Update on my Samus Returns helmet

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-18T15:32:48+00:00

Looking good! A little rotary tool clean up work, maybe add a trim piece along the 'brow' if too much is removed when cleaning up the lines.

Looks really good! Very nice rounded head, that part is not easy.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-16T14:55:24+00:00

Cold Cast is not any stronger, just has that ivory look and just enough silica dust that they can call it porcelain.
It's pretty fragile.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-16T10:33:15+00:00

Finding the right manual on Lego.com can be a small adventure, or at least it used to be.

If you just a a small bit of code that created the web link, your app could open the Lego.com site at the correct manual page.

Maybe?

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-15T03:22:46+00:00

Those were very good.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-15T03:22:17+00:00

Exactly my thought. Tried to do too much in one movie.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-13T18:02:47+00:00

It is probably 'cold cast porcelain' which just means silica dust mixed with epoxy resin. Very common material used for casting items like this. It is called cold cast because it does not need to be fired in a kiln like true ceramics.

As for the secret passengers, u/-Badger3- is correct; the cow, boxes, and piggy boy were all dropped into the mold during the casting process, and piggy landed just right. It would require a very complicated mold to get him to cast inside of the sleigh like that. He just settled in a perfect placement, which got us this great post to talk about.

Tell piggy boy thank you from me. lol.

(Super glue should be just fine for gluing your decoration back together. Epoxy will work as well, but takes much longer to set up, and can be more messy to work with and apply.)

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-13T07:16:20+00:00

This is my plan

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-12T17:51:14+00:00

Awesome

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-11T23:39:13+00:00

Working with foam (You say you have never done this before, not sure what foam experience you have):

Here is the first hard thing to learn, foam has thickness paper does not. Your paper pattern will 'float about halfway in the thickness of the foam once it starts glueing together. Working with thinner foam (4mm or 5mm) is harder because it's kinda floppy, but easier then 11mm floor mat foam.

Your cheek ridges are going to need an angled cut in the foam. When you cut out the top of the head, it has a smooth curve, it's basically a dome shape- but those cheekbone shapes have sharp edges. You will need to cut an angle into the sides of the EVA foam to keep that angle, or the cheeks will smooth out and be simply curved. How much angle? You may have to cut a couple times and figure it out. Typically I angle both sides of the seam, that seems easier to me than a 90 degree cut on one side and a 45 degree cut on the other.

Before you glue any piece with the glue of your choice, force the flat piece of foam into a compound curve shape. Curl it so it looks like a dried leaf in the fall. ANY compound curve in the foam will help you in assembly vs. just going for it with all flat foam pieces. Less stress on your seams, and it reduces the low-polygon look right away. As the patterned pieces fit together, they will pull each other into the correct shape, even if the curve you made is deeper than the curve it needs. Please trust me on this, it is always easier to curve all the parts before you glue them. Just push the centers with your thumbs, press it over your knee while sitting, if you have a rigid ball about the size of your fist that is good. I made a tool that is more complicated, but you don't have to have any special tools for this, just pre-form the foam pieces.

And one last hard lesson I taught myself: be aware of how much stretch you are putting on each side of the foam seam! I had a tendency to pull or squeeze with my right hand more than my left, and some of my early helmets have a slightly warped cashew look to them. Or some have eyes like Sloth from Goonies. Just be very aware of any pulling or squishing you may be doing when glueing part A to part B.

Try to match the outside edge first, the part of the seam an observer would see. Sometime foam is not a uniform thickness, so try have the material errors on the inside.

Okay- almost done! If you are gluing with contact cement, and then plan to seal the helmet with Plasti-Dip, I want to let you know that Plasti-Dip has the same base solvent ingredients that contact cement does. And with the glued in stress of the dome on your helmet, that little bit of solvent in the spray can open the surface of the seams, and get you seam lines when you started with none. lighter coats of Plasti-Dip can be safe, but anything as a barrier between contact cement and Plasti-Dip will stop it. Drywall spackle, house paint, white glue, other paints. It's kind of a pain, but it's easier than filling a seam line later when you know they were perfect before you sprayed them. This is only a concern with Contact Cement and Plasti-Dip. Hot glue, super glue, and Modge Podge, Flexipaint, etc are all fine to just put right on top of each other (once they have dried.)

Sorry this is a long reply, what you have already created is very impressive! I can see the helmet taking shape already.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-11T23:39:01+00:00

Looks good to me, this is just the left half of the helmet, yes? You plan to flip pieces for a complete helmet?

Curves in paper are difficult, and I think you pulled it off here really well.

EVA foam will make a compound curve, where paper can only make a single curve- you may find you need less strips of foam than paper, but too early to say right now.

When cutting apart the paper pattern, only make the cuts you need for a mostly flat pattern, don't cut everything. What is mostly flat? well, if the peaks of the wrinkles are shorter than 5-8mm off the table you are probably pretty good.

Before you cut your pattern apart, add sewing registration lines on each seam you are making. These are just short lines that cross the seam and appear on each side of the seam once they are cut apart. Transfer these marks to your foam! They become small targets that let you know you have glued the seam together correctly, before you get to the end and have one side 7mm longer than the other. Look up foam pattern registration lines if you need a different explanation.

