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

[Maverick Hunter]

This is an inquiry of curiosity. I've seen a lot about filling weapons with expanding foam. I've made a dagger, and since it's pretty small, I was wondering how feasible it is to resin the outside, let it harden, drill a hole, and do a solid fill with fiberglass resin. I need it to be really strong so I can go to town on detailing it. I can't think of any reason it wouldn't make it really solid and sturdy, but it can't hurt to ask.

 

[socom]

This is an inquiry of curiosity. I've seen a lot about filling weapons with expanding foam. I've made a dagger, and since it's pretty small, I was wondering how feasible it is to resin the outside, let it harden, drill a hole, and do a solid fill with fiberglass resin. I need it to be really strong so I can go to town on detailing it. I can't think of any reason it wouldn't make it really solid and sturdy, but it can't hurt to ask.

Cant see why it wouldnt work. The only thing I would look out for would be the added heat and possible warping. Perhaps if you poured it in stages. I take it the foam would not work for your purpose.

 

[Maverick Hunter]

Cant see why it wouldnt work. The only thing I would look out for would be the added heat and possible warping. Perhaps if you poured it in stages. I take it the foam would not work for your purpose.

It's hard to say. I've never actually used expanding foam before. I need it to be strong enough to withstand the application of Apoxie to the entire surface (or rondo, haven't made my mind up yet, though rondo wouldn't be as demanding on the structure). I'm a bit broke at the moment, however, and I have plenty of resin downstairs so I was thinking of just using that. If you have any advice concerning sturdy work with foam, I'd gladly take it.

 

[zombieprops]

Expanding foam is really hit and miss. When it comes to things being made out of cardboard or paper, it usually splits it open. Don't use "great stuff" if you do go with the foam route, it's too unpredictable when it expands. I would go with smooth-on's Foam-It 26, it's expansion is just 2x by volume, but that would cause the least amount of warping.

Here's the link http://www.smooth-on.com/index.php?cPath=10_1122

 

[Zagoner]

Will this stuff be suitable for putting over my helmet?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_168217_langId_-1_categoryId_165625

It says something about Glass Fibre matting, Will I need that?

 

[Maverick Hunter]

Will this stuff be suitable for putting over my helmet?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_168217_langId_-1_categoryId_165625

It says something about Glass Fibre matting, Will I need that?

That looks like standard fiberglass resin to me, so it should be fine. Glass Fiber Matting refers to the actual fiberglass, which comes in the form of mats or cloth (I find cloth much easier to work with). That's used for reinforcing the inside of a pep (people usually use that or rondo), and shouldn't be put on the outside of armor. Since it's technically in the form of a mat/cloth, if applied to the outside it will make it quite hard to get a specific shape and will be a nightmare to sand (gloves, respirator, goggles at the MINIMUM).

 

[pjbahk]

hey im a noob like the rest and what should i do after i build my helmet resin? fiberglass? bondo????????

 

[Satchmo III]

hey im a noob like the rest and what should i do after i build my helmet resin? fiberglass? bondo????????

There are many ways to go about hardening a helmet (or any other armor piece). After I do a coat of resin on the exterior of a helmet I do a coat of resin on the inside so the resin permeates into the paper as much as possible. Following this I like to apply a coat of rondo to the interior. Rondo is a mixture of resin and bondo...you can experiment with the ratio of resin to bondo but I like to shoot for something like a slightly runny milkshake consistency. This milkshake rondo coat fills in any sharp corners/edges inside the helmet and adds to the overall strength of the piece. After the rondo is hardened I will cut out strips of fiberglass matt (you can use mesh if you prefer) and apply them to the interior with the fiberglass resin. The smoother rondo surface allows the matt to go down easier. After this the helmet is sufficiently strong to use bondo on the exterior to further shape and detail the piece.

I would recommend using the website and researching others' build threads and reading through help threads to map out the different materials, processes, and techniques involved with this hobby. You'll find it more worthwhile to learn this way than just flat out asking how to proceed. Good luck with your build.

 

[spartan IV]

Personally when I harden pepped pieces I do it in three stages the first stage in voleves makeing a skeletal hold for the piece to rest on whlie being resined. This holder is made out of simle craft sticks and it must put pressure onvarying parts of the pepped piece to emulate your body. Once said holder is completed I add a coat of resin to the exterior surface. From their i add resin and fiber glass on the inside to truely harden it, in this stage you may need to add multiple layers of fiberglass to achieve propper strength. Finnaly once I am certain that the piece has achieved well ballenced structural integrity I add bondo to the out side as need to achieve propper shape. You can look at my thread to see pics of the process. I hope this helps.

