factory worker is probably not going to have. So, even if we can make everyone agree that Gino has the most amazing and accurate piece ever made, that one helmet he did will be the only one that will fit that claim. The rest of us, are undoubtedly going to find the mass produced versions do not hold up 100% to Gino's prototype when nitpicked.

With the bump legend they will use to clean up the masks by, no doubt a worker may accidentally clean one that shouldn't have been removed and send it on down the line. So, the customer masks will certainly vary in accuracy amongst themselves, let alone other masks.

Unless Gino personally does every one of the 250 legend versions, things will not be 100% perfect. C-scars will be 2 millimeters off the prototype placement etc. Especially if it's 15 minutes to lunch break. That's the facts of manufacturing. So, the whole argument hardly guarantees any level of in hand product consistency no matter how many screen grabs people post, even if they had mold pics.

The way Gino described it, I can just see the blank stares on the Chinese folks when they went over that bump and ding map. And we're expecting a margin of error of .0001? Some of you need to buy some Sideshow Collectibles statues. You'll quickly discover the difference between prototypes and production pieces. After that, c-scar placement will be least on your minds.

Hey Gino, I have a question for you that perhaps you'd be allowed to answer. You said you cleaned up the masks some. Did anyone count the number of dings and defects you presented to the factory workers to NOT clean up during production? Be interesting to know just how many defects will remain, particularly on the legend version.

 

[Boba1980]

Thanks Vaderdarth, fingers crossed you get your helmet. I'm happy for eFx that they sold out of even the limited version. That's quite an accomplishment in this economy. On a side note, and yeah, go ahead and rip me a new one, but I really hope eFx will do a Boba Fett, with a Gino paint job. A Slave I, which i hear they are considering, would also be nice. I'm sure that's a shocking revelation given my handle. I now return you to your regularly scheduled Vader debate!

 

[RBJ]

From what I've heard on the C-scar regarding molds and casts:

ANH Face Plate molded right after production ( Tantive look) = UK mold ( will have C-scar among other paint details and tabs in casts)

ANH Face plate molded after tour/chronicles paint touch ups (certian areas of helmet repainted , C-scar area "repaired") = USA mold ( Will have less paint details, no molded in tabs)

 

[Boba1980]

Avenger, good point. I'd kill for one of the buckets actually painted by Gino. What happens to those? Do eFx and Gino keep one each (I'm assuming two were painted by Gino)?

 

[Avenger]

Avenger, good point. I'd kill for one of the buckets actually painted by Gino. What happens to those? Do eFx and Gino keep one each (I'm assuming two were painted by Gino)?

Good question. Only thing I know with any certainty is that none of Gino's helmets will end up at my house. :cry

 

[Boba1980]

Ha ha, I'm sure I'm safe in saying my house will be lacking in that department as well!

 

[Wes]

On a side note, and yeah, go ahead and rip me a new one, but I really hope eFx will do a Boba Fett, with a Gino paint job.

I'd be happy to rip you a new one on this. :love

We actually had probably one of the best Fett painters for the MR. But as Gino mentioned earlier, mass production just doesn't accomodate the level of detail needed for a Fett helmet.

 

[voice in the crowd]

I can't believe I read through like 20 pages of this thread. You guys are just as insane as the Fett guys.

Wes you are 100% correct about the insanity of Vader. The unfortunate thing about the way casts of Vaders have changed hands over the years is that there has been extra added bonus insanity of restrictions being placed on the casts. One of the biggest stipulations on most high end Vader helmets is no posting of photographs.

One thing I am going to say here is I have never critised Gino or eFX anywhere in this thread or asked Gino to show anything let alone any proof of anything.

My only point is I have seen the C scar on different casts and to say it doesn't exist just plain puzzles me.

Without showing any fan made helmet it is pretty clear it is on the screen helmet anyone with eyes can see it.

Below is a photo of the screen mask C scar and all - on the top of it there are 3 tabs. They are not present on the Baker mould (as they were removed before Baker cast it).

Because they are not in the Baker mould does that mean they never existed and that they are not present on any other Vader casts?

@ ART I am not here to critisize eFx or Gino but when Gino came out with a bold statement about the C scar it needed addressed. I don't WANT anything to be wrong with the eFx quite the opposite. When a real deal Vader expert like Gino comes out with the bold statements about the C Scar I am just astounded. It is clearly a feature on the screen helmet and exists on multiple replica helmets made over decades.

I will not post any more in this thread about the C Scar as it is being fudged into a pile of other peoples arguments and being used as ammunition that was not my intent when discussing with Gino his opinion on the C scar. It is also detracting from the eFX Vader thread.

Cheers Chris

 

[ob1al]

If the apple tabs were removed before the Baker mold, it makes sense to me that (what might be perceived as) the major paint defect (the so called 'C' scar') might be carefully sanitised before molding as well, to avoid having to sand the area smooth on each subsequent cast. As we all know, even a small paint defect will show up on a mold.

