My Early Disasters pt 2 - A Biker Scout Helmet - How hard can it be?
- Thread starter Dtrasler
- Start date
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Thanks Roughneckone, Snow Builder, always good to have you along on my adventures.
Karmajay, thanks for the tip, but easy is not the issue. I did a mod of a half-helmet a little while back and managed to make that very difficult and time consuming. No, the point here is to try something new with the intention of being careful and methodical, then screw it up through unrestrained enthusiasm and hamfisted incompetence. Or that's what's happened every other time, anyway. You're very welcome to the madhouse!
Karmajay, thanks for the tip, but easy is not the issue. I did a mod of a half-helmet a little while back and managed to make that very difficult and time consuming. No, the point here is to try something new with the intention of being careful and methodical, then screw it up through unrestrained enthusiasm and hamfisted incompetence. Or that's what's happened every other time, anyway. You're very welcome to the madhouse!
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Hi There Bigturc, good to see you again!
After karmajay's helpful heads up, I went looking for the Walmart half-helm. Here's the promo pic:
View attachment 676309
Looks nice, but here's the movie screenshot...
View attachment 676310
I think there's detail lost over the ears in the Walmart helm. And we all know how important the little details are to me. Incidentally, the model helmets are providing the best reference pictures:
View attachment 676311View attachment 676312View attachment 676313
Progress is going to be even more intermittent than usual (see previous post regarding Halloween etc), but I'm hoping to include LEDs in the green end caps there, and come up with a final surface finish that's a little smoother than the one featured in the maker video (probably by adding way too much paper mache and then Bondo.)
The first screw up will have to be addressed soon, though : This dome that I have made is really too small for my huge noggin. The First Order Stormtrooper buckets were also too small, and though I was pleased with the way the mark 1 turned out, I was disappointed not to be able to wear it. The sensible thing to do would be to stop now, remeasure and rebuild. The stupid thing to do would be to carry on, in the vague hope that I could hollow out the inside a bit once the outer surface was hardened and finished....
After karmajay's helpful heads up, I went looking for the Walmart half-helm. Here's the promo pic:
View attachment 676309
Looks nice, but here's the movie screenshot...
View attachment 676310
I think there's detail lost over the ears in the Walmart helm. And we all know how important the little details are to me. Incidentally, the model helmets are providing the best reference pictures:
View attachment 676311View attachment 676312View attachment 676313
Progress is going to be even more intermittent than usual (see previous post regarding Halloween etc), but I'm hoping to include LEDs in the green end caps there, and come up with a final surface finish that's a little smoother than the one featured in the maker video (probably by adding way too much paper mache and then Bondo.)
The first screw up will have to be addressed soon, though : This dome that I have made is really too small for my huge noggin. The First Order Stormtrooper buckets were also too small, and though I was pleased with the way the mark 1 turned out, I was disappointed not to be able to wear it. The sensible thing to do would be to stop now, remeasure and rebuild. The stupid thing to do would be to carry on, in the vague hope that I could hollow out the inside a bit once the outer surface was hardened and finished....
Attachments
Roughneckone
Sr Member
I think we can work out which way you will go!
Roughneckone:cool
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Roughneckone wins the prize (although, there is no prize, sorry!)
Aside from making the obvious choice, I also made the dangerous choice to spend twenty minutes getting the next stage of the helmet glued on. That was nearly two hours ago.
So, progress... I was going to glue on the flange, like the video says is next. Meant to be following the video. that is the sensible thing to do. I measured. I really did. I looked at reference pictures. I measured again.
Rear flange glued on. And using green was a huge mistake. May have to spray the damn thing black just so I can look at it.
So there i am, in the workshop, holding this thing and waiting for the glue to cool. I'm a long way from the PC with the video on it, but I have a sheet of reference pictures. Wasn't the next part something about building out the curve of the neck piece? Hey, look, there's some foamcore here, I could just....
Uh... That looks a little bit weird. Maybe I should....
And now I just need to fit the wheels, and I'll win those Whacky Races! I still don't see how I can make the guides for the curving side pieces. But wait! Look over there in my parts bin! Whoop!
And this is where I stopped. Probably an hour too late, and this thing is going to prey on my mind all week. I have four more scripts to read and review, and there's only mornings left free this week (one of which is full of getting the car serviced), but I just know I'm going to find myself back in the workshop making this just a little bit worse.
I still don't even know if my head will fit in it. Once I've taken out all the shaping stuff, obviously.*
*From the helmet. Not my head.
Aside from making the obvious choice, I also made the dangerous choice to spend twenty minutes getting the next stage of the helmet glued on. That was nearly two hours ago.
So, progress... I was going to glue on the flange, like the video says is next. Meant to be following the video. that is the sensible thing to do. I measured. I really did. I looked at reference pictures. I measured again.
Rear flange glued on. And using green was a huge mistake. May have to spray the damn thing black just so I can look at it.
