"Help!" for: Fiberglassing, Resin, & Bondo

[Jason 078]

Has anyone here done resin/bondo/fiberglass work inside their house that can tell me how big a problem fume leakage might be?

Yes, it is possible, and Xishom is correct about the fans. I use two box fans stacked on top of one another pointed outside. It sucks air from under the door of the room in and pushes everything out. Also, you can open the door for a couple of seconds and not worry about the fumes spreading far.

I would also suggest that you build a hot box for your work after you are done. It is much easier and cheaper than keeping the room at a constant temperature. A hot box is basically a costumers easy bake oven. You need a plastic tote that is twice as large as your largest project. Line it with aluminum foil to help insulate it. Put a light inside of it. Specifically, you need a normal light bulb, not a CFL or halogen. If you wanted to get really fancy, get a low-intensity heat lamp.

All you need to do is drop whatever project you are doing into the box, turn on the lamp, and close the lid. The light will keep the temperatures constant inside the box. The reason for the space is so you don't have to worry about the light melting or warping anything (project or box).

I live in Northern Oregon, and this is what I have been doing for quite a while. It works quite well, even when it is snowing outside. Then again, I built a work desk with a shroud and clear acrylic view shield so I don't freeze my cod piece off while working in the room and it has the same fan setup, but in a smaller scale.

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And for the paint job in the end, what steps do I take? I have heard so many different techniques but I don't know which one would be the best. Thanks for your help!!

See my next post HERE. It might answer some questions.

 

[LifeExpectancy]

Thanks for the replies and info fellas. My dad and I did a renovation when I was younger using fans in the windows pointed outward to pull air from the rest of the house outside the storage room we were converting and vent it outside. I think I'm going to move forward with the project in February after I get my tax refund since I just finished paying off a $6,000 AC system that failed in July. Damn summers in Texas.

I'll be sure to do all the sanding outdoors! Would hate to clog up the HEPA filter on the new unit lol.

I'll probably be lurking here until then, learning as much as I can before diving in. My next post will be a WIP thread. Cheers!

 

[VIzardErebus]

I would like to revise that ventrue I have seen some people mixing Bondo Glass which is Bondo with fiberglass strands with fiberglass resin to make a version of rondo with which I would say would definatly be stronger than regular fiberglassing but, doing rondo or what I just described also makes a lot more heat than just doing fiberglassing so you stand a higher chance of warping.

I know im doing this on an old post, but warning to all Rondo-ers. Do NOT drop your piece from more than a foot, unless u are 100% certain it will survive. ( my poor ODST helmet lost its crown in a strength test.) Plus, a good strength test is to hold what ever piece you have, that has a decent weight to it, at chest level and just drop it. If it doesn't survive than now you know, it wasnt good enough. (yes, iknow this is a horrible tip, but its what i experienced, so hopefully someone else will learn from this.... I certainly did. )

RIP ODST crown.

 

[Skullptura]

LOL i accidently knocked my fallout helmet, which isnt even finished yet, when i took it to a media club i go to. Walking through the shopping centre got me afew starnge looks but i turned a corner and hit a pole. The helmet got scratched paint but the pole took a ding and now has a small dimple in it. +1 for fibreglass.

 

[Acerix]

I have a question about applying bondo. My friend and i are making helmets together for a school event and we are in the process of applying it, and the question is how long does it approximately take to sand it down to really smooth and what grit sand paper should we use.

 

[Katsu]

I have a question about applying bondo. My friend and i are making helmets together for a school event and we are in the process of applying it, and the question is how long does it approximately take to sand it down to really smooth and what grit sand paper should we use.

Once you are happy with the rough form of it, it takes as long as you are good at sanding? Sanding isn't really a generally time-able thing like resin curing times..

It depends in part on your skill, your strength, what medium you use (just sandpaper, blocked sandpaper, electric sanding mouse, orbital sander, belt sander) And how smooth and super detailed you want, and especially how "done" the helmet is. If it's lumpy and needs a lot of sanding work, it will obviously take more time than if it is the right shape but you want it to be glass smooth.

For just general ideas, and assuming you're doing one sanding job (And not bondo -> sand -> bondo -> sand) You can do it in 30-60 minutes.


On sandpaper, 80 for cutting chunks of globbed bondo off, 120 for rough smoothing, and 320 and wetsanding for glass smoothing seem to be good general grits.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

I have a question about applying bondo. My friend and i are making helmets together for a school event and we are in the process of applying it, and the question is how long does it approximately take to sand it down to really smooth and what grit sand paper should we use.

