Rocketeer - "We're gonna need a helmet"
- Thread starter dualedge
- Start date
I have always wanted one and for some reason i always seem to put it off - I really really love this one and the way it looks . I'm not a fan of the MR one, nor the Medicom. This is the type I'll have to wait for - but maybe in fiberglass
If you ever get the opportunity to paint another, may I suggest recording a video demonstration of your painting and finishing technique? Like you said, it's easier to show than to explain.
If I ever get an Acme helmet, I would want to emulate your painting style as best as possible - hey, if you wanna learn something, learn from the best!
If I ever get an Acme helmet, I would want to emulate your painting style as best as possible - hey, if you wanna learn something, learn from the best!
dualedge
Sr Member
Thanks, guys! I really appreciate all the kind words and compliments! To be honest, it's a nice feeling to have something to show off again. Maybe once the kids are older I'll find the time to do more (goodness knows I'm praying that will be the case 
)
Jet, there were some really nice quality fiberglass helmets made quite a few years back through the forum. I haven't seen any come up for quite a while but if I spot one, I'll let you know. I'm actually about to do some fix-it-up work on one of those helmets that I actually finished what must have been at least 5 or 6 years ago...
I really need to document my process better. An edited video of the painting process would probably show it the best. It's definitely hard to describe though of course I'm always looking for an easier way.
)Jet, there were some really nice quality fiberglass helmets made quite a few years back through the forum. I haven't seen any come up for quite a while but if I spot one, I'll let you know. I'm actually about to do some fix-it-up work on one of those helmets that I actually finished what must have been at least 5 or 6 years ago...
I really need to document my process better. An edited video of the painting process would probably show it the best. It's definitely hard to describe though of course I'm always looking for an easier way.
If you did an edited video (using Horner's score of course) I'm sure a lot of finheads looking to finish thier helmet would be grateful.
What color acrylic paints did you use? For mine, I used a mixture of black brown and gold to get a dark rust color.
I was aprehensive to use straight black on the helmet.
Since I already hot glued the lenses in place, I don't think I can go back and give it a clear coat like yours:cry
What color acrylic paints did you use? For mine, I used a mixture of black brown and gold to get a dark rust color.
I was aprehensive to use straight black on the helmet.
Since I already hot glued the lenses in place, I don't think I can go back and give it a clear coat like yours:cry
dualedge
Sr Member
I think it was burnt umber and I also mixed in a bit of a bright blue-green. I definitely would never use straight black though. You can use the burnt umber straight on the dark areas like around the side mouldings and on the welds but for the mottling, it seems to work better if you mix it down a bit and use it more as washes. You can mix in a bit of the blue-green to make it more of a really dark muddy mushroom color.
If you just used hot glue on the lenses, you shouldn't have too much trouble removing them. If you just take a hair dryer to the glue, it might make it let go a little easier. Or, just mask the lenses with some painter's masking tape and very carefully trim the tape so you don't scratch the lenses. I'd recommend masking the inside of the lenses too just so no overspray has any way to get on them.
dualedge
Sr Member
I'll post some info for you guys in a few subsequent posts. Here's a look at the raw kit.
Pay particular attention to the depth of the eye openings, the depth of the mouth opening and the width of the fin with it's big flat edges.
This is the inside that you have to work with. It's slush cast resin of course so it won't be perfectly even all the way around. The good news, it's thick which means you can excise material where you need to. If it were too thin, it'd be much more of pain to fix IMHO. And it's also deceiving how thick it can be - check out how thick that chin is!
Pay particular attention to the depth of the eye openings, the depth of the mouth opening and the width of the fin with it's big flat edges.
This is the inside that you have to work with. It's slush cast resin of course so it won't be perfectly even all the way around. The good news, it's thick which means you can excise material where you need to. If it were too thin, it'd be much more of pain to fix IMHO. And it's also deceiving how thick it can be - check out how thick that chin is!
Very nice photos - thank you!
When I spoke to Clint on the phone, he recommended not to use a clear or gloss coat because it would ruin the gold paint over time, turning it brown. Is this true?
