How should I modify this Darth Vader helmet to make it accurate to ROTJ?

StaggzCosplay

StaggzCosplay

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
The listing for this item stated that it was the eFX/Master Replica 2005 ANH Darth Vader helmet..... so I ordered it... did a lot of research, and it looked legit, and the seller had 100% positive feedback...
my question is, does it look like it's a good replica to you? It was expensive... that's for sure.... The front of the helmet looks like the actual "helmet" part of it is sitting a little far off, but supposedly that's just the way it's tilted in the picture, it can be fixed by just propping it differently.
If it isn't the Master Replicas helmet.... I'm sending it back.
Darth Vader helmet.PNG
 
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Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

There was no Efx or MR Vader helmet in 2006.

If anything it might be the Rubies fiberglass helmet. They originally sold for $1200-$1500 but because of the inaccuracies most places lowered the price to $800.

I think the Rubies is worth about $250.

Your helmet could be the Rubies or something else, I'm sure an expert will let us know for sure.
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

James Kenobi 1138 said:
There was no Efx or MR Vader helmet in 2006.

If anything it might be the Rubies fiberglass helmet. They originally sold for $1200-$1500 but because of the inaccuracies most places lowered the price to $800.

I think the Rubies is worth about $250.

Your helmet could be the Rubies or something else, I'm sure an expert will let us know for sure.
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Yeah. It says its the MR. If its not, I'll send it back.
Which rubies wouod you be talking about, if I may ask?Wii
Not the supreme edition rubies that supposedly was made from the molds of ROTS correct? Because there are definitely differencrs in that helmet and this one from what I can see.... what other DV helmets has rubies created?
 
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Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

Rubies released a plastic Vader helmet in 2005 when EP3 was released and the mold was from an ILM lineage but it had been modified and was not accurate. It was sold individually and with the Rubies Supreme Vader costume.

They also released a fiberglass Vader helmet from the same mold with less modifications that was more accurate but not as accurate as the fan made Vader helmets with screen lineage.

It was sold as a collectors piece. Nice, but not for the $800+ price tag.

Just google 'Rubies Vader helmet fiberglass' and pics should come up.

MR never released a Vader helmet, and the Efx was announced in 2010 and came out in 2012.
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

James Kenobi 1138 said:
Rubies released a plastic Vader helmet in 2005 when EP3 was released and the mold was from an ILM lineage but it had been modified and was not accurate. It was sold individually and with the Rubies Supreme Vader costume.

They also released a fiberglass Vader helmet from the same mold with less modifications that was more accurate but not as accurate as the fan made Vader helmets with screen lineage.

It was sold as a collectors piece. Nice, but not for the $800+ price tag.

Just google 'Rubies Vader helmet fiberglass' and pics should come up.

MR never released a Vader helmet, and the Efx was announced in 2010 and came out in 2012.
Click to expand...

I searched it, and it pulled this up which looks very close: http://www.starwarshelmets.com/DecJanFeb06/rubievaderhelm1.jpg
I bought it for 299. If so, would you keep it and find a way to modify it, or would you send it back? How easy would it be to modify to get it to look like the one from ANH or ESB (I really don't care either way)?
Hmmm... I wish there was a way we could know for sure which helmet this is.....
 
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Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

If it is the fiberglass one, it's already an ESB/ROTJ version.

It's somewhat accurate as-is, I don't know enough about them to know the fine details.
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

James Kenobi 1138 said:
If it is the fiberglass one, it's already an ESB/ROTJ version.

It's somewhat accurate as-is, I don't know enough about them to know the fine details.
Click to expand...

Yeah, If I could figure out what needed to be changed about it, I could probably do it myself (that's why I'm on here hahaha).
I just don't know if I'd be fighting a losing battle to try to modify it, or if I should just send it back, or what.

Edit:
Just noticed something... not sure if it has anything to do with the helmet or not..... could be just me overlooking.
This part of the helmet that I've circled is different than on the rubies (from what I can see in the pictures)

This is the Rubies:


This is mine:


After looking, it looks as if the mesh on the mouthpiece is a different color AND shape than the Rubies... also, it seems that the front part of the dome is shaped very differently.... is it possible that this is some kind of fan helmet that I just lucked up on getting for a lower price?
 
