"Help!" for: Foam

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Is it at all feasible to use bondo with foam? I'm looking for something to smooth over all the crevices and gaps that come from building with foam and need to know if there is anything to help this. I'm only worried about bondo because its hard and rigid while the foam is malleable, but I feel like if its thick enough it should be ok. Has anyone tried this before?

Most people either use PVA glue or a water/PVA mix if they want to harden their foam pieces. The PVA glue sets rigid while still maintaining a little flex so that it doesnt crack or break under the strain of flexing. Bondo will not flex so I'm not sure how well it would work. It might work on pieces that dont move much such as the shoulders or perhaps the biceps. If you use bondo though you are kind of defeating the point of building out of foam which is to achieve flexibility and light weight.

Give it a try and let us know how it works.
 
The low def pep files work with little to no modification for foam construction. If you use any pep files with high levels of detail you will have to modify your build.
 
I was wondering if the Pepakura files would work for foam builds as well?

There are alot of pepakura files that are out there that people have modified specialy for foam.
 
Hello all, I am a complete noob to foam I watched a tutorial on how to convert files over from regular pepakura to foam and I'm wondering if this looks right to all of you. I.E. Will this be good to print off and start cutting out foam with to make this nice little helmet here. I haven't moved the pieces around yet so yes I know they are overlapping in some areas. I'm just curious as to if it looks like the normal foam file?
howsthislook.png
 
It'll be better if you join up all the little bits to make 1 bigger bit. Last thing you want with foam is loads of joins. Also to save paper just print one half of the helmet since its a mirror image anyway.
 
Whether doing basic pepping or foam, it's always best to have as large of panels to work with as possible. For the Hyabusa, the entire faceplate could theoretically be done with one piece. Just be sure to make full use of a heat gun (if you have one) to help get the foam into shape, and keep it there.
 
hey guys i am new to pepakura an foam building and need ome help like what to use for the body suit for some halo Carter A-259 armor and also am wondering where to buy foam and which type to use.
 
Wither doing basic pepping or foam, it's always best to have as large of panels to work with as possible. For the Hyabusa, the entire faceplate could theoretically be done with one piece. Just be sure to make full use of a heat gun (if you have one) to help get the foam into shape, and keep it there.
Oh ok thnk you, this will save me quite bit of time
 
I don't know about the prices in CA, but over here in NY Walmart has a six-pack of 2'x2' EVA foam floor tiles (the kind that seem to be most often used in this group) for $15. That's 24 sq.ft of potential coverage. Now, by body suit do you mean the undersuit (soft armor) as opposed to the actual plate? The most popular choices seem to be either Under Armor or Nike Combat shirts and pants for being both form-fitting and breathable. Others have opted for motorcycle/atv body suits that have built-in padding to use as a foundation. Really, it's about what you're most comfortable in and what fits into your budget. I haven't started actualyl building my armor yet, but I did pick up an Under Armor heatgear shirt(good for hot weather and for having a breathable layer under all the armor) and a pair of spandex jogging pants, from ebay and the local Goodwill. If you get something basic and cheap like that you can think about adding modifications and detail to it without having to worry about potentially damaging something costly. All totaled I spent maybe $20-25 on the undersuit, and another $10 on a box of spandex and 4-way stretch material that I can use for details, gloves, neck seals, etc.
 
I've begun work on my Noble Six build and I had a question about what adhesive to use to attach craft foam for detailing? Hot glue doesn't work because it dries quick and can be lumpy. So I was wondering what would be a good adhesive to use for a large surface area that won't warp the craft foam?
 
You need spraymount. At least that's what I think it's called, it's just a spray on adhesive. Go to a craft shop they should sell it, just make sure you get a strong one :)
 
Thanks! I knew there was some kind of adhesive and that I had heard someone suggest it but for life of me I couldn't find the thread it was in. Hopefully I'll have some progress worth showing soon!
 
One method (and possbly not the quickest or easiest) would be to take a thin sheet of foam (craft foam as opposed to the typical 3/8"+ floor mats) and roll it at an angle. You may have to experiment a mit to get it to take the general shape and size you want it to be. Next, begin to mark and trim the overlap starting from the point/tip. Take it slow, always double check everything, and err on the side of caution (remember, you can always trim a little more off, but it's not so easy putting it back on if you go too far too fast). Once you get the cone shape you want, then you'll want to work on trimming the bottom edge so that it fits flush to where you want to mount it. The spikes in the reference picture you posted are all on slightly curved surfaces, so a flat cut on the bottom would make it wobbly. It will take a bit of trial and error, and trimming/sanding a little bit at a time and constantly test-fitting, but it should give you a decent cone shape. If your local department/craft store sells styrofoam cones (often used for artificial flower arrangements, etc.) you can use that not only as a base of reference, but also to fill the inside of the cone to make it more sturdy without adding too much weight.
 
another option and to borrow an idea from Zaff is use craft foam and make sure you get the get the cuts right to make you cone then fill it with expanding foam. Reason I say this is because to find a styrofoam cone the exact size may be difficult!
 
If the size of the cone is the only problem a larger one could easily be sanded down to fit. If it's too small the styrofoam cone could be covered in layers of foam sheets, or built up using glue, expanding foam (be very careful not to use too much or it might warp the intended shape), or a mix of those and chopped up scrap foam for filler.
 
Got another one for you. I have a finished torso piece and it looks great, but there are a few areas that need to be bent to shape. Would it be unwise to use a heat gun after the parts have already been glued? I wanted to make sure before I went and ruined my armor.
 
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