Subject Delta’s Helmet–2012 Edition or v3.0

 

I call it v3.0 because what follows is my third attempt to build this helmet.  The v1.0 was last year.  Then v2.0 basically self destructed and I had to start over.  So this brought me to v3.0.

Now last year, it took me around 9 months to build this helmet.  This year, I did it in a month and a half.

I had some criteria for this build to improve over last year.
1) Stronger
2) Lighter
3) More accurate in scale
Optionally, I wanted it to be cooler too.

For v3.0, I started with some very familiar materials to use as the skeleton: cardboard and paper.

The cardboard was glued around a hard hat.  The hat helped me keep scale and makes this very comfortable to wear.


Paper was then glued over the cardboard to give me an even skin surface for the next step.

Last year the next step was paper mache, but that takes way too long, is not sturdy and not as light as you would think.

My tools for this year are fiberglass.  Not just the resin, but the matting too.

This was then effect of the fiberglass.  It is very sturdy at this point and light as a feather.  It needs a lot of sanding, though.
                        

                                 Sanding is done. Now to the Bondo.

I used the Bondo to build up the surface and smooth it out even more.  I knew I was going to need a lot.

Standard can of Bondo on top of a 3 pound can of Bondo.  They’re both gone now.

Naturally when I started this, it got cloudy and started to rain, so off to the basement.

The lighting here makes it look like it is covered with butter cream frosting.  It’s not.  Now for more sanding.

Smoother.  Now we prime it.  I prime it here so that I can get an even single color and be able to see what the surface really looks like and know where to fix.

Now for some more Bondo and sanding and priming.

Yup.  Different color primer.  This is actually a high fill or gap filling primer.  Works great.

Now I need to start thinking about the face glass, lights, and rivets.

Last year the lights I used in the face came out really orange instead of yellow.  This year I dismantled some LED flashlights I got on clearance to use for the lights.  The flashlights had a long lamp like section and a standard spot light section.  Lamps for the face and spots for the chest.  To color the face lights from white to yellow a piece of yellow party napkin worked for a great filter.

Hey, the blog isn’t called The Real Redneck Geek for nothing.

All the lights in and working.

Quick size comparison from last years build.

Face glass and rivets in place and everything masked for one last primer coat.  Rivets are the same wooden plugs I used last year.  The orange bit on top is for the camera.  It’s actually the lid off a Gatorade bottle.

It’s ready for paint now.

The “hammered” effect didn’t come through as well this year.  They must have changed the formula.

Shiny and new like it just came off the assembly line.  That’s not going to work.  It needs distressing.

Center of the mask also got tinted like last year and then I used shoe polish to add the black smudges.  Then I dry brushed on some green paint to look like corrosion.

                  

All lit up.  The lights in the face actually remind me of the helmets from the original Battle Star Gallactica.

The dive weight is cut from foam and then colored with shoe polish.

I was also able to accomplish my optional goal of making it cooler.  Last year I had 4 fans in the helmet and they just couldn’t move enough air.  This year I bought this:

The Vantec Tornado Case Fan. with airflow levels as high as 85 CFM.  It is a little loud, but not that bad and the payoff is a nice cool breeze in my face the whole time.
             Gorilla tape, hot glue and cardboard make a good fan mount.

Two switches for the lights and fan.  All the batteries and wires are under the fan mount.  That’s when I realized, I may need to change those.  Quick use of the box cutter and:

Peel this open, and there are the batteries and wires for if I need them.

So, from 9 months last year to 45 days to build this.  All criteria have been met and honestly I am really proud of this build.  I know it is not perfect, but for a quick last minute decision to build this, I think it’s great, and I have a feeling my two biggest fans will like it.

Super-Quick Post

 

If you like what you see and read here, and want to see more like this more often, then head over and like the new Real Redneck Geek Facebook page.

I’ll be using the page to post work in progress shots, quick notes, etc.  Then full write-ups of the builds will be placed here and announced on the Facebook page.

