MASSIVE BLOG UPDATE

So it's been a really long time since I've updated this blog. Actually a very long time. As of right now I'm currently working on the board game idea I've had, but at least I could update you on current events on the Daft Punk Helmet. Thomas's helmet has been a real trip in learning and discovering new techniques in the prop making process, and I'm very excited still for what is yet to come. A lot of different things have occurred over that time span since the first post, but I should simply display one of the more interesting parts of the ; process; the earpucks. The dome was easy to do in comparison to the thought process needed for the earpucks. It was just layer and sand, layer and sand, layer and sand. However the earpucks had to be perfect. They had to fit perfectly in place for them to fit into the premade holes that I had drilled out for them earlier, Which was a process in itself.

My main issue here was the wood. I had almost forgotten that the wood frame on the inside was still there, and needed to be removed. however I couldn't remove all the wood in the helmet, only the wood where the pucks would be placed inside. This was extremely difficult because I had to remove the wood carefully, as to not destroy the bondo coating surrounding the puck hole. Once this was done, I placed and sanded bondo in place to flatten and clean up the mess of the pink foam and wood left over. Of course, I painted a layer of white paint over first to prevent the bondo from destroying the pink foam. Next up was the puck itself. It needed to be 2 and a half inches tall and 4 inches wide. I had to use MDF wood once again, each sheet being a half an inch thick, which was perfect. This means I had to cut out five identical round discs, which would later be sanded down.

These pieces were then cut out roughly and glued together, then sanded down to a fine circle. Both were completed before I moved on to the next step where I cut in, sanded, and made specific holes and grooves in each puck to improve visual appeal to the helmet. I use a handheld scraper to roughly scrap off as much MDF as I could, then I sanded, then I used an exacto knife to cut the second groove around the outside of the puck, and then sanded out the center. The ring around the outside would be cut using a table saw at very low height.

Both pucks were then completed and labeled to the correct holes on either side of the helmet. When completed and ready for attaching, I found that I would have to make custom adjustments to each side because the holes were not as well cut as I thought they were. So, I made larger holes on each side, bondo and glued each into place, and then placed bondo around the outside of each of them. This would seal it back into place, and sanding it would bring it back to its original beauty.

As of now I have taken a break from the helmet to pursue my board game idea, which I'm very excited for, and will continue with the helmet when I get buy more bondo.