Building A Death Trooper Helmet and Failing, but Learning Along the Way (Star Wars Prop Build)

[@SparrowHawk183]

As long as you pay close attention, record your results, and change for the next iteration, failure does not exist. Awesome build! Thanks for sharing.

[@brungerbuilds]

‘Preciate it! Thanks for watchin!

[@rebel_destroyer]

To remove marks from paint after taping, you can use acrylic clear gloss varnish, it slightly dissolves the previous layer of paint and smoothes it out so that traces of the tape are not visible

[@brungerbuilds]

Interesting 🤔 Thanks for the tip!

[@SlugLife12]

Pro tip from an ex car bodywork and sprayer: those little imperfections and bubbles are caused by tiny silicon particles. They can come from anywhere but a common cause is deodorant or antiperspirant if you use it! We had to minimise the use of anything that contained these in the bodyshop and heavily wiped panels down with a degreaser before spraying. One thing I can never understand is the use of rattle cans for the paint job people spend hundreds of hours printing, sanding, and getting the surface just right only to use a "cheap" paint finish. A small compressor and a mini HVLP spray gun are not expensive and would completely transform the paint job. Amazing project though incredible effort!

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for the tip! I definitely plan on getting a spray gun one of these days…😅 Thanks for watchin!

[@svensktigr]

BABE WAKE UP, ANOTHER BRUNGER BUILD JUST DROPPED

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks fer watchin!

[@TheSmugglersRoom]

Friends don’t let friend paint with cold paint 😜. Great stuff man! Love all the projects you’ve been sharing! Appreciate you showing us all the paint challenges. It happens to us all, and it’s refreshing to see a maker share the losses and wins on a project.

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for watching! ‘Preciate the kind words too! I’m definitely flyin by the seat of my pants and learning a ton on the go and I figure that’s valuable for viewers so they don’t make the same mistakes! 😅

[@MandoMakes]

The yellow frog tape. Hands down is worth the money. I use it for all my masking when doing multiple layers.

[@brungerbuilds]

Lots of people have recommended that so I’ll definitely be trying out!

[@GeneralSpeer]

Very well done mate. As a Death Trooper in the 501st, I totally understand the pain of gloss paints. Because of the love we have for it at GA, the Seymour branded paint has yielded better results overall and I've had amazing sucess with some of my personal projects using their MRO gloss enamel. Hope those tips help for future projects! Also really great filler primer from those guys too

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for the tips!

[@kilo_kilo]

I hate sanding, it gets everywhere. Great video, really nice to see a creator fixing some mistakes. And the Death Trooper helmet is an awesome design, I think I'll print a little one for my shelf.

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for watching! It definitely is one of the best of the newer Star Wars designs! It fits so perfectly into the OG trilogy aesthetic 🤓

[@thesteveruss]

I love sanding ❤

[@RobertJacksonLawrence]

I use frog tape for masking, really clean edges and no residue left so far. Fantastic channel, going to try the chalk on my future builds

[@brungerbuilds]

I’ll have to try that! Wish frog tape wasn’t so much more expensive 😅

[@blackc1479]

For the details I use Tamiya masking tape, and regular blue painters for bigger areas. I've heard frogs really good. But I'm cheap lol.

[@brentcox6201]

I saw someone with a patch on their shop apron that said, "member of the anti sanding, sanding club".....man I feel that

[@brungerbuilds]

Definitely 😅

[@westdecker]

I really enjoyed watching your process. Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work!

[@brungerbuilds]

Dude! Thank you so much. Means a lot ❤️

[@ShadowSplicer42]

I am currently building my own full set of death trooper armour! and im going to be honest... this is so inspiring! Thank you so much for being such a cool aprt of the community to keep people like me inspired when failures happen and you keep us going! Legend!

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for the kind words! If I can ask, what kind/ brand of paint are you planning on using?

[@LivingLambeaux]

It looks pretty perfect to me! Nice job dude

[@brungerbuilds]

Thank you!

[@fitzgeraldlewis]

It is a good day, another Brungerbuilds video has arrived! ❤ coffee at the ready!

