Zap's Stormtrooper helmet rebuild - Image heavy

To celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray and to generally geek-out, I've decided to rebuild an old and broken Stromtrooper helmet.

The kind chap over at trooperbay has informed me that the helmet is infact a TE Recast.

The helmet - I've stripped a few pieces off it already, the rubber edging, lenses, mic tips, mesh and most of the decals

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t...0/SAM_0357.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Y...0/SAM_0355.JPG

I stripped the helmet down, removed the ear covers and other bits n' bobs

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...0/SAM_0311.JPG

All the seperate pieces

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R...0/SAM_0339.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-S...0/SAM_0344.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Q...0/SAM_0343.JPG

I managed to save some of the decals but I've also placed an order with http://trooperbay.com for some brand new ones

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o...0/SAM_0319.JPG

The helmet's signed inside but I've been unable to decipher as to who it belongs to

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--...0/SAM_0331.JPG

There's a fair bit of damage that needs repairing too

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-j...0/SAM_0353.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-k...0/SAM_0322.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h...0/SAM_0323.JPG

My blaster, but that's a whole new project

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7...0/SAM_0346.JPG

There was a lot of foam glued inside the helmet

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/SAM_0327.JPG

Managed to scrape the majority of it out - waiting on some sandpaper to finish it off, will be lined with foam throughout at some point too

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h...0/SAM_0350.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...0/SAM_0354.JPG

That's as far as I've got.

I've got a ton of stuff on order to finish it off, including some electronics so stay tuned for more updates.

Not a whole lot of updates as I'm feeling very much under the weather with constant migraine.

Removed the last of the decals

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j...0/SAM_0358.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--...0/SAM_0359.JPG

240 grit sandpaper arrived in the mail

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--...0/SAM_0360.JPG

Another on-going project

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/SAM_0362.JPG

Used this to repair the biggest crack, sets in daylight and worked a treat

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V...0/SAM_0366.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y...0/SAM_0367.JPG

Just need to go over it now with car body filler and sand it down

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...0/SAM_0370.JPG

The helmet needed some re-shaping in various spots, these were my tools!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P...0/SAM_0373.JPG

Quite a few cracks to repair still, waiting on some more of those Unibond patches

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s...0/SAM_0375.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...0/SAM_0374.JPG

More deliveries!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-m...0/SAM_0379.JPG

Just waiting for the patches now so I can get the cracks repaired, do some more re-shaping then sand everything down in preperation for paint.

Good luck.....that's going to need some serious TLC!

As for the migraine....have you ever tried fresh lavender?

Cool, will be watching and get well soon bud :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shaithis

Good luck.....that's going to need some serious TLC!

As for the migraine....have you ever tried fresh lavender?

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Can't say I have, I've got tablets, injections and an oxygen tank though ^^

Not much to report on today other than a fresh delivery

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F...0/SAM_0384.JPG

Not good on the old migraine - hope it clears soon.

I'll follow this with interest, I've always liked the idea of having a Stormtrooper helmet or full figure standing somewhere. :)

Last of the deliveries except for some paint and something secret :x

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J...0/SAM_0387.JPG

My Anakin and Darth lightsabers /swo0sh

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9530/sabersf.jpg

Ooh another delivery just came, can you guess what it is? :p

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3...2/SAM_0389.JPG

4 foot of 62mm downpipe ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoNz0

4 foot of 62mm downpipe ?

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That too!

I should of rephrased that to can you guess what's inside :p

another light sabre ?

Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RRC

Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber.

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Sadly no, that's far out of reach of my budget.
It's just a replacement Master Replica Force FX Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber, I got it cheap to replace one I own that has a missing piece.

Other than managing to glue my arm hair to my arm with metal bonding epoxy and covering my hands in fibreglass splinters there have been a few updates.

I cut some of those Unibond strips to repair more cracks

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-T...0/SAM_0393.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/SAM_0395.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...0/SAM_0397.JPG

The helmet is sevrely deformed so needed some encouragement

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...0/SAM_0392.JPG

I also made use of an old white t-shirt and cut strips to reinforce all the edges

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3...0/SAM_0399.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D...0/SAM_0402.JPG

As you can see here, the helmet is majorly deformed

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z...0/SAM_0409.JPG

I had to drill more holes and refit all the pieces to try and get it looking as best I could, I also did a small bit of heating and reforming on some of the features

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...0/SAM_0405.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q...0/SAM_0406.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v...0/SAM_0407.JPG

That's all for today, the next step is to fill all the old drill holes and cracks with some car body filler, sand and get ready to paint.

Righty, updates!

Some of those Unibond patches came loose, think it's because I had to wash the helmet but anyways, I cut some pieces of a DVD case to reinforce the sections that bolt together.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-n...0/SAM_0411.JPG

All the cracks are filled in and sanded, everything's ready for paint!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-b...0/SAM_0415.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b...0/SAM_0423.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O...0/SAM_0422.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W...0/SAM_0427.JPG

Sanded and resprayed the mic tips, drilled them out and fitted a set of speakers, these will be wired up to a mic at some point.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j...0/SAM_0432.JPG

Just need to get some primer then it's off to paint, also needs lining with foam and then assembling.

Coming along nicely. Headphones and mic are a nice touch. you're going to wear it playing The Old Republic aren't you? ;)

Another update.

Everything's been primed, just need to sand it down with some wet and dry then ready for white gloss. Managed to hide the cracks pretty well I think :)
I have to admit though, it looks pretty cool in the mustard coloured primer.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p...0/SAM_0439.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s...0/SAM_0441.JPG

Good work! :)