"Help!" for: Fiberglassing, Resin, & Bondo
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Pontiac100
New Member
Hello! I was looking around for slush casting liquid, and the cheapest I found was 82$ For 1 gallon from smooth-on and I wanted to know if you guys know anything cheaper or a alternative slush cast 
if so, please message me
if so, please message me PiercingThread7
Jr Member
Dig deeper into the thread and you'll find out. I'll save you the time of searching.
As an alternative to resin, you could use many, many things. Slightly watered down wood glue, Two-Step Epoxy,and Hot Glue(Lots of it!) are a few alternatives for resin.
For fiberglass alternatives, all I can really think of is paper Mache, Which, in my opinion, is really weak and unreliable.
I hope I was of assistance.
ianaconda
New Member
Thank you very much
So I have spent the past month or so collecting guides on starting up prop building primarily via the pepakura method, and have folded some smaller pieces in preparation for folding my helmet (which I am going to start as soon as I get my hands on some more card stock). My brother and I have been wanting to make a pair of ODST suits. After reading up on plenty of sites and guides, the two of us want to make sure we know as much as possible about the process before we begin. We are pretty clear on mostly everything, but there is one thing that we can't figure out.
When you arrive at the rondo slushing phase, we obviously have to leave the visor portion intact with the rest of the helmet. What we don't know how to go about doing is removing the visor after the inside has been reinforced. Power tools? Alternatives to power tools? And if we try to straight cut it out, could it crack the rondo layer on the inside?
When you arrive at the rondo slushing phase, we obviously have to leave the visor portion intact with the rest of the helmet. What we don't know how to go about doing is removing the visor after the inside has been reinforced. Power tools? Alternatives to power tools? And if we try to straight cut it out, could it crack the rondo layer on the inside?
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the delay in the response...
It come down to personal choice. The one with fibers gives added strength, but can be messy and in my opinion, not as easy to work with as plain Bondo. It seems to be more elastic
and does not so on as smooth. Bondo is like peanut butter in texture, whereas the fiber is like jelly... just don't get both and put them on bread and expect a sandwich I would suggest purchasing both in small quart containers if you can afford it. There is a time and place for both.If you resin the outside of the helmet to the point where it saturates the cardstock (not all at once mind you, it quarters so it helps reduce the possibility of warping), then your slush casting should adhere well enough to help prevent cracking and chipping on the inside. It is still possible, so care must be taken when removing the face shield. Don't rush the cut. A dremel with a cut-off disc is an invaluable tool during this phase, but even that can potentially not get to all the angles. If you don't have that handy, I would suggest drilling a hole well away from the edge where you need to cut, and using a fine tooth saw, or even a small, fine file to cut out the visor. Just take your time and all should come out great. If you do chip a chunk off, remember, it can be fixed
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
Plastic Acetate is fine. There is no right or wrong when it comes to what material you use for your visor. I will most likely be using HIPS (high impact polystyrene) for most of mine, but it just so happened that I found a piece of orange acrylic for my main one I am building now. I have even seen people use the plastic from packaging before (think of the kind of more sturdy plastic used to display bed sheets).
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
I don't think I understand why you would not want to use resin, unless it is the cost factor. PVA and wood glue "could" work, but you would HAVE to do tiny portions at a time due to the fact that it is water based/soluble and would warp the heck out of your piece due to longer "dry" time. Resin cures very fast in comparison, and even then, you have to at least quarter your item to help prevent warping.
It can be done, but you will have to be very patient and attentive. If I had to make a choice between the two, I would pick the wood glue.
Jason 078
Well-Known Member
There is a rather good alternative to the normal poly resin that is rather toxic. In fact, there is also a safer alternative to normal bondo if you wanted to do your entire build indoor.
The resin is called EpoxAmite 101. It can be found on the Smooth-On website. It does the same thing that the normal resin does, but produces no hazardous fumes.
For Rondo, there is an alternative using the same EpoxAmite 101. It is called Ure-Fil 11 and can be found on the SAME SITE. It is an additive to the EpozAmite that thickens it for brush-on application. This thickened resin acts just like a 50/50 Rondo.
Finally, as an alternative for Bondo, you can use Free Form Air Lightweight Epoxy Putty. It can be found on the same website. When it is mixed, it is light weight and hardens rather strong. It is also perfectly sandable and will accept spot putty if you need it.
