The Rocketeer Foam Helmet 1st timer

Amsterdamned

Amsterdamned

New Member
Hello all :D.

After so many time watching the Rocketeer, and after so many times looking at other peeps threads of a rocketeer costume, I've decided to try to make one for myself.
I have to tell you that I'm not skilled with foam nor paper, cause I've never used it actually :) also I have to give a shoutout to JF custom's foam files for providing the files.

I'm not done with the helmet yet, but in a few days I think I am. That being said, I wont paint this one cause I've allready made some huge errors when printing the templates.
(I tried to disnjoin some of the parts because of its size, but could not get them together again at the same size)

After I'm done, I'll start all over again but then with more care and without the errors I've made now.
Hope you enjoy so far.

For this build I've used;
Eva foam (5mm) from a yoga mat
A boxcutter and a exacto knife for the themplates
Hot glue gun
hot air gun


Ow,, and If you have any tips or tricks, please let me know, I'll need it.

DSC_0028.jpg
(as always the most boring part,, also a white gelpen is not the way to go to draw on foam)

DSC_0030.jpg

DSC_0002.jpg
At first, after heating the foam and bending it, it seemed a little weak, but after glueing 2 pieces, it became much stronger)

DSC_0006.jpg
It started to look pretty good but because I, wrongfully cut some pieces there are some errors. (the foam wasn't cut clean so I had a hard time glueing some pieces together) also, I just don't know when you need to cut in a 45 degree angle, can you see this on pepakura?

DSC_0010.jpgDSC_0011.jpg

And this is how far I've come so far.
Hope you enjoy and have any tips for me.
 
And now I have 2. The other one I made is for a friend. Who is going tot dutch comic con for the first time. I will do the head fins again but with plywood for sturdyness. How can I fill up the joints?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G935F met Tapatalk
 
they are not as nice as I hoped, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist so next time I guess I make them in resin...recon It might be a lot better.
I've attached some velcro to tighten the helmet once you put it up. Now I only need to find some dark plastic for the eyes. Tried to find some tupperware but could only find clear plastic, not dark, tomorrow I go shopping and then It should be finished.

So far I've spend;
- 10,- for the yoga mat (eva)
- 3,- for some paper (for the templates)
- about 12,- for the primer and gold/black paint
- 0,89 cts for the velcro
- 10,- for bison kit spray glue to seal the eva foam (not that great)

I already had the gluesticks and I still need the plastic for the eyes so about 35,89 in euros --- about 39 dollar or 31 Gb pound.

Last photo it will be ready, gimme some feedback
 
I have not done much foam work, but there is a good post somewhere on the forum showing how to make some of the joins so you avoid some of the gaps you are seeing.

As for the eyes, try a motorcycle visor tinting sheet, or welding mask visor. (I used a welding mask visor on my Dredd Helm)
 
Those don't look too bad, in fact they look pretty awesome!
Though I have a couple suggestions. I'd recommend using DAP Kwik-Seal. It's a silicone caulking that you can use to fill in seams in your foam armor. I've used it to hide plenty of my crimes. :p I'm not sure where you live, but you can probably get it online. I'd also recommend contact cement, also from DAP, though there are tons more brands to chose from. Contact cement yields smaller seams then hot glue. Now, I noticed some drips on the helmet closest to the camera, I suggest hitting those with some high grit sandpaper and lightly repainting those spots. If you haven't done that already. And maybe round over the hard 90 degree edges on the raised side details with a rotary tool. Clean seams, no drips and rounded detail, and those helmets would look absolutely perfect! Perhaps a bit of aging... ah... perfection! If this is your first foam piece that's great! You're a natural! My first foam piece looked like trash! Keep up the great work, man!
 
Last edited:
Thanks SpartanBricks, Now this is some info that I can use :D.
I am from the Netherlands so a lot of brands that I see on other posts are not available for me in the stores.

But you're right, there should be a different brand here with the same properties, I've just seen some 3M tape in our local hardware store so a quick peek on the web or a call to them should give me some insights if I can buy it here. Otherwise I have to order it online via Ebay.

I've hit the helmets with some sandpaper to get rid of the paint drips wich is solved now :). Dutch Commiccon is in a few days and that is the only thing stopping me from sanding it with a rotary tool and aging it, also the original had some "welding seems" I am a little bit affraid that I will F#ck the mask up so close before the deadline. (also we don't have rubnbuff here :( )

Tomorrow I go out my way to find some tinting sheets like Uridium told me and I'll think about using the rotary tool,,,,but for now I have to age it wit a little black coat of spraypaint.
Btw, saw your post of the Fallout gun, Very, Very nice. Did you used spray paint on that or some other kinds of paint with a brush?

Keep you posted !!:)

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you Uridium, will do :D
 
Hey, no problem. I'm happy to help! :D
That's one problem to having fellow hobbyists across the world is some don't have access to materials that you do. I hope you can find something that works. For the eyes, either a motorcycle visor a replacement welding visor might work. If you can get your hands on one or the other.

Don't do anything your not comfortable with this close before a dead-line! Do some tests first on scrap foam, to a get the hang of it. Then you can try on the helmets themselves. I wouldn't want you to ruin one of those awesome helmets.
A little black spray paint would be just fine. A black acrylic paint wash could also work. Have fun with the aging, that's always my favorite part! :)

Thank you! That rifle is one of my best pieces. I actually didn't use any spray paints. Well, besides the base which was Plasti-dip (a spray able rubber). After that I used several colors of enamel and acrylic model paints. Which I brushed on. Most of my props I paint by hand. I'm saving for an air-brush but until then, I gotta settle for my set of brushes. :p

Thanks! I'll be looking forward to future pictures! :D
 
As for the last result. Here I am at Dcc (Dutch Commiccon) only thing I did was the lenses but that's about it. I'm thinking about doing it all over again but with another theme, other helmet in anime (gundam or something).
Also, if I do another Rocketeer, I think I'll make it from fiberglass.. looks beter I recon.

Hope you liked it and thanks for all the good advice :)
comiccon2017-2.jpgComiccon 2017.jpg
 
This thread is more than 7 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.

Similar threads

Jake Kassnoff
The Rocketeer Helmet
Replies
0
Views
1,406
Jake Kassnoff
Jake Kassnoff
runJEDIrun
My Rocketeer Build Progress
2 3
Replies
47
Views
4,577
joberg
joberg
Valor
Full NASA Rocketeer Spacesuit Reveal
Replies
18
Views
2,288
Jediguy
Jediguy
ZaneyDevlin
Rick the ones who live sweater. The walking dead
Replies
5
Views
394
LieutenantNinja
LieutenantNinja
haasofprops
Hedge Knight - Daemon II Blackfyre EVA Foam Helmet - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Replies
0
Views
1,279
haasofprops
haasofprops
Back
Top