supa troop Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Usually im very cautious and picky about what items i buy, i like them to be of the highest standard, which im sure pretty much goes for 99.9% of us. Today i learnt a valuable lesson dont buy a prevviously owned or previously built item until absolutely sure your happy that the build is to your standard. My CAP helmet arrived today and to say im a little disappointed is an understatment, i figured as my TD is for Display purposes i wouldnt have much problem buying a reputable helmet that had been pre-built, unfortunately this not the case, the whole helmet is going to have to be disassembeled and re-done, i guess in all honesty this isnt a major problem but its the principle of buying something on the word of a seller and not getting whats expected. My armour is on order with another helmet, the armour will be converted to TD and the new Helmet kept as TK for display also. OK so onto the dissappointing CAP and hopefully your help and advice. The build is actually awful to be honest and the paint even worse. picture 1 The cap has a massive gap, so this will have to be unscrewed and brought forward flush with the face plate Picture 2 The view from the back of the helmet looking at the right ear has awful gaps, the ear piece will need to be trimmed Picture 3 The Mic tips sit proud and are not Mic tips im familiar with at all picture 4 The screw in the bottom of the ear have been painted white and this has discoloured and gone like powder, are they supposed to be painted white ?? Picture 5 all the painting is awful you can see the brush marks in the tears and in some cases the white of the helmet shows through the grey Picture 6 More terrible paint work and again those horrible pins in the helmet Is there a safe way i can remove the paint ?? i think id prefer to use Decals to be honest for this helmet build. Im not impressed with the build on this Helmet and to be honest im not sure im impressed with the CAP helmet in general. As mentioned i intend to strip this down to kit form again and amend the problems i realise it will be weathered to portray "The MOVE ALONG TROOPER" but i at least want a decent starting point. il up date progress as when i do it, but in the mean time any hints, tips and suggestions are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Man... sorry about that. I hate getting something that is so far below what your expectations are. I don't know anything about CAP buckets from personal experience but this looks to me like it was a recast. It's awfully "smooth" and the mic tip situation (them sitting so far "out") leads me to that conclusion as well. But, that being said, I have no doubt you can dissemble it, rework it, reassemble and have a good looking bucket. There aren't any major flaws that can't be reworked or eventually hidden — that I can see at least. Good luck, and yes... keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandatrooper Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 It's more about the quality of assembly than the maker. If it was an original Cap or Cap W, they're not bad helmets in terms of detail. You could disassemble it and get some new ears from ATA or another maker, and easily fix it up / repaint it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Fury Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 I purchased a used CAP bucket (was not near that bad) but I tore it all a part, then re-assembled how I wanted and re-painted it and in the end, it looked awesome. Sucks to see it arrive like that but you can fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBoy Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Ahh man....sorry to hear as well. Have you tried contacting the seller to see if they will take it back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 All your problems can easily be sorted out. The gap at the brow might not be as prominent when the rubber trim is fitted. If it is, then you need to push the forehead forward to close it up. Just undo one side of the helmet and refix where you want it. No need to undo both sides. The gaps on the ear caps just need material trimming off the ear cap to bring it closer to the helmet. All screws are painted white as the whole helmet is painted white originally, so if your helmet is natural plastic the screws need painting. Mic tips may not be the best, but you can buy better ones from Keith or Mark. Painted details can be painted over, so no problem there. I'm guessing you bought this helmet blindly. One mans idea of a good helmet is not good for another, so always get to see photos of used helmets if you can. If you need any help with anything, just me know. I have assembled one or two helmets in the past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 Thanks for the input guys Ive completely stripped the helmet down now, i just think it was badly trimmed and put together to be honest. Im going to order some new ears for it fit it back together when those arrive and then weather it up "Move along" Style. Rather than re-paint over the exsisting paint work can i remove whats already there safley if so what can i use? How do i get in touch with ATA for new ears, is he a member here ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIVE Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 ... I have assembled one or two helmets in the past I would've guessed 3. How do i get in touch with ATA for new ears, is he a member here ??His email is: ATAworks@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBoy Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Im going to order some new ears for it fit it back together when those arrive and then weather it up "Move