ESB Vader helmet WIP

[OldKen]

Hello guys and gals. I never, and I mean NEVER do WIP threads. Mostly because the time I spend working on props/pieces is usually just a time of relaxing and no distraction. I find that taking progress pics can hinder my motivation. As you can see, I can't take very good photographs anyway! :lol And this was actually with my iPhone. Not really able to do the "CSMac official 6 feet and zoom" on the iPhone sadly. :confused

This is my first time working on a Vader helmet other than the plastic DP. So this is a 'feel free to comment and make suggestions thread' more than just a plain a showoff thread.

Basically, other than suggesting I "buy from a different maker/lineage/casting"... Or "LEARN HOW TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS MORON" all other suggestions (About this helmet JERKYS!) are very welcome! :angel

Here is the rundown:

It is a DS 09 20thC faceplate, and from what I was told this particular faceplate was from a pretty small run. (no DJ or SL but special to me! )

Just got the dome from the man himself at stonestudiocreations. Just unboxed it! Very VERY nice ESB casting. Very clean and other than the outer black it is just about ready for paint and polish! :love

It pretty much sat right on the dome ring very straight and at a decent ESB angle the very first try. Though I haven't permanently affixed the dome ring to the face plate. (What do you think? Tilt forward? Back?)

The face came painted by RPF member Vadermonkey, and looks really nice! Though the grey was recently sprayed and they both could use a LIGHT FINE wetsand. (anyone ever have probs with the lines of the color transition blurring? Basically gonna lightly do a panel a time if at all... may just be able to polish the slight roughness out?

I am debating between 2 different paint techniques for the dome. My buddy has a paintbooth but has no extra time at the moment. :unsure And DS himself suggested a thing called "spraybomb" that is basically just car paint in a rattle can... used for automotive panel painting. Everything I've read on car forums says it really looks great and holds up just like it would if it were pro-sprayed... this thing isn't going to be out in the sun and rain, so as long as it is black and it can be polished... should be good? :confused

P.S. Never hesitate to buy from DarthStone or his company. Can't say enough about the guy and how well the transaction went! thumbsup

Vadermonkey is a super nice chap and does nice paintwork. Also a very curteous guy and a A+ seller IMHO.

Here are a few quick pics with more to come. Feel free to ask for other angles. etc. And I will get to them tonight or tomorrow. (and with a better camera!)

 

[OldKen]

I know the pics are horrible but surely you can get some idea of what is goin on here?

No?

Beauller??? :lol

Any feedback, suggestions, or techniques welcome on finishing this bad boy!

Stuff like affixing the ring... What sorta screws should I use? Do you guys use bolts and washers on the other side? Do you guys just bondo the ring on there? Combo of both?

Suggestions for mounting without velcro? Meaning, the face ring and the dome ring fit snug but it wouldn't take much of a tilt for it to move or even fall if it was being worn.

Anyway, I'm not looking for answers for every little thing. But I would love to have some input from the resident experts on different avenues to take!

I don't want to "mod" it for better trooping. But would like for a friend to be able to put it on and move around without fear of it falling off. :confused

 

[KevVader]

VERY nice lid, Ken. But I would stand 6 feet back and....er....nevermind!

A few coats of gloss black on the dome with some wetsanding in between will do the trick. Just take your time, allow plenty of time to dry/cure between coats. Get a set of tusks from Fatherless One for the mask, if you don't already have them.

If you don't have to have the correct ring on the mask, get two pieces of ABS where the inner diameter of one fits over the outer diameter of the other....plenty solid. Bondo them in place....they'll never come apart.

 

[OldKen]

Thanks Kev ol buddy! Yeah, fatherlessone tusks en route! :cool

Do you mean permanently attatching the dome to the face? :confused I would like them to still be able to seperate. But it is something I have tossed around.

I was wondering about a rare earth magnet in the center of the domes ring. And then one INSIDE the face in the center of the ring atop the faceplate. Meaning... under the apple tabs. Maybe you could get it to where it wouldn't touch but still have enough pull to help keep it centered? Ideas like this are what I am looking for.

I can talk all day about the discrepencies of screen caps. I know my Vaders and have held many fan castings. But I have never actually built and modded one. I want to keep it pretty movie accurate. But looking for neat ideas that may be more enticing than pure accuracy... with the magnet idea I figured the face one would be hidden with foam etc. so would still appear film used accurate. :wacko I know...

 

[KevVader]

No, I meant Bondo one ring to the inside of the dome and the other to the top of the facemask. Then you could mate up the mask to the dome and take them apart. It would function exactly like the correct ring mount only using ABS pipe segments. You can trim them to fit to get the right height and angle before Bondo-ing them in.

I had posted a how to on here somewhere awhile back.

 

[OldKen]

The ring is already installed on the dome. And I have the PVC Pre angled and pre drilled. Just didn't know if I should use the screw holes that were on the originals. If I do, what do people use?

 

[Vadermonkey]

I would epoxy the ring to the faceplate and also use screws through the cast holes. If you're shooting for accurate screws, you may utilize a hex head screw similar to those seen in the casting of a GH ROTJ although the screws on the GH casting are much smaller in appearance compared to the originals.

 

[Clutch]

Nice score bro!

 

[OldKen]

Thanks J!

No one knows what kinda screws they had on the film used ESB? Or the actual 20thC sitting in planet Hollywood?

