This is a Rocketeer Helmet thread...
So, I decided to add to my art deco styling in my theater room because I have antiquitties problems that can only be solved by more deco and atomic era junk. It started with my Bakelite radio additions, then my brother found me a 1947 FIrestone Floor radio that I converted into a BLu-Ray holder by adding shelves.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P1000280.jpg[/IMG]
Then I found a set of film reels from Pg&E off Ebay for $10. IT came with 4 reels, 1 of them I used for a different project, and I accented my projector with them.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P1000277.jpg[/IMG]
Random projects made for leftover redwood fencing:
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P1000135.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P1000140.jpg[/IMG]
The E.C. under the screen just has the two redwood accents, stained Gunstock - (one of my favorite stain colors beside cabernet)
ANYWAY:
I have been working on a seriously more nerdy (I guess) project lately. I wanted a poster that had the Rocketeer on it, but my brother turns out to already have one in his movie room. I had to one-up him so I am making the rocketeer helmet to hang in the upper corner of my theater near my WWII section of the room next to some diaramas I made of an old spitfire toy and some old book photos.
I went with the papercraft method and hunted for a few hours for the 3d model, and eventually found someone who had it. I assembled the model in about 2 days in my spare time while watching TV using superglue and extra backing of cardstock. Took about 10 pieces of paper total.
Sorry I don't have pictures of it there, but I do after I glassed it. I used one layer inside, and built up 2 layers on the outside to sandwich the cardstock inside and make it rock-hard.
I used masking tape to adjust the polygons as needed to make it straight. it got glassed into the helmet, but it does not affect anything other than be blue...
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120909_161007.jpg[/IMG]
After 5 days of letting it dry and set, I built the fin out of 1/4" plywood so it would be stronger. I did not want to fiddle with making a fiberglass fin. I used the model printout of it as a template and then taped the fin down where I wanted it set, and mixed some fiberglass resin super hot (more catalyst than needed) so it would dry faster, and "tack-welded" the fin down at each end and the center, then layed a normal layer of regularly mixed resin and fiberglass to attach the fin and helmet completely and covered the plywood in it to make it more sturdy. 1/4" plywood still had some flex to it so it's about 3 layers thick on top of it. Now just waiting for it to dry. The reason this coat is so dark is because i was using a brush I had previously used for stain so I could toss the brush afterwards...
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120917_172604.jpg[/IMG]
The tape was temporary and removed after this step. Now I wait another few days till I sand/bondo. I hate fiberglass, as you can see from the first photo, I had to readjust pieces that kept popping up over and over, but eventually matted it down, so the sooner i have it sanded down and get to bondo, the happier I'll be.
insanely cool
I can't wait to see the end result!
First layer of body filler put on and bar sanded after 5 hour cure time.
I used Bondo Gold, and i will never use it again. It started drying while in the can with no catalyst added. I can now see why it was so cheap. The yellow tint is defintily cool to do layering. I managed to get two "filler" layers on to grip into all the gaps, and there were quite a few that weren't visible. I may add anoher layer of glass once I get the shape all made. Too much bondo is risky because it doesn't hold paint very nicely.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120919_174503_zpsa0c27222.jpg[/IMG]
When I have the shape made I'm going to buy some $10 chrome car door trim from Autozone to make the two circles on the side helmet and the rivets. IT will be bondo-d in place as well and painted with the rest. It just happens to be chrome.
Looking good so far, I love threads like this :3
[QUOTE=kingkingbill;37736829]Looking good so far, I love threads like this :3[/QUOTE]
Thanks,
one side is nearing the shape I want and the fill is taking a while, still a long process for all of it though.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120922_134529_zpsd5c598b0.jpg[/IMG]
Ok, so Got a lot more filling done, maybe compiled about 4 layers since the last photo and I have a good hold on evening out all the fiberglass and making it round. It's not 100% perfect, but it's not super crater-y. It has some large "dents" so to speak - but that may just help it look more like a formed piece of metal.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120925_165332.jpg[/IMG]
I may add some weathering and damage to it just to make it a little different in the end.
Did a quick shot of gray to check for the actual shape. I take a can of dark gray and then dig a knife into the nozzle so it just literally dumps paint while it sprays. It makes a real thick, but extremely easy to sand off coat - and it doesn't really stick so it w go away for your primer coat and glazing.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120925_180800.jpg[/IMG]
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I'd say it's close enough to just use spot and glazing putty and it'll be fine. After that I'm going to run some painter's caulk real rough at the base of the fin to look like it's welded on. Then I drive 4 rivets around each eye, and then get some chrome car trim to make the side and bottom textured pieces.
Ditched the caulking idea because I hate caulking. I used the plasti-weld stuff I use on all my bakelite radios. At $3.00 a tube, it was a good call. I made the fake welds around the fin with little chunks broken off of the putty tube, and then sanded and primer/etched/sanded. I tried to use real rivets with a hand riveter for the rivets around the eyes. It was not a good idea. Part of the first rivet blew out a bit of the glass. It was an easy fix, but it wasn't going to work, so I have to use fake rivets I guess - maybe some upholstery pins or something...
