Use of magnets to secure helmets

[DarkHelmet]

I have been experimenting with ways to secure the helmet to the face on my Sarge ANH Vader and of course velcro works good (you just have to use a lot) but I also attached small powerful magnets and WOW!

I got them at Walmart in the craft section. They are 1/2 inch and I used loctite the first time around, but they are so powerful, that the loctite couldn't hold them to the resin when I pulled them apart (yes it was cured properly).

I am going to try and find less poweful and slightly bigger magnets to see if they'll work better.

Anyone else use magnets? If so, what do you use and what works best to attach them to resin?

 

[sycor]

I buy my magnets from these guys http://www.gaussboys.com/ They have all shapes and sizes. You can use smaller magnets and be able to remove the helmet more easily.

 

[Darth Lars]

I trooped with a guy this weekend who had his Clonetrooper face-plate attached with magnets. Each attachment point consisted of two L-brackets with each having a magnet on the inside. He had used hot glue. The face-plate was dropped to the floor at one point and a magnet did fall off, but was easy to reattach.

 

[clonesix]

I get my rare earth mags from here: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=10

I like to use Magic-Sculpt to attach, but any epoxy will do.

 

[JtotheP]

I just started using magnets for holding the jaw piece in place for the season 1-2.5 viper helmets. I was able to encapsulate the magnets with epoxy sculpt and it works great. If your magnets are powerful enough, one side can be the magnet and the other can be just metal pieces as a catch.

 

[Great_Bizarro]

Try Barge cement, you can get it at Tandy leather they use it to glue shoe soles on and it works great. It is like a super rubber cement.

 

[TK1536]

My current Episode II Clone Trooper build has no less than 66 Neodymium magnets in about four different sizes. Every one is held in place with Devcon Plastic Welder.

 

[Great_Bizarro]

Funny, when I read the title my thought was, What, he has a metal plate in his head and wants to hold the helmet on with magnets. :confused

 

[stormtrooperguy]

My current Episode II Clone Trooper build has no less than 66 Neodymium magnets in about four different sizes. Every one is held in place with Devcon Plastic Welder.

And everyone who gets a photo with you needs new credit cards immediately after!

 

[Draven]

Did you sink the magnets into the cast?

I.e. did you dremel out the space for the magnets to sit in, or just glue them on top of the surface?

Sinking them into the resin will give the glue more surface area to cling onto.

Draven

 

[kropserkel]

I used magnets to secure the enclosure our 'memory helmet' to be seen on TNT this fall (Eric Stoltz, Lisa Brenner) in 'Blank Slate', and it worked well. Be aware that using any kind of metal coloured paints (especially spray paints) after the magnets are in place, will attract the metal particles in the pigment, and cause unusual coverage patterns.

 

[KnightAsylum]

Nice tip (and plug for the show:lol)
I am planning a few helmets now with magnets and never even considered the paint.:thumbsup

 

[slave1pilot]

I also used the Rare earth magnets on my EPIII bucket
here's a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6erHPZIYdfI
I used CA Then Bondo to fill around it