With that said, I have seen people who do a coat of epoxy on the outside, a coat on the inside, and then a second coat on the outside. After that, slush the Ure-Fil added epoxy on the inside so you can sand down the hard edges of the pepakura. Spray glue some fiberglass cloth patches inside of it (I would say two layers) and use the epoxy to fill it. Finally, use the putty as your bondo and sand it smooth. Boom, done.
The resin is called EpoxAmite 101. It can be found on the Smooth-On website. It does the same thing that the normal resin does, but produces no hazardous fumes.
For Rondo, there is an alternative using the same EpoxAmite 101. It is called Ure-Fil 11 and can be found on the SAME SITE. It is an additive to the EpozAmite that thickens it for brush-on application. This thickened resin acts just like a 50/50 Rondo.
Finally, as an alternative for Bondo, you can use Free Form Air Lightweight Epoxy Putty. It can be found on the same website. When it is mixed, it is light weight and hardens rather strong. It is also perfectly sandable and will accept spot putty if you need it.
With that said, I have seen people who do a coat of epoxy on the outside, a coat on the inside, and then a second coat on the outside. After that, slush the Ure-Fil added epoxy on the inside so you can sand down the hard edges of the pepakura. Spray glue some fiberglass cloth patches inside of it (I would say two layers) and use the epoxy to fill it. Finally, use the putty as your bondo and sand it smooth. Boom, done.
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
Generally speaking, it is usually located very close to the bondo and next to woven and/or stranded fiberglass. It will normally be offered in 1qt container, and rarely in 1gallon. It goes by either "Epoxy Resin", "Polyester Resin", or "Fiberglass Resin".
If you can't find it in your local stores and you live in the US, you could always buy it online on Amazon (link to product). At almost $70 per gallon after shipping, it was still less than purchasing individual quarts, but a bit more expensive than my local Napa Auto for their gallon.
Hope that helps!
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
Well, helmets are one of the hardest pieces to make in an armor set... if not, the most difficult. If this is your first pep build ever, I would suggest setting it down and trying out something a bit more simple. Also, you may want to try a lower definition helmet if possible. It will help you refine your skills as well as give you a good idea about sizing (nothing worse than finally completing a helmet and finding out the bugger does not even fit!)
As far as alignment of the tabs, it really helps to start in the middle of the two pieces to be connected. If you have one piece with 5 tabs, and the other has 6, start gluing with the 3rd tab on the one with 5. This will help alignment greatly.
If you need more info or help, feel free to PM me... Discouragement is unfortunately inevitable with this hobby (happens to me all the time!). It is the ability to overcome that discouragement and charge on that enables us to succeed
ianaconda
New Member
Sorry guys about all that questions but its my first time ^^
I am from egypt and here i can't find resin so what can i do to make the paper hard enough for car filler ? a lot of pva/white glue coats ?? or something else ? or pva/white glue plus Napkins?
and i cant find a fiber glass too i only found a fiber glass self adhesive tape so is that works or not ?
thanks a lot and sorry again for the tons of questions
I am from egypt and here i can't find resin so what can i do to make the paper hard enough for car filler ? a lot of pva/white glue coats ?? or something else ? or pva/white glue plus Napkins?
and i cant find a fiber glass too
i only found a fiber glass self adhesive tape so is that works or not ? thanks a lot and sorry again for the tons of questions
EVAkura
Well-Known Member
Sorry guys about all that questions but its my first time ^^
I am from egypt and here i can't find resin so what can i do to make the paper hard enough for car filler ? a lot of pva/white glue coats ?? or something else ? or pva/white glue plus Napkins?
and i cant find a fiber glass too
thanks a lot and sorry again for the tons of questions
I suggest you check out Retrapha's build. He too had a really difficult time finding the "normal" materials, and overcame it with using non-conventional mediums.
Worst case, you should be able to use PVA or wood glue. If you need extra strength, you can combine it with a thin fabric. I would suggest a very thin, loosely woven cotton... almost like a thin bandage. Just keep in mind that the glue will have a high chance of warping your cardstock. You will have to do it in very small sections at a time... this will test your patience, but that same patience will save you a lot of headaches (and time) in the end!
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