Rondo or Fiberglass

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KC Master Thief

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ok you guys i have a few pieces of armor ready to be either fiberglassed or rondo-ed and i cant decide which would be best for me... i know using rondo would be cheaper in the short term but more exspensive as i go along, but ive been told fiberglass takes about 4 hours total compared to like 25 minutes for rondo... i need help so if u guys would, tell me which u think is easier and y and which one u guys prefer to the other and y, thank u

rich
 
I use the rondo method because of how quick it works. It may not be as strong as with fiberflass (though you can throw a layer of fiberglass in the rondo) but I plan to mold the pieces I create anyway.

You could use a mix of both which may be best. Im thinking for all those hard to reach places you can just pour in some rondo and then you'll know it is covered. Fiberglass for the large, non complex areas.

Rondo is quicker but weaker and heavier
Fiberglass takes longer, but is stronger and lighter.
 
Frankly Im lazy and just find that rolling rondo in my helmet and other pieces to be exceptionally easy. You can see the process in Ben Streeper's vids "How to make a helmet start to finish" in the video section of the forums. Also..fiberglass splinters suck.
 
I would do both. Use the process called mudglassing. While the rondo is still wet, lay in some fiberglass cloth. Makes it strong and goes quick.
 
Brandon has a good point there. I also use both but rondo the smaller parts and save the fiberglass for the chest and back they are just to big to rondo. You can also add screening (like the screen for windows) in the mix. One of the other members mentioned it in a different thread but I gave it a try on some scrap and it works great. I tried to break the part and even though it cracked and some rondo came off the screen held it together and made it much easier to fix. Also Becks has a point to about the helms, with the detail the modelers are getting on the helms lately it's getting harder and harder to fiberglass them, so rondo is an easier choice for helmets.
 
misfitjh said:
Brandon has a good point there. I also use both but rondo the smaller parts and save the fiberglass for the chest and back they are just to big to rondo. You can also add screening (like the screen for windows) in the mix. One of the other members mentioned it in a different thread but I gave it a try on some scrap and it works great. I tried to break the part and even though it cracked and some rondo came off the screen held it together and made it much easier to fix. Also Becks has a point to about the helms, with the detail the modelers are getting on the helms lately it's getting harder and harder to fiberglass them, so rondo is an easier choice for helmets.
Click to expand...
Whoa! Thanks.
 
I do rondo for the smaller pieces, like the helmet, shins, boots, etc, but fiberglass and rondo the bigger stuff, like the COD, chest, thighs, etc.
 
4 hours for fiberglass what your you kidding it takes about an 1 for a helmet maybe 2 if its your first time for me they both take the same amount of time
 
Kommissar said:
why do you guys call it rondo instead of bondo?
Click to expand...

Because Rondo is a mixture of Resin and Bondo. It's a lot more runny than strait up bondo, and it does a good job of hardening pieces, as long as you use several layers of it. It works VERY well with the more detailed pieces because it flows into the little crevasses and such where you can't get fiberglass in.
 
I used Rondo on my whole Noble Six costume. Definatly fiberglass AND Rondo the chest, thighs and belt armour. for me, those were under the most stress and broke at the spot. Rondo is pretty amazing :)
 
I used a mix of both. For all the helmet and limb pieces I did a layer of rondo then a layer of fiberglass MAT over it. My pieces are very strong. I would probably break somebodys skull with my forearm piece before it broke. I rondo-glassed the torso piece and its very strong as well. Hope it helps
 
Rondo is a 3 to 1 mix of bondo and resin. Check out Ben Streepers Videos on this he explains it very well. The basics: you take two 16oz cups(you can buy these at the dollar stores) stack them for safety cause this will melt one of the cups when it starts to heat up and set. Fill it about 2/3rds full of bondo add about 1 inch or a finger width of resin and stir( you can get large pop cycle sticks at the dollar store) . Once mixed it has the consistency of jello pudding, you add some hardener from the bondo a good bead about 2" long and 5 drops of the resin hardener and stir again. Your Grey mix will turn pink and make sure you mix it good. Pour into you part and slush it around. Keep it moving untill it starts to set and then let it stand until hard. And your done.
 
with rondo do it till its say like 1/4 inch or so with the fiberglass mat, do reccomend doing just fiberglass as its lighter and stronger and then use rondo when smoothing as a substitute for just bondo
 
so this is what everyone is doing....lol. I have been wanting to do my whole pieces out of Smooth Cast 320 but its too runny and slips thru holes. If I do the rondo, pull off the paper from the pep model, smooth and cast in silicone I bet it would allow me to cast my pieces faster. You guys are my life coaches !
 
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