[ANFO]

Can't find much here or FISD on it.

But I'm about to get a mega huge rage on over this bucket.

Noticed that alot of AM armour builders have skipped this helmet and gone straight to AP/TE/etc

So I'm asking. Has anyone done an AM bucket and how did you manage:

The two screws on the ear systems. In the Stunt pictures on CRL @ FISD they are meant to be vertical alignment. Not horizontal. Whats up with that? Do I need to add 2 more once I'm done with horizontal?

Also, How did people manage fixing the huge gaps between the helmet and the ear systems?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0012.jpg

Can we use two screws to hold the ear system down over the base of the helmet. I hear 1 is required, but no mention of allowing two. Personally, I don't think I'm going to get this to fit properly without two.

[Zander]

Hi ANFO,
This was the most challenging part for me too.
I had to re-sculpt the ear pieces a little, once I had the front back and dome together.
Even then I still had gaps. So I used a little white 'No More Gaps' to hide them.

Check out this tutorial on you tube from Dave's Garage....it helped me out with a few ideas:


I'm sure others on the forum may have some other ideas too.

Best of luck
Ken

[ANFO]

Thanks Ken.
Been thinking of a gap sealer (selleys perhaps).

On another note.

I opened up the harness bag that comes with this kit.
Took one look at it, then looked at the variety of hardhat helmets I have in my shed (collect my old ones from every minesite I've been to) and realised that this is american msa junk.

Remembered reading about a few people using pads of sorts in their domes.
And then it hit me. The customisability of using a pad system in the dome is sheer genius for a few reasons:
1, more comfortable
2, sweat soaker
3, NOT PERMANENT!!

I'm sure we've all used a variety in out time, from bike helmets, skateboard helmets and TRG / Ropes / Rescue helmets. The latter I am more accustomed to. So I grabbed my mines rescue helmet, ripped out the pads, unfortunately the system is a much deeper helmet than the dome on the bucket. But I think I'm on the right track.
Then I noticed this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0014.jpg

The missus bought it for me at Clark Rubber in perth. I asked her to grab some foam that I might use to pad out the hollows in the body armour.

And I got thinking... perhaps I can make use of that.

Well I'm gonna have a crack at making pads for the dome from this. Sewing stacks together and using adhesive velcro to hold them in place.

Similar to the trial run below.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0013.jpg

The beauty about this stuff is that it's much cheaper than proper made helmet velcro pads. And once they are sweaty and smelly beyond belief I can turf them out and put some new ones in. Think the foam was $20 a metre off the roll.

Anyone else done some self created pad-work?
Anyone got any good advice on what worked and what didn't?

[seantrooper]

have you tried gluing the back and dome together first, then attaching the faceplate,

what does the brow trim look like??

[DesTROYer]

I can't remember what we did with Kim's AM, but with the AP where you have the two horizontal screws, they actually over lap and one screw goes through the two holes with the face plate on the inside. The ear covers then cover this with there own mounting. Also attach the dome to the back half of the helmet first.

[ANFO]

Well. Was fast approaching the point where I'd be gluing the dome in.
Come to a screeching halt.

Was finishing off the decals, putting on the slotted lower tube vents (the 12 pin ones) and noticed that they are black! Apparently these are meant to be blue. The instructions even say the 'new and improved' blue.
So anyone else with an AM bucket, would pay to check the colour of your decals upon opening.
Think I got an old batch of stickers.
Emailing the supplier to see about getting an updated set.

Guess I won't be finishing this off before I go on holidays.

And I can see why people say this things a bobble head. It's bloody HUGE!!!.

This is definately going to be a noobie helmet. Gonna have to upgrade to something better when I get back from holidays.

This post has been edited by ANFO: 29 August 2010 - 07:57 PM

[stretch]

I thought AM had resized the bucket down a little, to avoid the bobble head?!

[DesTROYer]

Blue stripes for ANH. Black for ESB and ROTJ.

[ANFO]

Heres some more photos of the progress.
I got well beyond the photos today, the camera/phone ran out of battery.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0016.jpg
Decided to paint the inside of the back piece. Worked quite nicely.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0017.jpg

Decide to try my hand at hand painting the grill. Didn't work out as good as I thought it would.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0018.jpg
Ended up spending time with a small detail brush, wiping off excess paint with turps, reapplying paint, rinse wash repeat. Slow and arduous process.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0019.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0020.jpg
Ended up fixing the excessive gap in the ear systems. Had to tighten all four screws in each piece.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0021.jpg
Location for bottom of ear system screws.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0022.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0023.jpg

Lenses in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0024.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0025.jpg

So yeh. I got past this stage. Started putting all the decals onto the helmet. Ended up having a drama with one of the back vent type decals, warped it pretty awefully.

And now that destroyer mentions it.... I might go ahead with an ESB build instead. Pretty much the same as ANH, couple small tweaks.

[ANFO]

On the esb note. I checked the crl at fisd and it notes that feature and build need to be confirmed by garrison commander. So are there any specific reqs for a TAG ESB build or do I just follow the fisd crl?

