darthgordon
Sr Member
Anybody know where to find or how to make a set of RotS Vader lenses? Everything I've found is the bubble version.
Vader flat lenses?
- Thread starter darthgordon
- Start date
blipper
Sr Member
I just used 3mm dark tint acrylic sheet in mine, cut to shape and in the oven for a few minutes till pliable.
3mm DARK TINT ACRYLIC Perspex Sheet 210 x 297mm A4 SIZE on eBay (end time 24-Sep-10 09:39:22 BST)
3mm DARK TINT ACRYLIC Perspex Sheet 210 x 297mm A4 SIZE on eBay (end time 24-Sep-10 09:39:22 BST)
darthgordon
Sr Member
This could certainly work. How was the visability? Do you have any more info on how you heated and shaped them?
blipper
Sr Member
The visibility is fine, DG, no distortion, not particularly dark to see through but nice and dark on the outside. It's an easy process, I used it for my Fett and Clone helmets too, cheaper than buying custom and a better fit.
1- Get some card and put it behind each eye hole in the mask, pencil from the outside the shape of the eye hole. Then draw a "lip" of about 1cm around each drawn shape and use this as the template to cut the lenses from the acrylic.
2 - Prepare the oven: put on full, wait 5-10 minutes till it's at full heat.
3 - Prepare the mask: If you have a small box or basket handy throw some clothes/towels/whatever in there as a cushion, put the mask face down resting on the towels, but keep the area underneath the eye holes clear, you don't want the hot lenses when they go in to pick up patterns from any fabric underneath.
4 - If you can find some thin plastic sheet, something like an ice cream tub lid, cut out a shape slightly larger than the template. (You'll use this to press against the inside of the lens when molding to shape - make sure the side of the plastic you'll use to press down on the lens is clean and has no printing on it).
4 - The lenses: You want to rest them on the smoothest cleanest surface you can find when they go in the oven, they'll pick up any surface imperfection or dirt when heated - a spotless baking tray or plate is good.
Place them in the oven and wait around 3-4 minutes. Using some gloves (I used general workwear gloves, the acrylic will be very hot but not too much of a problem with something similar on your hands) pick up a lens by the edges to see how pliable it's become - if it seems nice and flexible take it out (again by the edges) and place it into the mask behind the eye-hole, put the plastic cut out over it and use your hand (or a scrunched up T-shirt) to gently press the hot acrylic to conform to the inner curve of the eye-hole, and keep it there a few minutes.
That whole getting from the oven and pressing behind the mask eye-holes part will need to be speedy, it's not long before the acrylic starts to settle into shape. Good thing then that you can always put the lens back in the oven , reheat until it flattens and try again if the result isn't satisfactory.
Then it's up to you how you fix the lenses in. Hope that covers it DG. Just say if there's anything I've missed or if it's unclear.
1- Get some card and put it behind each eye hole in the mask, pencil from the outside the shape of the eye hole. Then draw a "lip" of about 1cm around each drawn shape and use this as the template to cut the lenses from the acrylic.
2 - Prepare the oven: put on full, wait 5-10 minutes till it's at full heat.
3 - Prepare the mask: If you have a small box or basket handy throw some clothes/towels/whatever in there as a cushion, put the mask face down resting on the towels, but keep the area underneath the eye holes clear, you don't want the hot lenses when they go in to pick up patterns from any fabric underneath.
4 - If you can find some thin plastic sheet, something like an ice cream tub lid, cut out a shape slightly larger than the template. (You'll use this to press against the inside of the lens when molding to shape - make sure the side of the plastic you'll use to press down on the lens is clean and has no printing on it).
4 - The lenses: You want to rest them on the smoothest cleanest surface you can find when they go in the oven, they'll pick up any surface imperfection or dirt when heated - a spotless baking tray or plate is good.
Place them in the oven and wait around 3-4 minutes. Using some gloves (I used general workwear gloves, the acrylic will be very hot but not too much of a problem with something similar on your hands) pick up a lens by the edges to see how pliable it's become - if it seems nice and flexible take it out (again by the edges) and place it into the mask behind the eye-hole, put the plastic cut out over it and use your hand (or a scrunched up T-shirt) to gently press the hot acrylic to conform to the inner curve of the eye-hole, and keep it there a few minutes.
That whole getting from the oven and pressing behind the mask eye-holes part will need to be speedy, it's not long before the acrylic starts to settle into shape. Good thing then that you can always put the lens back in the oven , reheat until it flattens and try again if the result isn't satisfactory.
Then it's up to you how you fix the lenses in. Hope that covers it DG. Just say if there's anything I've missed or if it's unclear.
Last edited:
darthgordon
Sr Member
Actually that's perfectly understandable. Thanks a lot 
blipper
Sr Member
Glad it helps, just remember to constantly keep an eye on the lenses in the oven, if left too long in there they'll start to get bubbles forming on the surface - you don't need them ridiculously soft and pliable. I think you'll get around 3 pairs of lenses from an A4 sheet if need be but chances are your first attempt will be a success, it's hard to goof up and you quickly get an idea of the acrylic/perspex's properties when heated for x amount of time.
I used a motorcycle visor on mine. Just cut and glue in. Perfect. Already flat but curved to go in the helmet. Crystal clear vision and nice and dark yet with excellent vision. I just used one I found at Walmart.
I used them on my ROTJ Reveal. His ROTJ lenses have a slight bubble but much flatter than the others and I liked how it looked. I only saw one really good set of ROTJ lenses and could never get a set so I used the motorcycle visor.
Check it out:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-vader-reveal-80806/
I used them on my ROTJ Reveal. His ROTJ lenses have a slight bubble but much flatter than the others and I liked how it looked. I only saw one really good set of ROTJ lenses and could never get a set so I used the motorcycle visor.
Check it out:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-vader-reveal-80806/