Upcoming Blog Posts:
Subject Delta’s Helmet v3.0 (applying clear coat now)
Subject Delta’s Drill v2.0 (painting now)
Princess Luna’s Night Guard Armor (finishing helmet)
Chell’s Long Fall Boots from Portal 2 (building now)
Star Wars Cloaks and Robes

I promise I’ve been busy!

Bioshock Cosplay–2012 Edition

 

Wait?  What does that title mean?  2012 is this year.  I said earlier that I wouldn’t be doing a Bioshock costume this year.  I said that we had our list of costumes for Dragon*Con set:
--Chell
--Rattmann
--Twilight Sparkle
--Luna’s Royal Guard
--Our Dark Jedi for the group cosplay

I also said I try to make project plans and fail miserably at keeping them.

So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, I am pleased to announce that Subject Delta will be making a triumphant return to Dragon*Con 2012!

But why?  What changed my mind?

The short answer to that is Shelby and Sara.

Here’s the longer, more interesting version (or you can skip to the pictures of the helmet being built).

Everyone remember this picture from Dragon*Con at the Aquarium last year?

Well, that’s Shelby standing next to me.  Shelby has an older sister, Sara.  Both have a Big Sister, Emily.

Back in May, Emily contacted me asking if I was planning to bring Subject Delta back to Dragon*Con.  I told her that before she had contacted me, I had no plans on bringing Delta back, but, after reading her notes and learning about how much fun Shelby had just standing next to me in the costume (I was getting sick that night, remember), how much it meant to her to see me last year, AND that this year Sara was going to come in an Eleanor Lamb costume, really what choice did I have?  Disappoint and break the hearts of two little girls, or figure out a way to bring Delta back?  Seriously, Emily should have just asked me to go kick a puppy

Now Delta 1.0 had issues.  The scale got completely out of control.  I looked like you were playing Bioshock in Big Head Mode.  The drill was heavier than I wanted and too big.  I had wires running all over my and in the Atlanta heat, that was a hazard.  The jumpsuit was supposed to be a tall, but was a regular, so we had Delta in short pants at times.  I couldn’t just pack him back up and take him back.  I needed to rebuild him.  Make him lighter, more accurate, easier to manage by myself.  I have the technology.  Do I have the ability?  I hope so.

When I told Emily that I would not only bring Delta back, I would build a brand new just for Shelby and Sara, I got the following Thank You video

Dragon*Con is going to be in so much trouble with the three of us running around.  I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep up with them, though.

 

Subject Delta 2.0

For the new build of Delta, I decided I would try to follow a similar build method that “The other Delta at Dragon*Con” used.  2 Story Props was at D*C 2011 with an amazing Delta costume.  We never bumped into each other, and to be honest, I’m really glad.  I saw their build log just before Dragon*Con and I was so impressed with their build, I nearly decided not to take mine.  Obviously, I was talked out of that decision, and I’m glad now.

2 Story Props used a Pepakura file to make a papercraft version of the helmet.  I managed to get the file, and tried it myself.

Here you can see the assembled version resting on my dress form.  This is where I started to go wrong.  In hindsight, I should have covered the dress form in a couple of trash bags, and mounted the helmet onto it for stability.  It had been so long since I’ve worked with Pepakura, I had forgotten how unstable large pieces can be.

The next step was to seal the seams with fiberglass resin.  This I know how to do.  The reason is to help lock the seams in place for step 3, a process I have never done, and likely shouldn't have used this project as a learning experience, given my short timeline.

Seams all sealed

Step 3 – Fiberglass.  I have worked with fiberglass resin since I started this prop making thing, but never with the actual fiberglass material.  According to most Pepakura builders, the fiberglass is applied to the inside of the build so it doesn’t collapse in on itself.  So away we go.

