Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - 5/31 update

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - LED eye work

Not able to use a bit a copper plumbing pipe, nice whittle-ing though.

Rosskow, I'd love to make it out of copper tube but everything I've read and everyone I've talked too says that it is nearly impossible to bend copper (or heated PVC) into this tight of a 180 degree turn. These pipes are 3/4" diameter (outside measurement), and even with something like these spring benders won't do 180 lay-back turn like the artwork shows.

Now, truth be told, I've NOT tried it... I just took everyone's word for it. The cost of copper tubing is not cheap and since this is a commissioned piece, I'm not comfortable charging Digitizit for copper I'd probably destroy. :lol

 

[electraflier]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I am having my A/C replaced and the copper coils for the main fan unit have copper "U"s that I am going to ask my airconditioning guy about. If they are available I will ask where we can get them!
M

 

[Scandvoice]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I have an old trumpet with some cool bent "U"'s - complete with little spit valves. I was thinking of molding them. We will see when the mask arrives. ;-)

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I am having my A/C replaced and the copper coils for the main fan unit have copper "U"s that I am going to ask my airconditioning guy about. If they are available I will ask where we can get them!
M

The A/C coils in my unit look too small (diameter-wise), but I know there are larger copper tubes used in some models. That might work if they come prefab with that 180 degree turn!

I have an old trumpet with some cool bent "U"'s - complete with little spit valves. I was thinking of molding them. We will see when the mask arrives. ;-)

The trumpet idea is a GREAT one! The 1st value tube and 3rd value tubes would both be pretty close to the desired shape. If memory serves, I believe the tubing might be closer to 1/2" diameter than 3/4" diameter, but if it looks right I'd go for it! :thumbsup

Oh, I had to look up how the folks that make trumpets make those harsh 180 degree turns... It looks like they fill the tubes with LEAD and the bend them. I'd heard of using sand in PVC to keep the tubes from collapsing, but never LEAD! After they have them bent into shape, they super-heat the tubes and the lead melts out of the tube... leaving the brass tube! I learn something new every day! :cool

 

[Scandvoice]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

One of my neighbors is a plumber - he has a spiral shaped thingy that he shoves into the copper tubes, then he heats up the tubes with a blowtorch and bends them. Or pounds them into shape with a mallet. According to him, 180 degrees is a piece of cake. I think I'll let his ego have a go at it first before I submerge my trumpet in silicone. ;-)

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I think I'll let his ego have a go at it first before I submerge my trumpet in silicone. ;-)

:lol

Sounds like a plan! :thumbsup

 

[electraflier]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Interested in a set if my ac guy cant come through!!!

 

[Scandvoice]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Interested in a set if my ac guy cant come through!!!

Hereby noted. ;-)

 

[Lord Magneto]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I was at lowes today and thought of your project. Could you not use some sort of rubber tubing then throw something over it to make it hold it's shape?

I was in the bathroom section and saw all different width flexible tubes.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Lunchbox739]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Soft copper tubing does have a tendancy to want to crimp when you bend it at really tight angles.... Have you considered taking something like this....

NIBCO Return Bend, 3/4 (2-1/2 In C to C), Copper - Copper Fittings - 5P139|U638 3/4 - Grainger Industrial Supply

cutting it and soldering it together for a tigher bend? worse case scenario you end up sanding it smooth and possibly painting the whole thing a metallic copper or bronze for a uniform look.

you could also try plastic or clear tubing and friendly plastic.

http://www.amazon.com/AMACO-Friendl...5535&sr=8-1&keywords=friendly+plastic+pellets

Ive found Friendly Plastic to be most useful for that task specifcally... once it cures if you dont like the shape you can just heat it up in a pot of hot water and reshape it. this is what I did once and it worked brilliantly...

take a piece of clear tubing, fill it with friendly plastic pellets. (obviously you will need some way to cap the ends that will stand up to near boiling temps. I used crimping clips and trimmed the end product) as the plastic melts you can stuff more pellets into the tubing... once your satisfied with the content of the tube.... shape it and let it cool in the shape you want... paint the tubing copper and voila instant custom return bend

It sounds stupid I know, but it works.

