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Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Sun Jun 05, 2016 2:06 pm

I've been after a Darth Vader helmet for a while, but most of the affordable ones are either the really awful Rubies "Deluxe", or one of many nasty recasts that are twisted and useless. While researching I stumbled over topics on other forums where members had modified the Rubies Supreme helmet to be passable, and far cheaper than even the lowest priced half decent replicas. So after getting a Rubies Disney Collectors Edition Darth Vader Helmet (this is the same as the Rubies Supreme Edition Darth Vader Helmet, #4199, but in a box with the Disney logo in the corner) in new condition - the box was a bit beaten up, but the helmet was perfect - I made a list of what I wanted to change:

1. Dome angle - the dome needs to be tilted back a bit as it's too far forward
2. Neck flare - the neck on the left side (right side when looking at it) sticks out quite a long way
3. Eyes - the Rubies lenses are on the outside and are warped, the lenses should be on the inside an curved smoothly, and will require some filler buildup
4. Nose - fill in the gap around the nose plug, and straighten up the nose bridge
5. Mouth grill - the slots should be squared at the bottom and a bit longer
6. Dome ridge - the ridge is too wide and the edge is too curved, it should be a sharper edge
7. Paint - the Rubies has no paint, and the plastic texture to attempt to replicate the metallic and black areas is reversed

There are a lot more changes that could be made, but I'm not going for a perfect replica here. The Rubies helmet claims to be a Revenge of the Sith (Episode 3) version, but is closer to an Empire Strikes Back version so that's the version I'm aiming for.

Before changing anything I wanted to get some photos of the helmet straight out of the box, and also experiment with taking photos from different distances.

This is the helmet at just below eye level. The first is at about 3ft away, the second about 6ft, and the third about 10ft. It clearly shows how bad the helmet looks up close as the mask looks too large for the dome, but is much better from a distance. There's not a lot of difference between the second and third images, but you can see a little more of the dome sides in the final photo.

helmet-front-eye-level.jpg


I also wanted to see how it would look at different eye levels. Here the camera height is lowered from left to right.

helmet-front-angled.jpg


The look on the right is much closer to that seen in the movies, as much of the filming with Vader was done from low angles to make Vader seem more intimidating - despite David Prowse already being much taller than most of the cast. As this should be how it's seen most of the time once I have mounted on a high shelf I'm happy with the overall look of the helmet despite it's shortcomings.

I've ordered some new lenses from FenixProps but they haven't arrived yet, so I decided that today I would only attempt to adjust the dome angle and the neck flare. Both of these were done by using a hot air gun to heat up the area from inside the helmet. Firstly the dome angle was adjusted by heating up the mount on the top of the mask and bending it slightly back and also pushing it into the mask slightly. The neck flare was heated up and pulled in towards the middle of the mask. In both cases cold water was poured over the plastic when it was in the required position to help set the plastic and prevent it pulling back to it's original position.

Here's a comparison of the helmet from pretty much the same distance and camera position, the dome can be seen to come almost level with the bottom of the neck on both sides, and the neck flare on the left side of the helmet is no longer there - the small white mark on the right hand photo is the Rubies product label on the inside of the dome which is now visible (this will be removed when the dome is repainted).

helmet-dome-lowered-neckflare.jpg


I didn't get good clear side photos to show the dome angle change, but it's enough that the Velcro on the front of the mask that attaches the dome at the forehead now has a gap of about 1cm, so the brow of the dome now has a small gap between the eyebrows and the dome edge. I may readjust this later if it doesn't look right once the eyes have been resculpted.

Once the lenses arrive the next step will be cut out the eye supports and back fill with epoxy putty - I've got some JB Plastic Weld putty on the way which should do the job nicely - as well as sort out the mouth and nose. Then the mask can be sanded, primered, and painted in the gun metal and black pattern it should be in. I've got some left over Peugeot Steel Grey from the 1/6 Palpatine throne, it's darker than the Ford Polaris Grey some people recommend but it should work pretty well.

Dan
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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:04 pm

Today the FenixProps lenses have arrived. These are the Smoke lenses, which are actually a very dark blue. They're nicely shaped, have little distortion when looking through them, and look almost black with no light behind them. They'll also be big enough to cover the eye opening on the Rubies helmet once the support material is cut away.

Placing the FenixProps lenses and the Rubies ones next to each other shows clearly how different they are. The Rubies are thin, almost transparent against a white background, and warped - the edges are flat, the centre bulges out giving a wobbly fish eye view of the world.