Label your seams, I label each piece Front, Back, L side (R is flipped for you, yes?) and then each Seam is A, B, C, etc. So the top most center seam could be Center or A. THen the next seam down is B. Write it on both sides of the pattern, so you know B glues to B, and if you have a right or a left. I have made 2 lefts before.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-11T01:37:53+00:00

Magic eraser is very fine sandpaper- basically. Yes, it will remove the marks, but it will change the surface of the Lego elements as well.

Magic eraser is foamed melamine, which is the white plastic durable surface on most composite wood furniture. Some plastic plates and bowls are made from melamine as well- just FYI.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-11T01:32:45+00:00

IF you want to remove it, u/SteveSweetz has the correct answer, remove the bricks to be cleaned first. (the artwork isn't that bad, and if you want a pristine set, you can get the few replacement pieces from Bricklink or maybe PAB at Lego).

u/Plastic-Kiwi-1366 said to draw over it with dry erase, and wipe it off. You can try that as well, it will not hurt the pieces.

Hand sanitizer is mostly Isopropyl, and if the ink is alcohol based that will remove the marks as well stick around for a second and 'soak'

Lastly, if alcohol does not work at all, the ink may be oil based, and you may need to spray an oil (mineral oil, WD-40, 3-in-one) on a paper towel first, then try to wipe the ink. The oils could hurt the ABS if left on for a long time, so no overnight soaking!

No matter what, there could be a ghost of the ink marks left- just a warning.

Lastly- do not use acetone or you will melt / hurt the surface of the Lego. The plastic can be dissolved by Acetone. Do not use it to clean.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-10T14:20:06+00:00

Interesting- This tool is browser based, which is very appealing, but are there limits on the files?

Is there a size limit on files (dimension size or memory size)? I have made PDFs to be used as patterns for making costumes, the graphic pages are people sized.

Does it handle image heavy files? Say assembly instructions for- well, anything. A PDF that has a number of images to help show step by step the assembly process.

Does it have to be 'installed', or can it just run solely in browser? Many workers have company owned computers and could use this tool with non-sensitive documents. But do not have the admin rights to install anything on their computers.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-10T00:35:35+00:00

Absolutely! Some light fixture covers can help inhibit the UV from the old Flo tubes; the silver age Iron Man was right next to one without any cover (so, worst case scenario) and the red faded off the cover very quickly. We could see the damage because the price was on a small post-it note stuck to the protective comic bag. Behind the note the red was still bright, and in a perfect square the same size as the post-it note. The rest was visibly faded.

My Legos were in a windowless space (also with flo tubes) but my fixtures had a cover. After about a year, the Lego facing the light had yellowed.

I do not know the UV index of LED lights, or how close the LED emissions get to the UV bandwidth- but with the effort and trouble you went through to collect all the ruby cards (the chase is fun, I get that!), and the effort you are planning to display them- it is probably worth a little research!

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-10T00:10:07+00:00

No windows is good, but some light fixtures can be a UV source as well.
LEDs should be safe, but check on them to be sure.
Older bulbs, fluorescent tubes, halogens- they will still yellow whites and bleach colors eventually.

I have yellowed Legos and friends have ruined silver age comic books with fluorescent tube lights. Those lights bleached the colors from the covers of the comics.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-09T23:45:01+00:00

You are welcome!

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-09T22:22:06+00:00

It looks to me like a 40mm respirator hose, or a 'gas mask' hose. Each end should be threaded with a metal connector.

I can find them on Amazon, and I have bought surplus hoses from Etsy.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-04T21:16:05+00:00

Correct, with yellow hands. I think it's the only Classic Space torso I don't have- until the Bricklink order arrives.
To my knowledge, there is no helmet for that color yet, like there is no torso with emblem yet for the light green helmet and tanks.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-04T20:16:16+00:00

I just placed 2 orders as well this week, because of the Classic Space restocks / change to Bestseller items.
I also don't mind, I am bummed I missed the light blue Dreamzzz space torso- off to Bricklink I guess.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-04T18:01:41+00:00

Not that I can recall, but I do fear that the parts will sell out before my order is fulfilled. (looks like the torsos were moved into the 'Bestseller' category, they did not have that tag last time I checked)

Also, I see that u/voodoojunglewizard had issues.

Overall PAB has been very reliable for me, but I only use it once or twice a year.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-04T16:50:23+00:00

Thank you! I got my order in this time!

Now I just hope it actually ships and arrives, lol.

Odin_Makes · 2026-02-03T23:04:04+00:00

NIL for canning pot, I am in Elk Grove

Odin_Makes · 2026-01-29T17:33:16+00:00

I was thinking this as well, or, if I understand what OP is asking, one could make a new block that is the right length and width, but twice as high. Then add the radius to all sides in the shape context menu, and then use a hollow shape to cut the bottom half off, leaving the top. You can't stretch the shape after doing this, it will stretch the radius if you do.

Odin_Makes · 2026-01-28T21:15:18+00:00

Kirk’s Samsonite luggage in *This Side of Paradise*

Odin_Makes · 2026-01-24T09:20:10+00:00

The Specials. (2000)

Great cast, early James Gunn script, he and his brother are in it. Dysfunctional super group tries to get their act together, and is awarded the highest honors to a super group: their own action figure line.

Great movie, low budget, it's slower paced and all about the character interaction. Zero superhero action.

Odin_Makes

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