Show Off: Wearable ROTJ Vader Reveal

[PantheraGem]

Could that dome be any glossier? Looks like the dome did at the beginning of RotJ. I've always loved how it looked in that hangar scene.

I'm most impressed with all the little reveal details and how clean they are. Again, I'm no expert, especially on the reveal stuff, but wow. No one got lazy while putting those details on. That's for sure. I may have to get one of these sometime in the future. Great pics.

 

[Star Wars Man]

did anyone ever make a rots reveal on the inside but a reveal rotj on the outsite?

 

[Jack Bauer]

That has got to be the most beautiful Vader Helmet i've ever seen. I hae always wanted a wearable reveal sooooooo bad. didn't know they existed. The detail to the gizmos is A-FREAKIN-MAZING.

You are lucky. Would love to know what it set you back. PM me if you don't mind sharing.

 

[PHArchivist]

Nice.

 

[decaturvader]

Well, just got done suiting up...grr...a little discouraged, but first, thanks for the comments guys and to answer questions;

jack bauer- I've watched portumac on ebay for months now. Once $$ got right, i started asking him questions. His BIN's are just under a grand. Search his sale history- I was March 9th

manu- nope, it doesn't seperate at the chin. The line is just for looks.

kahnt- yeppers, he lists em in kit form on ebay too- but i know for certain I could not have painted it as nice as he did, nor assemble it this nice either.

Now. The first suiting up with it.
As my prior pictures depict, the center mounting post has three threaded bolts that fasten with wing nuts.
Bottom line- something is not right. I think what is bugging me is a combination of things.
1) I don't think the mounting post is square and makes the face lean. It give the opposite reaction when worn as it make the dome look crooked.
2) the dome is HUGE inside and provides ample room for all gizmos. But, it is too big and really sticks out past my back unlike the DP Dlx.
3) the dome might be warped. i dunno..kinda hard to tell. what I am seeing just might be a result of the unlevel mounting post.

Look at these pics and i illustrated what is bugging me.
Don't get me wrong, i LOVE this mask, but I bought it hoping it would replace my DP Dlx- spending this much $$ had to have a practical purpose as I don't have that much $$ to begin with LOL.
Well, whadda you'ins think..........

 

[PantheraGem]

This (according to most) is the actual RotJ helmet. Yours may be a bit more skewed, but it can probably be remedied. I've brightened the pic up a bit. Just to show that even the original wasn't quite on straight. Unfortunately Vader never just stared straight into the camera for a while so we could nitpick 20 some-odd years later. Damn him.

 

[Fatherless One]

Nice helmet pal, congratulations.

You just need to slightly lower the dome and bring the bottom of the dome forward slightly so that the curve of the eyes matches the downward curve of the dome's sides, I hope that makes sense

If I had any photoshop experience I'd post a pic for you, sorry bro.

It'll look bloody great (it does already so don't feel bad).

Alan.

 

[decaturvader]

Originally posted by PnatheraGem@Mar 17 2006, 04:38 AM
Unfortunately Vader never just stared straight into the camera for a while so we could nitpick 20 some-odd years later. Damn him. 

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LOL- that was a great way to put that- you're right. Funny how little things like that get overlooked.

I have been thinking how to change the way the dome sits onthe mask since there is so much room to play with between the dome and the face.
If the actual mounting of the dome can be changed, that could possilby solve my issue.
I ain't no AutoCAD guru, but I did draw up a quick scenario of what I am talking about:

I have emailed Manuel to see how far the bolts go into the post...I don't want to go cutting till I get his input.

 

[Darth Kahnt]

Good idea. I think you should be able to fix the dome mount with the method you suggested. Looks reasonable to me.

 

[decaturvader]

Whelp, I had wanted to hold off modding the post until I spoke with Manuel..but, he hadn't got back to me yet, so I jumped.
I used my Dremil and ground off about 3/8th of an inch off that mounting post and angled my grinding.
I took the screw out that held the drain-hair-catcher looking thing off the top of the face/mask. Over all, i gained about 5/8th of an inch. I used a couple washers to work the angle of the dome a bit more and made satisfying progress. The dome doesn't tip out in the rear and look all goofy and it sits low enough inthe front now to suit me. I made no alterations to the face at all- other than I knocked a couple gizmos off that I had to re-glue :angel
I also discovered that the four gold expanders on the neck seal were not glued in, but moreless, wedged into place because one fell out, luckily I found it. I pulled all four and used some glue to fasten em in and I checked all other little parts for looseness. I also tinkered with something else. I had some of the mouth mesh from a fellow member here that I hadn't used in my DP Dlx yet. I pulled the foam liner back just a bit around the eyes and slid in a couple sheets of that mesh to cover the inside of the eye lenses....whoa, what a cool effect. I can see out just fine...only took about 10% of my vision away, but dang....any light that hits my face shows nothing but that mesh. Awwwwe buddy..it's killer.

With the helmet mod I performed, one other thing has changed in the event anyone here is considering getting one of these reveal helmets. Seeing how the dome HAS to be attached with wing nuts prior to putting onthe whole bucket, since I changed the pitch/angle of the dome it is more difficult to put on. I guess i got lucky in how my mod turned out...any further and I'd been screwed.

Here are a couple pics of how the dome sits now. The picture without the dome on is when I put inthe mesh behind the eyes...kinda hard to see if your monitor gamma differs from mine.

Cheers

 

[Fatherless One]

It looks much better, but I still think you could lower it a little more, it should sit just above the brows.

Great job btw.

Alan.

 

[decaturvader]

Originally posted by Fatherless One@Mar 20 2006, 09:35 AM
It looks much better, but I still think you could lower it a little more, it should sit just above the brows.

Great job btw.

Alan.

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Yeah...I am still wanting to go about a quarter of an inch more, but I can't. I can barely get my noggen in now that I have made the changes
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers

 

[SaberFreak]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm starting to consider getting a Vader reveal, and after looking at some of the options out there, a friend told me Portumac's seem to be what I'm looking for, and showed me this thread.

I guess the obvious question would be: Has Portumac made changes to correct the flaws mention in this thread since March? Does anyone know?

PM me if you rather talk in private.

Thanks.

 

[decaturvader]

<div class='quotetop'>(SaberFreak @ Jun 9 2006, 06:17 AM) [snapback]1258909[/snapback]</div>

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm starting to consider getting a Vader reveal, and after looking at some of the options out there, a friend told me Portumac's seem to be what I'm looking for, and showed me this thread.

I guess the obvious question would be: Has Portumac made changes to correct the flaws mention in this thread since March? Does anyone know?

PM me if you rather talk in private.

Thanks.
[/b]

Actually, I had never heard back from Portumac about the mods.
He dropped off eBay for a while, but I see he is back to selling a few goods.
I have not seen any masks like mine on the auction block- seems mine was the last to surface from him.
I'd email him via ebay and ask if he can hook you up.
Another thing about his reveal masks is that he gave me the impression these weren't to wear.
Not because of being fragile, but moreless probably due to the fastening system of dome-to-mask and the whole wing nut thing.

I performed a birthday last weekend and I just couldn't bring myself to wear it, so I donned my old DP Dlx. I'm so afraid to scratch this work of art, it will only come out for that once in a lifetime photoshoot or very very special occasion.

 

[SaberFreak]

Thanks for the info. I've just sent Portumac a message through one of his ebay auction as well, per advise from another member.

I hope he's developed a wearable reveal with a detachable lower jaw by now...that'd be really cool...

 

[Darth Kahnt]

Let us know if he has because I will be looking for a nice reveal helmet in the near future.