*WIP, ignore* TheRascalKing's Anthology Jimmiroquai TK HELMET Thread

[TheRascalKing[TK]]

****WORK IN PROGRESS**** (relevant photos have mostly been moved over but I'll flesh out more descriptions/info as I can)

 

Hey all - mostly for @RINZLERz but also in case it helps anyone else, I'm going back and compiling just the HELMET build portion of my Jimmiroquai Rogue One TK into one, more straightforward thread/post. There's a lot of info in my main build thread, and if you're just working on painting and assembling an ROTK helmet (of almost any make), this may be more user friendly. I'll still start at the very beginning, but I hope it helps!

 

I organized a group buy of Rogue One style Stormtroopers from Jim "Jimmiroquai" Tripon in the Philippines in 2019 (to save shipping), with Big Brown Box Day not long after!

 

 

My fiberglass helmet, as received, in all its glory:

 

 

One of the better reference shots of a studio helmet, and what we're aiming for here:

 

 

The first thing I did was reinforce the interior of the helmet, as I felt there were thin spots and that the helmet would not withstand almost any type of impact. My guess is that Jim leaves his fiberglass unsealed on the back to allow for flex, or for the end user to apply additional resin as they see fit, but I definitely wanted to. I gave Fibreglast 1110 vinylester resin a go with very positive results.

 

 

Any in her very first coat of (actually light grey) sandable filler primer!

 

I always recommend using different colors of primer when prepping, as it will allow you to more easily see high and low spots when you've sanded from one color to another.

 

 

I think this actually still ended up being a good approximation of the products I used to prime and paint the helmet - could you do it with less? Probably. But I wanted this to be perfectly smooth and glossy, and it is.

 

 

I also prepped and painted the interior black, which I do on all my helmets. Note that this is entirely optional, and that the studio helmets were not painted inside. I just prefer it. It also was an opportunity to address any final spots that looked thin or any big high/lows in the interior with a quick rough grit scuff.

 

 

Primed, filled a few spots, and lightly sanded:

 

 

And finished with truck bedliner spray. You can also see where I began cutting out the tube stripes. I chose to cut the tube stripes, but not the traps or tears, as on the real helmets, they weren't cut and backed - they were a separate piece added on top. Most helmets I've seen with them cut don't look as good, and its very fine detail work. I'd skip it, but the cheeks really should be properly recessed in my opinion, as it's a hallmark of the helmet, as opposed to the OT helmets.

 

 

I drew the edges with a sharp pencil, drilled a hole at either end of the recess, then used a tiny cutting wheel on my dremel to connect them (BE CAREFUL), and finally jeweler's files to get all of the edges as square and uniform as I could.

 

 

Just so it's noted, I was sanding in between each coat of primer to level out any high and low spots or to address any pinholes or imperfections. I would take it with me and wet sand in the shower for a few minutes like every day for a couple of months, no joke. But here she is in her first coat of flat white:

 

 

 

 

Next up was masking off the helmet to do the gray details on the tears, traps, ears, and frown. I taped all around each of them, then covered the helmet with a garbage bag, cutting holes for the areas I wanted color on, then taping around them. I did about 4 light coats, 5-10min apart of RustOleum Painter's Touch 2x Satin Granite gray.

 

I haven't been the best about documenting, but you can see the masking underneath after I removed the plastic bag. I actually got very little overspray and didn't need to do much cleanup. It's worth it to take the time to mask properly!

 

And finally with all the masking removed! It was a LOT!

 

I went in with my awl again and lightly scraped off any overspray - the 2K clear is hard and smooth enough that the awl would remove the gray paint, but not noticeably scratch the white. I then went around with a Q-tip and some polish to clean anything left up. This let me get even smoother, cleaner lines than I probably could have achieved with masking alone. Again, in hindsight... using a white tape on a white helmet probably wasn't best. The frown was hardest to mask, but cleaned up pretty well too!

 

Next I tried to go in and do the black outlines with a fine marker, which worked okay at first, but when I touched them several HOURS later, still smudged... I gave it overnight to dry, but it was still wet the next day. Upon closer inspection, the pens I was using were water based and probably not bonding to the paint and drying properly. I ended up just wiping as much of the black outlines off as possible, and ordered myself an Extra Fine Oil-Based Sharpie that should arrive this weekend, then I'll give it another go.