 

[Samsa000]

Hi,
I have some problems bondoing an ODST armor. Since I wanted to start with an "easy" part, I began with the chest plate. I built the paper model and resined it, which worked out fine but sanding the bondo doesnt quite work. The more flat parts left and right are good but i dont know how to can get the middle part into the desired form. I've tried it by just sanding it as precise as possible but the edges just always turn out uneven and the whole thing is just not symmetrical.

Can you give me any tips on how to sand stuff propperly, besides just getting experience and trying over and over again?

I really would appreciate any help

 

[GuitarMaster157]

Hi,Can you give me any tips on how to sand stuff propperly, besides just getting experience and trying over and over again?

I would suggest getting a black and decker mouse sander, that is always a perfect tool for getting sanding done. Of course, you could always come to the foam side...

 

[GuitarMaster157]

My question for the community is about something I saw someone on here use a while back. I can't find it now, but he was using a silicone brush for resin so that it wouldn't have to be reused every time like the normal brushes people here tend to use. Can anyone give me a link to that or support it in anyway? Could I use a silicone brush, or would it be a terrible idea?

 

[zombieprops]

My question for the community is about something I saw someone on here use a while back. I can't find it now, but he was using a silicone brush for resin so that it wouldn't have to be reused every time like the normal brushes people here tend to use. Can anyone give me a link to that or support it in anyway? Could I use a silicone brush, or would it be a terrible idea?

I've always found silicone cooking brushes to be very flimsy, and unless they have a little net shaped piece inside them, they don't carry material too well. I like the cheap chip brushes that are less than a dollar each, and clean them up with acetone before the resin in them has cured. I use the same chip brushes 5-6 times before throwing them away.

 

[zombieprops]

Can you give me any tips on how to sand stuff propperly, besides just getting experience and trying over and over again?

I really would appreciate any help

Get yourself a sanding block. It helps keep everything nice and even. Once you've gotten down the feel of how your stuff sands, then try a power sander. The best tip I could give for making sanding easier, is to be neat and tidy with your putty work.

 

[ba stancombe]

I am having a problem with my pep build. I am going to make Daedric armor from Skyrim. Currently gluing everything together now and planning the resin and fiberglass step. The problem I am having is with the spikes on the armor. What suggestions do you have for reinforcing them? Not sure how to go about doing the tips. It will be hard to get the fiberglass into that area. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[ColFork85]

I am having a problem with my pep build. I am going to make Daedric armor from Skyrim. Currently gluing everything together now and planning the resin and fiberglass step. The problem I am having is with the spikes on the armor. What suggestions do you have for reinforcing them? Not sure how to go about doing the tips. It will be hard to get the fiberglass into that area. Any help will be appreciated.

Not really having done it myself, but after some research for myself, there are really 3 basic options.

1. Fill with resin.
2. Use rondo as a base layer before glassing.
3. Use Smooth-Cast as a base layer before glassing.

As to the ramifications of each option, I'm not entirely sure, but those would be the best suggestions I could give with my limited experience.

 

[ba stancombe]

Thanks for the ideas. Hadn't thought of just filling it with resin. How long might that take to cure properly? My only concern is the weight. It might be a little heavy for the helmet, not so much for the body pieces. I had thought of using spray foam, but didn't want to risk exploding it.

 

[Robert594]

My opinion after having the same problem with my Halo Knife.. I poured Rondo is.. poured it around for a good 10 mins, drain it, add it pour around inside.. Then drain the excess off. Then once its dry do it again. My knife is nice and hard now.
I pour in the rondo first time thinking i can just fill it then let it dry... But it burst out of a seam.. So be careful dude!

 

[cbthurber]

Hey guys i just finished glueing my spatarn helmet together. i dont exactly have the money for fiberglass and resin and was wondering how cardstock does with paper mache? i rlly dont want 4 days of work to collapse on itself

 

[Redshirt]

Thanks for the ideas. Hadn't thought of just filling it with resin. How long might that take to cure properly? My only concern is the weight. It might be a little heavy for the helmet, not so much for the body pieces. I had thought of using spray foam, but didn't want to risk exploding it.

I think you are correct to be concerned with the weight, particularly if the bodies of the spikes are not strong enough. In this case, I would resin and rondo as normal. After this, I would fiberglass the outside of the spikes. Use cloth rather than mat. Get the thick superglue and use it to tack down the cloth in the shape and location you want before brushing on the catalyzed resin. Resin sparingly, more is not better here. For small areas of coverage, I just rub in the thick superglue over the glass cloth. Not cheap, but fast and strong. Good luck.

Redshirt