Don Post Classic Action TIE Helmet

I've just got myself a Don Post Classic Action TIE helmet on eBay. This is the helmet everyone is after and I was very lucky 
to get it. It is much bigger than the Rubies or the Don Post standard and is actual 'movie sized'. However, I didn't start off with this...

Rubies TIE Fighter Helmet

I got my Rubies TIE helmet on eBay. Many of the hardcore costumers will no doubt sneer at the thought of owning a Rubies.
Sure, they aren't the best 'out of the box' but with a little work and some imagination, they can be great. They lack the final finishing
and care that you would expect to find on a more expensive helmet but it's nothing that can't be fixed at home with some simple tools
and techniques. If you aren't particularly picky them you can of course keep your Rubies 'as is' but I felt the need to tinker with mine!

The great thing about Rubies helmets is that they are made of RotoCast Vinyl - a material which can be easily re-shaped once you have
applied heat to it. I heated mine simply by using a hairdryer. You can use a heat gun but I would advise extreme caution as they can be
a little on the fierce side and you run the risk of completely ruining the helmet. You can also immerse the thing in hot water. I wouldn't
advise this personally as you are more likely to be working on localised parts of the helmet rather than the whole thing in one hit.

First of all, the 'ears' were very deformed. They curled in towards the bottom rim of the helmet. I heated them, straightened them out
and then made some reinforcing pieces out of 1/2" plywood. I made these by first cutting out a paper pattern to fit the inside of the ears.
Once I was happy with the shape, I cut the plywood pieces out on the bandsaw (you can use a jigsaw or a hand saw for this) and fixed
them in place using epoxy resin. Now my ears are not only straight but I can be sure that they won't be going anywhere in future!

Obviously I now use my Don Post CA for every event. I intend to keep the Rubies though and have actually just re-sprayed it with
BMW Cosmos Black metallic paint. It's looking very good! I am waiting for some new decals to turn up. Once these have arrived
I will fit them, paint the other details in silver and then clear-coat the whole thing. This will be a very nice looking helmet when complete.



This picture shows the size difference between the Don Post Classic Action and the Standard/Rubies