                                    

This is where it all went wrong.  I didn’t have the helmet supported properly.  As I applied fiberglass, the helmet twisted and warped, and the fiberglass froze it that way.  I tried to cut it back apart and straighten it out, but I realized that I could either spend the next few days or weeks trying to fix it, or just scrap it and start fresh with a more comfortable, but slightly less accurate process.  Subject Delta 2.0 was scrapped.

Subject Delta 3.0

Alright, more complicated professional methods don’t work well for Redneck Geeks.  Time to go back to what I know: cardboard and hot glue!

To help me keep the scale, and for an easier time wearing it, I started with a hard hat for a base.  I never realized how cheap hard hats were.  $6 or less at Lowes or Home Depot and you’ve got a good base for any kind of helmet.

I made a quick pattern from heavy paper for the chest plate portion, then measured the distance from my shoulders to the rim of the hard hat, and began making a cardboard skeleton.

Delta’s Cardboard Frame

The next step, which you can see a piece of in the above picture, was to skin the frame with paper.  This would give me a nice consistent surface for future layers.

Delta Skinned and Ready for the Next Phase

From Delta 2.0, I really liked what I learned with the fiberglass.  It was rigid, solid and light.  Delta 3.0 would be getting a nice fiberglass shell applied to the outside of the paper and cardboard.

My Supplies

Not pictured above was my respirator.  If you are going to work with fiberglass, wear a respirator.  I’ve worked with the resin for some time and the smell doesn’t bother me now, but the amount of resin you use when working with the actual fiberglass material is much higher than normal.  I learned this from Delta 2.0.

     
Layers 1 and 2 of Fiberglass

After the fiberglass had cured overnight, it was sanded down and then ready for the Bondo.  For those wondering about weight, at this point, the whole thing weighed hardly anything.  I was actually looking forward to the Bondo adding some weight to it.

 

Bondo, Lotsa Bondo

The top can is the typical size can of Bondo you see everywhere.  The bottom can is the 3 pound can I got from Pepboys.  I killed both cans on this build.

 

Raw Bondo Coat 1

We had great weather up to the day I wanted to Bondo, then it started raining.  Applying Bondo in the basement worked, but the household was not happy with the smell.

Coat 1 Sanded

I applied a second light coat to get everything as even and smooth as I could and then applied the first primer coat of paint to help me see where more body work was needed.  Primer is really good for this.  As you can see, the sanded surface has a lot of different colors and shades to it.  By applying primer, you make everything one even color and then you can see just how bad or how many uneven areas you still have.

   
Delta 3.0 Primed

A little more body work, and some more fresh primer and he was done.

   
Final Primed Delta 3.0

There’s still a lot of work to be done.  Lights, glass, camera lens, rivets, dive weight, handles, tanks, and the drill, but for 9 days worth of work, I am really happy with this build.  It’s not perfect, but neither am I and perfect is not my goal.  This will be a great successor to Delta 1.0.

Oh, and for those that are still reading and curious about the weight, the helmet above is tipping the scale at around 8.5 pounds.  Not bad considering that Delta 1.0 was around 10+ pounds when done.

Star Wars Lightsaber Hilts

 

First things first.  According to my Blogger Dashboard, I now have two new followers!  Bringing my total up to a mind blowing three!

Still, I want to say thanks to my new followers and that I hope you enjoy this and future write ups.

Now on to what you came here for.

 

I try to make project plans and outlines.

I try to stick to them.

I fail miserably every time.

Oh, well.

Our friends, David and Lori, are going to Dragon*Con with us this year!  At last we’ll have friends there to hang out with and share in the fun and all things Dragon*Con (hopefully not the diseases, though).  Once they had their room booked and memberships bought, we started talking about cosplay ideas, and we decided that we had to do a group cosplay.  David mentioned Star Wars, and before Melinda and I even got home, I had ideas and plans in my head.  We’ve never done a Star Wars cosplay, which was very shocking and depressing.  So, now I get to check another item off the bucket list: Do a Star Wars cosplay.

