How to make a cardboard costume helmet

Step 6: Add details

Now add any additional details. The "ears" on the helmet were made from laminated sections of cardboard the were glued together with white glue. They were then cut to shape. I used a bench top belt sander to help shape them. The "ears" were then glued to the sides of the helmet with a hot glue gun.

The dent on the top of the helmet and the two small triangles on the front were then cut out with an X-acto knife and then a piece of cardboard was glued onto the backside. The dent was then filled in with spackling paste. The rangefinder was then constructed from folded cardboard sheet and then glued together.

There is also a panel that gets glued onto the back of the helmet. This is done by cutting out a rectangular section in the back of the helmet and gluing the panel into the inside of the helmet.

Comments

[NexuGer]

Hi,
now my backbone is nearly ready and I got a new question. The pieces on page 6 of the manual (the 3 smaller ones on the left side - how do you combine these parts to get the part of the helmet which you add on the right side (when you watch the helmet from the front side)?

(second picture of your helmet on this internet page)

[Honus]

On page 6 that's just a three view drawing that shows the shape of the finished piece to add to the side of the helmet. What I did was make the piece from several layers of cardboard glued together and then used sandpaper to shape it. Then I glued the finished piece to the side of the helmet.

[NexuGer]

Oh, ok, I first thought that this part was kinda part which you had to add on the side on itself.
Another question for me is about the parts on page 7 (the round ones in the upper part). Is the left piece on the outer side and the right one on the inner side? When the right piece is on the inner side - why are these patterns on it?

[Honus]

Yep- the left piece is on the outer side. The drawing for the right piece shows a cut out section for people that want to make a pivot so the rangefinder can move up and down. I just left it flat and glued the rangefinder in the upright position.

[NexuGer]

Ok,
now I got another question about the rangefinder. I cut out the two pieces which are on site nr. 5/7 but I don't know where I should get the part which is between these two parts... It's on page 1/7 from the rangefinder manual in a dark blue color (between the two grey parts)

[Honus]

That's the rangefinder lens. The plans show both the ROTJ and ESB versions. Most people cut them from solid clear plastic but you could use wood or any other material you like.

[NexuGer]

But the plan doesn't show how to cut this piece out of paper, or?

[Honus]

No it doesn't- but you could transfer the dimensions to cardboard pretty easily.

[Wolfieus]

Hey Honus I forgot my password. I'm that guy that used to be Jaden Vynark. Do you have to use lightweight spackling paste, because i accidentaly bought regular?

[Honus]

You can use either one -it's fine.

[Jaden Vynark]

Where could I find a servo motor? Could I get one at Radioshack?

[Honus]

Try servocity.com

[Jaden Vynark]

Is it possible to make the antenna rotate? Because I had an idea for a rotating antenna. I was thinking I could stick a rotating motor on the antenna, to make it spin like it does in star wars bounty hunter. I could run a wire throught the sleeve attached to a button switch, with a battery. When I want it to stop in front of my face, I just hit the button again. I would probably put a hole in the antenna and add some clear sheeting to be able to see through it. Would that work?

[Honus]

Yep, you can do that. Some of the people on the Dented Helmet forum have made rotating sights. They usually use a small servo motor and that seems to work out pretty well.

[Jaden Vynark]

Thanks! I think it is going to be sooooooo cooooool!

[Doc226]

How do you put in the rangefinder?

[Honus]

It's glued into the earpiece on the side of the helmet -I just glued it in the upright position.

[jazpeople]

on the "ear" pieces where does the piece labels a-a fit in? and are the skinny pieces just to show how its put together or suppose to be incorporated in?

[Honus]

The a-a just shows what the cross section of the ear piece looks like. I just layered multiple cut sections to make the ear pieces.

[jazpeople]

 Thanks finished it in time for valentines day for my boyfriend ill put pictures soon

[Honus]

Cool- that was fast! Can't wait to see it.

[survivletroop]

i used ceareal box cardboard

[HanusBobaFettMaker]

does the view finder come down?

[Honus]

I made mine fixed but you could probably hinge it.

[fighter pilot]

oh, i see now, sorry

[Fettboy]

for the ears i used pencil boxes cut in half

[IamTheCreator]

It looks like you have a nice little workshop in the background ; P