I wanted to pick the brains of the more experienced makers here, hopefully this comes across your feed. I am looking for confirmation of the construction materials I am planning on using for my build. Here is my current plan:
The plan is to use 1-2 layers of hardening resin on the pepakura skeleton, 1 layer of fiberglass on the inside,1 layer of Rondo (50%/50% Resin & Bondo slush) to smooth the inside, and Bondo on the outside for smoothing / sculpting.
Will these materials provide;
- enough tensile strength to withstand pulling at connection points during removal and strenuous movement (ie. jumping, running, posing, etc.), and
- enough compression strength to withstand strenuous movement and weight bearing (ie. carrying a toddler against the chest piece), and
- enough impact resistance to prevent gouges (ie. from toddler attempting to stab my gear with a fork)?
I am trying to achieve a balance of strength to weight by using higher quality materials. Do the materials listed above fit the bill? Or am I better off to spend less money on materials, just go with more layers of S-cloth, and suck it up when its heavy?
Thanks for your input. [/URL]
P.S. I have put some time into trying to resolve this question myself, but have not come across any clear data tables listing the various strengths of fiberglass cloths while keeping all other variables stable. All data I have collected is directly related to the marine and automotive industry and does not exactly match the use and difficulties expected for cosplay armor. This is the information I have used to deduce that one layer of 7 oz. carbon-kevlar should have enough relative strength to 20 oz. e-glass, but still would like some confirmation.