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Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

bump
I really would like someone's help on this as fast as possible... I'm kind of stressing out here.....
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

While I don't pretend to be a complete Vader expert, I can tell you a couple of things. First, that's an ROTJ helmet, not ANH. So strike one. The silver mesh in the mouth grill and chin vent would be accurate IF it was an ANH. Strike two. The dome does indeed look different on the helmet you have bought to the Rubies, the details seems much softer, which is not good with Vader helmets. Finally, the colour schemes are also different on the helmet, although tragically, they are somehow BOTH wrong. Strike three.

If I were you, I'd send it back. Simple fact is, it's not an eFX/MR. It's not an ANH replica. It's not even a great ROTJ replica. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I'm sure it's not what you wanted to hear to relieve your stress.
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

bookface said:
While I don't pretend to be a complete Vader expert, I can tell you a couple of things. First, that's an ROTJ helmet, not ANH. So strike one. The silver mesh in the mouth grill and chin vent would be accurate IF it was an ANH. Strike two. The dome does indeed look different on the helmet you have bought to the Rubies, the details seems much softer, which is not good with Vader helmets. Finally, the colour schemes are also different on the helmet, although tragically, they are somehow BOTH wrong. Strike three.

If I were you, I'd send it back. Simple fact is, it's not an eFX/MR. It's not an ANH replica. It's not even a great ROTJ replica. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I'm sure it's not what you wanted to hear to relieve your stress.
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No no, you're fine! I most definitely just wanted to know what it was.
So you would send it back, and not fix the small details on it? Because I can probably fix the dome, I can change the mesh with a few just easy things, an the color I can DEFINITELY fix. If I did all those things, would it then become a pretty good replica, or are there actual details off there too?

Edit: Just got a message back from the guy I bought it from... he said it was a hand made cast resin helmet. Therefore, I'm going to wait until it get's here to see if there's anything obviously wrong with it apart from what you have said. If it only has those little things wrong with it, and I only paid like 295-299 for it, should I just fix the color scheme, mesh, and dome, and keep it?
 
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Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

Hi there,

yeah ... don't stress out ... wait until it arrives ... try it on ... perhaps that first picture has been mirrored so the colour scheme could still be good ... and for that price you can practise some of your accurizing skills ... or upgrade it to a ROTJ Reveal ... and if you're still not satisfied ... sell it in the junkyard and move on to getting your hands on a TM.

Chaim
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

Honestly, at this point I'm up against the limit of my Vader knowledge, especially from that one single pic. I'm sure the Vader experts could pick it to pieces still though. Aside from what I already mentioned, you'll definitely need to modify whatever the mounting system is inside the dome too, as the dome is mounted horribly. You may also need to replace the tusks if you're going for accuracy, as the ROTJ tusks are different to ANH and ESB, and it looks impossible to tell which are on there.

If you don't mind a project helmet, then you certainly could have done a lot worse.

EDIT: Oh, even if the pic has been mirrored, it's still the wrong colour scheme.
 
Re: Does this look like a good Darth Vader replica from ANH?

Sym-Cha said:
Hi there,

yeah ... don't stress out ... wait until it arrives ... try it on ... perhaps that first picture has been mirrored so the colour scheme could still be good ... and for that price you can practise some of your accurizing skills ... or upgrade it to a ROTJ Reveal ... and if you're still not satisfied ... sell it in the junkyard and move on to getting your hands on a TM.

Chaim
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think I'm going to just keep it and modify it.

bookface said:
Honestly, at this point I'm up against the limit of my Vader knowledge, especially from that one single pic. I'm sure the Vader experts could pick it to pieces still though. Aside from what I already mentioned, you'll definitely need to modify whatever the mounting system is inside the dome too, as the dome is mounted horribly. You may also need to replace the tusks if you're going for accuracy, as the ROTJ tusks are different to ANH and ESB, and it looks impossible to tell which are on there.

If you don't mind a project helmet, then you certainly could have done a lot worse.

EDIT: Oh, even if the pic has been mirrored, it's still the wrong colour scheme.
Click to expand...
The color scheme and dome mount definitely look wrong to me too now that I'm looking at it.
I am definitely going for accuracy, so if the tusks are wrong too (which I can't tell yet) then I will buy some to replace them.
The dome itself looks like that I could use some apoxie sculpt on the line going down the middle to make it shaped more like the ROTJ version and then of course I will paint it the way it is in the movie.
As for the dome mount, I don't know what the heck is up with it.... either it's not sitting right, or it's not put on right, or what, but it needs to be fixed.
The actual face color can also easily be fixed.
Then of course, I'm sure I can buy the mesh somewhere to fix the silver mesh... shouldn't be hard.
The main thing I'm concerned about is it having some kind of face inaccuracies compared to the ROTJ helmet... from what you can see, does it look like it has any?
 