I've no idea if this is the case, but I really don't think it is important anyway. The EFX is a great looking piece with good screen-used lineage, that's all that matters really.

 

[Zombie Killer]

I'm sure someone has a pic of a raw casting they could crop so only the cheek was showing.

 

[Wes]

Nice post Chris.

Clear and to the point with a picture for us Vader idiots :thumbsup

You guys ordered your helmets and nobody has one in hand so I don't feel we are taking away from the efx at the moment.

Below is a photo of the screen mask C scar and all - on the top of it there are 3 tabs. They are not present on the Baker mould (as they were removed before Baker cast it).

I see no reason why this is not a plausible event? Look at all the variations in the Fett helmets.
Gino, do you not agree this could have happened?

 

[Zombie Killer]

If all the helmets came from the Baker molds then they will all have the c scar if the molds have the c scar

 

[voice in the crowd]

If the apple tabs were removed before the Baker mold, it makes sense to me that (what might be perceived as) the major paint defect (the so called 'C' scar') might be carefully sanitised before molding as well, to avoid having to sand the area smooth on each subsequent cast. As we all know, even a small paint defect will show up on a mold.

Yes that would make sense wouldn't it?

It would also make sense to fill and clean up the adhesive packing / gap between the facemask and lenses but that couldn't possibly have happened either as nobody will post a photo of it

Cheers Chris

 

[voice in the crowd]

If all the helmets came from the Baker molds then they will all have the c scar if the molds have the c scar

All ANH Vader casts do not come from the Baker moulds. Casts come from UK sources and the Baker mould was made in the US.

Chris

 

[Boba1980]

Wes, I wasn't knocking the MR Fett paint job, I thought it was fantastic, I just missed out on getting one. :cry

 

[GINO]

I see no reason why this is not a plausible event? Look at all the variations in the Fett helmets.
Gino, do you not agree this could have happened?

No because of this:

On the baker mold, there are tons of specific artifacts and little details in the immediate surrounding area of where the c-scratch would be.
All of those are perfectly intact and crisp.
But where the c-scratch would actually be, it is relatively smooth.

 

[Wes]

Wes, I wasn't knocking the MR Fett paint job, I thought it was fantastic, I just missed out on getting one. :cry

I know, I was just messing with you

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Qui, none of my questions have been fully answered. I got answers, but only physical research will truly answer my questions. My questions are simply a starting point. Every educational endeavor has a starting point.

I get the feeling that you dislike me and that your hatred for me is painting my questions in an unfavorable light where you are concerned. gino has answered my questions and doesn't appear to be threatened by them. You certainly consider him the expert, so I am going straight to the horse's mouth (I'll bet you thought I was gonna say something else didn't you?)

gino is the only RPFer to see the eFX mould and is therefore the only qualified person to answer my questions. Qui, you on the other hand, are berating me for asking the questions, rather than just allowing gino to answer. You should hold off replying to anything I post if you don't truly want to know the answers. I wasn't directing the questions to you anyway. Peace brother,

Dave

Nah, I don't dislike you at all Dave. I dislike the way you are coming down hard on this offering and then disguising it with a few good comments. The thing that gets me is Gino has been about as forthcoming as he probably can be in regards to this offering from LFL and eFX, but it just is not good enough for some.

The thing is you are not wanting answers. You are leading them in a direction of your choosing. Let me ask you, will you volunteer where you got your ANH piece from? Will you give every single detail of the casting process that you know?

Put yourself in eFX's shoes for a moment. Here you have a guy detailing what is going into the manufacture of this helmet. He clearly explained why details were removed, or lessened. He has intimate knowledge of the molds, thanks to LFL. How many of us can say the same? I cannot. I would wager you cannot either. I could be wrong.

As to the C-Scar, we all assume it is there. Why? I know there is a silverish streak on the black portion of Vader's cheek. Does that mean it is a scar? Does that mean that the plasterer ended up gouging the piece before molding, or could it simply be a paint swoosh that others have tried to add to their pieces to make it seem like it is a glaring surface defect. We simply do not know. We do not know who cast Thomas' SL helmet. He might, but the people at large haven't a clue.

We DO know eFX handled the Baker molds.

 

[Wes]

No because of this:

On the baker mold, there are tons of specific artifacts and little details in the immediate surrounding area of where the c-scratch would be.
All of those are perfectly intact and crisp.
But where the c-scratch would actually be, it is relatively smooth.

Be patient with me here. I don't know the history on this helmet or anything about it.

With Fett, we know helmets were in the UK and shipped to the US where different people added their "marks" to them. Is it not possible we are dealing with two different helmets from the same "master mould" as with Fett?

 

[GINO]

Sure thing Wes. Here's the deal.
People who own the SL claim their helmets have this scratch.
They both come from the Baker mold.
The detail is not in the baker mold.
People who own the SL or subsequent castings are mistaken in thinking that they see some remnant of it being there.
None of them will show this detail on their castings for fear of being publicly proven wrong.
Same with any other casting that makes this claim.

Why is this? Because it was not a physical mark but rather a painted topical one.


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