Helmet extended!

So, What was all that Fiberglassing for?

The helmet is now extended and the next step will be to paint it with self-etching primer, then coat many areas with Evercoat filler (much like Bondo), then sand it all smooth and rounded and pretty. except where the edges need to be sharp. files and careful sanding there...

 So here we have the Vader helmet 'bucket' with its length extended all along the bottom by about an inch. You can see a few remnants of the white polystyrene plastic sheet i used to make the 'mold' into which i shaped the fiberglass, layer after layer, until it was finally thick enough.

 Another shot, clearer and from a better angle. There's maybe 5-7 layers of fiberglass cloth along the edges here making it between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch thick at the thick areas along the sides and bottom and tapering to very thin in the top middle 'widow's peak'

 As you can see a lot of cleanup sanding will need to be done inside. While technically this step is unnecessary, I doubt by OCD nature will let me avoid doing it.

 Here we get a really good look at just how much thickness is added. the red line at the top is where i will be Cutting off part of the extended part.

Ahh.. Another step done.. The edges are now dremelled down. The bucket is long in the back and only a tiny bit longer in the front than originally. This will allow it to look much closer to the helmet in "Empire Strikes Back"

 One more picture. just because i Like it. . Lots more left to do. Once i have finished using filler putty to make everything super smooth i will then have to add the 'mohawk' or 'raised stripe' that goes along the middle of the helmet. The one that came molded on here was very rounded and bubble shaped. I sanded it off and am going to replace it with one with nearly squared off edges.

 Next Project: Neck Shaping

Next I'll be extending and shaping the neck of the mask part. This too will start with a polystyrene base upon which i will build up layers of fiberglass to give it the characteristic Flared Shape, like so:

  Here are the first couple layers of fiberglass being applied to the neck.

3 sides view of Extended skirt