In this tutorial, I will be guiding you on creating a good helmet using the Rubies 2-piece Jango as a starting point. I will

teach you how to construct the bucket, prepare it, paint it, and modify the included visor. This is not the only way to do

it; this is just how I did mine. It is intended to give you a good idea of what all needs to be done. I encourage you to

check the boards for other techniques and ideas.

The bucket is the iconic Mandalorian symbol. No matter what color it is or what modifications you end up making to it,

everyone who sees your buy’ce, even people who aren’t die-hard fans, will instantly think “Ooh, Boba Fett.” So, since

this piece of your costume is so important, it is important that you do a good job and make it something you can be

proud of.

That being said, I know that not everyone can pay out more than $200 dollars for a high-quality resin-cast helmet (It

doesn’t matter if you don’t know what that is. We’re not using one for this tutorial). That is why we will be using the

standard “2-piece Rubies Jango.” This is a good, cheap helmet and most people use it as their first. If, after working on

this, you decide that you enjoy costuming, it may be worth your effort to invest in a higher-end model for your second

set of armor, or “v2.”

Tools and Equipment

I found everything I needed for my helmet at Wal-Mart and home Depot. I wish I had a final cost for you, but I can’t

exactly remember. I could afford it all on a college student budget, though.

Palm sander—This will save you a lot of time and hassle. Using a sander, rather than just holding the sand paper will

help you to sand in a smooth, regular manner and prevent unevenness in the final product. It also gives you a good

handle to use, saving you from wearing yourself out too fast.

Sand paper of different grits. 80 and 220 are recommended—You can use any grit you like, but it is generally advisable

to use a rough grain first for removing material, then use the finer grain to clean it up.

Hobby files—These are for sanding in the small nooks and crannies where your sander won’t reach. I got a 6-piece set

that had different shapes and sizes.

Rotary Tool (Dremel)—This isn’t required, but it can be very useful for any number of application in the costuming

process. It can be a bit pricey, though.

Glue—Most people use an epoxy, and I myself used Loctite 5-minute epoxy for my first bucket. However, that is the

only kind I have used, so I can’t compare it to any other varieties. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed by the 5-minute epoxy,

mostly because it was anything but 5 minutes to dry, and 30 minutes can be a long time when you’re holding two pieces

of your project together.

Bondo—This was my first experience with the stuff, and I was thoroughly fascinated by it. It is a tub of putty, and by

mixing in a hardening cream, it dries solid as a rock in less than 30 minutes. After making it, though, it will begin setting

in less than 5 minutes, so you need to work fast. If you take too long, additional spreading will actually take bondo off of

the surface. It is important to remember that it is a filler, and not an adhesive. It does not have any structural integrity,

so don’t try to use it as a support structure or to hold pieces together.

Spreading paddles—These are for smearing the bondo across the surface. I hear they make tools especially for this

purpose, but I just used an old credit card, and it worked fine.

Spray paint—

Painter’s Tape—

Window Tint—Many people buy a welder’s visor for their helmet, but it is possible to modify the standard visor for it to

pass application. I used 20% for my visor (it allows 20% of light to pass through). I’ve also seen 35%, 5%, and 2.5%.

Helmet Stand— It takes a lot of the hassle out of painting. I used the handle of a push broom and jabbed it into the

ground. Just balance your helmet on it when you paint so you can get to all areas of the surface, including the underside

edges.

Part I—Construction:

Step 1—Visor Removal: Carefully pull the visor off of the pegs on the faceplate. You can trim them to make this easier,

and you will need to do it anyways before you can put it back on. Set it aside for later.

Step 2—Cut out the keyholes: I used a rotary tool to bore out the little pieces.

Step 3—Sanding: This will be very tedious, but it is very important. Using the palm sander and sand paper, rough up the

entire surface including where the pieces fit together. This is important because the paint, glue, and bondo need

something to grip, and if the surface is smooth, everything will just flake off. On the painted parts, make sure you get all

the way down to the plastic. For the areas where the sander can’t fit, pull out your hobby files. Don’t forget the range

finder (antennae) and the earcaps.