 

Next up was the neck seal trim. Didn't take photos, but same deal - masked with the Tamiya, some thicker masking tape, then a plastic garbage bag and a piece of adhesive foam sheet to block the head hole, similar to when I did the white paint. Again, cleaned up with the awl and polish for a respectably smooth line. I used RustOleum Painter's Touch 2X Flat Black for this to simulate rubber and am pleased.

 

I used the same flat black and masking technique - this time with some spare newspaper instead of the plastic bag - to do the brow trim.

 

Once I removed the masking, I went ahead and installed the blacked-out mic tips from Ukswrath (after painting the interior stem, nut, and washer with some flat black) - they look great! Of course, I'm sort of a perfectionist and took the time to make sure they were straight, as was the mesh in them (it was a pain). I set the helmet in such a way that it would stay in place overnight, then used some Gorilla Glue to attach the vocoder as well. I ended up having to heat it with some HOT water and bend it slightly to get it to connect at the top, and at the bottom near the neck seal - it previously had about a 1/4" gap. I also used my Dremel to rough the surface up slightly where it contacts to give it a better physical bond (hopefully if it ever comes off, it doesn't take a bunch of my clear coat with it......).

 

 

That dried very securely, and brings us to where I'm currently at... all done with paint and just a few items left to assemble!

 

I'll be finishing any final cleanup around the frown tonight, then using some strips of black 3M VHB tape to attach my frown mesh, and some velcro to install the lens (I like it easily removable for cleaning). I'll likely use the VHB to secure some fabric under the tube stripe vents as well. I also added some "airsoft helmet"-style padding from Amazon, but haven't dialed the fit in just yet (pics when I do) - it's a pretty room-y helmet.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[revlimiter[Staff]]

Dank farrik that's beautiful.

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Ah this brings back memories of your build. Particularly I recall your dilemma with the eye bump. lol. Your bucket is a thing of beauty dude, and it makes me think I may need to get a Jimmi bucket someday. Perhaps when I'm next in the Philippines (dual citizen here, but family still there).

[RINZLERz]

Thanks Justin, appreciate the effort you put into the guide, will be following it extensively! Will post progress on thread too! 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Some great images there for others to follow.

 

For anyone looking, note that Jim's kits do have a few lumps and bums (being hand made molds), I also found this with his Sithtrooper helmet, it can also be the same with the armor, just a case of a little more prep work.

 

Also a great tip for anyone using paint is to go over your filler primer/spray putty with a very light mist coat of black (or another dark color paint), it's an automotive painters trick, when you wet sand and use a block (sanding pad/block of wood) for larger areas you will sand down any high spots first and any low spots or scratches will remain and show some black.

 

[RINZLERz]

Helmet finally arrived!! very excited, already bought a few paints, however aus doesnt seem to have rust oleum filler primer, any suggestions on substitutes? 

[BigJasoni[TK]]

On 7/26/2022 at 10:29 AM, TheRascalKing said:

Hey all - mostly for @RINZLERz but also in case it helps anyone else, I'm going back and compiling just the HELMET build portion of my Jimmiroquai Rogue One TK into one, more straightforward thread/post.

Justin,

Great idea! You definitely knocked this one out of the park. 
For @RINZLERz: I’m glad you received your helmet. As you’re starting off, I’d encourage you to focus in on what Justin did for the eye. He and I discussed this a while ago and the two of us took very similar, but different approaches. Justin accentuated the eye bump with Bondo Spot and Glaze Putty and it turned out great. I actually used a 2 part epoxy when I did mine, but I also “squared” off the corners of the eyes just a bit. Either compound works well, but just remember that these details are very subtle on the ROTK helmet; less is more. 
I would also like to echo what Justin said about reinforcing the helmet. In comparing kits, it’s clear that the casting process creates slight variations from pull to pull. I didn’t have any thin spots on mine, but I did steal his bedliner idea and now use it religiously. 
Finally, do a careful examination of your bucket for pinholes and the low spots @gmrhodes13 pointed out. I spot checked mine with Spot and Glaze Putty, but also hit it with a guide coat prior to blocking it. I’m also using primer sealer now in order to create a perfectly seamless painting surface and the results have been fantastic. 
Anyways, check out the build thread and please feel free to reach out with any questions.

