Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 5/31 update

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/6/13 WORKING HINGE VIDEO!!!

That is great! I am still deep into my War Machine but really excited to get rolling on the Steam Punk Iron Man! Love this track system and I'm looking forward to more info on it and the sides of the jaw as well.

Thanks! Yeah, I'm pretty happy to have something that seems to be working out... this 'road-block' (and the Halloween-thru-New-Year holidays) has really delayed the heck out of this build. :unsure

Regarding the faceplate attachment point... right now the wire is just bolted to an 'L' bracket I've hot glued onto the faceplate. It's pretty sloppy as is.

Now that I'm working on the flat bar slider, I plan to have a tube just as wide as the bar welded to the end of the brass sliding bar. It will have a bolt that runs through it and this will be pinned on both sides to 'L' brackets on the faceplate. That two-point connection will be MUCH more stable and along with the flat slider, that should all but eliminate any side-to-side rotation in the movement.

Speaking of that, I've got some pictures of the 'guides' that I will have Digitizit cast.

And here is the guide on the brass track. It's not the cleanest piece I've constructed, but as it won't ever be seen, I figure it will work just fine. :love

You'll notice the wooden side of the guide is curved. That matches (pretty well) the inside 'crown' of the helmet. That should make cementing it to the inside of the helmet a lot easier.


...You also mentioned the jaw area. Digitizit created two resin copies of the 180 degree tube I whittled out of some bass wood back in the fall. Here are the rough pulls.

I was going to use PVC tubes connected to these, but due to some minor 'shrinking' from the mold, I would have had to REALLY sand down the PVC tubes to match the slightly smaller diameter 180 degree pieces. So, instead, I find some heavy duty plastic tubing from the hardware store that was pretty close the right right diameter. With this tubing, I had to shave off some of the 180 degree pieces, but that seemed like less work than trying to evenly shave off a few millimeters around a PVC tube. :lol

Here is a rough fitting test for the new plastic tube I'll be using.

After sanding down and doing some minor smoothing of the 180 degree pieces with the tubing in place for reference, I ended tonight by cementing the tubes to the 180 degree pieces.

After this cures, I'll need to use my heat gun and get these tubes into the right shape for the helmet. Then I'll go to work with my flowable putty (bondo) and try to remove all the connection seams. Finally, I'll create a couple thin rectangular pieces with two holes in them that will slide down the pair of tubes and lock them into place and providing a match to the pieces in the artwork.

Here is a look at one of these pieces being held against the helmet in roughly the right position.

Ok, that's it for tonight folks... I'm heading to bed. :thumbsup

 

[Rodolfo]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/7/13 minor tube work

Amazing work!! Great progress!! Looks crazy!! Thank for sharing!! opcorn

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/7/13 minor tube work

Amazing work!! Great progress!! Looks crazy!! Thank for sharing!! opcorn

Thanks! :thumbsup


Hey, anyone out there have any tips for soldering some brass together? I've never tried it, but I'll be attempting it soon... any pointers would be great! :$

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/6/13 WORKING HINGE VIDEO!!!

Can you show how you are attaching the rod/ slide mech to the face shield?

Please ignore all the extra hot glue and brackets... This is just temporary and attached only for proof of concept. That said, I wanted to let you see how it was attached.

The new bar slide will have a two point attachment hinge. Here is a rough build out on what that will look like.

The aluminum tube is cut just short of a nylon spacer that's is bolted to those two angle brackets. That tube rotates nicely back and forth and will eventually be welded to the brass bar (I'm just holding it in place in the photo).

I actually bought all the stuff to do the soldering this evening, but the 'pen torch' wasn't hot enough to make the flux work... or at least that's my guess at why it didn't work.

Here is the material I tried this evening: A 'pen torch' (which was VERY easy to use), Butane can to re-charge the pen torch. Flux and solder, a lighter and some brass pieces to test it on.

I'll be taking the pen torch back to Ace tomorrow and getting something heavier (with a higher top temp). We'll see if that works better. :unsure


*****

So, with my hinge work stalled out, I figured I need to do SOMETHING else this evening... so, I finally fought my anxiety and cut out the jaw detail areas.

Cutting on even this copy of the helmet is rough for me... But I've always planned to have these panels recessed with lots of detail bits.

I had drawn out the area I wanted to cut out, but at the very last minute, I decided to also keep a 'cross-bar'. It still might come out, but I think it adds some additional 3D effect to have that extra structural bar... we'll see I guess.

And here is the sketch of the extra bar I will be keeping...

After a bunch of cutting and sanding, here is what the cut out areas look like now...

It's still rough and will need lots more work, but you can start to see now the recessed areas will look when I place a piece of paper behind the cutouts.

Now, I will need to create the recessed section panels and tubing that will go in this space (which will mostly be metallic and black, so it looks like the artwork.


That's it for tonight folks... I'm off to bed! :thumbsup

 

[sq10e]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/10/13 - Jaw Cutouts

I like the look of that extra "structural" bar. Good call on keeping that

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/10/13 - Jaw Cutouts

I like the look of that extra "structural" bar. Good call on keeping that

Thanks! It looks even better with the plastic I've cut and heat-bent into shape for the new 'recessed' panels...

I also got around to cutting out a couple of the custom detail pieces for the tubing, started heat-bending the tubing (where it will connect to the helmet) and applied some flowable putty to the connection points.

After I sand these down and cut the extra ends off the curved parts of these, I'll be ready to hit these with their first coat of primer.

That's it for now... Hopefully, I'll have some more updates from this weekend. :thumbsup

 

[Rysjin7717]

Hey Indy, that's some very good work stayin' on it takes some real dedication to th' craft I'm lovin' it!!,!