[Trooper]

ANFO, on 28 August 2010 - 03:34 PM, said:

Can't find much here or FISD on it.

But I'm about to get a mega huge rage on over this bucket.

Noticed that alot of AM armour builders have skipped this helmet and gone straight to AP/TE/etc

So I'm asking. Has anyone done an AM bucket and how did you manage:

The two screws on the ear systems. In the Stunt pictures on CRL @ FISD they are meant to be vertical alignment. Not horizontal. Whats up with that? Do I need to add 2 more once I'm done with horizontal?

Also, How did people manage fixing the huge gaps between the helmet and the ear systems?


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0012.jpg

Can we use two screws to hold the ear system down over the base of the helmet. I hear 1 is required, but no mention of allowing two. Personally, I don't think I'm going to get this to fit properly without two.

I had to put 2 screws in the bottom of mine also to hold the ears in place, as it is on the bottom nobody will see it. With the gaps on the ears try and reposition them down lower but keep them even on both sides. You can also heat the long part of the ears and bend them into shape to fit around the side tubes. At the end of the day none of these helmets are perfect , even the ones used in the movie had gaps some even had stripes missing. All you can do is do your best. Hope these pics help of my AM bucket, as you can see its not perfect on the inside or the outside.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Armour%20Build/DSCN0026.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Armour%20Build/DSCN0028.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Armour%20Build/DSCN0024.jpg

As you can see mine had gaps in it every where on the inside but when the ears where attached the gaps where hidden on the outside. These kits aren't that old there's not much info around at the moment but in saying that if you do some research on FX armour builds you would be pretty close on getting the info required.

[DesTROYer]

ANFO, on 29 August 2010 - 11:32 PM, said:

On the esb note. I checked the crl at fisd and it notes that feature and build need to be confirmed by garrison commander. So are there any specific reqs for a TAG ESB build or do I just follow the fisd crl?

FISD CRL is good enough for me.

[ANFO]

Thanks for the photos trooper.
Liked how ya put that extra strip of ABS inside the helmet on the upper screws, I assume for support to try and square up the join to flatten the contact between the ear system and the helmet pieces? I did both sides and found it improved dramatically.

@Destroyer
Thanks mate.

Gonna have a crack at finishing the kit and kaboodle tonight.

Stay tuned.

[ANFO]

Well was right on track tonight.
Got home, repainted and decalled for ESB build.

Heres some updated photos.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0027.jpg

Yes screws are loose big time. Was toying with the idea of ABS gluing the dome to front and back all in one go, and use the front and back pieces tightened together to hold the dome in place as the weld sets. Still haven't ruled out the idea. Just gonna be tricky as all hell.

I'm proceeding with a foam system for the dome. Think with summer coming up, especially in Kal, ill want some sort of sweat absorbant system rather than the brow mop on the hard hat harness.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0028.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0029.jpg

The final piece just goes in the middle. Didn't end up getting a shot of it.

So yeh, was doing the final test fit of the dome before pulling apart to ABS weld the back on, and low and behold, I rip one of the lenses from its hot glue mounting. RAAARGH!!
Tried a quick repatch and that didn't work, so cut all the hot glue away to a flat surface again, and gonna try it again.

I'm hesitant to make another "all things going well I should finish by [insert time]" but i think theres a very good possibility I will finish it tomorrow night. lol.

This post has been edited by ANFO: 30 August 2010 - 10:55 PM

[ANFO]

IT's DONE!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0038.jpg

Custom foam fitting, completely removable. Held with industrial velcro.
That black trim around the base, be warned anyone doing this, it's tough! I agree with the instructions on widening the "trench" with a flathead.
Other than that, persist carefully with it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/budda/TK%20project/IMAG0041.jpg

That'll do me for a month.

[ANFO]

Bugger.
Now I'm really confused.
Someone said on here that black tube decals are for ESB, but FISD CRL doesn't mention the colour required.
Canon is blue.
Photo in FISD CRL looks blue.
I've gone black.
Help?

[Trooper]

Looks good mate. Click here this site will be able to help you with what you are after.

[ANFO]

Yeh read that last night. That's what spurred my previous post. Just added to the confusion on whats going to be 501st approved style.

[Trooper]

Okay i have another reference to follow and that is pics of my recently received EFX esb helmet.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Star%20Wars/DSCN0041.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Star%20Wars/DSCN0042.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh213/noddiesxr/Star%20Wars/DSCN0044.jpg

Hope this helps mate. If still not sure go to the FISD website and check out some of the builds in the forum- infantry school- esb stormtroopers.
Then if still not sure send a message to Troy and he will be able to get clarification for you.

[ANFO]

lol, read up mate.
He was the one that said FISD was good enough.
And that ESB/RotJ were black, ANH was blue.
Spose it's not a real biggy. Best thing is I can remove the tube stripes pretty easily and put the blue ones on even quicker if need be.
I just want to know 100% which is which for approval.