[@brungerbuilds]

🫡

[@stellarscalemodels5690]

Nice build - i'd like that sanding mantra as 12 h loop please :D

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks! I’ll get to that one of these days 😂

[@arghjayem]

My father always told me “measure twice, cut once” when it comes to woodworking, an approach that can be easily adapted for anything. Including situations like this! Fortunately it’s a prop, or rather a costume. I used to work in the film industry making stuff like this. You’d be amazed how often mistakes like yours happen! But you roll with it. So the paint finish doesn’t come out how you like because you mistook layer and enamel….great, now it’s authentic weathering! Or battle damage even! You roll with the mistakes and adapt! 😂 It’s like Adam Savage says a lot of “hiding the crimes” with weathering or other things goes on! 😂

[@GttiqwT]

been watching a bunch of these, your work is incredible!! you should try to do a stormtrooper helmet! but one from a new hope!

[@brungerbuilds]

Definitely on my list! Thanks for watchin!

[@erinkarp]

It turned out great!

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks!

[@studio-rawr]

Once again, seriously admire your perseverance, and even though it may not have turned out as you had hoped it's an amazing looking helmet.

[@brungerbuilds]

Thank you very much! Sitting up on my shelf none of the imperfections can even be seen. There’s a lesson in there somewhere 🤔

[@MasnMakes]

Letss goooo, I've been really wanting to build this same helmet. I'm so excited to start this.

[@brungerbuilds]

Awesome! Good luck on the build!

[@kopytko1059]

I have no words... Top Tier video in all ways. Czapki z głów

[@brungerbuilds]

Thank you!

[@rodrigogranese5968]

I love to see you make and paint a Qimir helmet

[@brungerbuilds]

Maybe one of these days! 😊

[@leolehane9988]

Very nice! I'm looking forward to working together on something, your skills in painting and weathering are honestly insane

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks! Definitely still got a lot to learn when it comes to painting properly 😅

[@House_of_M_Studios]

Do you have a video of how you made the buck for the vacuum forming table? I’m getting ready to build my table but this is the part not many people have video for.

[@brungerbuilds]

In my case the buck came as a printable file with the helmet from The Galactic Armory. You fill, sand and paint it like you would the helmet. I wet sanded it up to 1500 grit just to make sure it was nice and smooth before forming. They do degrade after a few forms due to the heat of the PETG slowing melting the PLA so keep that in mind!

[@House_of_M_Studios]

@@brungerbuilds thank you!

[@rodrigogranese5968]

¡Gracias!

[@brungerbuilds]

Thank you!

[@crazylegsmurphy]

I think the mico-bubbles are a result of not allowing the previous layer(s) of paint to flash off long enough. The result is that as the layers before attempt to release the gas, they get trapped by the layer above causing bubbles. You can reduce this by allowing the layer to dry 10-15min (depending on temp) before the next layer goes down.

[@crazylegsmurphy]

As for tape. Frog Tape brand makes a "delicate surface" type that is much less sticky. I'm sure other brands have similar tape as well.

[@brungerbuilds]

Thanks for the tape tip! I think you may be right about allowing the layers to flash. I gotta work on being more patient when painting 😅

[@rapidsparkgaming]

Awesome build and getting that super smooth surface is difficult I understand your pain I just got done building an ironman helmet for the first time and sanding sucks I hate sanding.

[@DaveDeVault]

I have had pretty good success with the Scotch Blue Painter's Tape

[@brungerbuilds]

That was gonna be the next thing I try!

[@DaveDeVault]

@@brungerbuilds Another way to weather something like this is to put a base coat after the primer of some type of metallic grey. Finish like you would with topcoat of paint. You then use a file, knife etc to scratch down to the metallic layer. It gives the scratch, weathering a more organic look.

[@3dpathfinder]

id recommend UV resin, So much easier to get a smooth surface and get rid of layer lines

[@brungerbuilds]

I’ve been meaning to try that, but I just don’t like the idea of resin dust floating all over my garage afterwards 😅

[@patrickcadieux3264]

painters tape works great for me

[@brungerbuilds]

I’ve started using 3M’s version of frog tape and thats worked out great so far!

