Customizing a helmet.

I have a rather bland new helmet and I’m going to attempt to give it a bit of a subtle lift with some colour and details.

Very few (surprisingly) tutorials on YouTube for this kind of thing so it’s a make it up as you go along deal.

Rattle cans only I’ve not got an airbrush and I wouldn’t know how to use it anyway.

Much masking is the first bit…

You could try some Sharpie art. There’s loads of examples if you search and some YouTube tutorials iirc

Just leave it like that but don’t go on a touring holiday in Russia

I know it’s boring elfnsafey mate, but is the helmet ok to have rattlecan paint on it?

Keep it like it is and you’ll look like a cheap Tron cosplayer.

don’t the solvents in normal rattlecans melt the polystyrene?

hydro dipping?
https://www.instagram.com/p/C04I8HrNGfg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

i guess the spray bike paint is ok, they have this on their insta
https://www.instagram.com/p/CxF86OgNJSo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Nah, the polystyrene is masked!? It took hours! 

The paint I’ll use is specifically for plastic. 

Never thought about Sharpies will check that out😎

I can categorically assure you TJ the Polycarbonate paint I will use will not have any detrimental effect on the substrate other than to enhance the aesthetics (subjectively of course) 😎

TJ do you remember a road safety film from the late 70s or 80s with the guy who goes in a motorcycle shop with a helmet covered in stickers etc? They rip him to bits and then point out his visor is fubared too😁. The sticker solvents damaged the helmet shell

Was actually quite good and stuck in my mind since I was a kid

i havent sprayed a helmet, but i have sprayed foam. most aerosols will damage it. i normally seal with a pva / water mix to protect it.

probablu a good reason there isnt many tutorials….

If it is the correct type of paint and you are sure then crack on.  some paints are OK some are not.  Do you know the actual plastic type of the shell?  Not that the shell is a critical part of the helmet anyway – the EPS is the bit that does the work

https://www.laxwrap.co.uk/

These lads are good.

First paint pass.

Handwringers stand down, no EPS was harmed in this part of the process.

Ignore the nay sayers, I’ve sprayed loads of my lids, just make sure, like you have, you mask the foam.

Biggest question – why?

Bigger question – why not?

FTFY.👌

Gunmetal this evening.🙂

Thought this was going to be a thread about an intimate piercing…

Thought it would look rubbish, actually like the Boba Fett tribute result! 

Not sure if a distressed effect would be my choice, but it looks good. I’ve got a couple of quite boring ‘B-team’ lids currently that I might have a play with some paints on now.

I like it!

I hope you’ve got matching Fett baggies and jersey… I think Shimano MW5’s for the shoes…

More vandalorian than mandalorian 😁

Good effort. I’ve got a boring helmet (fnar) – it’s the comfiest fitting helmet I’ve found but colour options were black, black or black. Not sure I’ve got the patience/resolve to mask and paint it up though.

Nice work OP.

Should be a good conversation starter.

“Hey, how did your helmet get so battered?”

Custom painter that does a lot of helmets here, painting them is generally fine as long as you are careful to fully mask all the EPS. Literally every helmet brand paints helmets for their pro riders, so it’s not quite the drama people often point out.

Main thing you need to do first is scuff the entire surface of the helmet and then apply a plastic compatible primer, or else your paint will flake off in no time at all. Prep is the most important part of any paintjob.

I like that a lot! Boba Fett meets Starship Troopers.

That looks like the first few weeks of a new relationship 😆

Like it

That helmet looks sweet. 👍🏻