Also I couldn't track down dupli-color "spray-bomb" in my area. but got some Duplicolor "perfect match" Scratch filler primer and honda black. (was the deepest black they had in that brand and looks spot on to the BMW black from what I can tell.

Now... Tennessee humidity!

IDK when I will even get to tackle painting. Cause this is the first really bad day of the year here. Got up to 96! And of course the humidity in knox TN is horrible.

Now. What all nicks and scratches should I WANT to see in an ESB dome? I have studied ANH frame by frame as I mostly only collect ANH prop replicas. Do most of you use filler/glaze/spot putty/bondo on the lil nicks and just smooth it all out? My face casting has lil nuances in there that really give it character. Even some stuff you can see left from ANH. Of course the apple tabs are there, but I'm talking about on the face.

Should I just hit good coat of filler primer and not worry about the lil nicks? (there are VERY few, and they are VERY small)

Thanks again for taking a look.

I wish more of our resident experts would chime in...

I really want to get this thing moving but don't wanna have an UH OH moment!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Hi, just saw this. Hope I'm not too late to chime in. Depending on what nicks on the dome you are talking about, I'd say leave it be and spray it black.

Also, never sand metallic paint. it will lose the metallic shine and turn matt grey. If you want sharper separation lines between the two-tone paint, just perhaps respray the black - using the same brand and color as on the dome.

Anything else, it really is difficult to offer advise and suggestions without pictures of the things you are talking about.

Good luck.

 

[retfield]

Nice looking helmet :thumbsup

 

[Darth Stone]

Just FYI, "Spray Bomb" is just a auto body shop slang term for spray can paint. As for the screws? Just epoxy the ring down and set it into place using three bevel head wood screws about 1/4 inch long and it should be fine.

 

[OldKen]

Never saw this bumped...

The couple lil things I would want to remove if not there on screen would be a small line at the top of the dome touching the center ridge. It is on the right side as you are looking at the face Couple of lil air bubbles. Nothing major. To be honest most would be filled in with the spray primer.

The whole sanding thing wasn't because the paintjob wasn't sharp. I want to be clear that Vadermonkey did a really sharp paintjob on this. The grey paint just feels rough. (I'm guessing a light polish is the only route with this?)

OH, And I REALLY need to ask... I went ahead and got the duplicolorperfect match rattlecan "car paint" I couldnt find BMW but the Honda is BLACK black. Compared to the other 7 or 8 blacks they had it reminded me the most of vader AND what the black on the helmet already has (BMW).

You guys think I'm good to go on this bad boy?

I'm more of a TK and ANH guy, and my knowledge of the props in ANH is a LOT stronger than ESB... bear with me. :confused

Thanks for the replies guys.

Hi, just saw this. Hope I'm not too late to chime in. Depending on what nicks on the dome you are talking about, I'd say leave it be and spray it black.

Also, never sand metallic paint. it will lose the metallic shine and turn matt grey. If you want sharper separation lines between the two-tone paint, just perhaps respray the black - using the same brand and color as on the dome.

Anything else, it really is difficult to offer advise and suggestions without pictures of the things you are talking about.

Good luck.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Could you show a picture of the details you are asking about whether to fill or not?

I'm just thinking that since the 20th C is off a tour helmet, it also sports tour paint job details that may not be accurate to the original ESB details and paint job details, so pictures would certainly help. I've had one of these face masks in my possession and I can say there are many differences.

 

[OldKen]

Carsten, the face is painted. It's done. (I already mentioned it wasn't THE MOST screen accurate... I know the lineage of the 20thC) Thanks for making sure it is re-iterated though... :rolleyes

Were talking about the dome. Only the dome now.

I'm just gonna fill the one mark I mentioned that is next to the domes center ridge. And then prime it.

Unless someone can show me a top view of an ESB dome or the 20thC's donor helmet that is sitting in planet Hollywood Orlando? :confused

Could you show a picture of the details you are asking about whether to fill or not?

I'm just thinking that since the 20th C is off a tour helmet, it also sports tour paint job details that may not be accurate to the original ESB details and paint job details, so pictures would certainly help. I've had one of these face masks in my possession and I can say there are many differences.

 

[Darth Stone]

I do not know of any mark that should be there as you have described. It is very possible all of this conversation is over a slight casting flaw that I may have missed in my clean up of the bare casting. The outside of the dome should be free of any defects other than bumps and waves in the surface detail.

 

[OldKen]

What I figured. Thanks DS!

I thought MAYBE the tour helmet may hv had it as well :confused And it is TINY. It is absolutely normal and I wouldn't say it's a flaw. All things need a bit o clean up etc. I wouldn't expect you to go over every mm with a jewelers loop! :lol

Thanks again for everything DS!

Guys don't ever hesitate to deal with stonestudiocreations for all your vader needs! :thumbsup :thumbsup

I do not know of any mark that should be there as you have described. It is very possible all of this conversation is over a slight casting flaw that I may have missed in my clean up of the bare casting. The outside of the dome should be free of any defects other than bumps and waves in the surface detail.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Carsten, the face is painted. It's done. (I already mentioned it wasn't THE MOST screen accurate... I know the lineage of the 20thC) Thanks for making sure it is re-iterated though... :rolleyes

Were talking about the dome. Only the dome now.

Yeah, sorry for bumping your thread.

 

[Darth Stone]

Shame on you, Carsten:lol