You said you used testors and it looks pretty good.
When I have time to take some decent photos, I would appreciate your honest opinion on the work I did, and perhaps you could help me refine it a bit.
As an alternative to popping out the lenses, I did think of taping over them but was worried about leaving a glue residue on the lenses when I removed the tape. The lenses look so clean and smooth now and wasn't sure If a cleaner or goo-remover would work on the plastic without ruining it.
When I spoke to Clint on the phone, he recommended not to use a clear or gloss coat because it would ruin the gold paint over time, turning it brown. Is this true?
You said you used testors and it looks pretty good.
When I have time to take some decent photos, I would appreciate your honest opinion on the work I did, and perhaps you could help me refine it a bit.
As an alternative to popping out the lenses, I did think of taping over them but was worried about leaving a glue residue on the lenses when I removed the tape. The lenses look so clean and smooth now and wasn't sure If a cleaner or goo-remover would work on the plastic without ruining it.
dualedge
Sr Member
Hey, GF, I've got a helmet here that I'm going to be doing some repair work on. It hasn't turned brown and I think I originally finished it maybe about 6 years ago or more.
It's not that I doubt Clint at all - he's a pro after all - but I'm sure there are a lot of factors that play into it. If anything, I think some aging would improve the look of the helmets. The screen-used helmet that I had for a few years was not a bright gold. It may have been much brighter in 1991 but some aging isn't going to hurt a replica (or an original) in my opinion unless it starts to really become unstable and you've got to intervene in order to save the prop. And as long as you keep the prop out of direct sunlight, it should be fairly stable in my opinion.
Clear coating will certainly dull it but if you saw the original helmet in person, you wouldn't worry much about dulling the gold paint down a little. It was a MUCH duller finish in person though I don't know if it was clear coated back in 1991 or not. I'm guessing it wasn't but it's just a guess.
As for clear coating turning it brown... I'm not sure exactly what Clint has in mind. Most gold or metallic paints recommend against clear coating because it dulls the finish. Of course, that also assumes you don't want the finish dulled.
But clear coats in general I don't *think* have THAT much of a problem with darkening or changing the colors of what they've been applied to from what I've seen in my years finishing Rocketeer helmets or with other various model building, hobby and art projects I've worked on. I've built plenty of model kits and I've never noticed any of those turning brown or any negative affects on paints underneath the clear coats. Maybe Testor's is good stuff? It's what I've always used anyway and I've never noticed any problems... Maybe somebody else on the forum might have some input on this?
If you're concerned about it, you could skip it - I don't think it's absolutely essential though I do like the way it makes the weathering and the gold appear more uniform.
As for the tape residue, I use masking tape to hold eye lenses in place while I glue them in and have left the tape on for a week or more at a time. I've never once had it leave ANY residue on the lenses and all I'm using is just your typical painters' masking tape. I think I've finished maybe somewhere around 8 or 10 Rocketeer helmets and I've never had a problem with masking tape. I've had trouble removing glue... and paint... and a few other things but never tape. Just avoid getting the tape on your finished paint job. It might mess that up.
It's not that I doubt Clint at all - he's a pro after all - but I'm sure there are a lot of factors that play into it. If anything, I think some aging would improve the look of the helmets. The screen-used helmet that I had for a few years was not a bright gold. It may have been much brighter in 1991 but some aging isn't going to hurt a replica (or an original) in my opinion unless it starts to really become unstable and you've got to intervene in order to save the prop. And as long as you keep the prop out of direct sunlight, it should be fairly stable in my opinion.
Clear coating will certainly dull it but if you saw the original helmet in person, you wouldn't worry much about dulling the gold paint down a little. It was a MUCH duller finish in person though I don't know if it was clear coated back in 1991 or not. I'm guessing it wasn't but it's just a guess.
As for clear coating turning it brown... I'm not sure exactly what Clint has in mind. Most gold or metallic paints recommend against clear coating because it dulls the finish. Of course, that also assumes you don't want the finish dulled.
