Where do you get the padding to line your helmets?

I was wondering where I can get padding for the inside of my Vader helmets? I currently make my own (using chair cushion covered in mesh) and I dont like it very much. I would prefer something that has a covering on it (such as what is in the MR ROTS Vader helmet) but I will settle for something less. I don't know where to get the foam padding that you see in most fan made helmets, the closest thing I can find is a mattress pad but that is full of lumps and bumps.

Somone... somewhere... HELP....

 

did you try ebay for foam then just buy, some smooth cloth you like and cover the foam with it

 

go to fabric store, buy cushy foam in whatever thickness you want, buy can of tacky spray, buy some black material or whatever color you want. Cut the foam out in whatever shape u want, spray glue, put material over it. I did that for my halo helmet, It Looked REAL sharp and realistic kind of like what a motorcycle helmet is padded.

 

Yeah, this is a great way to go. :thumbsup

Foam comes not only in a variety of thicknesses, but also firmnesses. And you can choose material not only for its color, but for its texture, from soft cotton to neoprene to pleather or even suede. Tacky spray glue works well to adhere the fabric to the foam, and a hot glue gun will fix the dressed padding to the interior of your helmet.

This approach will allow you to create almost any kind of padding effect you want, whether your objective is practical (say, comfort while trooping) or cosmetic (e.g., displaying an X-Wing bucket with a full-size version of the padding design from the Riddell .45-scale helmet).

 

I had to make a foam "gut" once, and I found an electric knife worked really well to cut and shape the stuff. It may have some ridges, but covering it with the cloth usually smooths it out. I also found that if you cut a piece of cloth oversized, you can usually take some heavy thread, run a wide basting stich around the edge of the cloth with a needle and thread by hand, and pull the string tight, it will close up around the foam, like the pullstring on a bag, and just tie off the end, snip off the excess, and glue the open side tot he helmet.

 

I have gone to some fabric stores but have had no luck in getting any foam. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong stores or something. I didn't think foam could be that rare.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. Keep 'em coming.