Like Katsu said, it's generally not a thing you can strictly time. Sanding takes as long as it takes. How good do you want it to look? It will look as good as the time you have spent on it. I applied bondo, then sanded, than applied more bondo to the low areas, then sanded, then did it again, then sanded, then painted with primer/filler, then sanded, then applied more bondo very thinly to the low spots, then sanded again, then painted, then sanded, then painted, then sanded....

My point is, if you try to rush it, it will look rushed. This game is a project where you pour your time, effort, passion and perfectionism into it to achieve the very best result. Anything less is kind of a waste really.

Imagine this... you go to your school event in costumes that look AWESOME because you did a great job and everyone oooh's and ahhh's at how cool you are....or.... you rush it, do a crap job, wear your crap, half-arsed efforts to school and everyone thinks, "Hey, nice try but crap outfits...."

By golly I've turned into an elitist turd haven't I?

 

[Phongftw]

I'm looking for a low viscosity alternative to the fiberglass resin from bondo. personally i have not yet started the resin-ing phase and it will be my first time, so i would like something that's a little easier to work with

 

[SergantTinkers]

I must say that resin really is your best option. It's pretty close to the lowest viscosity you can find that will work. If the hardening substance isn't viscous enough, the suit will not be strengthened enough to support fiberglass, which is the whole point of applying resin to the outside. Also, anything more viscous will probably result in more drips, which will need to be sanded off with a rotary tool. Just remember to apply the resin in small coats, as well as in sections. I applied the resin in at least two individual sections per suit piece, and at least two coats per suit piece. If you have any more questions, my thread in my signature has a section that covers the process in as specific manner as I could make (page two or three, I believe). Best of luck to you!

 

[Katsu]

What do you mean "fiberglass resin FROM bondo"?
Are you worried that the resin is too runny? Or not runny enough?

 

[Phongftw]

What do you mean "fiberglass resin FROM bondo"?
Are you worried that the resin is too runny? Or not runny enough?

not runny enough. i had an idea awhile back that involved the fiberglass resin and a cheap dollar spray bottle. I was going to spray it on with the bottle but i soon came to figure out, it might not be runny enough because someone had told me it had the same viscocity as pancake syrup. I tried with that and it totally failed. So much for me thinking i was some kind of innovator lol.

 

[Carpathia]

What do you mean "fiberglass resin FROM bondo"?

I actually thought he was referring to the Bondo brand fiberglass resin. You have to remember that bondo isn't just the body filler, it's an entire product line from 3M.

not runny enough. i had an idea awhile back that involved the fiberglass resin and a cheap dollar spray bottle. I was going to spray it on with the bottle but i soon came to figure out, it might not be runny enough because someone had told me it had the same viscocity as pancake syrup. I tried with that and it totally failed. So much for me thinking i was some kind of innovator lol.

Interesting idea, but the best way to apply resin is by using a brush.

 

[Laimanator]

Ive fiberglassed the inside and trimmed lots of edges but how can I smooth the inside so that the cured fiberglass strands arent poking me in the head or catching my hair?

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Ive fiberglassed the inside and trimmed lots of edges but how can I smooth the inside so that the cured fiberglass strands arent poking me in the head or catching my hair?

Sanding, perhaps a thin and runny coat of rondo or resin slush-cast to cover it, padding or a combination of any or all three of these. It's up to you.

 

[Taqtix 27]

hey guys, i have the outside of my helmet resined and am getting ready to fiber glass the inside.. i assume now is the best time to cut out the visor but i wanna be sure..

 

[Carpathia]

hey guys, i have the outside of my helmet resined and am getting ready to fiber glass the inside.. i assume now is the best time to cut out the visor but i wanna be sure..

I would actually wait until you have glassed the helmet. It can still warp at this point, even with cured resin on the exterior.

 

[Carpathia]

hey guys, i have the outside of my helmet resined and am getting ready to fiber glass the inside.. i assume now is the best time to cut out the visor but i wanna be sure..

I would actually wait until you have glassed the helmet. It can still warp at this point, even with cured resin on the exterior.

 

[Taqtix 27]

ok awesome.. thanks!

 

[Robert594]

Quick question about once an item has been glassed and b(r)ondo'd.. Can you cut through it to seperate the peice into 2? Say like the chest, would i have to cut it down the middle prior to glassing it?

 

[Katsu]

It's doable so long as the rondo isn't too thick, as the blade diameter of your cutting aparatus is an issue. Rotary tools are best for cutting, I wouldn't bother trying to use a hand tool as the control is going to be rough going through glass.