IMG_20160610_165754.jpg
FenixProps lens top, Rubies bottom


The FenixProps lens are curved a little differently to the Rubies, this is due to them being designed to fit the Don Post Darth Vader helmets and not the Rubies.

IMG_20160610_170052.jpg
FenixProps Darth Vader Thermoformed Smoke Lens - side view


IMG_20160610_170108.jpg
Rubies lens - side view


There's quite a lot of plastic to remove in the eye sockets, but the FenixProps lenses are large enough to cover the hole when it's opened up. There will need to be some putty added to make the sockets deeper so that the gap between the mask and lenses is eliminated, but this should give the mask a look closer to the movie version.

IMG_20160610_170029.jpg
Red area shows plastic support for Rubies lens that will need to be removed


IMG_20160610_165907.jpg
FP lens covering entire eye area that will be cut out


I've also got a pack of JB Plasticweld Epoxy putty so should be able to start on the eyes shortly.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Fri Sep 09, 2016 8:10 pm

After a long time of not working on this, I managed to get the eye holes trimmed out. They're pretty rough, the next step will be to add putty filler so that the new FP lenses will fit snugly, and sand nice and smooth for painting.

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IMG_20160909_153039824.jpg
Lenses removed
IMG_20160909_155943607_HDR.jpg
Both eyes trimmed
IMG_20160909_161057801_HDR.jpg
FenixProps lenses
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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Thu Oct 13, 2016 7:09 pm

I think I've now figured out what changes I want to make. The face needs quite a lot of work, but this list should cover most of the problems.

sketch1476381561047.png


The eye supports have already been cut out, but still need filling and sanding.

The nose, including the bridge and silver plug, need putty adding to straighten them and fix the ridges, as well as even out the plug wall.

The mouth needs the grill slots lengthening down to the bottom, and the left side (right in the photo) needs thickening slightly to get it closer to the left side.

Finally the little arcs under the eyes need filling in, and new ones in the correct place and size adding.

For the dome there are only two things i need to fix. The ridge needs its edges sharpening and narrowing slightly. And the right side of the flange needs straightening out as it's bent in slightly due to the box not quite being large enough.

Once all of this is done I'll be sanding and priming both the face and dome, and then applying a black and gun metal scheme as per the movies.

It won't be entirely accurate, but it'll be close enough to the ESB helmet that I'll be happy to put it on display.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Sat Oct 15, 2016 2:24 pm

Finally got to start on the mask today. But first I adjusted the dome position as I'd forgotten that I hadn't cut the dome mount out so it would sit better. After cutting out the front part it now sits lower and aligns with the eyebrows; and I can glue in plastic mushroom bolt to secure the mask without having to try to use Velcro.

IMG_20161015_104416005.jpg


IMG_20161015_110004541_HDR.jpg



With the mask I've removed the tusks and grill (these will go back in when the mask has been painted), and sanded the outside.

IMG_20161015_132217978.jpg


The teeth grills were then cut down further using a Dremel, and the bottoms filed square using a needle file.

JB Weld epoxy putty/filler has been used around the mouth, nose, and eyes to reshape and fill gaps; when it has fully cured it'll get sanded, for now it's pretty rough as it's quite sticky when first mixed and difficult to shape.

IMG_20161015_131911782.jpg


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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:04 pm

Lots of dust today. Sanding, sanding, and more sanding.

IMG_20161016_122336473.jpg


The JB Weld goes a little rubber when warm, so a few bits peeled off where I'd used a Dremel sanding drum on the thicker areas. I'll use some modeling putty on these areas once I've got it all closer to finished.

I also put on a coat of primer to help see where the filler needs to be smoothed.

IMG_20161016_124626006.jpg


It looks really rough in some areas, but I'll sand and fill to smooth them out.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Angelwing » Tue Oct 18, 2016 9:28 am

The Dark Lord of the Sith approves.
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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:25 pm

The Rubies dome and mask are held together with Velcro at the forehead and the ring mount. I wanted something that would be more rigid, and also keep the dome lifted away from the eyebrows just a little. I bought some M8 nylon mushroom head bolts and nuts, drilled two holes in the top of the mask mount, and then used JB Weld to stick them to the dome.

IMG_20161020_173926361.jpg
IMG_20161020_194937544.jpg


Once the JB Weld had set I added some hot glue to help keep them in place.