But clear coats in general I don't *think* have THAT much of a problem with darkening or changing the colors of what they've been applied to from what I've seen in my years finishing Rocketeer helmets or with other various model building, hobby and art projects I've worked on. I've built plenty of model kits and I've never noticed any of those turning brown or any negative affects on paints underneath the clear coats. Maybe Testor's is good stuff? It's what I've always used anyway and I've never noticed any problems... Maybe somebody else on the forum might have some input on this?
If you're concerned about it, you could skip it - I don't think it's absolutely essential though I do like the way it makes the weathering and the gold appear more uniform.
As for the tape residue, I use masking tape to hold eye lenses in place while I glue them in and have left the tape on for a week or more at a time. I've never once had it leave ANY residue on the lenses and all I'm using is just your typical painters' masking tape. I think I've finished maybe somewhere around 8 or 10 Rocketeer helmets and I've never had a problem with masking tape. I've had trouble removing glue... and paint... and a few other things but never tape. Just avoid getting the tape on your finished paint job. It might mess that up.
Last edited:
Ahhh, I see.
Thank you for the information - very helpful.
I will try and get some decent photos tomorrow of my helmet and hopefully, if need be, you can recommend any further modifications.
The paint job it has now really makes it look like it is made of metal that has aged, so it looks good, but there is not a lot of shine to it really, just a minimum. I buffed most of the shine off when I was weathering the helmet with the acrylic paints.
I will post those pics in my thread 'rocketeer helmet resotration' which you have commented in prior.
I look forward to your opinion.
Thank you for the information - very helpful.
I will try and get some decent photos tomorrow of my helmet and hopefully, if need be, you can recommend any further modifications.
The paint job it has now really makes it look like it is made of metal that has aged, so it looks good, but there is not a lot of shine to it really, just a minimum. I buffed most of the shine off when I was weathering the helmet with the acrylic paints.
I will post those pics in my thread 'rocketeer helmet resotration' which you have commented in prior.
I look forward to your opinion.
dualedge
Sr Member
Okay, so here's a side-by-side of the raw helmet with the finished helmet. Note the depth of the eye and mouth openings - these pictures probably don't show it quite as dramatically different as it actually is but you can probably get an idea. The helmet is intended to look uniformly thick (or rather thin) from the outside. The raw kit is much too thick. The eyes and mouth (and the air vents on top too) should be roughly about 1/8th of an inch thick.
So, what does it look like on the inside once you've done that? It looks something like this... And if you're wondering if this is tedious to do... Yes, yes it is. But once you start to notice this detail, it's hard to stop seeing it.
So, what does it look like on the inside once you've done that? It looks something like this... And if you're wondering if this is tedious to do... Yes, yes it is. But once you start to notice this detail, it's hard to stop seeing it.
aceofknaves88
Active Member
That's just beautiful!
spectre_general
Active Member
This is so unbelievably sweet. Some day... some day...
EvilRocketeer
Master Member
Thanks Rob for the information. Hopefully, I can come around and finally purchase an acme helmet.
Just everytime I get close to purchasing one, I always talk myself out of it.
I just love the rocketeer design of the helmet
Just everytime I get close to purchasing one, I always talk myself out of it.
I just love the rocketeer design of the helmet
If you love the Rocketeer, as I and Rob do, you really owe it to yourself to buy an Acme helmet.
Rob, can you share how you thinned out the mouth opening? When I was doing my helmet, I used a dremmel to do the eyes, luckly the mouth did not need thinning out because I would not have known how to get it in there like that.
EvilRocketeer
Master Member
Haha, you should see my room. Walls filled with rocketeer memorabilia. I literally ran out of room.
I came close to getting the helmet, but I already own three versions, and a fourth helmet doesnt seem reasonable right now especially since other rocketeer memorabilia is coming out like the electric tiki statue and premium format figure.
Come to think of it, if I didnt buy memorabilia and movie props, than I would most likely be 100% finished with my costume, and it would be 95% accurate. But than again, my room would be totally empty
COBRA CRUIZER
New Member
WOW ! great job