Step 4—Glue: Squirt glue into the peg holes and fit the two halves together without the range finder in place. Try to

make sure that the surfaces line up. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t, but it will mean more bondo and more

sanding later on. Allow it to dry and cure completely, up to 24 hours. Then run a bead of glue along the entire seam.

Again, allow to dry for 24 hours.

Step 5—Seam Support: I used some old discount cards for this, but

you can use something else if it provides structural support for the

seam. Cut them so that they fit snugly between the pins, and then

glue them in place. If your seam isn’t properly reinforced, it could

split later, and that would not be good.

Step 6—Bondo: There are pretty much two options when it comes to

applying bondo to your dome. One method is to apply a layer of bondo

only on the seam and on approximately two inches in either direction. The

other method is to apply bondo to the entire dome. Mix the putty

according to the directions on the container, and then pour it onto the

dome. Use your paddle to spread the

bondo out across the surface. The

thinner you can spread it, the less

sanding you will have to do later. Allow

to cure for 30 minutes.

Considerations for bondo:

If you mix in too much hardener, it will set up faster than you can spread it; if you don’t add enough hardener, it

won’t set up at all; see what works best for you.

Some people have made concoctions of mixing bondo and fiberglass; I didn’t use it, but I hear good things.

Step 7— Sanding Again: Sand down the bondo so that it is smooth with the rest of the surface. After you wear it down,

“feather edge” the bondo. That means to use a finer grain sandpaper at the edges to help it look more smooth and

blend with the surface.

Step 8—Prime: Apply a few thin coats of primer to the entire outside of the

helmet. I used Rust-olem Self-Etching Primer. This makes it easier to

detect high spots and low spots to fix before continuing.

Repeat steps 6, 7, and 8, priming and sanding the whole bucket and

applying bondo to any low spots, until you have the entire piece shaped

and smoothed to your satisfaction. It may take several iterations of the

process before you are pleased with the results. Just keep driving on.

Step 9—Earcaps: This was the worst part of the build for me. The earcaps

did not want to stay on. What I did was mix up some 5 minute epoxy and

slather the pegs with it, and then smeared a layer where the earcaps would be. Then, after placing the ears on, I

smeared a bead all the way around both of them. Allow to cure for 24 hours.

Thought: If you have a better idea, feel free to use it, and then please let

me know, so I can improve this tutorial.

Part II— Paint:

Step 1—Metallic Layer: Apply multiple thin layers of a metallic paint to the helmet, covering the entire surface. I used

Rust-oleum Aluminum, but use whatever color you like best. Make sure to get in all the crevasses, in the key holes, and

along the bottom edge. After coating the entire bucket with thin coats, I applied another, thicker coat to even it out and

give it a better luster. Whether or not you do that is up to you. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

Step 2—Masking Layer: Take a small- and I mean very small- paint brush and dab it in cheap toothpaste. I used Aim,

which costs 89 cents for a tube. Dab it across any part of the helmet that you want to appear weathered or damaged.

Concentrate on high spots like corners and convex edges, where a helmet would naturally get dinged. Tap the brush

very lightly. If you apply too much, the finished effect will look blobby, rather than chipped paint. Mask as much of the

surface as you like; the more masked, the more beat up the final product will look. I used the toothpaste over the

imperfections on my bucket. This way, it looks like it was damaged, rather than mistakes in production.

Step 3—Base Color: Remember the step about the metallic layer? Do the same

thing here. I used Krylon Glossy Georgia Clay. However, after applying the thin

coats, I didn’t apply a thick top-coat, because I wanted a rougher finish. Allow to

dry for 24 hours.

Step 4—Reveal Weathering: Using a fingernail or similar device,

scrape the toothpaste off of the bucket to reveal the metallic

undercoat.

Step 5—Taping: Use painter’s tape to cover any areas that you want to remain the base color. For large areas, you can

use newspaper with painter’s tape around it.

