ODST Helmet

[PerniciousDuke]

Your pep time sounds about the same as mine.

Yeah, details are tricky. What kind of details are you referring too? Most of the time it will be after the bondo has been sanded. You can add the foam. Or you can build little Rondo frames and pour it in (check out Cereal Kill3r's 5th video on detailing with bondo). Or even grind lines into it with a dremel.

I'd also say to go ahead and cut the visor out now before rondoing. Cutting it will expose the layers that you've made, including the paper. Rondoing it will the recover those layers and give you a better looking edge.

 

[DaftAttic]

I had to go mia for a little bit but this is what I got earlier this morning. As you can see I filed down the edges a little bit so they aren't as sharp. Now to give it a proper sanding.

I bought 80, 220, and 2000 grit paper. I figured that in conjunction with the files I already have, this should get me on my way to painting. Which will likely have to be done next Tuesday. On my next day off. (these next five days are going to give me major "get-it-done-itis".

 

[Crimmson]

Looking good. Any paint schemes planned out yet? Also for the chemical smell i use baby powder after everything is dried and sanded but before paint, if you choose to paint the inside. That tip i got from Carpathia a long time ago works for pretty good. Hopefully it works for you as well.

 

[DaftAttic]

To be completely honest, I've fallen in love with the generic paint scheme. I like the idea of it just being a standard ODST helmet. So im essentially leaning toward the paint scheme from the live action trailer. I want to stensil my last name on though but all in all i plan on keeping the personalization to a minimum.

So I decided to rondo the inside and its a pretty thin coat... I should probably do another coat just to be safe but for now I want to move on to bonding the outside.

Also that 80grit Sand paper is a demon when it comes to sanding. Holy crow! 10/10

 

[Dirtdives2424]

Don't put too much bondo on the outside......otherwise you will be sanding the helmet for a very long time.......unless you have an orbital sander.......#hugemessmaker.........add a little bondo a bit at a time and sand in between applications.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Crimmson - I know talcum powder helps make it feel not so sticky, but I didn't realize that it also helped cut down the smell. Thanks.

DaftAttic - It doesn't look like you've reinforced it? I don't see any fiberglass in the pictures.. only resin. While not reinforcing it can work, you will have difficulty shaping/sanding it without breaking it.

 

[TurboCharizard]

Don't put too much bondo on the outside......otherwise you will be sanding the helmet for a very long time.......unless you have an orbital sander.......#hugemessmaker.........add a little bondo a bit at a time and sand in between applications.

Nothing wrong with orbital sanders, it's just a matter of the sanity you lose attempting to be precise with them. I'm a fan of a handheld belt sander though for blasting through shape refining.

 

[Dirtdives2424]

It takes a strong grip and endurance to get a good shape w/ it I agree. But it can be done.....especially when not shape refining, like an open area w/o detail.....using a belt sander would be harder to manipulate the helmet along a rounded section and keep it from forming flat spots.

 

[TurboCharizard]

It takes a strong grip and endurance to get a good shape w/ it I agree. But it can be done.....especially when not shape refining, like an open area w/o detail.....using a belt sander would be harder to manipulate the helmet along a rounded section and keep it from forming flat spots.

I guess it's just a matter oh preference. My belt sander with a pistol grip and bar is awesome for it, or I could be practiced from using it on multiple wood and foam projects.

 

[Dirtdives2424]

same here.....orbital sander that is......to each their own. but we are diverging from the thread......the helmet looks great but as Duck pointed out...or questioned, has it been fiber glassed yet?

 

[DaftAttic]

Yes, I have fiberglass Ed the inside of it. Admittedly, I think I could have done a better job and for future reference I'm going to work in a better lit area so I can see which parts need to get done more efficiently. That said it's still incredibly sturdy with next to no flexing. I applied a thin layer of rondo last night but ruined my last pair of gloves in the process so I had to stop. But I got more today and I'm ready to continue after dinner.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Yeah, Rondo helps reinforce a lot. I think your helmet will be VERY sturdy once it's done. If you can safely stand on it, well...good job!

 

[DaftAttic]

Yeah i was basically manhandling it yesterday. Im not too worried about it's structural integrity. Now I am wondering how I'm going to bondo it to get that round shape but I honestly just have to get my hands back on it and go for it. I've been thinking about it all day. Lol

 

[DaftAttic]

Alright speaking of manhandling, bondo was a lot more challenging to work with than I thought. Basically it dries quickly and my eyes are greedy. I realized that there were a lot of indents that needed to be filled in to actually achieve the shape that I've seen in the live action trailer, so I ended up applying more bondo than I probably should have. As a result it looks mucky in some places and will have to be sanded a lot.

I honestly feel kinda stumped. I don't know how to work with this stuff. Oh and I'll need to pick up another can of it. I'm almost out...

Also it feels like those geometric lines aren't going anywhere.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

It looks like it's going OK. Remember when you sanded the ridges/high points after resin? Same idea. Just apply thin coat of bondo, sand those ridges again and repeat. Eventually they won't be ridges and will start to take the curve shape. 3 thin coats should do it. If you sand the flat spots flat again you're just undoing your work. I don't think you applied too much bondo. Just sand it down before coating any more.

Edit: don't forget which geometric lines you want to keep though.

 

[Dirtdives2424]

You also might want to try mixing up smaller batches of bondo until you get used to applying it.

 

[TurboCharizard]

Some parts of your application look a bit patchy, what tool are you using to apply the Bondo?

 

[DaftAttic]

Heh heh what tool you ask? I was actually using an old drivers license. I got better at using it towards the end but I went out today to get more bondo and also picked up real spreaders. I'm going back into the den now so wish me luck.

And okay , I will mix smaller batches. Wish me luck.

 

[DaftAttic]

Okay so here's my progress. I think it's really coming along. It's just really long work. I had to add a lot of bondo just to give the crown of the helmet the shape it should have. As a result, it's already got a bit weight to it.

as you can see I still need to sand but I'm very happy with the bondo on the outside and from now on will only apply corrective amounts. I'm not quite sure how I'll reach into those tight spots yet.
Any ideas?

 

[Dirtdives2424]

A plastic knife or edge of a plastic spoon.