Resining & Fibre Glassing Tutorial/How To

[Ral Partha]

I have a question. When you you remove the pepakura visor? before or after resin and bondo?

I remove it after the initial resin coats. Much easier to cut off with scissors than when you have a layer of fiberglass and bondo but that's me. YMMV.

 

[Loganius]

I remove it after the initial resin coats. Much easier to cut off with scissors than when you have a layer of fiberglass and bondo but that's me. YMMV.

Thanks for the help. Thats a question I've been wondering about for a long time now

 

[Cladspartanex]

Hi guys, just resined the outside of an E.O.D helm. Are there alternatives to fiber glass matting and resining the inside? could we use duct tape or stuff like that? Its plenty strong, respond ASAP.

 

[HIHIHI08]

For the helmet, do I resin the inside, and do I fiberglass? Just wondering, 'cuzz I'm almost done with my pep.

 

[Matus Fenix]

Is it okay to fiberglass the inside first before you can resin the outside? Cause I've experienced that my paper model warped when I resined the outside first.

 

[Kaji Spartan]

I have a question, when putting fibre glass on the inside of the helmet, do I need the visor part of it cut out or not? Does it make the job easier or not? I'm also wondering about the bondo.

 

[da dude]

Does anyone have a precise ratio of Resin:hardener?

there is no pricise ratio is wat the instructions tell to do

 

[MetalSpark128]

Before you jump into any thing you first want to make sure you're in a well ventilated area and you have a large enough work area for the piece you will be working on.



The first thing you need to do is clean the surface of the object that you will be resining. Make sure it is free of debris and foreign objects.



Next you want to place you piece one your stand, in this case it is the master chief helmet.

Now you are almost ready to resin your piece.

STOP

Before you do make sure you read, and re-read if necessary, the instructions on the back of the can.



MIXING



The first thign you need to do when mixing the resin and hardener is to line your container with tinfoil.

Next pour in the desired amount of resin.(Pour an amount that you think you will use in 5-10min as it will be unusable after that.)

Next add the correct amount of Liquid Hardener. (READ DIRECTIONS!! Too much will cause the resin to harden within a couple minuets.)



Mix the two together for 10-15seconds and remove stiring stick.(wipe off excess resin on stick.)



>>>WARNING: Never mix a new batch with an old one, the onld will start to harden the new one instantly<<<



Now dip your brush into the resin and load it up with a moderate amount, not dripping off. If there is excess just wipe it on the edge of the container so that it flows back in.



Apply the resin to your piece starting at the seams first and the working your way around. You start at the seam to make sure it gets a healty amount of resin to give it support.

Remember to work quickly as the clock is against you, if you're too slow your resin will end up like this->

At this point ti is too bad too use, sorry, just throw it away.



After you have used the desired amount of resin on the piece let it dry. it should start to look something like this.

I reccomend doing your pieces in sections so as to not "water log" your medium. This also ensures you'll have a dry spot to get a firm grasp on.

ummm lol i gots a question me and my brother are making these for the first time EVER lol and were done with both the HOLE suits lol i got a question about fiberglassing it thought can we use a hair dryer WHILE applying the resin on the outside i mean i tried it on my brothers EOD and it seemed to work just fine lol we actually got done with a lot less mess and a lot less air bubbles ^^

 

[coolguy26]

can you resin your armor without fiberglass?



and how much is a quart of resin?

 

[bugeyes8]

I only put on one thick coat of resin and glass cloth on one of my pieces. most people say to put several layers on but as of now its near unbreakable. I was wondering if I should put on more layers



P.S. i don't have the money for bondo so is it ok if i didn't use a filler.

 

[MIRAGE]

I only put on one thick coat of resin and glass cloth on one of my pieces. most people say to put several layers on but as of now its near unbreakable. I was wondering if I should put on more layers

cloth is stronger than matt,if your parts dont flex they are good to go...

 

[Gaku X]

Okay:I'm-an-idiot-breakdown;Fold/Glue pep,resin/glass,primer/paint.Yes?

Doe that mean Bondo is an optional thing?Does the armor hold up as well with just fibreglass and resin?Can I just use the 'Mud'technique,or will that need extra reinforcement from cloth and/or resin regardless?

Thanks.

 

[Flyerfye]

Basically, you CAN go straight to paint, the bondo is usually to make those sharp paper folds into smoother curves by adding a little more material to work with. You can achieve more strength with additional layers of fiberglass and just keep the resin on top. Just remember it'll only be as smooth as the polygons of the pep.

 

[Drahkir]

Training, I was in the Navy and my first job was in airframes. I learned metalwork, fiberglassing, painting, and repair techniques. We also had safety drilled into us. Sometimes we try to be too safe; but it's better to be safe then dead or blind (heck, I'd rather be dead then blind; I have great respect for those that loose their sight and continue to find joy)



I all honesty, in a four year period I only had to fiberglass 4 or 5 times and recreate a metal part twice; I did a lot of paint work my last year, which involved too much sanding (I hate the polyurethane they use on jets) compared to the amount of painting I got to do. The rest of my time was spent performing maintenance, most of it planned.



A couple things I did learn for painting: a light mist for the first couple coats gives the later coats a good bite, don't rush it (but don't linger either); plan your painting before you start (this helps you plan for how much paint you need for the project).