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Started taking orders for a second run of roto-cast copies of this helmet and fiberglass copies of the faceplate.

If you're interested in picking one of these up check out the JY thread HERE.

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Did some more work on the tube pieces for the jaw...

I have sanded and then I've arranged these pieces (without gluing them) just to see about what they will look like.

And here's what that looks like in rough position on the helmet...

Also, I found a couple GREAT gears inside an old Disney toy (Cars 2 toy of some sort). These two I plan to use in this jaw area!

What do you think of the tubing? :confused

 

[rosskow]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Tubing looks good, are you using that as the final piece or moulding it to make it easier (in some ways) for yourself?

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Of course both sides would need to be done, so that would suck... but I'm seriously thinking about it for three reasons:

1) I've had several people that have purchased the raw helmet casts that have already said they would be interested in picking these pieces up for their own helmet build-outs.

2) It would be more sturdy - and I can see this being bumped and jostled (both on and off).

3) Having a resin copy would provide me a better chance to really touch up the details without worrying about it pulling apart or cracking - the plastic tube connection to the 180 degree piece is a total 'witch' to deal with. :angry


We'll see how I feel after fighting with this thing for another week... I have a sneaking suspicion, it will end up being cast.

 

[rosskow]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

I thought as much, it would just make everything involving that piece easier.

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

I thought as much, it would just make everything involving that piece easier.

^^ yep! :thumbsup



I did a little epoxy work tonight...

First I glued a small (tiny) machine screw to two of the plastic gears I intend to use in the jaw area.

...more about them later...


I also epoxied the plastic tube back together (again) as it had broken apart once again (rosskow's right, I need to get this close and cast these things before they drive me crazy).

The 'bands' are just PVC pipe I cut to the right width and then sliced open so I can 'wrap' the seam and strengthen/disguise the glue-line a bit.

Looks much better from the top side...


I also worked on yet another track idea for the faceplate. Since the welding is not going that well, I figured another way around the rotating wire was to create a duel-wire system (two tracks - side-by-side). That way I don't need to weld or create custom track guides, and I still get the stability I was looking for!

...We'll see if that works this weekend! :thumbsup

 

[sq10e]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Dual wire guides sound like a good idea. Even the mechanism you show in hand looks nice and clean and well constructed

 

[electraflier]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Dual wire guides sound like a good idea. Even the mechanism you show in hand looks nice and clean and well constructed

....and Steampunkish!:lol

As always can't wait for more!

 

[Rysjin7717]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Hey Indie, great work brah hop it works for ya can't wait ta see it in action on a video. Keep up th' great job

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/12/13 - Jaw Cutouts

Thanks, all! I feel like this helmet build has been in super-slow-motion lately. Partly that's my desire to have it work and look perfect, but the other major obstacle is having four kids now... It's beyond time-consuming. :wacko


Regardless of the reason behind it's slow pace, the encouragement is very much appreciated! :$


I got a couple small things done...

First off, I had to re-epoxy the tiny screws to the gears again. Just gluing them to the surface of the gear was not strong enough, so I very carefully (with my hand drill) bore a hole in each gear as centered as I could make it by hand. I then could SINK the end of the machine screws into that hole with epoxy. That SHOULD hold them.

...and when I use the term 'tiny', I truly mean TINY...

That done, I went ahead and got the duel wire tracks (temp) installed for the faceplate.

Here is a look at the hinge from the chin. You can see that the wire starts off bent in half right there in the middle of the hinge axle and then wraps around the axle a couple times on both sides before heading up and into the tracks. I also left a bit of an extra 'tab' at that mid-point bend, so I could spring-load the faceplate movement (and also set some stop bars so I can keep it's rotation where I want it).

And another view...

...and this is how it looks once the plastic tubing (I'm using as tracks) was glued into the helmet.

And here that same rig with the faceplate open...

I still need to 'clean up' the hinge (especially the brackets) so it slides completely up and over the lip of the helmet.

As a side note: 12 gauge wire is a complete NIGHTMARE to bend into shape. I've very familiar with 14 gauge wire (most of my Chainmaille work is in that gauge), but WOW the step in thickness and general annoyance to 12 gauge is AMAZING. :unsure

...and since I've shown you just a bunch of ugly close-ups of the mechanics, here are two pictures of the OUTSIDE of the helmet as the faceplate is open!

You'll also notice that I've cut out a small wedge of the inset plastic I created for the jaw detail. This area will be even DEEPER set (and contain the two plastic gears I've been messing around with). Here's a close up of the new hole.

Well, that's all for tonight... Have a great weekend, folks! :thumbsup

 

[electraflier]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/25/13 - Jaw Detail

I love how far the faceplate opens now! I also know how life makes working in our builds almost impossible! I am stalled out almost completely. Love what you are getting figured out so that when ready we'll have your hard work as a guide!
Thanks for the updates!
M

 

[Lord Magneto]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/25/13 - Jaw Detail

I love how far the faceplate opens now! I also know how life makes working in our builds almost impossible! I am stalled out almost completely. Love what you are getting figured out so that when ready we'll have your hard work as a guide!
Thanks for the updates!
M

I'm in the same boat. Builds on hold - family/work/it's freezing out - zero time for projects.

Man this is going to come out looking so cool

 

[acesh007]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 1/25/13 - Jaw Detail

This is looking really good and hoping those tubes get cast. Then I can get everything at once. As for time, life and freezing cold, Im at a halt with a lot of things, since weather is miserable here and makes painting things near impossible.