30 Apr 2006 :: Building an EP3 Clone Helmet, part 2

Doing my part for the war effort.

Part II

Thanks in part to the Episode III EPK (electronic press kit) I had a large amount of reference - so much that I almost went crazy deciding what had to be changed to keep my OCD compulsions in check! First up was the visor area which needed the interior edge trimmed back to be the same depth all the way round. So out with the Dremel! I took the chance to clean up the resin on the interior of this area so the visor would sit flush once installed. I also decided to reshape the whole visor opening, mainly the bridge of the nose, to be symmetrical... What a nerd! I then cut and filed the frown vents to be accurate, which included removing the extra vents (which shouldn't be there) on either side with the help of bondo. I also used filler to reshape and fix the defect on the dome. Once I had it shaped to my liking I started to clean up the details - this is where I started to lose feeling in my fingers! The tools of the trade? I mainly used a Dremel (with a cutting disc and grinding stone), putty and copious amounts of sandpaper. Sharpening and cleaning up the details is a long and boring process to most people, but I was in OCD overdrive and loving it. This is what I live for - perfection! Well, the pursuit of perfection... Every part of the helmet was manipulated some how; the ear-caps, mohawk, brow and trim (all the way around) and the aerator dimples in the chin - I have no idea what the other parts are called, but they were dealt to as well.

Primer was then applied in preparation for the white. The hard part was over, right?

Previous page: Part One.
Next page: Part Three.

Related link: Outpost-42, New Zealand costuming and prop collecting forums.

Callum F