HOWTO: Make your MRCE ears thinner

[riveting]

I mentioned this on another thread but had no pic's at the time to show & so today was a slow day so I descided to mod my nxt MRCE.

 

first remove the foam from inside the helmet where the ears would be. then hold the helmet up to a bright light & you will see inside the helmet the general place where the ear cap's are outside. Make a small pilot hole dead centre of the earcap shadow.

 

 

hand drill with a 6mm bit, from inside the helmet carefully & if on target, the lug holding the earcap cover (the thing with the bumps) will fall away gently.

 

then remove the now exposed earcap screw's. all three

 

using electrical tape as a guide to a new uniform straight edge on the earcap & using a kraft knife, cut away the excess white stuff.

 

now re-attached the earcap assembly using 4mm countersunk screw's & tipex white.

 

last pic is of the subtle difference that the ears before (right facing) & after (left facing) now show.

 

if anybody has an easier way to do this please do share any & all comments welcome

[kroenen77]

Great work..but what did you cut from the eyes exactly?What 3 screws did you use for the outside of the ears?

[mark]

Seems like a risky operation, but it does look better!

[riveting]

Great work..but what did you cut from the eyes exactly?What 3 screws did you use for the outside of the ears?

 

thanks Mark, I removed a small bit of the flashing in the eye sockets with a needle file, I also used the same file to open up half the frown, the other half needs to be completed. The screws I used were X3 straight slot, countersunk 4mm by 25mm long, machine screws, you might want to cut down the screw by the bottom of the earcap or it may hit your head!

 

hope this helped

[Lizzeh]

Looks great Not sure I dare do this to my MR just yet but I'll keep it in mind for the next time I feel the need to fiddle with it

[kroenen77]

thanks Mark, I removed a small bit of the flashing in the eye sockets with a needle file, I also used the same file to open up half the frown, the other half needs to be completed. The screws I used were X3 straight slot, countersunk 4mm by 25mm long, machine screws, you might want to cut down the screw by the bottom of the earcap or it may hit your head!

 

hope this helped

 

Oh,my englisch...I must translate it tomorrow...technical instructions are to hard for my old schoolenglisch,Steve.

Can you send me a pic of your machine srews?Here in germany I bought some,but the screwhead on the top is too high.So it´s not movieaccurate.

[SuperTrooper]

Great work, it looks much better. The ears are the one detail that really bothers me, and now there is a solution.

[Marvinrobot]

Very cool...Too close to a troop for me to do right now but I will revisit later.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

EDIT: Moved to TIPS/HOWTO area, updated title.

[Double Dee]

Now I wonder what we can do about that two-piece joint - it is a little annoying. I'll find out in a few days when my comes in, but I wonder if it can be filled in like the frown? Should just sculpt something and offer it as a modded piece. Shouldn't be that hard??

 

DD.

[riveting]

Here's an alternative method but it may leave a small indent where the knife goes in.

 

slide a thin strong knife down the earcap, then using repair kit jemmy's prize a small gap, then cut the lug away, there may be a popping sound

 

 

then cut the spacer post's of the helmet

 

& repeat the first post with the earcaps

[riveting]

one last mod I was asked for was to open the mouth.

 

using a needle file, file upwards on the top tooth gap

& downwards on the bottom gap

 

finally I paint the theeth slightly exaggarated & mouth elongated to give it a meaner frown

 

& hay presto the best £40 pound's I've spent this week

 

hope it's ok to post these last mod's & thanks for moving the thread

[Trooper Q2[TK]]

Thanks Steve for sharing. The bottom picture with the Frown .that must be the CE on right.

[ThayNerd[TK]]

Pretty sweet mods.

[TK-4510[501st]]

Nice job!

[kroenen77]

riveting said:

Here's an alternative method but it may leave a small indent where the knife goes in.

 

slide a thin strong knife down the earcap, then using repair kit jemmy's prize a small gap, then cut the lug away, there may be a popping sound

 

 

 

 

then cut the spacer post's of the helmet

 

 

& repeat the first post with the earcaps

 

Do you have pics from all cutted parts together?I don´t understand,what I must all cut exacactly..sorry.

[riveting]

 

No prob's I should have done this first time round I guess, all these spacer post's in the red circles have to go

[kroenen77]

riveting said:

 

No prob's I should have done this first time round I guess, all these spacer post's in the red circles have to go

 

 

 

Oh,that´s enough?I must cut nothing from this parts(orange markings)?

 

 

 

 

And what decals are you using for the blue stripes on the tubes?Or are they painted?I´ve stripes from trooperdecals.com,but under direct daylight,they are looking more violet as blue.

[riveting]

Oh,that´s enough?I must cut nothing from this parts(orange markings)?

 

 

Sorry Mark I havn't explained myself clearly, Yes the plastic marked in the orange gets cut away aswell

 

And what decals are you using for the blue stripes on the tubes?Or are they painted?I´ve stripes from trooperdecals.com,but under direct daylight,they are looking more violet as blue.

 

The Tube stripes are hand painted using Humbrol mediterranean blue & electrical tape as wide guide's as in post 1 & the original stripes as rough templates to paint over.

 

 

hope this helps

[mark]

Oh,that´s enough?I must cut nothing from this parts(orange markings)?

 

 

Sorry Mark I havn't explained myself clearly, Yes the plastic marked in the orange gets cut away aswell

 

And what decals are you using for the blue stripes on the tubes?Or are they painted?I´ve stripes from trooperdecals.com,but under direct daylight,they are looking more violet as blue.

 

The Tube stripes are hand painted using Humbrol mediterranean blue & electrical tape as wide guide's as in post 1 & the original stripes as rough templates to paint over.

 

 

hope this helps

 

 

I have an extra set of Arlon 05 Blue Tube Stripes left, if anyone wants them....for free.

Just send me your address and I'll get those to you!

 

Email me

toonman@msn.com

[kroenen77]

I have an extra set of Arlon 05 Blue Tube Stripes left, if anyone wants them....for free.

Just send me your address and I'll get those to you!

 

Email me

toonman@msn.com

 

E-Mail send...

[mark]

E-Mail send...

 

Hey Mark,

 

I have an extra Empire logo decal too, so I'm sending that to you as well.

[kroenen77]

Hey Mark,

 

I have an extra Empire logo decal too, so I'm sending that to you as well.

 

 

Thanks a lot my Trooperbrother!

[mark]

Thanks a lot my Trooperbrother!

 

No problem...

 

I'm going to the post office today, so it will be on it's way this afternoon.

 

[kroenen77]

No problem...

 

I'm going to the post office today, so it will be on it's way this afternoon.

 

 

That´s a word...thanks.