Step 6—Masking Again: Apply another layer of toothpaste to any untaped areas which you want to appear chipped or

worn. Make sure to cover all spots you exposed on the base coat, plus any additional areas where you want the

basecoat to show through the accent color.

Step 7—Accent Color: Apply thin coats of your accent color. I chose Krylon Satin Ivory. If

your accent color is lighter than your base color, expect to use several coats. When

removing the tape, pull it back over its self, not up. This will minimize paint peeling off

with the tape. Many people on the boards suggest removing the tape immediately after

painting, to avoid the tape bonding too well to the helmet. I didn’t try this, so I can’t

confirm or deny this technique.

Step 8—Reveal Weathering Again: Repeat Step 12.

Step 9—Grime and Dirt: This was my personal favorite part. Get a pack

of compressed charcoal sticks and pound or grind them into dust. Then,

use your fingers or a paint brush to smear it across the bucket. If you like,

you can take a squirt bottle of water to it. It only takes a few spritzes to

cause the charcoal to run. For the nooks and crannies of the helmet, I

took a small pile of powdered charcoal and wetted it, making it into a

paste or paint. I then took a paint brush and dabbed it into the corners.

After it dries completely, you can use more dry charcoal and a paper

towel to even out the surface. I used all three of these

techniques, and I encourage you to do the same until you find

what suits you best. This is really a trial and error process. After

you have it done as you like, apply several thin coats of matte

crystal clear coat finish to it, using the same technique as with

the colored coats.

Part III—Visor:

Step 1—Prep helmet: Remove the flanged ends of the pegs hat kept the visor in. The longer you leave the pegs, the

easier it will be to fit the visor back in. I used a pair of wire cutters, but anything sharp will suffice.

Step 2—Clean the Visor: Fill your sink with warm, soapy water and clean the visor.

Step 3—Cut out the Tint: Lay your visor flat on the film and cut out a rough estimation of the shape. You don’t have to

be precise because we’re going to cut it again later.

Step 4— Separate the Backing: Get two strips of tape (I used packaging tape) and place them on either side of a corner

of the patch of tint. Gently peel them apart to separate the backing. Then place the entire patch under water and peel

off the rest of the backing.

Step 5—Tinting Visor: Submerge the visor and lay it flat on the bottom of the sink, outside up. Then, slowly, press the

tinting film onto the visor, making sure to minimize bubbles and creases.

Step 6—Squeegee: While the visor remains underwater, use a credit card or similar device to firmly squeeze out any

bubbles on the surface.

Step 7—Trim: Remove the visor from the sink and allow to dry completely. Then, take a knife and trace around the

edge of the visor to remove any excess material around the outside. Also remove the film from the holes for the pegs.

Step 8—Attach: Fit the visor back into the helmet, tint side out. Then, with hot glue, Secure each peg. Start with the

top middle and work your way around. If some of the pegs don’t fit, you may have to wiggle it around some, or even

use a blade to open the hole up a little. After all of the pegs are secured, draw a bead of hot glue all the way around the

visor. Voila!

Part IV—Range Finder:

Still pending- Here is what I have, copied from a personal

message from Saberan Vhette. If you would like additional

information, talk to him.

Step 1: Remove the screw and the blue holding peg. You'll

need one 1/4 inch bolt, 1/2 inch long and a washer.

Step 2: Use the bolt in the square hole side of the

RF and turn it until it comes thru the other side.

Step 3: Remove the bolt and put the RF in the earcap slot.

Step 4: Put the bolt with the washer on the inside and

screw it down snug, not tight. it will work like the plastic

peg, but removable without killing your earcaps.

© 2013 Travis Jones

Acknowledgements:

First, Thanks to Jesus Christ.

Thanks to all of the members of the Mandalorian Mercs Costuming Club, particularly Jason A. (No’saj Huune), Zac F.

(Spanner Murraan), Kaleb R. (Dar’Kumn Vol), and Billy S. (Saberan Vhette).