along" Style. Since you are going to rip it apart and do new ears, you should see what you can do with your existing ones. At least it will give you some extra practice and if they dont turn out right, trash em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 Since you are going to rip it apart and do new ears, you should see what you can do with your existing ones. At least it will give you some extra practice and if they dont turn out right, trash em good call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I don't see why you really need new ear caps. A bit of trimming should get them fitting right. Don't be affraid of bending them into place. Get the circular part fitting right and pull the lower tail close to the helmet with the screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 I don't see why you really need new ear caps. A bit of trimming should get them fitting right. Don't be affraid of bending them into place. Get the circular part fitting right and pull the lower tail close to the helmet with the screws. Im worried this may pull the helmet out of shape? ive added the Brow trim and pulled the face closer so the gap has gone, by added the ears there seems to be excess Plastic around the bottom and now the trim doesnt seem to reach around the bottom of the helmet, its been originally trimmed quite poorly. il keep persisting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk7713gra30 Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Hi The screws and paint will come off with screen wash, cheap bottle at Halfords for £5 and soak them. Failing that you can strip the screws in paint stripper and alchol IPA will definately remove all paint, I did it recently. You can get it from boots or here http://www.shinyhardware.co.uk/prods/search.asp?searchBox=isopropanol IPA will not harm any plastic but do not get the paint stripper near to the plastic (only use on screws). I did a run of hollow tips on Xmas eve and although I haven't posted them yet i will be selling some as painted and primed. They come from 1 piece moulds and so I only hand to compromise with the inner rim. You can have a set unpainted now for £2.50 inclu postage if you like. When I get them painted I will do them in CHEAP, small runs, the idea that people can add their own mesh, I use a cheap sieve from the market and not have to spend a fortune to get ok tips. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 Hi The screws and paint will come off with screen wash, cheap bottle at Halfords for £5 and soak them. Failing that you can strip the screws in paint stripper and alchol IPA will definately remove all paint, I did it recently. You can get it from boots or here http://www.shinyhardware.co.uk/prods/search.asp?searchBox=isopropanol IPA will not harm any plastic but do not get the paint stripper near to the plastic (only use on screws). I did a run of hollow tips on Xmas eve and although I haven't posted them yet i will be selling some as painted and primed. They come from 1 piece moulds and so I only hand to compromise with the inner rim. You can have a set unpainted now for £2.50 inclu postage if you like. When I get them painted I will do them in CHEAP, small runs, the idea that people can add their own mesh, I use a cheap sieve from the market and not have to spend a fortune to get ok tips. Regards I have a load of pins so im ok with that i just need to know whats safe to remove the Paint off the helmet itself ?? yeah im defo in for Mic tips too thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk7713gra30 Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I have a load of pins so im ok with that i just need to know whats safe to remove the Paint off the helmet itself ?? yeah im defo in for Mic tips too thanks Hi mate IPA is definately the safests, its 99.9% alcohol. PM me you address and I will post the tips straight away You can PP me when you get them All the best Gra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Fury Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I don't see why you really need new ear caps. A bit of trimming should get them fitting right. Don't be affraid of bending them into place. Get the circular part fitting right and pull the lower tail close to the helmet with the screws. What he said ^^^ They will flex quite a bit, I do the same thing. Get the round part to fit how you like, then pull the lower part down tight to test the fit, sand and repeat. Keep doing it that way until it sits tight how you like it, then attach the top two screws and then the bottom. I have often had to drill a different hole to make it tighter, had to do this on the used CAP I picked up. The rubber neck trim hid the old open hole, so it was no problem. As somebody else said, worse you can do is mess the ears up more and then order a set from ATA anyway, so no big deal, either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smally Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Sorry about your bad luck here Simon but look at it this way, once you have sorted out the build, added some decals and new mic tips, repainted the screws and added a splash of dirt you will have one great looking lid that you can proudly say YOU built! Kind of a 'Phoenix from the ashes' Be sure to post before and after pics showing how you saved this helmet from an ugly existence! Smally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 Sorry about your bad luck here Simon but look at it this way, once you have sorted out the build, added some decals and new mic tips, repainted the screws and added a splash of dirt you will have one great looking lid that you can proudly say YOU built! Kind of a 'Phoenix from the ashes' Be sure to post before and after pics showing