[RINZLERz]

11 hours ago, BigJasoni said:

Justin,

Great idea! You definitely knocked this one out of the park. 
For @RINZLERz: I’m glad you received your helmet. As you’re starting off, I’d encourage you to focus in on what Justin did for the eye. He and I discussed this a while ago and the two of us took very similar, but different approaches. Justin accentuated the eye bump with Bondo Spot and Glaze Putty and it turned out great. I actually used a 2 part epoxy when I did mine, but I also “squared” off the corners of the eyes just a bit. Either compound works well, but just remember that these details are very subtle on the ROTK helmet; less is more. 
I would also like to echo what Justin said about reinforcing the helmet. In comparing kits, it’s clear that the casting process creates slight variations from pull to pull. I didn’t have any thin spots on mine, but I did steal his bedliner idea and now use it religiously. 
Finally, do a careful examination of your bucket for pinholes and the low spots @gmrhodes13 pointed out. I spot checked mine with Spot and Glaze Putty, but also hit it with a guide coat prior to blocking it. I’m also using primer sealer now in order to create a perfectly seamless painting surface and the results have been fantastic. 
Anyways, check out the build thread and please feel free to reach out with any questions.

already got some epoxy resin to coat the inside in, not sure how I'm gonna go doing the whole eye thing (as in what I'm aiming for), ive already gone and filled the holes and bumps with putty and sanded it down and repeated. still stuck on a filler primer, the rustoleum one shown to be used is not sold around here so any suggestions on subs?

[RINZLERz]

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I prefer to use automotive acrylic paint, a lot better than the rustoleum which can come out dry or splotchy, Supercheap Auto have their own brand SCA in acrylic. At times you can get it on special too just keep an eye on their catalogues.

 

I find with the acrylic paint it dries quite fast, can be recoated in 10 minutes, can have clear applied over the top and can be buffed/polished for a real nice shine.

 

Their base white was a match for the Anovos TFA and TLJ helmets too  

 

 

 

Spray putty for larger scratches/sanding, Primer filler for smaller scratches, Primer for final coat before paint.

 

Currently 2 for $20 (20% off)

 

[RINZLERz]

1 hour ago, gmrhodes13 said:

I prefer to use automotive acrylic paint, a lot better than the rustoleum which can come out dry or splotchy, Supercheap Auto have their own brand SCA in acrylic. At times you can get it on special too just keep an eye on their catalogues.

 

I find with the acrylic paint it dries quite fast, can be recoated in 10 minutes, can have clear applied over the top and can be buffed/polished for a real nice shine.

 

Their base white was a match for the Anovos TFA and TLJ helmets too  

 

 

 

Spray putty for larger scratches/sanding, Primer filler for smaller scratches, Primer for final coat before paint.

 

Currently 2 for $20 (20% off)

 

Would you recommend these acrylic paints over the rustoleum 2x ultracover primer paints? I am able to get these at bunnings (rustoleum)

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

2 minutes ago, RINZLERz said:

Would you recommend these acrylic paints over the rustoleum 2x ultracover primer paints? I am able to get these at bunnings (rustoleum)

I've had issues with Rustoleum in the past, didnt' matter how much I shook the cans they at times came out dry and patchy. I also think Rustoleum doesn't get used as much here compared to the US so the cans could be on the shelves for some time.

 

I only use SCA paints for armor now. 

[RINZLERz]

48 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

I've had issues with Rustoleum in the past, didnt' matter how much I shook the cans they at times came out dry and patchy. I also think Rustoleum doesn't get used as much here compared to the US so the cans could be on the shelves for some time.

 

I only use SCA paints for armor now. 

Ok thanks, ill stick with SCA, are the colors all fine too?

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

3 minutes ago, RINZLERz said:

Ok thanks, ill stick with SCA, are the colors all fine too?