Oh, if the paint smells like bananas (2 part polyurethanes), stop. This stuff is nasty and Navy regulations require a forced air respirator. I don't care if someone else says you'll be fine, this stuff can cause damage llike asbestos does, and you won't know it's killing you until 20 or 30 years later.

Thank you for this information! I'm sure this is the most valued item I've read to date!! So it really smells like bananas when it's a 2 pt polyurethane? How do I avoid this completly? Does the bottle tell you, or is it in the mixing stage?

 

[extrabread]

Muck appreciated! I'll be sure to bookmark this page and use this when I get started on my first project.

NOOB QUESTION: Are the paper helmets wearable or are they just for look?

 

[Acid fiend]

Is it okay to fiberglass the inside first before you can resin the outside? Cause I've experienced that my paper model warped when I resined the outside first.

you need to use a thicker paper to stop warpage, and you need to resin first, it helps keep the paper sturdy while glassing

 

[Doubler24]

you need to use a thicker paper to stop warpage, and you need to resin first, it helps keep the paper sturdy while glassing

I think also having really good folds would be a great help to prevent warping along with sturdy cardstock paper. I experienced some warping on my pep before I even resined the entire thing and I was using cardstock paper 110 lbs. Taking your time is key

 

[Kissker]

Few details I didn't see answered too well.





Warping - this is probably caused by too much in one area (soaking) the paper, it was in another thread to apply a light thin layer to all seams ina small area (say 3inch by 3inch) then rotate where you work so the resin doesn't start warping your work, and just rotate around the part, after the seams are done , it should be quite a bit stronger, and you can layer the rest of it. I would apply a "third" layer covering it all again just to be safe, these are thin coats, but they should be strong, then remove any supports or visor and do the inside with Mat or Cloth - depending on if you have Room for the size, and how sturdy you need it.



Remember - people WILL poke, tap, and knock on your armor bits, I don't know why.. like "is it real? *tap tap*" but it ALWAYS happens - some harder then others, so super thin layers and no mat/glassing inside might cause the part to crack/break. And as a safety reason - stronger parts mean they can take a bit more, accidents do happen (ever walked on the bottom floor of the mall to have someone drop something from the floor up on you?) your armor could be hit by something - and if it's not strong enough, it could puncture right through it, and possibly into you. My Boba Fett Helmet saved my skull from a few kicked up rocks from a 4wheeler as well, added some nice weathering damage effects too.



If the space inside the part is "too small" to fiberglass and still fit into - I would look into Liquid Plastics, and just put a coat on inside the part, it should remain sturdy enough for use. (and could be an alternative to glassing the inside all together, I have a plastics book since I order from them, I'll try to get some strength values of the hardened plastics.



Interestingly enough.. liquid plastic comes in Clear, Tinted, and glow in the dark values as well as standard white.... could be useful for some effects on other props and parts as well.





Bondo and Fiberglass can typically be found in all the places mentioned before (auto stores, boat shops, wal-mart, paint shops, etc) but... remember this - Auto stores typically charge more, the best prices I have found around me are Wal-Mart, and in some cases, buying larger amounts, Online shopping. The same size container of Bondo costs $32 at Auto shops here and is only about $19 with tax at Wal-Mart for me.





Shop around - some sales may be going on, when the auto shop has it's clearance 50% off it becomes a better deal, but that only happens about 1/year for me.



My plastic supplier is "USplastics" I found them to be pretty great service with reasonable shipping and prices, some things are expensive still, so I shop around when in doubt.

 

[DeathOfBlades]

How long does it take to cure it anyway?

If you use the standard mix (12 drops hardener: 1 oz. resin) in 70F weather, it usually cures in around 2hrs. In my experience it stays a little tacky, but baby powder fixes that right up.

will a dust-mask (particle mask... just one of the simple dome ones) work?

Get a full blown respirator with cartridges. A particle mask won't protect your little lungs from the nasty resin fumes. (and hey, it looks cool.)

I'm like a noob and I am just getting to the resining part now. I am cheap and i wanted to know if you have to use a new brush and little black sponge thing for every piece. like, does resin come out of those things easily? I won't do anything until i get something. Don't wanna screw up anything. please like PM me. Just bombard me with them!!! Thanksssssss!

By the way:

You could clean up resin with Acetone if it's something really important you'd like to keep, but it's really not worth saving cheap brushes.



I suggest buying some disposable bristle brushes (i believe the sponge variety turns to mush from the resin). I bought like 10-12 brushes when I did my armor (like $10). Saves you time too





-Vex

Ever heard of Laquer Thinner?

 

[seanyguy]

Thanks for the awesome tutorial! I'm getting ready to make an ODST helmet (start with something that looks easy), and I was able to find every resource I needed at a Canadian Tire (fibreglass resin, liquid hardener, and I'll get the fibreglass cloth soon) and a Michael's (brushes, the paint I'll be using, some see through plastic sheets and some interior stained glass paint), so this is going to be a pretty fun project. Sorry if it's been asked, I've looked around and either overlooked these questions or didn't see them, but..



1. The fibereglass cloth on the outside is just personal preference, right? You can just use it inside for the sturdiness and it'll be fine?

2. If you use the fibreglass resin and liquid hardener on the outside, do you need anything else, or are you good to sand it and paint it once the inside is re enforced with the cloth?



and last



3. Do you fibgreglass cloth the visor area, then cut it out with a dremmel and put in the actual visor you're using?



Thanks in advance, again, sorry if these questions have been asked.