Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods - FINISHED!

Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Hi, thank you for your interest in this project (I didn't think anyone was to be honest!) and apologies for the very slow progress and lack of updates. I've been flitting back and fore between a number of things so progress tends to be in bursts! I'm finishing off some artwork for a book at the moment but will get back to the stormy helmet and update this thread shortly I promise! :)

Thanks again :thumbsup
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

I've been following too. Looking forward to your progress.
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Hi all,

I hadn't realised quiet how long it's been since I updated this thread! I've been suffering with a herniated disc and a trapped Sciatic nerve since my last update which stopped me dead in my tracks for a while. I'm relieved to say things are improving now and I've been able to make a bit of progress.

This is the current state with, apart from a few minor flaws, all the filling and sanding done. This represents about the limit of my patience where sanding is concerned so it'll have to do!!! As you can see there is a hefty area of filler on the front to get the rounded shape back and disguise the flat strip where I expanded the width. Also I've beefed up and refined the lower edge to deepen the helmet and create a return which the original Rubie's helmet completely lacked. I've just realised I've used 4 different types of filler/putty on this so it looks like a dog's breakfast at the moment!
Rubies-mod11.jpgRubies-mod10.jpg
The next (tedious) jobs are to re-scribe the 'joint' line that runs across the top of the brow and around the 'temples' and to open up the vents at the sides. The original 'joint' line was very wide and followed the wrong path once I'd finished my butchery work. In the meantime I couldn't resist temporarily taping and wedging the 'face' back in (and the motorcycle visor I plan to hack up for the lenses) to get an idea of what it will look like when complete (come on, we've all done it!). The whole helmet seems to be much more in scale with the Black Series helmet now so I'm happy things are going the right direction.
Rubies-mod12.jpg
Hopefully, with other distractions out of the way, I can now make some faster progress. :)
 
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Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Sorry to hear about your troubles dude and glad you are on the mend! Great to see an update on this project! Helmet is looking great!!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Sorry to hear about your recent health fiasco and I'm glad you are much better now. You hung in trooper! Great progress on the helmet! I look forward to more!

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

subscribed nice thread I've enjoyed watching you wrestle with this helmet cheers!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Thank you all for your kind words, both for my dodgy back and for my stormy helmet. :)

Fingers crossed for some uninterrupted progress...!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

I've now opened up the vent slots in the 'jaw bone' and re-scribed the 'joint' line that runs around the front above the brow, around the temple area and down and around the back - it's quite difficult to see with all that technicolour filler, but it is there! It was a lot harder to do than I expected and it's a bit wobbly in places but is about as good as I can get it. Next job is to re-instate the black trapezoid shape on each side (you can see the original filled with green Milliput) then I'll give it a coat of grey primer to see how it looks. :thumbsup

Rubies-mod13.jpg
 
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Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

I was tempted not to do anything about the mic tip 'receptacle' that Rubies decided should be a massive gaping cavern in the front of the helmet...but I just couldn't resist! So I cut it out,
Rubies-mod14.jpg
and filled and reshaped it. This is it now with the original mic tip temporarily wedged back in.
Rubies-mod15.jpg

Now sprayed a coat of primer on to check for any areas that need more attention. It's not looking too bad so, after a few minor tweaks, I can get on with replacing the vents or toggle catches or whatever they are on the top.
Rubies-mod16.jpg
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

What the frack?
This is amazing.
The primer image really shows how far it's come.
Looks like a pro grade 3D print.
Hey Rubies, pay attention, this is how it should of looked.
Really, I'm stunned at your progress.
And that scribbed line.
So beautiful.
Please share your technique.
Im sure you have felt like shelving this project a few times, but you've got to be glad you pushed through.
Truly something to be proud of.
Hats off to you.
Robert

Oh yeah, glad your back is healing.
Had a brother with similar back issues, so I've seen the pain you must have felt.
Godspeed on your recovery.
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Thanks Robert, your comments brought a smile to my face! Thanks for your kind words! :)

As for the scribed line, it was really a case of drawing it on with a pencil first, then gradually scribing it back in using multiple light passes. I did it with a small V-shaped riffler file but, rather than 'sawing' back and fore I just gripped firmly and pushed it forward following my pencil line. At first it makes nothing more than a scratch but the curve of the file allows you to follow a line without it digging in. Each pass deepens the scratch slightly until you start to get more of a groove. The narrowness of the initial scratch allows you to straighten any 'waviness' (unless it's too far off course!) by applying sideways pressure to the file on subsequent passes in the appropriate area. Eventually you get a deeper groove and it becomes easier for the file to follow the line and deepen the groove further.

The biggest problem was transitioning between areas of plastic and filler as they respond differently to the file. I had to correct a couple of small areas with extra filler but it didn't turn out too badly in the end!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Duuddeeeee.. this is amazing! I literally stopped breathing for a moment...

Great job so far, and keep it up cause id love to see more of this!

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Wow, this is some awesome work! I always love seeing these types of mods. Keep up the great work!

Are you going to do a TFA version or a TLJ one?
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

Duuddeeeee.. this is amazing! I literally stopped breathing for a moment...

Woah there dude! Breathing is important, don't stop doing it on my account! :)

Wow, this is some awesome work! I always love seeing these types of mods. Keep up the great work!

Are you going to do a TFA version or a TLJ one?

I did consider switching to the TLJ version but I think I'll stick with my original TFA plan. I think I prefer that one as I like all the visible hex-mesh and the slightly less grumpy look to the 'face'! :)

Thanks for the encouraging words everyone. More to come soon!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

I managed to get a bit more done over the weekend. A while back I bought some steel hex mesh which I planned to use for the front. I decided on steel as I could shape it into a rigid structure onto which I could mount the other bits and pieces of the 'face'. I can't decide if the hex holes are slightly too small, but the next size up was definitely too big so I'll live with it. Anyway, this is the shaped mesh (you can see my cardboard template in the background!),
Rubies-mod14.jpg

And this is it epoxied into place,
Rubies-mod15.jpgRubies-mod16.jpg

Drawing another template for the eye shapes,
Rubies-mod17.jpg

More soon...
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

OK, I now have the eye surrounds finished. The carboard templates in the photo in my last post was used to make a surround out of styrene sheet. That was fixed inside the helmet then more styrene and some Evergreen strip and filler was used to beef it up and blend it in. The profile of the surround is not quite accurate to the original but I had to compromise in order to make it fit with some of the design elements of the Rubie's original. Nevertheless, I'm fairly happy with the look of it now.

Styrene sheet and filler being built up,
Rubies-mod18.jpgRubies-mod19.jpg

...and with a coat of primer,
Rubies-mod21.jpgRubies-mod20.jpg

The end is slowly coming into view I think!
 
Re: Cheapie Rubie's First Order Stormtrooper mods

This is coming together beautifully!! Where on earth did u find that screen?!


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