[@blackc1479]

Feel your pain about multi part buckets. Currently working on my third mando helmet😢 Black is a nightmare to get a good gloss. If you dont mind more sanding ive had decent results with wetsanding with with the superfine sanding sheets the car modelers use. Like up to 15k. Awesome build.👏

[@brungerbuilds]

Nice! In a couple weeks, I’m gonna be attempting an ESB paint job on Galactic Armory’s Book of Boba helmet 😅

[@blackc1479]

​@@brungerbuildsright on. BTW, how did you get the green tint to the visor?

[@brungerbuilds]

I talk about the process in the video, but I used iDye Poly. It was kind of hectic and I didn’t love the process but I’m unsure if there’s another way to get the tint

[@blackc1479]

@@brungerbuilds I saw that part and all the assorted woes, didn't catch the name of it. I guess I just figured it was a regular smoke tint.

[@brungerbuilds]

iDye makes a ton of colors so its what The Galactic Armory suggests for colored visors, but I’m definitely going to be looking for other options. Heating the water was just way too finicky for my taste. Maybe if I get a better thermometer it’d be ok 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@peterclegg2609]

Do you ever use wet sanding? really cuts down on the dust.

[@brungerbuilds]

Yup! I always wet sand at the filler primer stage. The wood filler is reactivated by water so I dry sand during that initial stage. I do it over a dust collector system I rigged up with an inline duct fan and hvac filter inside a cardboard box

[@wildecity_88]

Dude, you should try Tamiya masking tape or at least some type of tape made for scale models.

[@brungerbuilds]

I’ve started using 3M’s version of frogtape which seems to be working out pretty good so far!

[@thecia9051]

Good video just wanna suggest saying what grit of sand paper ur using when sanding down the wood filler would be great.

[@brungerbuilds]

Sorry about that! Usually I mention it. I used 150 grit for heavy removal and then switched to 220 once i got closer to the surface of the helmet. Then 220-400 on the filler primer.

[@thecia9051]

@@brungerbuilds thank you. I’m working on a few project right now and swapping between using plain filler bondo, the heavy Dudy bondo that’s 2 parts and wood filler. Do you recommend wood filler the most?

[@brungerbuilds]

I imagine bondo is probably much tougher if you were to be wearing armor or a helmet all day at a convention or something like that, but since most of my stuff is just going on a shelf I use wood filler since I don’t want to have to worry about the toxic dust from bondo. I still wear a dust mask when I sand, but its nice not worrying so much about it floating around my garage

[@thecia9051]

@@brungerbuilds ok great thanks. I’m working on a 1:2 scale full f1 car so wood filler is def just a lil cheaper and lil easier to sand. Thank you

[@marvelthespacewing5562]

Next time use a digital thermometer, that thermometer is designed to measure the inside temperature of food, they using a digital one of a thermometer gun is more recommended

[@fergie89]

I'm currently working on this, just printed the face plate. Did you use PLA or PETG? (or something else).

[@brungerbuilds]

PLA for the main body of the helmet and the face, but resin printed the smaller details with ABS-like resin

[@fergie89]

@@brungerbuilds Sweet, I'm going to end up with PLA for all of it since resin isn't an option for me right now. Fantastic video and helped me plan out my finishing process a lot better!

[@brungerbuilds]

@@fergie89 Awesome! Glad you got some value out of it!

[@My2Drumsticks]

I have seen a lot of professional model painters use silly paddy to mask off.

[@brungerbuilds]

Definitely gotta check that out 🤔

[@patharmon9760]

Rust-Oleum paint is the worst, and most of your paint related issues is because of it. You can follow their instructions to a T, but it'll still ruin itself. Duplicolor makes a much better paint. Some people don't like it, but unlike Rust-Oleum, it actually dries, instead of just feeling tacky forever.

[@brungerbuilds]

I’ll check it out!

[@emro7519]

Any paint in a can is junk, you'll never get a decent finish.

[@patharmon9760]

@@emro7519 That's not true at all. Actually, the Tamiya paint he used is incredible.

[@littlekardingsungkit2122]

Bro, where's the most awaited Darth Vader helmet?

[@brungerbuilds]

Not sure 😅

[@BoneheadGuitars]

You're disappointed with two weeks? Dude...

[@brungerbuilds]

😅