Magneto helmet build - First Class style

[Retrograde Orbit]

Okay here we go... This thread will detail my first attempt at making a prop helmet. The helmet is pretty much finished, but I am going to break up the process into several posts so that (hopefully) none of you lose the will to live while reading!

Lets start with what I used as my basis. A free pep file that I found lurking on the Interwebs!

Oh and if it sounds interesting please check out my partners and I combined cosplay page on Facebook. Thanks.
https://www.facebook.com/darkpassengercosplay/



I also found some free software that allowed me to load and view the file and print out the template images. Good quality paper (200gsm) was used when I printed these off as I did not want them to deform when I would be cutting them out.

At this point I was not sure whether I was going to use the paper or craft foam sheets as the build material. And as I have never done this kind of thing before, I had no idea what was the right way to go.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

After days and days of pondering, I decided to go with craft foam. 3mm thick, A3 sheets. I think I bought 6.

Here is the beginning... 5th of June 2016, 12.55pm BST



I don't have a proper workshop, so my poor old dining table gets drafted into service.
Looks like a pretty tidy work area doesn't it? Just wait!

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Next thing was to place the printed pep templates onto the craft foam and tape it down. Dont want it moving!
Then using my brand new and very sharp modelling scalpel, carefully cut out the template and therefore the foam to the required shape...








If the foam needed gluing, I did each piece as I went with UHU Craft Glue which is particularly good at sticking craft foam to itself. Just lightly coat the two edges, leave for 8-10 minutes, press them together and boom!



Above are the first few pieces cut out, glued together to form a circular piece and then glued to one another (in the correct order!) to start makng it look like something that goes on your head...

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

The process continues... Sellotape the foam down so it doesn't move, sellotape the template printout over it and carefully cut out the foam/template with a sharp scalpel.
Repeat until done and/or lose the will to live!

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

I made one section at a time and glued them together as required. Then I would glue the new piece to what was already done. Then move onto cutting the next pieces. I found that this served to break up the monotony of spending too long doing just the one thing...

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Here is the helmet completed, well the preliminary foam construction anyway...



Please excuse my ugly mug, but I had to test it, right?

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

A gentle bit of sanding to blend in the edges and then a quick pass with my heat gun to give the helmet some shape.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Now the real work begins.
First let’s have a rundown of the materials I’ve used and will use:

· 6 x 3mm thickness craft foam in yellow A3
· Halfords enamel spray primer grey
· Halfords enamel spray gloss black
· Halfords enamel spray paint silver
· Halfords enamel spray paintclear gloss
· Sandpaper and wet & dry (various grades from coarse to fine)
· Rubbing compound
· T-Cut (Original and Black)
· Isopon P38 car filler
· White non-shrink filler (ready mixed)
· Decorators caulk
· UHU craft glue for foam

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

So I began to cover the helmet in Isopon P38 car filler so I could get the shape and smoothness I want

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Lots and lots of time later, after more filling, sanding, filling, sanding etc…
And the first coat of primer.



The primer does a great job of showing up all the imperfections.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Now the trim goes on



You might notice a gap in the lower trim on the last photo. I hadn't taken into account the size change on the helmet after applying all that filler! It wasn't too much of a problem, I just had to cut a piece of foam to the right shape and glue it into the gap.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

I wasn't joking about those imperfections



And more primer...



Trim gap gone!

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

More filling and sanding



This is where the white filler came into use...

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Had a bit of an accident... In this photo you can see filling at the side, this is because I was holding the helmet by the edge on the right side while washing dust and grease off before another coat of primer and the filler cracked. :cry

I used super glue in the crack and then a layer of filler inside and out to strengthen up the break.



Not great, but I managed to make it good.

Then, surprise, more filling, sanding and primer.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

First coats of enamel black gloss.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Masking off and spray painting the trim silver.



After spraying the trim silver and allowing it to dry, what you don’t see and I didn't have the heart to document, is the disaster that followed.

I used ordinary masking tape with clingfilm to protect the black area of the helmet. What I did not realise is that the black paint had not hardened sufficiently (I had left it for 24 hours)

Upon removing the masking tape I saw that the masking tape had spoilt the finish by literally indenting the finish of the paint. And to add further injury? Where the clingfilm folded and touched the helmet, those folds had gone into the paint. It took me two days of work with fine grade wet & dry, rubbing compound and T-Cut to get it all out.

I bought low tack masking tape for next time...

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Recovered from the disaster.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

I deliberately did nothing further for the next six days in order to allow the paint more time to cure/harden.

After that, it was a case of paint, fill, sand and repeat. Until I got to the point where I felt okay about putting the clear coat on.

 

[Retrograde Orbit]

Should have left it there... But I thought a protective coat of car polish would be a good idea.



Wrong... It dulled the shine, quite possibly because I had not allowed sufficient time for the clear coat to harden. Anyway with a few goes of black T-cut and another spray of gloss clear coat it was okay again. But I could not get the previous depth of shine back.



Finished article pictured with my Magneto First Class flight suit. Which I have spent some time making improvements to. Perhaps I should make another thread to highlight those?

If you have got to this point, thank you for reading all of this. All comment is invited...