New found respect for fibreglassers

breakpoint

well today I went on a great adventure called "fibreglassing" and let me just say I used my 3 lives and a continue....:P

I must say after myself trying to do this I admire u ppls even more, goddamnit its not as easy as it looks in the videos .

I watched loads of videos to know what I was getting myself into (one of em were the vids Stealth made).

But I just had problems all over ,, the fibre glass started to lift when I applied the resin, it didnt stick over the creases ect the fibre glass started to "Unthread" if u can use that word.

but well well Ill see tomorrow how it turned out..


for future reference, is fibre glass a MUST, or could u do a variation of slushing with forexample epoxy resin 2 or 3 times to get a good hardened interior,?

cheers and salute/danny

EyeofSauron

spray glue is your friend
believe me it makes everything sooooo much easier

danmaccymcleod

I'm not looking forward to having to do it myself... it's not going to be easy!

THExEVILxTW1N

An alternative I used to fiberglassing was use a 2 part epoxy and a thickener powder (Cab-O-Sil) added to it. You can make it as thick (paste like) as you want. This way it wouldn't run and it was VERY sturdy. It works really well, you just cake it on. Kinda like working with frosting. It worked especially well on the edges too.

Just an alternative.

THExEVILxTW1N

here's the stuff I had been using (before eventually just switching to foam):

This is the epoxy I was using:



This is the filler:



And a small example of how it looks when applied. This stuff dries HARD.

Zorlord

could you explain what foam you use?

breakpoint

maybe he´s refering to the yellow foam that expands and dries to hard ?
I dunno

THExEVILxTW1N

Making a suit of foam rather than hard plastic. I use 6mm foam sheets. Check out STEALTH's stuff and videos for that.

Here's mine





MUCH more comfortable and overall easier.

THExEVILxTW1N

Actually, I tried expanding foam once... LOL it's funny now, but not at the time. I used the non or minimal expanding foam on a shoulder piece... IT WARPED THE **** OUT OF IT. Don't ever do it. Not even close to useable.

breakpoint

ahh yea Im doin my suit in foam also.

but the helm im pepping. so I can use it as a decoration later on the book shelf or something :P


btw any1 know if u can flip the 3d model in pepakura ...not the 2d

EyeofSauron

yes you can
in the 2d menu there is a button invert pattern. it doesnt change the 3d view, but it mirrors the pattern and you get the other side via that

breakpoint

that I know :P the thing is I want to inviert the 3d so its easier for me to assemble the other thigh ^^

NEZAHUAL

if you're using the pep as templates then just flip the templates and trace it. so you use the template to make one side then you flip the template to get the other side.

CB2001

I'm sorry, I saw this and I have to ask: What do you mean "spray glue"? And how do you use that method?

THExEVILxTW1N

its a glue that is in a spray paint can. It's widely available (Home Depot, etc..), usually made by 3M. There are a few different grades (level of hold/thickness).

micdavis

Super 77 Rules!!!

mrbungle

when doing fiberglass parts. let's say a silicone armor mold.


i use 2 coats of gel coat, let each coat cure. the gel coat captures all the detail. then fiberglass.
i use the kitty hair fiberglass , not the cloth,. the kitty hair kinda dissolves into the resin, cloth does not. i tear the kitty hair fiberglass into roughly 3" by 3" squares.

to get the fiberglass to stick. put in a layer of resin then with same brush dab more resin on as you tack down the fiberglass to the gel coat. just keep dabbing and adding alittle more resin until the fiberglass all lays down.

make sure the fiberglass is tucked in good in the corners and stuff. if not, you get airbubbles and weak armor. if you put in the fiberglass in good, it should be hard to tell if there is any fiberglass there, when in doubt , put fiberglass in the spot you are not sure about.

hope that helps.

also. if it is real warm , add alittle kicker, if it is cool, then add more kicker.

and always wear a resperator.

Friko

Hey, ive been taught that same technique for fibgerglassing and have had great results with it. The only difference is that ive been taught to use bondo for the skin to pick up all the detail. Have you used that before? Im curious how the gel coat is compared to it. What brand do you use? Thanks.

mdb

I wouldn't use it as an alternative but as a filler this is so much better than pre-thickened fillers. That is like for like (so filler and pol over poly FG or epoxy and filler over epoxy FG).

Cabosil is a fumed silica and a really nice one at that. It tends to clump which is good! The filler most hardware stores sells is also fumed silica but the powder is light and not prone to clumping and so puffs up when you try to mix it. This then gets into any fabric or settles into carpet and eventually in to your lungs. So not good.

Other fillers are available for differing needs.

I find cabosil gives a creamed honey texture to the resin when mixed and spreads very softly. Norski's filler makes it more like toothpaste, but a bit stickier

I used this filler all over my Shae Vizla armour and cast many bits this way (filling in any bubbles after) as I used epoxy resin and so found the bond between FG and filler much stronger than had I used plastic putty. I also cast my helmet from cabosil and epoxy with matting to back it.

I do recommend though not waiting for the filler mix to cure fully before putting the matting/cloth behind/over it. There is an even better bond if the two layers cure together.

wickedoffroad

i ran into similar problems on my first attempt at fiberglassing. I originally tried using larger peices thinking it would be fast and easy...as the day went on the peices got smaller and the amount stuck to everything increased. I tried the resins, glass, dab method and kept pulling up the cloth. I like stealths idea of using a spray adhesive to put all the cloth on and make it fit nice and tight then adding the resin on top of that. Not sure how long to wait between applying cloth to adding resin...any suggestions?

Coolc

It is usually called EVA foam. You can get them from KMart, Wal-Mart of most automotive stores. I've used fiberglassed for 2 years and I feel your pain. That's why I am switching to foam.

I started a YouTube channel showing my hobby. My first video was how to use foam to make costume. Trust me. After using foam, you will never go back to fiberglass. The only time I will use fiberglass is on the helmet. I plan to post another video on some of the foam pieces I completed for my son's Master Chief MK VI this week.

CoolCostume's Channel - YouTube

Just to elaborate, the glue is used to hold the fiberglass in place so you can apply resin. Works really well. I used this method to fiberglass my Iron Man helmet.

I cut all fiberglass in strips and apply the entire helmet at the same time. Everything was sprayed with glue to be sure. I use the craft glue I bought from Wal-Mart. You can apply resin immediately. All I did was just do it once.

mrbungle

for molds for silcione masks i order a clear gelcoat they use on boats. most boat places either carry it or know who do.
if i am doing an armor parts i use the white gelcoat.

i order mine online. it is not cheap but goes along way.
here is the stuff i use. for laying the fiberglass i use the bondo brand resin and mesh from the local automotive store.


Clear Gel Coat : Resins : Epoxy Resins : Polyester : Gel Coats : Vinyl Ester : Harderner : Tooling Gel Coat : Styrene : MEKP

CB2001

Okay. Any tutorials or pictures of end result using this particular method? I'm always interested in alternative building methods.

EyeofSauron

its not really alternatively
spray glue, get your fibreglass into place, let the glue dry, and then resin over the fibreglass. this way your fibreglass wont come loose or peel in the process, because its glued to the surface

irishamericanlad

FANTASTIC!!!!!!