Need some ATA Helmet advice

[russellr2d2[TK]]

I am trying to fix the front of the helmet onto the lid.  When I try to fit the face onto the lid it seems there is a gap at the sides. 

 

-My major issue is assuring that I have the two pieces fit correctly before I commit and drill holes in the sides (SCARRY!)

And advice for this??????

 

-How do you get the two pieces to stay put.  I tried clamps but the plastic drifts around under them anyway. 

 

Look over my photos and tell me if you see anything wrong.

 

 

 

I swear I only cut a little off, see the first photo. Much less than in Pandatroopers how to series where he builds up the first ATA helmet.  See how little I cut off the ends of the lid?

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Sometimes"  I get a big gap right at the bottom of the two halves, and sometimes I do not.  It's really-really hard to find the sweet spot for this to fit together.

 

 

 

 

     

 

Other times I get this fit which is the only reason I haven't freaked out yet. I think it's juts a matter of getting it right.

This is the best fit I have been able to achieve so far...Even here one side is a rotated a little too far forward and I have room to rotate the face back to hide that gap in the left hand photo.  I just need to figure out how to connect the parts when the alignment is like this.  Is there some bending and pulling of parts together to get it all to work?   Doesn't look like they just lay into each other and fit naturally.

 

 

 

 

 

And the front....

 

 

 

 

And how about the bottom? Isn't it a bit crooked?  how do you resolve this?  Is this OK????

 

 

 

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Russell

Edited March 24, 2014 by russellr2d2

[Cantina Security[501st]]

Your ok bud, the ear coms will cover and take up the difference, check a couple build threads. You are ok with what you have. Just line up the traps with the edge of the eyes, and I drill my hole in the outer top cap first in the mould center mark. Magnets or clamps can help hold the pieces to get her so you can mark throughout the top hole down to the face plate, the separate and drill bottom holes, so the bit. Doesn't walk around and Waller out the holes. Then bolt or rivet. Pivot the cap to get your desired brow height and fasten at the bottom edge where cap and face plate meet. Making sure to keep it in a place where it will be covered by the ear coms. I always fit all this with the brow trim in as you have. Try to keep the cap and face plate tight together. Take your time. You got this.

[pattrooper]

You are doing fine, I just built my first bucket and this happens. With a few expletives and patience it will come together.

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Yep, all good. Check some of the build threads - Have a look at my helmet in my thread. It was a shocker. Heaps worse than yours. (I thought so) No probs at all in the end.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Thanks guys for the advice!  I am going to go back in and work it some more.  This stuff isn't like building an R2D2, its all eyeballing and guessing ...not used to that!

Sith Lord:  I looked through your helmet build and its great!  What a nice outcome. I saw the part where you glued in a little triangle piece and it came out looking great!

 

Thanks all!

Russell

[DroidHunter]

Very normal. Like noted, look at some of our helmet builds and you'll see we all had the same issues and same moments of panic.

[gazmosis[501st]]

-----------

The final resting place of the brow line is YOUR choice. Make sure the outside edge of the eye lines up with the front of each trapezoid and the brow sits flush and tight to the face all the way across.

In looking at your helmet, you have a little ways to go in trimming out your eyes especially at the outer edge. I hope you can see the red lines I marked.

Edited December 27, 2021 by gmrhodes13
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[russellr2d2[TK]]

Hey Steve, thank you!   While I was cutting /sanding those I was thinking they were a little thick but was unsure if that was a good thing or not.  I am not yet down to a mold line that must be where i need to sand down to.  Great method to use the red edit lines.  I kinda like where the brow is in that photo maybe lower. And I like the "twinkie" shaped teeth.

 

WOOPS!   I also noticed I forgot to take out one of the teeth on the left side LOL!!!

 

 

Thank you!

Russell

Edited March 24, 2014 by russellr2d2

[elleerre]

Hi Russell I'm working on my ATA helmet in these days and to me you're doing a good job.

I left all the exceeding ABS on mask sides, just to avoid the problem you had with the overlapping and to feel more comfortable with the traps/eyes alingnment.

Then drilled, riveted and marked the rear shell bordes on the mask, so I knew how much to cut away.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Hi Russell I'm working on my ATA helmet in these days and to me you're doing a good job.

I left all the exceeding ABS on mask sides, just to avoid the problem you had with the overlapping and to feel more comfortable with the traps/eyes alingnment.

Then drilled, riveted and marked the rear shell bordes on the mask, so I knew how much to cut away.

 

Yea after looking at your build I might actually take the cut off pieces of the face and glue them back on...DO OVER!

Really, I think I have the face and back better figured out now and it probably is no gap. This weekend I get to finish this off.

I also painted the inside black.  I think it would help make things dark inside and keep people from seeing in.

 

I also like where you have your brow.  I will be looking at your build tonight as I secure the face to the back.

 

Thanks!

Russell

Edited March 28, 2014 by russellr2d2

[elleerre]

Yea after looking at your build I might actually take the cut off pieces of the face and glue them back on...DO OVER!

 

 

You're welcome.

 

I'm stuck on the right ear at the moment. It's a little more difficult than the left one. Yesterday I was so frustrated with the result that I took no pictures of the job.

This w-e I'll take a break to meditate on it while skiing (read - "with a good beer under the sun"...).

