The Daft Punk Build

I'm documenting my build of DAFT PUNK helmets for comic con, all done in about 5 weeks. It's a Pepakura build and its my first time. 

I recommend you play this song as you read this post

Step 1 

Buy Card Stock: Headed to Michaels and bought the cheapest cardstock paper. got a pack of 50. Cost $8.00.

Step 2

Get Peppy: Getting into the world of Pepakura you need 2 things, the Pepakura viewer, and the PEP file. You can find both these things online. Pepakura it's the next best thing to 3D printing.

Step 3

Print the pieces: I printed my pieces on the cardstock paper. Below is a shot of a few pieces after they were cut out, there were 210 in total. Every triangle had to be painstakingly cut.

Step 4

Cut and Glue: I start cutting the pieces and gluing them together. White glue works fine. This is the most tedious part of the build.  My girlfriend is a life saver she did half.

Step 5
More cutting, More gluing.

Step 6

Accessories: Every costume needs some good accessories so I decided to make one. Found some cardboard from work. They were installing new printers and the cardboard packaging was perfect. getting it home was a pain. Cost $0.00

Step 7

Accessories: For the accessory there is no pep file to follow, I completely free hand this one.

Step 8

Accessories: Stand it up, looks kinda too big. Might have to take it down a few inches.

Step 9

Back to the costume:  I made the left, my girlfriend made the right.

Step 10
Some progress made, I complete the back. My girlfriend adds some ears.  We decide not to glue the ears until the end.

Step 11

A shot from the back

Step 12
The problem with Vacuum Forming: The costume requires a curved transparent visor. If you are following instructions online, the proper way to make this visor is with Vacuum Forming. Vacuum Forming involves heating up a sheet of plastic and melting it over a mold on a down-draft sealed table. I searched for professional vacuum forming services but there was only one in the city and they charge an arm and a leg. My other option was to build my own vacuum forming table (which is a project in itself), however with comic con fast approaching I had to also cross this option off the list.  I had to find a different way to build the visor.

Step 13

Visor Solution: Bought some plastic Sheet Protectors from Grand n Toy for 35 cents each. Bought 10 of em. Cost $3.50 plus tax.

Step 14

Visor Solution: Bought some automotive car tint from Walmart. Cost 10 bucks.

Step 15

Tint each cover sheet. Make sure to avoid bubbles.

Step 16

Place visor card stock pieces on the tinted cover sheet and cut them out.

Step 17

Assemble the visor. I use hot glue. Its coming together nicely. My girlfriend pretty much finished the left (Thomas Helmet) while I continue the right (Guy-Man Helmet)

Step 18

Not as pretty as vacuum forming but I'll take it.

Step 19

I use painters tape to protect the visor from whats coming up.

Step 20

Accessories:  Scaled it down. added a handle. and a Real Sony stereo for size reference. Yes, I'm building a giant BoomBox!

Added some paint and some tweeters. 

Step 21

Borrowed a respirator from a friend for the hardening phase. Don't cheap out on the respirator, the upcoming chemicals are toxic, you can cut corners elsewhere in the process but not here.  I used the respirator outside today while mixing resin. The neighbor came by, now they think I'm running a meth lab (hi Michelle!).

Step 22

Got some cheapy LED lights from the dollar store. Got a friend to take it apart to see what he can do with it.

Let there be light

Step 23
Hardening: The respirator is needed to apply polyester resin to the helmets. Cost: 1 can 18 bucks. Nasty stuff. The build moves from inside the house to garage now.

Applying the Resin to the helmets makes the paper hard as rock.  The resin makes the paper oily and glassy and gives it strength for durability.  I applied two coats.  You should also apply fiberglass cloth during this stage, but I kept it out to save on costs. (There's a hole in the ear of the guy man helmet in case I want to add LED's there in the future.)

Step 24
After the Resin cures, I apply auto-body filler "Bondo" to the surface of the helmets.  This is my first time and applying smoothly was harder than I thought. Cost 1 can at 10 bucks.

Step 25
Back to the boom box. Hooked up my Ipod, and two battery powered speakers to the box.  Tested it out and it sounds just as loud as the real thing.  Here's a shot from the back.

Only two weeks left til comic con. Still a lot to do, not sure I can make it.
Shout out to Ben and Beth - congrats on buying their second house!

Step 26 : May 04 5 Days left til comic con

My Daft Punk partner makes the hand plates....

here we are hot gluing the pieces to our hands while we wear the glove - and yes it hurt like hell.

ta da! jazz hands.

Step 26 : May 05 

We have a long road of sanding ahead of us

Stayed Tuned -  Crunch time!

May 08th - Sorry guys, I haven't updated in a few days. I've been too busy trying to get them done in time, and pack for a vacation at the same time.  I've been sanding like a madman. last night I stopped working at midnight.

Photos to come in the next day or so!


May 10th COMIC CON DAY!

The last few days have been a scramble to complete the helmets. All I remember was sanding, priming, sanding, sanding, sanding sanding, painting over and over.  I couldn't update the blog because I was exhausted by the end the night.

I completed the helmets the night before comic con. They didn't turn out as good as I hoped but at this point it was good enough for me.  I learned a lot, Bondo is really hard to work with in a short amount of time, you need a power sander if you want to get anywhere, and scrunched up newspaper is the best for stuffing the inside of the helmet.

Shout Outs:
Before we get to the photos of the final results some thanks to all who helped along the way.

Aman -  Other Half of Daft Punk (Silver Helmet)
Steph - My better half
Vinh - Electronics Man
Ray C - Sand Man
Eric  - Frenchmen
Nick and Michelle
Shout out to the Hoban family you guys rocked comic con!

Photos:

BoomBox Complete - on the morning of Comic Con

Electronics and padding complete, a shot of the inside of the helmet

getting dressed in the convention parking lot.

during the car ride over I was saying "I don't think we will get asked for photos, I hope we get at least 5 people". My goal was 5, I would be elated if  5 people asked to take photos with us.

Walking to the lineup, with Daft Punk greatest hits pumping out of the boombox. 

Remember this was a working boombox, people heard us coming before they saw us.

we hit 5 in three minutes

we hit 65 before we make it to the building entrance. Everyone loved the music.

then inside was insane

Daft Pooped!

photo by David Mackinon (below)

 http://www.dkmackinnon.ca/Events/Ottawa-ComicCon-2014/Saturday-Exhibit-Hall/

We were asked for photos non stop as we walked the show floor. Endless photos. The reception was great.  Everyone loved the music, the lights and Helmets.  It was hot, peripheral vision wasn't great, but it was a blast especially seeing peoples reaction. Not bad for our first time.  We had lots of great compliments, the best though was after we just finished a photo with a little boy, and as we were walking away he turns to his mom and says "Is that the real daft punk?" .

We also made the newspaper too, this was the photo in the paper

link is here:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/05/10/from-subculture-to-pop-culture


That's It!!