 

[Governor]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

If you do decide to attempt bending a pipe into a U-bend - like the lead and sand in the pipe - I am sure I have seen pipes filled with water and frozen before bending the tubes and I am pretty sure that removing the ice would be less harmfull than melting lead.

 

[Scandvoice]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

In this video (about 3 minutes in) they fill the tubes with a mix of soap and water before they freeze them. Making a Trumpet - YouTube

 

[Mockle]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Ice lol who would of thought...

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

In this video (about 3 minutes in) they fill the tubes with a mix of soap and water before they freeze them. Making a Trumpet - YouTube

That's a great find! Cool stuff!!! thumbsup

I'm looking forward to playing with either tube bending, casting trumpet parts, modifying a C tube or just finishing up my wood and plastic construct soon!

Until then, here are a couple pictures of the my resin helmet and the fiberglass faceplate as I continue to sand them and roughly fit them together.

I've also ordered more mini-LED's for the other eye assembly... Should be here in the next week or so.

The next big project is hinging the faceplate on this bad boy. I have some ideas of what I'd like to do and how I'd like it look... executing it will be the tricky part. :thumbsup

 

[digital509]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

That's awesome! I haven't been around much due to stupid health problems and getting ready for the big move. I'm hoping to start working on my helmet this winter. I'll pop in now and again with my progress.

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

That's awesome! I haven't been around much due to stupid health problems and getting ready for the big move. I'm hoping to start working on my helmet this winter. I'll pop in now and again with my progress.

Sorry to hear about the health stuff, but I look forward to seeing what you create this winter.


I'm actually in full Halloween-kids-costume-creation mode right now, so I'll probably NOT have an update on this project until after 10/31. :unsure

However, after that I'm 100% about finishing up this helmet and then moving on to the armor!!! :thumbsup

 

[kiruji]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

I've just read this thread from the beginning and I am gobsmacked at the quality of workmanship. I'm new to all of this, but your work is an inspiration. In fact, it was your Iron Man build for Mikey that inspired me to start making an IM helmet for display in my sons' bedroom. Now I've actually started working on it, I'm even more in awe of your skill than I was before! Can't wait to see some more progress after Halloween

As for your pipe problem, in the UK we can get a flexible copper plumbing stick for about $3:

I haven't used one so I'm not sure if the bend would be tight enough, but it might be worth a go if you can find one thin enough - certainly easier and cheaper than messing around with pipe bending kit! Home Dept have a 3/4" one, but that's way too fat I should think!?

Here's a pic of one being bent:

They have a cool look to them too, IMO!

Alternatively, have you looked at PC water cooling kit? I know you can get various bends and pipes for that and as space is limited, it might be a better solution for you? A quick search gave me a a couple of different 180 degree connectors made by Koolance:

Maybe worth checking out?

 

[indiefilmgeek]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Maybe worth checking out?

That tube is a great find - I'll definitely check those out! :thumbsup


Having four kids (we officially adopt our fourth this Thursday) definitely decreases my costuming time.

This Saturday I had all four them in and out of car-seats for a couple hours as we hit every thrift store in Knoxville looking for additional parts for their costumes. I've been taking pictures, but I haven't had much time to post about them. It will probably be a post-Halloween thread at this point. :confused

 

[Joseph C. Brown]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

... and of course, you know there's the Goodwill store and the Habitat thrift shops in Oak Ridge, right? :facepalm

Awesome work on this project - like everyone else, I want to see more!

 

[Randavian]

Re: Steampunk Ironman Helmet WIP - Tubing Work

Having four kids (we officially adopt our fourth this Thursday) definitely decreases my costuming time.

This Saturday I had all four them in and out of car-seats for a couple hours as we hit every thrift store in Knoxville looking for additional parts for their costumes. I've been taking pictures, but I haven't had much time to post about them. It will probably be a post-Halloween thread at this point. :confused

You really must share your secret to having any time at all. Lol. I have 4 kids myself, and none of them are in car seats. Yet I feel as if I have no time at all to do things, most of the time.

This makes your work even that more impressive!