Green Ranger Helmet Sculpt

I'm loving that helmet! Green ranger is definitely a tough one to do, but I'd say you nailed it, can't wait to see the finished helmet!
 
ArkRaider said:
Fantastic work man! Like Ronin said, the silicone will pick up every little detail. It just takes a little elbow grease, some fine grit sandpaper, and little Bondo spot putty. :) I can't wait to see you finish this up! If you do a run I'd be interested in one!
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This is probably gonna be a dumb question, but since this is my first time doing this, seriously, what exact kind of Bondo should I be using? I had some Bondo fiberglass resin, but I don't think that's the right stuff... It just melted through a cup, glad I was mixing it outside.

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JediJayne said:
I'm loving that helmet! Green ranger is definitely a tough one to do, but I'd say you nailed it, can't wait to see the finished helmet!
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Thank you, man. It's very encouraging to hear that stuff.
 
Well, this is what I have so far. I'm a little discouraged because I won't have it in time for comic con, but at least now I won't have to rush it. This stinkin' suit took me days and days to finish, constantly ripping seams, un-jamming a brand new sewing machine, and starting all over again. And it's still crooked! I tell ya, sewing is hard.

Tried to knock together a quick vacu-former with stuff I had lying around... I think it almost would have worked if my frame hadn't been too flimsy. The visor is going to be yet another new challenge.

suit progress.jpg
 
Bondo Body Filler and Spot Putty. The body filler you can use to build up spots and rework. The spot putty will take care of all the little pinholes you may come across. You can find them in the auto section at Wal-Mart.
 
The body filler is a two part thing. I usually recommend using small batches because it sets up quick. Bondo is a proppers friend. Enjoy! Oh and definitely wear a mask when sanding it.
 
ArkRaider said:
The body filler is a two part thing. I usually recommend using small batches because it sets up quick. Bondo is a proppers friend. Enjoy! Oh and definitely wear a mask when sanding it.
Click to expand...

I breathed in a lot of MDF dust yesterday making that vacuum table... It was dumb. I will always wear a mask from this point forward!
 
I pined for a vacuum former, but didn't think I could spare the time or money. Then, after further research, (and having no other way to get a good visor), I decided to knock one together with stuff I had lying around. I had MDF, PVC Pipe, Hot Glue, Weather Stripping, Acrylic, a Vacuum, and some scrap wood, so I put the damn thing together... And it didn't work. The frame to hold the acrylic was too flimsy. So, against intentions, it was one more trip to the hardware store for some aluminum window screen frame. As an aside, be very careful going to the hardware store. Going in for one specific item, I walked out with several more that I "totally needed/would need later." Anyway, the corner brackets for the aluminum were vinyl, so I had to make new ones with armature wire and epoxy putty. Finally I was ready to try again... It didn't work. With only 2 pieces of acrylic left, I decided to try cranking the oven a bit more and waiting for maximum sag, and VOILA! I can sort of vacu-form now.

visor 3.jpgvisor 1.jpgvisor 2.jpg
 
I have done so much Apoxie Sculpting, Bondo work and sanding, and there's still a lot more to go. I imagine the process takes longer when you are learning as you go. Reshaping the nose right now to get it closer to the original. Was using a sanding sponge and all the lines were rounding, so switched to sand paper wrapped around a block of wood, and was finally able to get really sharp edges. However, in going back to the reference, I realize that I need to re-extend that center line all the way up to the diamond, the way it was before. The lesson is: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR REFERENCE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!! Even though I've been staring at this thing for five months, that detail got away from me in the heat of sanding. I have to reshape the mouth and everything too, but for now, nose. There's a cheap oscillating tool arriving today, but I'm not sure about accuracy. Guess I should practice on some scrap first.
IMG_20140805_091139.jpgIMG_20140805_091246.jpg

Oh, secondary lesson: Don't pour your first cast with resin, right? It's basically just waste at this point as I plan to mold again when this is finished, and the resin is harder to sand than the bondo or foam would be. This one will still be wearable, but really heavy. (I guess this only applies if you made the first version using clay like I did...)

Tertiary lesson: You don't need as much resin as you think.
 
Yeah, I like to figure for what I call "Stupid time." It's basically where I'm doing something for the first time and make those stupid mistakes that I didn't know were wrong.
 
Getting close. I got in there good with a rotary tool and small sanding drum. At the end of it all I looked like a snowman, covered head to foot in resin dust, (I wore a mask this time), but am much happier with how the mouth and the angles are looking. It's amazing what you can do with the rotary tool if you use a light touch.
IMG_20140811_093159.jpg
 
keep at it! it's looking really good!

Bondo rules! And I agree with you about keeping your reference photos in front of you at all times. It's funny how your brain can make assumptions...
 
Crimson490 said:
keep at it! it's looking really good!

Bondo rules! And I agree with you about keeping your reference photos in front of you at all times. It's funny how your brain can make assumptions...
Click to expand...

Thank you! I have been reading all your helmet threads and they are really fantastic. Lot of inspiration. I am having some trouble with this VHT Nightshades stuff, though. Can't get a smooth finish on my visor. 1 coat and it's rough textured and almost completely opaque...
 
Cool! =)
For me, having good results with VHT is hit or miss. But I'm not all that experienced with it. I have found that spraying slightly thicker vs. thinner helps to even out the coating. Just gotta be careful to not get any drips.

Alternatively, can you get your hands on a tinted PETG? Or use clear PETG with window tint film applied before vac forming?
 
Crimson490 said:
Cool! =)
For me, having good results with VHT is hit or miss. But I'm not all that experienced with it. I have found that spraying slightly thicker vs. thinner helps to even out the coating. Just gotta be careful to not get any drips.

Alternatively, can you get your hands on a tinted PETG? Or use clear PETG with window tint film applied before vac forming?
Click to expand...

Hmmm, apply the tint before vacuum forming, eh...? That sounds like a great idea, though I wonder if the melting point for the different materials would be vastly different. I might try heat gunning the window tint material over the vaccum formed visor or over the buck. I've only found one piece of tinted lexan online, but it's really thick. I'm sure I could find better stuff if I looked harder.
 
It's also possible to tint PETG with fabric dye in a hot bath. I know Thorsolli does it for his Halo visors. You do have to be careful with the exact temp or something like that.
 
The Ronin said:
It's also possible to tint PETG with fabric dye in a hot bath. I know Thorsolli does it for his Halo visors. You do have to be careful with the exact temp or something like that.
Click to expand...

I did try boiling one in RIT, but it just came out amber. I only used 1 package, but the water was blacker than black! Maybe because I'm using lexan? Is there a difference?
 
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