Here's how it sits now - got another small layer to fix the holes and the fake welds are in place.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120928_175916.jpg[/IMG]
Topped it off with Spot and Glazing Putty (by BONDO)
Ifyou ever wondered why you paint bondo and it comes out all cloudy or with tiny holes in it, it's because you didn't use this stuff. If you have tiny bits to fill, this is the stuff to do it as well. Like a surface dent for instance. It dries real fast and is super easy to sand. It also turns all the places that need to be filled in red, and then pink when you sand it. SO it makes a nice layering effect to see where you messed up to begin with. I messed up at the Pepakura stage, not folding a couple vertices correctly, but... eh... I'll live.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120929_111952.jpg[/IMG]
After coating out the fake welds and blending them into the helmet, and sanding the top coat, I then came to the realization that it would never really be 100% flawless, but it is 100% smooth 2 coats and spotting later. Time to add primer and see what I got...
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120929_154448.jpg[/IMG]
Defnitly satisfied. Next comes the brass coating...
First layer of brass spray paint is a little gold for my liking, I may want to go or an aged brass for the second coat. These cans somehow only get one coat out of the whole can, luckily it's cheap at $4.00 a piece. Now i need to go buy more...
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120929_162357.jpg[/IMG]
After the brass is laid, going to put the door trim on, then lay the final coat of brass over the whole thing, pain the intakes, do some damage layering, and then some lenses and I believe may paint the mouth on. I am weary of cutting into it any more than I already did. We'll see/
If you liked that last update, you'll see that this update made it 200% different. I used automotive trim, which comes in a roll, and you can get it from any automotive store pretty much. I do not recommend you ever put it on your car, because it looks dumb. But it does work well for hobbies/projects.
It's literally about 10-14$ depending on the size. This was 1/2" and I think it's perfect. It's got 3m backing so no gluing/etc.
After a quick 400gritt sanding of it, an then coating the entire thing with a brighter gold (for layering) we have this:
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120930_162259.jpg[/IMG]
And then right after, three coats of antique brass (which turned out to be the perfect color) by Rustoleum. Stuck extremely well, with minimal dotting (if any). afterwards I took some black laquer, my finger, and a small 1/8" modeling brush to create streaking and burnishes. More "used" looking. . Then gouged one eye a little bit (there will still be a lens behind it - same as the other eye).
And then I painted the mouth on - freehand with the same brush.
and so far I have this:
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120930_192309.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20120930_192301.jpg[/IMG]
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Looks almost like real blemished brass yeah? Still needs some brown to keep the aging correct, but I got to wait till the black dries. It'll look cool.
So far this has cost... lets see.
2 cans of Bondo ($10 each) -$20
1 sheet of fiberglass - $12
1 can of resin -$8
1 tube of glazing putty -$8
2 cans of Metallic paint ($6 each)-$12
1 can of primer -$5
Bondo applicators -$8
Car trim -$14
So $85 - $90 basically. Or you can buy a correct one for $290, or the Disney exact replica off Ebay for $1400.
I'd say i am happy so far.
NExt is to buy a motorcycle shield, and figure out a way to make fake rivets, since real ones dont work...
Went with a tinted grinding visor instead of a motorcycle one. It was flat and very pliable. Still trying to get it to lay out in the perfect arc that I need. I went ahead and lined the inside with neoprene and tan suede fabric.
Edit: with the addition of the tinted shield, fabric, and neoprene I will put this project at about $100 even. I'm now debating weather or not to make the rocket pack next... (even though I'm still not done with the helmet)
I didn't really intend to wear this, but with the padding and visor, it's real hard not to...
Lining is finished. Turned out nice and really trimmed up the bottom of the helmet. Just lots of individual geometric shapes to create a padded lining.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20121004_195518.jpg[/IMG]
A single 12" lens cut from a grinding mask set in place, and the nose bridge padded over the top. It is held in by compression, so it is removable if need be.
Shot of the lens finish on the eyes:
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20121004_195544.jpg[/IMG]
And a shot of the back, since I realized I don't have any of it yet. Fin is slightly not 100% straight in the back, oh well.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20121004_195636.jpg[/IMG]
So I got a little excited. I bought a Reddish/brown jacket from the thrift store, and a whole bunch of brass buttons (two different sizes)... and it was about $14.00 for the jacket and $5.00 for all the buttons. I lined them all out and measured about 4 1/2" apart from each one and mirrored off each side of the lapel. Looks pretty tits. Sewed them all in and then rearranged them a few times and came up with this:
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20121006_215638.jpg[/IMG]
I'm still not 100% digging the arrangement of buttons, but the thread is easy enough to break and move till I relace them with leather. Maybe eventually I'll make a bib for the buttons like the more correct jacket, but as far as simulation goes - It's ok.
Next to find some tan gloves, and I'll be set enough to wear it for halloween when I take my daughter out or something. The helmet will still be for display but... it's hard not to go all out now.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/IMG_20121007_164755.jpg[/IMG]
Got gloves, boots, pants. Etc... So far so good. After halloween I'll make a nice redwood shelf with rivets in it or something for displaying the helmet by my 1940's air force part of the theater.
Bringing all the images in the thread together sorta. Basic outfit complete. I'll buy the real jacket for next year, maybe. My next plan in the spring or when it stops raining so much is to custom fab the rocket pack.
[IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Rocketeerfitmat.png[/IMG]
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