I decided that step #1 should be creating lightsabers for everyone.  This was also a tricky decision.  If I make just a lightsaber hilt, then it will be easier and more convenient to carry around.  If I make lightsabers with blades, then we all have to walk around carrying a 32” long blade with us through the crowds of D*C.  I ended up going with just the hilts.  I am trying to figure out a way to make a removable blade that can be carried in our robes and then attached when needed.  I’m still working on that and if it works out, I’ll update accordingly.

Once I decided on just the hilts, it was time to design.  Melinda and I of course wanted to be Sith.  The bad guys just have so much more fun, and as David Prowse told us: “Everyone remembers the villain”.  Melinda decided to cosplay Asajj Ventress in her Nightwitch costume from the last season of Clone Wars.  I’ve created a character for myself to go as named Darth Equiness.  He is a more primitive Sith in a full face mask (that build is coming in a later blog).  David and Lori will be the Jedi to balance our team out.

Now, I have never built lightsabers before, but I know I should have started there.  I decided on the PVC pipe route.  Easy to find, easy to work with, and something I know all too well.  Melinda helped me decide that her and Lori’s hilts would be made from 1/2” PVC and mine and David’s would be from 3/4” PVC.  Why the different sizes?  Easier and more comfortable to hold, according to Melinda.  Now to fire up the Dremmel.

I started with Melinda and Lori’s sabers.  I decided that Lori’s should be a bent foil/fencing style, not as extreme as Ventress’s but similar.  Heat gun + PVC + time = bent into shape.

I took some blue PVC flexible conduit to make the grips.  Cutting it down the middle so it would slip over the PVC pipe.  A little heat gun blast made this a lot easier.

Here you can see where I got excited on the second Ventress saber and forgot that I had adjusted the size on the first one, cutting is slightly shorter.  Do over time.

The top and pummels are simply PVC fittings cut and sanded to shape with the Dremmel.

Here in the line up from left to right is Lori’s, Melinda’s dual sabers, and mine.  As you can see, I went back and fixed the length issue.

The grey bits is simply epoxy sculpt used to fill in the gap that the slide on grip left. 

Now you may be wondering, where’s David’s?  This was the most intimidating build I’ve ever done.  David is a designer and a creative person, too.  So, I’m trying to create something for a fellow artist.  It would be like an author you respect coming to you and asking you to write them a story.  What the heck do I do?  Well the first one that I tried simply ate itself.  So, I went back to the others and got them painted and ready.

They weren’t supposed to be that silver.

And that was supposed to be more bone like in color.

At least the hammered gold came out right.

Enough futzing around, time to build David’s.

I went with a classic saber design.  No reason not using what we know works.

For this one, I actually cut out a “window” in the PVC pipe, then cut a small section out of the conduit, heated the conduit, and slipped it up inside the PVC pipe.  The details at the bottom are simply sections of the piece that was removed to make the grip area, cut down and glued in place.  The transition bit at the top is simply a narrow cut of the conduit.

Now back to painting, painting and more painting, until we get :

The distressing and aging effect was done with multiple layers of paint and then removed with steal wool and then, in some cases, hand painted back in with a stiff dry brush.

Lastly my saber.  I created a character that I will be cosplaying.  A Sith Lord named Darth Equiness.  He is a rather primitive character and I needed a saber unlike any other.  This involved a lot of hand painting.  So much hand painting.

Initially the wood detail was going to be bone, but for some reason when I went to paint this, I picked up dark brown paint.  It started to look like wood and reminded me of a wand from Harry Potter.  PERFECT!  So I continued to create a wood like texture.  All the wood detail is made up of epoxy sculpt over PVC pipe.

The pummel was always to be a tooth/bone/claw detail.  Turns out, creating a bone color is really hard.  I like how it turned out so far.

The bend is just a 45 degree PVC elbow, a short bit of pipe and then a dowel sharpened to a point.  It has a physical texture that I created by covering it with a counter top caulking. 

There we have it.  5 Lightsaber hilts built in less than 2 weekends.  I’d say there is probably just over 12 hours in all 5.  I like quick props like these.