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

[mattkess93]

Hey there guys, I've just assembled the first few pieces with resin to create the outer shell, but before I do so a thought popped into my head. Are there any advantages to putting on a waterproof clear coat to prevent any warping of the pepakura? If so, what clear coats do you all recommend using?

 

[Carpathia]

There is no real advantage to applying a waterproofing. You really want the resin to soak into the paper, and if you add a waterproofing, that does not happen.

 

[TheRabbit]

And the resin is waterproof. What with being used on boats and all.

 

[mattkess93]

okay thank you both, I had seen it done both ways and I just didn't know if the waterproofing method was superior

 

[BiffyBob]

When putting add ons to your armor (ex. Jorges forearms) how would you go about making that one piece? hardening it with resin and fiberglass cloth etc

 

[Alibi]

i'm not sure if it belongs in here, but i need to find a container to store acetone in. i tried solo cups... horrible awful idea. so messy.. i tried a glass cup, well that glass cup ended up giving out, and i'm one less cup out of my cups in my house lol, i want something that is useable that will last me a while. any ideas would be extremely helpful

 

[BiffyBob]

i would suggest using the container that it came in. I did look up that you need a low density polyethylene or LDPE it can be found at hardware stores. hope this helps

 

[Katsu]

Yeah, why the heck are you pouring the acetone out of its original container in the first place? That stuff eats through everything...

And for the question on add-ons... I think it needs some elaboration. You harden things with resin by painting the resin on. You put fiberglass by laying the mat/cloth down and painting it with resin. Something tells me there's more to the question, but it was asked too vaguely for me to answer.

 

[ClutteredRook8]

Hey guys I was just wondering, I've finished the resin and fiberglass stage on my mark IV helmet and was wondering if I should use bondo or rondo for the outside detailing/smoothing and if rondo what mix rate? Basically which is better rondo or bondo?

 

[Katsu]

Bondo.

Rondo is for inside, or for advanced part building (see cereal's videos). For general smoothing, bondo.

 

[Alibi]

cause my paintbrush doesnt fit in the contaier the acetone came in lol so i put it in a glass cup and let the brush sit in it. not for like extended use, just for the time that i'm working with the resin, but over the past like 2 weeks i put that glass through torture i guess cause it shattered when i was cleaning it. what about resin and bondo, do they need a special material when working with them?

 

[Katsu]

You should work in small batches of acetone to avoid the problem you had.

As for resin and bondo... they ARE special materials. Or do you mean what catalyst to use with them, or what safety equipment is needed?

 

[Alibi]

no pretty much continuing my last question. i used small batches, i only worked with it for like 20 minutes and just enough to let the bristles soak in. but idk. i'll just buy like a cheap metal or ceramic bowl? or maybe like a paint cup? idk. and as for the resin and bondo question, i've been putting them in solo cups to use but pretty much each layer i do makes that cup inuseable for the next layer, i'm a bit of a cheap person when it comes to that so i'd like to find something that i can at least use like 4 or 5 times before i have to dispose of it.

 

[Katsu]

Oh. For working in 1-2 ounce batches of resin (which you should), many hardware stores sell baby wax cups like these:
http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/products/paper_cups-xl.jpg

They work great for resin.

For bondo, any container works. But you want to avoid Solo Plastic cups, as the ribbings create pockets where unmixed bondo can hide. A smooth plastic cup that can handle vigorous mixing of clay is a good bet.

 

[Skullptura]

Do you drink coke alot? I do lol.... For cheap and re-useable (for a limited time) containers for both rondo mixes and just bondo, I use the bottom half of coke bottles. My flat mates and I drink coke fairly oftem so there is always an empty coke bottle around.

 

[Katsu]

That's a great idea. Bondo can be mixed in almost anything so long as it's not too textured inside. Resin can be in a lot of stuff, but you have to be aware that some adhesives dissolve when exposed to resin, not many, but the threat is there.

 

[Alibi]

So would those wax cups work for the bondo as well? or is that iffy? if not. i like that coke bottle idea i may just use that.

 

[king unkusss]

TAKE IT ALL BACK. Love you guys, thanks for the help.

 

[Katsu]

The wax cups will not work well. Bondo is very thick and requires strength to mix it. The wax cups will break from your strength.

ACTUALLY, what you SHOULD do for straight bondo, is just get scrap cardboard. Glop it on and mix it. Most people use this method, since bondo isn't runny, and you can always find free cardboard.

 

[Admiral Tiberius]

I'm sure some people already use this method but...
I just mix my resin/bondo in the plastic lids that come with product. Of course there are tons of kinds of resin and filler but if you are using the 3m bondo products (the only kind from Walmart) they come with plastic lids that work great. One the resin dries just bend or twist the lid and it pops right out, easy as pie. Hope this helps.