how you saved this helmet from an ugly existence! Smally. Cheers Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 ok so i had a break from my sons Mini TD build and tried to sort out the mess that is the CAP helmet i aquired i completely stripped it down and noticed it had been trimmed really badly note the face plate So i cut quite a bit off from the top of the face and various other areas, im begining to wonder if this was a second or something its really badly warped in places or again just really badly trimmed After a few hours ..... yes hours i began to get a shape of a Trooper helmet, i managed to close up all the gaps and i now have a nice snug fit between the Dome and Face plate, underneath it looks like a pin cushion i had to keep pinning the helmet in various places until id got it sitting just right. Im obviously trying to get the "Move Along Trooper" look so your opinions would be greatly appreciated on wether ive achieved that so far or im way off, if im way off unfortunately im stuck with the look i now have still a long ways to go I feel so much happier now however i now have the ears to tackle .... which im not looking forward too at all More to come thanks for looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk7713gra30 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 ok so i had a break from my sons Mini TD build and tried to sort out the mess that is the CAP helmet i aquired i completely stripped it down and noticed it had been trimmed really badly note the face plate So i cut quite a bit off from the top of the face and various other areas, im begining to wonder if this was a second or something its really badly warped in places or again just really badly trimmed After a few hours ..... yes hours i began to get a shape of a Trooper helmet, i managed to close up all the gaps and i now have a nice snug fit between the Dome and Face plate, underneath it looks like a pin cushion i had to keep pinning the helmet in various places until id got it sitting just right. Im obviously trying to get the "Move Along Trooper" look so your opinions would be greatly appreciated on wether ive achieved that so far or im way off, if im way off unfortunately im stuck with the look i now have still a long ways to go I feel so much happier now however i now have the ears to tackle .... which im not looking forward too at all More to come thanks for looking I like mate :-), a lot and, it looks bang on to me, lovely shape. Good luck with the ears, looking forward to seeing more. All the best Gra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scootch Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Wow! Just stumbled across this thread. Looks like you've got it licked at this point. Don't know where you got that lid bro but I know CAP never used those funky button topped screws. Is it HIPS? Anyway, nice work on the high brow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 ive been really busy lately but im starting work on this again. can i just get some clarification on a couple of things im going to try and and hand paint this so am i right in saying i need humbrol '#85 satin black, #5 grey, and #14 blue is their a template for painting the tube stripes ? and im i right in saying the Sandtroopers had Flat green len's thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandatrooper Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Those colors will work fine. Some people will use gloss or semi gloss paints. Personally, I have switched to Testors Model master paints as I feel they flow better and dry mor consistently. Humbrol changed their formulations due to regulations and they take days to dry. Just make sure to let each coat dry overnight. Yes. TDs and stunt ANH TKs had flat green lenses. Heres my ATA ABS build for painting tips http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=14806&st=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supa troop Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Those colors will work fine. Some people will use gloss or semi gloss paints. Personally, I have switched to Testors Model master paints as I feel they flow better and dry mor consistently. Humbrol changed their formulations due to regulations and they take days to dry. Just make sure to let each coat dry overnight. Yes. TDs and stunt ANH TKs had flat green lenses. Heres my ATA ABS build for painting tips http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=14806&st=0 Great Terry thank you im almost certain the paints you use would not be available in the UK, i wonder if there is a better UK paint to use thank humbrol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandatrooper Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 You'll have to search and see if hobby stores carry Testors paints. here's a link to some other shops that might http://www.scale-models.co.uk/chit-chat/4382-testors-paint.html Some people like the Humbrols, I personally can't stand them. You need to mix them forever and let them sit for 3-4 days, which is ridiculous. Testors dry in like 30 minutes and cure hard overnight. They are cheaper and flow better IMO. I spoke to a Humbrol rep and they changed the formulas because they had toxic ingredients in them, and ever since then they are runny and take forever to dry. I think many people like them because that's what we "think" they used in '77. I personally don't care, as long as the color is close to screen used, no one cares what brand you use. Here's some tube stripe masking templates I created a while back http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?showtopic=8176 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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