Yes I've used the white, red and clear on a couple of sets of armor and other helmets. Like any spray paint it can take a little time to get used to speed and height getting it to coat just right. You can go a little heavier with acrylic paint compared to enames too. In the end if you do get any runs they can be sanded and buffed (once completely dry that is) 

[BigJasoni[TK]]

3 hours ago, RINZLERz said:

the rustoleum one shown to be used is not sold around here so any suggestions on subs?

It looks like you got some pretty good suggestions, but I’ve recently started using higher end paints such as SEM. Coverage is a lot better and it takes far less to do the same job. It is a little weird spending $30 on a can of paint, but I’m literally getting about 4x as much out of a can as I was with the cheaper stuff. The only Rustoleum I’m still using is their sealer primer. 
Search around though. I would suggest using something that has a fan tip. The acrylic auto paints are typically equipped with one, but you might be able to pick something up for a reasonable price that gets the job done. Also, since you’re painting  a fairly decent surface, you don’t need a high build formula. A good sandable primer or filler sandable will get the job done. 

[RINZLERz]

23 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Yes I've used the white, red and clear on a couple of sets of armor and other helmets. Like any spray paint it can take a little time to get used to speed and height getting it to coat just right. You can go a little heavier with acrylic paint compared to enames too. In the end if you do get any runs they can be sanded and buffed (once completely dry that is) 

Great, I really need the black and white, as for grey do i just stay with rust oleum as SCA dont do a grey? and is the white gloss or flat?

[RINZLERz]

25 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Yes I've used the white, red and clear on a couple of sets of armor and other helmets. Like any spray paint it can take a little time to get used to speed and height getting it to coat just right. You can go a little heavier with acrylic paint compared to enames too. In the end if you do get any runs they can be sanded and buffed (once completely dry that is) 

and would I use the filler primer or spray putty?

[RINZLERz]

5 minutes ago, BigJasoni said:

It looks like you got some pretty good suggestions, but I’ve recently started using higher end paints such as SEM. Coverage is a lot better and it takes far less to do the same job. It is a little weird spending $30 on a can of paint, but I’m literally getting about 4x as much out of a can as I was with the cheaper stuff. The only Rustoleum I’m still using is their sealer primer. 
Search around though. I would suggest using something that has a fan tip. The acrylic auto paints are typically equipped with one, but you might be able to pick something up for a reasonable price that gets the job done. Also, since you’re painting  a fairly decent surface, you don’t need a high build formula. A good sandable primer or filler sandable will get the job done. 

yeah as much as I would love to cash out on premium quality stuff I don't have the money for it and currently I'm trying to save money for the armor set itself so ill make do with the budget options 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

2 hours ago, RINZLERz said:

and would I use the filler primer or spray putty?

Spray putty is for the larger scratches and imperfections. Interestingly other countries don't actually have a product called spray putty they call it primer filler. I normally use spray putty and primer, I only use the primer/filler if I can't get either of those.

[RINZLERz]

5 minutes ago, gmrhodes13 said:

Spray putty is for the larger scratches and imperfections. Interestingly other countries don't actually have a product called spray putty they call it primer filler. I normally use spray putty and primer, I only use the primer/filler if I can't get either of those.

Thanks, is there a difference or does it not really matter? SCA does one of each so unsure

[BigJasoni[TK]]

10 hours ago, RINZLERz said:

Spray putty is for the larger scratches and imperfections.

This is a great point. I think sometimes we get carried away using the spray putty/ filler primer when a good sandable would work fine. On 3d prints, I use it religiously, but on fiberglass and ABS, I'm much more conservative.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

16 hours ago, RINZLERz said:

Thanks, is there a difference or does it not really matter? SCA does one of each so unsure

I find the spray putty is a little thicker so not as many coats. 

[RINZLERz]

2 hours ago, gmrhodes13 said:

I find the spray putty is a little thicker so not as many coats. 

Alright great, thanks everyone, gonna do a test paint on a cardboard clone helmet I made a while back which I coated with resin and spackle and sanded down before I move onto my R1TK helmet so I can get some practice in