 

Om.

 

Edited March 28, 2014 by elleerre

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Woo hoo!    By Jobe I think I've got it!

 

Tinkering with the face and cap I picked up my smallest clamps and hey! They make the thing stay together all right.  I made some photos.

The black trim moves around a little so ignore and waviness its getting pinched by the clamps.  I can straighten that out after riveting things together.

But looks like I have the cap level and I want it low, maybe a little lower even.  No big gap on the sides like I had before.  Looks like I should pinch the sides together real hard and drill a hole in the sides.  What do you guys think.  Any advice to get the really good rivet job with the pieces tight?  Any advice about the lower rivet and where the ear bolt will go later?

 

Thanks!!

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2014 by russellr2d2

[russellr2d2[TK]]

OK no more messing around!  Helmet YOU are going together!   Here is the result.  I forgot snap rivets and I have a hate-hate relationship and my rivets juts are not very pretty, one pulled through the plastic all together.  Left a hole the the ear will cover I guess.  I plan to put a small bolt and washer in it anyway.

 

The brow is nice and straight (because it is pulled down farther on one side then the other....but don't tell anyone ok?)----------

Edited December 27, 2021 by gmrhodes13
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[Mpreston81]

Sheet metal cleecos! I was thinking they would be good for a build! Nice job on the bucket btw!

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Sheet metal cleecos! I was thinking they would be good for a build! Nice job on the bucket btw!

 

You win Mike!  This is a "Cleeco" for people that have never seen one.  They are used to hold sheet metal together while riveting.  I have a box of about a hundred from when my father build an airplane.  They are great for holding things together while you fuss with those blasted pop rivets.  For some reason I can never get my pop rivets to fatten up on the inside and they just about pull back through the hole.

 

Anybody know any secrets to good pop riveting?  Getting them super tight and spread out on the backside?

 

Thanks. I will probable end up with three fasteners holding down the plastic on the side where the plastic is lifting up. Oh well it will be under the ear and nobody will see.

 

 

Cheers!

[PanzerKraken[TK]]

Yea you don't have to worry about it being that tight, the ears when tightened will squeeze it all together and cover it up.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Ok got my near final fit going on today. Ears cut out and sanded down to fit. I think I am at that point where you sand them then fit them  and they are near prefect then bolt them down several times.... I am going in circles while the ears get thinner and thinner. They don't seem to be getting any better. I think this is it.

 

Here is my process. Note how I apply sand paper to the cheek tube and lay the ear on it and sand then to fit. Seemed to work pretty good.  I also mark each high spot with a pencil so I know where to sand them for a better fit.  

 

Below is the ear are on one side.  The plastic was so bent up in the ear area I used a large washer to help hold down more area. This helped get my ears to lay flat.  That rivet will never pull through the plastic!----------

Edited December 27, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working removed

[gazmosis[501st]]

Killer job on your guild so far! I would still consider trimming out your teeth to be more square. There is sill a bit more that can be taken out of the outside edges of the eyes as well.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Here is some more progress.  I have sanded more off the back of the of the eyes and mounted one of the lenses. I am not going for screen accurate inside the helmet.

 

 

Also the teeth got a little more square...but with rounded corners.  I guess I must be the only one but I think the rounded look is more scary 

 

 

 

 

The lens has a little gap on the top and bottom to prevent fogging...hope it works.

 

 

Its hard to see but the lens is in there...

 

Edited April 9, 2014 by russellr2d2

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Finished "Rufus" The Stormtrooper on the outside (except for the painting of the ear bolts white). Now I am on to pimp the inside with an Eco fan system and sound system and some other goodies.  Hope he meets with your approval!  

 

 

Inside I mounted the green lens this way.  This photo was taken in the middle of installation so its pretty dirty in there...

 

 

Ear area and tube stripes.

 

 

I like the teeth square cut but with rounded corners. I might be the only one but I think it looks more scary.

 

 

 

 

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Awesome job Russell. All hand painted? Looks schmick!

[russellr2d2[TK]]

Awesome job Russell. All hand painted? Looks schmick!

 

Schmick eehh?   Ok Ill take that 

 

It's hand painted using Trooperbay stencils.   The stencils generally works OK except the blue tube stripes they were leaky. Had to do some clean up after painting. I used a sharp edge of 1200 grit wet sandpaper to clean up the edges of the blue stripes.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking really good! Love the paint job - well done!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Schmick eehh?   Ok Ill take that 

 

It's hand painted using Trooperbay stencils.   The stencils generally works OK except the blue tube stripes they were leaky. Had to do some clean up after painting. I used a sharp edge of 1200 grit wet sandpaper to clean up the edges of the blue stripes.

Haha! Yeah, sorry about the Aussie slang. Beaut, bonza, pearla, all that. Bloody good too!

 

I had a bit of leakage on my stripes too, but wasnt too bad to clean up.

[russellr2d2[TK]]

I cleaned up the stencil leaks with a tiny piece of 1200 grit wet sandpaper. Fold it over so it has a sharp edge and go over the leaked out paint. I use spray soapy water to wet the paper . Novis polish is almost not needed. With the sandpaper folder over it has a shard edge the takes the leak off but not the edge of the stripe. It's a tiny piece about one half inch.

 

 

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