The face itself is looking fine IMHO the dome placement should be adjusted to sit slightly at the top of the brow, and it needs a new paint job as far as I can tell... also the tusks shouldn't be rounded on a rotj, and the mouth mesh replaced.
what kind of lenses do this helmet have installed? hard to tell from the picture you provided :)
 
Mizuno said:
The face itself is looking fine IMHO the dome placement should be adjusted to sit slightly at the top of the brow, and it needs a new paint job as far as I can tell... also the tusks shouldn't be rounded on a rotj, and the mouth mesh replaced.
what kind of lenses do this helmet have installed? hard to tell from the picture you provided :)
Click to expand...
No idea yet... but when it gets here, I'll be able to show you :)
 
I always use this site to help me in regards of Mods or Star Wars helmets in general, ther the direct link to the rotj section:
http://www.starwarshelmets.com/vaderfanroj.htm

as you see, you have to heavily modify the paintjob, dome shape, lenses (if they are flat ones), tusks, mouth mesh...
what needs to be modified you have to determine yourself, as for the picture I can only judge on what I see (and one picture is not THAT much). Compare pictures of the ROTJ Version with your helmet and if you have questions on how to do some modifications, say so what you need to have changed specifically.

Generally telling you what needs to be changed and how to achive it would in result a wall of text, which you might not even need as your only question i.e is what kind of color is part X exactly. :)
 
IMO,

If you need to adjust the dome and redo the peak, redo the paint job, change tusks, adjust grill .. whatever else .. and you paid 300$ for it .. send it back .. contact one of the sellers here and get a raw cast of one of your choosing (ANH, ESB or ROTJ).

Then, do a proper paint job on it and display finish it to your taste.

Now, for about 150$, you'll have tons of work to do on it .. and as handy as you may be, that's gonna get you, when and if you ever finish the repair/mod, an ok/good looking helmet where as you could have started from an awesome base from the start.

Again, just changing the attachment system will be a pain in itself to make it fit good nicely!!

Go with a good base, learn from your mistake and don't buy on Ebay again!!!

Last thing, when a seller wants to sell a finished product, he'll always take the best picture he's got of his product, unless he's not the wise one, so at best, your helmet will look like the pic .. at worst ..

I'm kinda on the conservative side of things .. so I always prefer paying a little more, and saving myself the time .. but then, that's me and my 2 cents :) That's what you asked for right? :)

Good luck in any case!
 
Bigturc said:
IMO,

If you need to adjust the dome and redo the peak, redo the paint job, change tusks, adjust grill .. whatever else .. and you paid 300$ for it .. send it back .. contact one of the sellers here and get a raw cast of one of your choosing (ANH, ESB or ROTJ).

Then, do a proper paint job on it and display finish it to your taste.

Now, for about 150$, you'll have tons of work to do on it .. and as handy as you may be, that's gonna get you, when and if you ever finish the repair/mod, an ok/good looking helmet where as you could have started from an awesome base from the start.

Again, just changing the attachment system will be a pain in itself to make it fit good nicely!!

Go with a good base, learn from your mistake and don't buy on Ebay again!!!

Last thing, when a seller wants to sell a finished product, he'll always take the best picture he's got of his product, unless he's not the wise one, so at best, your helmet will look like the pic .. at worst ..

I'm kinda on the conservative side of things .. so I always prefer paying a little more, and saving myself the time .. but then, that's me and my 2 cents :) That's what you asked for right? :)

Good luck in any case!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm definitely getting my money back for this thing.... I'm tired of it causing me stress -_-
Now you say a raw cast from a seller on here, who might be the person to sell these?
 
RINZLERTRON said:
Yeah, I'm definitely getting my money back for this thing.... I'm tired of it causing me stress -_-
Now you say a raw cast from a seller on here, who might be the person to sell these?
Click to expand...

I think that's a wise decision .. save the stress .. build more props! :D PM sent.
 
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