Helmet Resprays
 

Does anyone know where I can send my old SPH for a new paint job in Australia, preferably in ACT or NSW?
What sort of money does it cost?

Cheers

Angus

Are you after a speci kind of paint job, or just a simple one colour all over type thing? If it's just the simple re-spray (make it look new), a life support fitter mate of mine at one of the squadrons would probably do it for a couple slabs of beer.

I just want to change it from US Army drab olive green to a nice glossy navy blue colour. Nothing too special, just a nicer colour. Thats all.

I was thinking of taking it to a car spray shop but I would need to strip the helmet down for the painter and then reassemble it, and I dont know whether that would be wise.

Where is your mate? Im in Queanbeyan next to the A.C.T. but I do travel to Sydney fairly frequently.

Cheers

Angus

I can do, have done a few in the past, but I am too busy to do in the next 6 weeks. Regards. Send a pm if you want more info.

Warning
 

A word of warning when making any changes to helmets, as in afixing stickers, respraying etc. The solvents used in many paints and adhesives can seriously affect the integrity of the helmet material. The end result can be that it will not provide the required protection in the event it is needed.
Best to contact the manufacturer and ask advice. If in doubt, leave it well alone, better to be alive than pretty!
P

Aptitude
 

My personal recomendation would be, have a look through Australian Flying magazine or something similar. There use to be a bloke that would do resprays.
Mind you if you are ahandy type of person, you could always pull it apart yourself, and hand the shell to aa spray painter.
My two bobs worth.
Loachster
:\

Try Alex on 0412164958 or Peter Mc Lean on 03 57972159
Cheers
WLM

Thanks. Will give them a call and see.

Cheers

Angus

Paradism

This one is from the movie Marlboro man:

"It's better to be dead and cool than alive and uncool!" :cool:

Auntie Whirls has her sensible helmet on and says Paradism is correct. :}

However, given that Auntie Whirls has never been to pretty, perhaps I'll accept Heli-Ice'sversion! :D And I'll stick me bunny ears on! :ok:

Cheers

Whirls

I agree. Better off looking cool for the Coroner than uncool for the nurses and doctors.
Thanks
Angus

If its not looking good with chips etc, you can do it yourself. If your as good as I am you dont want to try it..
Save some money, get some reflectorized tape, get hold of one of those hotshot Navy guys and they can show you how its done.
Cheap and Easy.

Cheers mate.

Angus

I want to share an amazing helmet airbrush
 

I just had my Gentex helmet airbrushed by a professional artist from Montreal, Canada. The result is amazing, the pictures don't do it justice. I want to post it here to give him visibility for anyone looking to have their helmet painted. The artist's name is Andrew Thornton and the link for his website is here: Home. Visit this site for contact information and more examples of his work on motorcycles, cars, etc.


http://i.imgur.com/IvqxA89.jpg

Yeah trick paint job! I think a flying helmet in a helo are a very good thing, especially if you are operating in the weeds. Interesting to compare motorcycle helmet technology today with flying helmets, I think the bike helmets are streets ahead in shell and liner technology, but I will admit a bike style helmet could be a bit of an overkill in hot weather.:\ I've also heard painting can weaken the shell. Again bikers are advised to replace their helmet after any impact, even after being dropped onto a hard surface, and should be replaced every two years regardless. My company supplies me with a pretty good (I think) helmet, in sober white...I don't think they would be happy if I painted it!:}

I've been investigating car vinyl to cover camera gimbals.
Advantage is that it can be peeled off.
The fitters do precise knife work around exotic cars, but not sure if fiddly bits around helmets would be too fine a task.
Many cool designs available!

Mickjoebill

Motorcycle helmets are streets ahead in safety design and also on price - due to volume and competition. My daily commute inside a lid with built-in Bluetooth communication to radio, pillion, phone, satnav (noise cancelling headphone) sees me paying much less than for an "aviation" specialist lid (i.e. £450 current price).

Also, there are motorcycle lids specifically designed to handle high heat / slower speed airflow combinations. One open-face lid by BMW has a steel mesh panel to aid cooling (see here). I have this and use it in summer and can vouch for its performance.

The suggestion to change the helmet every 2 years is due to compression of the comfort foam lining material through ordinary use of the helmet. The helmet protects you by slowing the rate of deceleration of your brain as you bounce-off something solid. Hence the outer shell must be strong, and the inner must deform during impact so that your head and the outer shell decelerate at different rates. If the foam comfort lining is loose then the efficiency of the helmet is reduced (by the way, the difference between deceleration rates in a collision 'bald v hair' is measurable).

If you want to see what a small gap will do in terms of changing the impact consequences try firing a 12g shotgun correctly and then a second time with a weak contact between stock and shoulder. The bruising from the second shot should recede in 3-5 days.

If you have an impact wearing the helmet then the deformation of the inner (which saved your brain) might not be visible, but it has done its job and will not be as efficient next time. If you drop the helmet you might weaken the outer shell and it might not perform in a later accident.

Shells are made from different material which (no surprise here) react different to thinners in paint. Polycarbonate shells are weakened by cellulose paint / thinner, for example. You can paint them but specialist plastic primers should be used. Polycarbonate is weakened by petrol, and there have in the past been instances in UK where the helmet broke in an accident at the point of attachment of the chin strap, due to repeated exposure of the shell to petrol through the hands of the person after filling-up. Fiberglass shells are not the same, and Kevlar or carbon fibre shells are different again. Be careful to check that the shell type and the paint are compatible. Anyone offering paint service for motorcycle helmets should be competent to advise on paint / shell combinations.

Thanks John, very interesting info, I doff my cap..er I mean helmet at you! Yes quite right about the settling helmet lining leading to replacement on bike helmets. I remember many moons ago when I was on contract in RAFO (Sultanate of Oman), we complained about the new PC9M's ejection seat cushions, which for some reason felt not very confortable. Someone suggested sheep skins on the seat, Martin Baker came back swiftly with "that tiny bit of space, could mean the differewnce between just a bruised back, or a few crushed vertibrae...:uhoh:

This guy is in VIC, but specialises in this sort of thing
Capabilities - Aviation Life Support Equipment from Red Baron ALSE

As a fellow motorcyclist I concur.

FWIW, there was a recent incident in Victoria Aus where a motorcyclist was fined for having a gopro mount stuck to his helmet. Apparently it was an unapproved attachment that could risk the integrity of the helmet. The premise being the glue could affect the resins. Total bull**** and just a way for the cops to justify them not being filmed. But, there is truth in solvents in paint reacting with some of the resins used.

BTW, I am one of those who replace my helmet every 2 years or so. I have a touring helmet, and commuting helmet. The commuting helmet gets used every week day, and its the one that gets replaced. My touring helmet does not get a lot of use, and you can tell the difference every time you put it one, much firmer fit. Both are the same brand.