So there i am, in the workshop, holding this thing and waiting for the glue to cool. I'm a long way from the PC with the video on it, but I have a sheet of reference pictures. Wasn't the next part something about building out the curve of the neck piece? Hey, look, there's some foamcore here, I could just....
Uh... That looks a little bit weird. Maybe I should....
And now I just need to fit the wheels, and I'll win those Whacky Races! I still don't see how I can make the guides for the curving side pieces. But wait! Look over there in my parts bin! Whoop!
And this is where I stopped. Probably an hour too late, and this thing is going to prey on my mind all week. I have four more scripts to read and review, and there's only mornings left free this week (one of which is full of getting the car serviced), but I just know I'm going to find myself back in the workshop making this just a little bit worse.
I still don't even know if my head will fit in it. Once I've taken out all the shaping stuff, obviously.*
*From the helmet. Not my head.
Dtrasler
Sr Member
I spend way too much time outside the workshop thinking about these projects. I have proper, paid work to be getting on with, and yet I can't wait to be in the badly lit space, listening to audio books as I glue my fingers to yet another ill-conceived attempt.
Today, that curve.
I used the same camping mat foam as from Handles to curl around the tubes I fitted yesterday. It's not great, surface-wise, but this is going to be a four layer mache job at the very least. The open space at the front... I still don't know how I'm going to work out the face-plate angles. The video is not very helpful in that respect, because the guy who made it seems to be some kind of estimating and engineering genius, where as I...lack some advantages in those areas.
Today, that curve.
I used the same camping mat foam as from Handles to curl around the tubes I fitted yesterday. It's not great, surface-wise, but this is going to be a four layer mache job at the very least. The open space at the front... I still don't know how I'm going to work out the face-plate angles. The video is not very helpful in that respect, because the guy who made it seems to be some kind of estimating and engineering genius, where as I...lack some advantages in those areas.
Roughneckone
Sr Member
You'll figure it out, you always do (eventually)!!
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Today I have no time for helmets. I have to get the car to be serviced (cycling back home in the rain) and review another script before cycling back to the garage to pick up the car (paying over $1000 for the privilege) and then get ready and go to work.
Here's what I didn't have time for, but did anyway -
You'll notice I'm avoiding that faceplate issue still....
Here's what I didn't have time for, but did anyway -
You'll notice I'm avoiding that faceplate issue still....
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Kicked off the computer again while my wife works from home, I decided to get creative.
Unfortunately, I was trying to fix up the rear curve at the same time as making the faceplate happen. This was not a good plan.
The back worked out so badly, I didn't even photograph it. Seriously. And this is ME we're talking about.
As I worked on the nose, it became clear that I had made the whole assembly too long, meaning the angles of the faceplate are not right.
The next stage is probably mache, smoothing over the scarier areas and working up to cutting into the nose to fix the angle issues. Or not. But, Halloween is imminent, and we haven't got our decorations up, nor fixed costumes for the whole family (mine's been ready for over a fortnight). Then it's less than two weeks to Fan Expo Vancouver, and I need to have Shakespearean Vader up to snuff for that. Carrie Fisher will be there...
So, I'll have this one done by the Red Carpet party for "Rogue One". To which I have not been invited.
Unfortunately, I was trying to fix up the rear curve at the same time as making the faceplate happen. This was not a good plan.
The back worked out so badly, I didn't even photograph it. Seriously. And this is ME we're talking about.
As I worked on the nose, it became clear that I had made the whole assembly too long, meaning the angles of the faceplate are not right.
The next stage is probably mache, smoothing over the scarier areas and working up to cutting into the nose to fix the angle issues. Or not. But, Halloween is imminent, and we haven't got our decorations up, nor fixed costumes for the whole family (mine's been ready for over a fortnight). Then it's less than two weeks to Fan Expo Vancouver, and I need to have Shakespearean Vader up to snuff for that. Carrie Fisher will be there...
So, I'll have this one done by the Red Carpet party for "Rogue One". To which I have not been invited.
Dtrasler
Sr Member
A little off-thread, but I think you will all understand: My wife, the Unsinkable Mrs Dim, has saved us all from a future disaster by buying me this neat Disguise Costume Halo Helmet. It's one piece of pvc, pretty solid, and the visor is one-way, only a little smudged. It was a bargain through Amazon.ca at $35. Full-size, too. Fits my old noggin easily enough, and may need some extra padding.
Roughneckone
Sr Member
Awesome pick up from Mrs Dim, major Brownie points on that one I think. :thumbsup
Roughneckone:cool
Roughneckone:cool
Seraph77
Active Member
I always enjoy seeing your progress and reading your write-ups, keep up the awesome work!
This quote made my day. It pretty much describes my efforts.
This quote made my day. It pretty much describes my efforts.
Dtrasler
Sr Member
Thanks Seraph77 - there are plenty of brilliant people here to inspire us. I'm here to console! This ...what, hobby? Pastime? Obsession? is just fun for me. I'm really trying to do my best, but nothing hangs on the outcome, except my enjoyment of the process. I'm glad you feel the same.
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