How to not build a Mando

[PhantomBlade]

Oh I flicked through many build threads, and decided there was NO WAY KNOWN that I was going to sit there and try to pepakura a dome. Nope nope nope. And I simply don't have the funds to get one from overseas. Although resin is nice, I have other things I want for $250. So, I'm making a bucket, out of buckets.

[hopfot]

Well it got me thinking about my next Mando, and had me looking up (less than $50) skate/bike/riding/sports helmets. :P

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I might still Pep the mask, ears and maybe antenna though, but for the ears and antenna I'll make moulds then resin cast them myself.

[PhantomBlade]

So, Wolf is absolutely amazing and he gave me a two piece Boba helmet today.



Now it's just a matter of deciding whether to swap to this one, or continue my scratch build. Because there's a crap tonne of work to be done on this Boba bucket to make it approvable.

Cheek pieces need moving up to narrow the visor. Can't just add sintra on top of the cheek pieces as that puts the 'face' of the helmet (horizontal bits right under the visor) out of proportion. So then I'd have to add extra to the bottom to bring it back into line with the rest of the helmet. Then I have to fill in every gap and seam. And the dent (Boba is the only one allowed with the dent where it is) and I'd need to replace or at least darken the visor. And put a backing on the key slots at the back. Etc etc etc.

So really, by the time i've done all the alterations, I might as well finish my other helmet. But this will make a handy spare.

[Tirilia]

Just in case you havent seen these already -
http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index....ic=28297.0
and
http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index....#msg633316

The HBF helmet requires a heck of a lot of modifying to be approvable. Its no small or easy task. Good luck!

[PhantomBlade]

Just a visor to go in the helmet, and some magnets for the armour and I'll be done except for weapons.



I believe a lot of people use welding visors, so I'll have to look into it.
All the smearing will be removed, I used toothpaste as masking fluid, so I'll examine the results tomorrow once I"ve wiped it off.

[TerrorFirma]

Looking good, nice progress

Terror

[DarkFather]

Awesome work Phantomblade!

[BigDub]

Looking the goods Phantomblade!

[PhantomBlade]

I need to stop stuffing around with this and actually put the visor in. Then I"ll be done.

[Firestorm]

Hurry up

[PhantomBlade]

I think I'm done. Or else I've reached the stage known as 'F**k it'. It's a pity my mother is such a lousy photographer. She doesn't seem to understand when I ask 'Are the plates straight' (because I'll probably need to redo all the photos on that alone). Visibility in the helmet isn't half bad, I'd expected worse.
I'm hoping I"ll get away with using the Hasbro EE-3. Others have used them unaltered, and I think I"m short enough that it won't look comical (it's 30% smaller than it should be). The helmet padding needs a bit of tweaking, but it does in fact sit straight. Apparently I moved when I shouldn't have done.

Front


Back


Start of the trophies (Many more to be added)


Pew pew

[Bally]

I like your colour scheme. It's a nice effect. Now, this is going to sound like I'm being a smart-arse, but serious question... did you mean to have the round at your right hand side of the belt sticking up as opposed to all the others pointing down? Was wondering if there was some significance.

Also would you mind PMing me the detail as to how you did your armour plates (or put it here). This thread got me to register on the MM forums.

[PhantomBlade]

Not a smart ass question at all sir. In fact, I forgot I'd done it, so thanks for the reminder. I'd originally flipped it to knot some wookie braids around it, but have decided to tie them to my shoulder plate when they're done, so I simply forgot to put it back the other way.

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All my plates are made from suntuf pvc board. It lives in the roofing section of Bunnings and is a white, rigid, close-cell pvc foamboard. It's identical (if not damn close) to Sintra. We can't get that brand name here, not without freighting it from Sydney and having it cost a fortune. I used 3mm, but 6mm is also available.

I used the Wizard of Flight Fett templates (on the Mando boards and the Replica Prop Forum) as a base, but altered them to a Deathwatch shape.
Grey primer (let this layer dry). Grey base coat, with blue painted on top while grey was still wet. While both layers are still wet, scrunch up newspaper/magazine and stick it on the plate. Rub fingers over it, peel off paper. Gives the mottled look. Youtube spray paint art for the same technique. You can of course paint it whatever colours you fancy (Have a look at the brigades to see if you want to join one. No point in painting an assassin bright orange ). And you can also use multiple colour layers. I stuck to two for simplicity. You need to work very, very quickly doing this. My paint was starting to stick within a minute, and it won't work if the paint isn't wet (clear spray paint will help fix this). I believe I have one of the few mottled paint jobs. (Can't use off the shelf camo patterns btw). I just used a black acrylic wash to weather my plates. I'm not even remotely happy with my weathering, so I'll be dry brushing next time.


*Sulks in corner* Turns out I need to make a new cape whether I want to or not. They've literally just changed (within the last fortnight) the CRL so patterned soft gear isn't allowed. Technically, it doesn't say capes, but that'll get fixed the moment the app team see mine. Sigh. I could probably fight it, as the sandhawks have known about my patterned cape for months, and made no move to tell me the CRL was changing. But we'll see.

[Bally]

Thanks for that. Good luck with the approval.

[PhantomBlade]

So the app team doesn't like the belt, the cape, or the chest plates. So I dunno. The Sandhawk 'command team' seemed to quite like the kit. So it's a pity they're not all on the same page in regards to what's approvable or not.