As I also want to sharpen up the dome ridge, and the dome plastic is quite thin, I decided to reinforce the inside with Isopon P40 which is like a soft putty mixed with fibreglass. This also has an added benefit of covering the bolt heads to stop them being pulled off if the helmet is dropped.

IMG_20161021_185351406.jpg


One this is set it'll get covered with a thin layer of Isopon P38 which is the smooth sandable putty designed to cover the Isopon P40, and when painted this should hide the inner reinforcement.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Sun Oct 23, 2016 2:51 pm

Now the fibreglass reinforcement has set I started on the dome ridge. The Rubies ridge is very wide so the first thing to do was to add 1" wide masking tape so that I had a guide for the new edges.

IMG_20161023_112942783_HDR.jpg
IMG_20161023_113709035.jpg


I used a grinding bit on the Dremel to take enough plastic off each side to give a ridge edge about 1mm high. Then lots of sanding with sandpaper wrapped around a piece of wood to try to get a straight edge the ridge.

IMG_20161023_115628934.jpg

IMG_20161023_122255972.jpg


I'm pretty happy with the result, just need to add some Isopon P38 to the dome surface on each side to even up the surface.

IMG_20161023_123115433.jpg


Started wet sanding the filler, going to take a while but hopefully it will look ok when painted.

IMG_20161023_154513063.jpg


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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Thu Oct 27, 2016 8:11 pm

Sanding, sanding, more sanding. My shoulders ache, and I've worn out 5 Dremel sanding drums.

IMG_20161027_195213953.jpg


IMG_20161027_195229483.jpg


I gave the dome a coat of primer so I could see what needed working on, the grey really helps to highlight all the problems areas. Loads more to sand yet :(

IMG_20161027_200301850.jpg


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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Sun Oct 30, 2016 2:37 pm

Yet more sanding today. I also heated the right side of the dome and straightened it out a little at the bottom, as it was bent in too much - not sure if this was intentional in the mould, or a result of being packed in a box slightly too small as both sides of the dome are up against the inside of the original box. Used a heat gun and a glass of cold water, took a few attempts to get it to where I'm happy with it.

Before
IMG_20161030_123835545.jpg


After
IMG_20161030_130502232.jpg


It's a subtle change, but without it the gaps either side of the face are uneven.

Also used a pointed Dremel tool to open up holes for the cheek indents under the eyes, and filled with isopon before pushing in with my thumb nail to form the indent shape. The eyes got some Isopon too as they needed building up a bit more, as well the left cheek. After leaving it to set it was all sanded and then a thick coat of filler primer spray added - although the cab ran out on the dome.

IMG_20161030_141857144.jpg


Will leave it till Thursday before sanding again, using fine model filler on any remaining areas that aren't smooth, and another grey primer coat. Hopefully Friday both the dome and mask will get the first gloss black coats - it'll take a few weeks to paint it as I want to leave a week between coats for the paint to cure.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Angelwing » Thu Nov 03, 2016 5:33 pm

Spack wrote: a heat gun and a glad of child water,


I'm getting an legal grey area vibe here.... haha :lol:
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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Thu Nov 03, 2016 5:36 pm

Disaster! Went to sand the dome and found that the right side had warped worse than it was originally, pulled in and flat. Gah!

A quick rummage round the kitchen and i found a Pyrex dish with about the right curvature, and after trying a few different arrangements of clamps I managed to come up with a combination that I think will work. This time instead of heating up the plastic and then cooling it with cold water while trying to hold it in shape in going for a gentle cool down in utility area where it's almost outside temperature.

IMG_20161103_172826734.jpg


I'll leave it like this for a few hours, then remove all the clamps and leave it overnight. If it holds its shape then I'll be sanding and priming again, otherwise I'll have to figure out another way to reshape it.

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:03 pm

Angelwing wrote:
Spack wrote: a heat gun and a glad of child water,


I'm getting an legal grey area vibe here.... haha

That's what I get for using my phone with autocorrect. Fixed it now :)

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Re: Rubies Darth Vader Supreme Helmet Modifications

Postby Spack » Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:04 pm

Removed all the clamps and it's looking much better, there's a slight kink to it but the angle looks about right, and it's also curved all the way round the flange rather than having a flat spot.

IMG_20161103_204842666.jpg


Should have a better idea tomorrow if this is a permanent fix .

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