Helmet 'upgrade'

[TK471]

Hello! While at the Rochester 'Weird Al' show last night, I was shown a licensed helmet that looked pretty decent, and was 'affordable', I think Master Replicas. Is this the one, if you happen to know?

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/bingo275/MR_Budget_Stormy.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/MASTER-REPLICAS-STA ... otohosting

I'm thinking it is, and would just like to clarify, it would be nice to get a bucket that is closer to look of the original, and still fit my head, I think this would work. Thanks!

-Pete, TK471

ps, duh, I think I found my answer!
http://www.greatlakesgarrison.com/forum ... =79&t=7874

[Terrell78]

That's it Pete .

[TK471]

Well, I got lucky, and found a local seller on ebay with this helmet, and picked it up for $91 dollars, and with local pickup, saving on shipping!

Now the fun begins, as I've been collecting links to sites with mod info for the MR CE TK helmet. And it's going to be slow going, as, well, 'I'm not very good at things', which for me means, if I take my time, it will be OK, if I rush it, I'll mess it up, and I can't afford that. I spent probably 2-3 months building my F/X helmet, and at the time was lucky to have access to my friends prototype machine shop and tools, so I'll have to get myself prepped. Especially considering if I have to paint the entire bucket!

Regardless of that, I look forward to having this helmet ready for some trooping, I think it's a great helmet to work with.

[Terrell78]

There are many conversion and mod threads over at the FISD that you can use as a guide.

If you want to repaint the whole helmet use Rustoleum professional enamel in the tall silver cans. The gloss white is a near perfect match for ABS.

[TK471]

I now have my MR CE TK bucket! It's really not bad for what it is, given it's 'flaws', but I really like the 'symmetrical' shape, the look of it (from SW ANH), and I really look forward to CAREFULLY rebuilding this helmet. I'm going to start collecting supplies (such as the paint), and I've been reading up the posts on FISD, lots of good info there.

I think I'm going to keep the flat lenses, and just darken them. I'm not sure about the head-liner, I'm not sure how easy it would be to put a hard-hat liner in this, it's much different construction from the F/X bucket. The ears don't bother me much (the 'thickness'), but I'll put the screws in (although, I really don't understand why that really matters). It's going to be a slow process, but I think the end results are going to be great!

[TK471]

I know there's already been some comparison shots out there, but I took some of my own. Before I get to fix the MR CE helmet, of course:

[Moff Man]

I have one of those buckets , great helmet for the money. I took out the foam and installed a headliner, i changes out the lenses and the frown grill. I added some screws and caulked in the seam around the muzzle. Looks awesome, just need to add some fans. I saw you had some great fans in your FX at the show, i need to find some of those.

[TK471]

Here's where I found my fan info, from 'Old Sarge's' TD124 site:
http://www.legionxxiv.org/starmormods/
... but the link to the actual parts place for fans, is dead, it goes to some 'search engine' thing... There's the same fans on ebay, under the 'fans' info I posted in this area.

[TK471]

I just bought more parts for the MR CE Helmet upgrade project... the paint!
Rust-oleum High Performance enamel (Gloss White #7592) and Gray Primer (#7582). This is going to be a slooow process, because I want the end results to be as close to what a Stormtrooper bucket could be, including the interior (like the pics from the Visual Dictionary). I'm not going to tear the helmet apart until I actually have everything I need, this is some real discipline to not rush this.

I'm going to test the paint on some extra ABS I have from some FX parts, I'd like to see just how close the color is. I'd hate to have to repaint the entire suit. That bucket sure is a lot whiter.

Pic of my FX armor, untouched MR CE bucket, holding MR blaster.


ok, it's not as cool at Gator's Clone armor, lol!

[Moff Man]

I have trooped twice with my MR CE and i like it loads more then my FX, fits better and i can see much better. I did some mods to it
Changed the lenses
changed out the frown grill
added headliner
caulk the seam
add screws ( the wrong ones but hey i am learning)

I know when i see yours all finished i will do a total redo on mine, but for now i love it.

[Terrell78]

I just bought more parts for the MR CE Helmet upgrade project... the paint!
Rust-oleum High Performance enamel (Gloss White #7592) and Gray Primer (#7582). This is going to be a slooow process, because I want the end results to be as close to what a Stormtrooper bucket could be, including the interior (like the pics from the Visual Dictionary). I'm not going to tear the helmet apart until I actually have everything I need, this is some real discipline to not rush this.

I'm going to test the paint on some extra ABS I have from some FX parts, I'd like to see just how close the color is. I'd hate to have to repaint the entire suit. That bucket sure is a lot whiter.

Don't use the gray primer, it'll be a pain to paint white. Try out the Painters touch white primer at Home Depot. The stuff covers better than anything else out there.

[TK471]

Don't use the gray primer

Duly noted, will return the gray primer, and pick up the 'Painters touch white primer', thanks!

[TK471]

OK, picked up the white primer today, and just ordered these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stormtrooper-Lens-M ... dZViewItem

[Terrell78]

You'll be happy with those lenses, Nathan does a great job with them.

[TK471]

OK, I was debating between hard hat liner, and pads.. and this looks good (well, I'll probably variate from this pattern):


A fellow trooper over on FISD has these from the UK (not sure if you need a login to see this, but you should have a login anyway!):
http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?s ... c=4416&hl=

[Moff Man]

Dude thayt look sweet. Comfy

[TK471]

Yeah, I'm thinking along the lines of getting close to this (but it won't be, lol!)

[TK471]

Bought another item for this project today, the Squadron MMD White Putty (orange and white tube), to fill in the seems. Slowly getting it all together!

Anyone happen to know, how difficult is it to make (or have made) vinyl decals? I would rather use decals than repaint the details, it won't look as good, and I'll be a grumpy trooper (as opposed to a slacker trooper). I saw some on ebay for MR CE, but it looks they don't have any more, and I'm not sure if other types would fit this bucket.

oh, this was them:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0226538721

[Terrell78]

I'd contact Scott M on the FISD. I know he makes them, but I don't know if he can do MRCE decals.

[TK471]

Well, I just got sandpaper, whooo! Just 220 and 600 wet/dry, they didn't have 320 around my neighborhood, out of stock, so gotta go back this week. Now 'Time' is my enemy on this project, always is.

I've been looking at the skullworx electronic helmet package, but I don't know if it's really worth it, I could probably get the pieces together I need myself to do the same thing. Any recommendations on aerator speakers?