Smoothon's Epsilon. New foam coating material

booksandcorsets

booksandcorsets

Sr Member
I’ve been eyeing Smooth-On’s Epsilon since they announced it last November, and I finally got to test it out yesterday. Now that I know how it works, I’m going to be using it to coat an armor set of my Judoon costume in the next month.

I really see this as the final "how to coat foam" entrant into the field. I've used Plastidip and Mod Podge in the past (I want to keep the foam flexible, so passed on coating it with Smoothcast as I've seen also done). Both had their plus and minuses, and none of the above properly hide the cut lines for EVA foam builds made out of Pepakura templates. Iron Man costumers, I'm lookin' at you :)

In brief: Epsilon is a brush-on material that you can use to coat a variety of substances. It self-levels, so by the time it cures, the final surface is very smooth. It also can then be sanded and painted—or the top layer can be tinted. The final coat is so glossy that it shows fingerprints; if you’re looking for a more matte look, you’ll need to paint it. It SEALS foam or cardboard (I tested both) and is extremely pliable without wrinkling. Because I was using it to coat something rather than casting a piece, a little went a LONG way.

Here’s some quick photos I took during my test last night.
8386797140_10127aeeaa_z.jpg


Second layer, tinting with so-strong.
8386798622_42ff4148d6_z.jpg


Once it's cured, it's hard AND flexible and does not crack/wrinkle:
8385738795_67a484410f_z.jpg

8385738989_5b2d91790f_z.jpg
 
Excellent info, thanks. I made a foam Iron Man suit and pre-sealed/coated it in in PVA. When I make a more accurate suit, I may opt for this final sealing compound. Thanks for posting the results!

Actually, come to think of it, I have a couple of smaller scale foam costume ideas that I'll be starting in a month or so where this could be immediately applicable!
 
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Wow. I've been doing a lot of research on different sealing methods for foam. I want the ease of foam building, but to add some durability. I used PlastiDip on my first foam build (Iron Man MK VII), and didn't like it too much (didn't work well with some of the foam I used). So now I've been looking at Smooth-Cast 65D for my next build.

How would you say this compares to Smooth-Cast, in terms of durability?

Also, I just looked up some pricing on this and the 65D. For the gallon kits, the Epsilon appears to be just $5 more than the 65D. Seeing as you don't need to seal the foam when using this, the Epsilon just might be the way to go! That is, if it's comparable to the results of the 65D.

Thanks for testing this stuff out, btw! I've been struggling to make a firm decision on how to seal my foam.
 
Well I can't really speak to long-term durability of the Epsilon, since I just tried this out yesterday & the product has only been commercially available since November! I'll know more once I finish my Judoon build in a month or two.

The problem I've always seen with the 65D on foam builds is that it has a hard time bending with the foam. There's no give, and any time there's a bit of unexpected flex, it has the tendency to crack.

Epsilon isn't a resin though--it's an epoxy that's meant to be a bit flexible. So it's definitely more of a coating. From my experimenting with it yesterday, it will also seal up those cracks on pepakura foam builds to be pretty much invisible. I'm looking forward to seeing it in action :)
 
This stuff is really great. I've used modge podge on foam for a couple Iron Man pieces and I wasn't really impressed. I'll have to look into this. I'd like to see a full foam build with this used. Keep us posted if you do anything!
 
Epoxy has been used for a long time by professional sculptors to coat sculpts made in rigid foam. (blue or pink styrofoam)

I use epoxy mixed with various powders to get a filler that resembles auto body filler (Bondo) but is better. It does not smell, it does not crack as easily, it adheres better and it has longer working time. By mixing different amounts of different powders (colloidal silica, microballoons, microfiber) I can get different properties. It is perfect for filling on plastic Clonetrooper armour that should be made seamless and painted. The only drawback is that epoxy is more expensive.
 
This looks interesting. I am currently looking into different methods of coating foam. I have used the PVA method and I have also found something resembling rondo but not as toxic.
The Epsilon sounds easy to work with. How about the stuff itself? Do you need to wear a breather mask or anything? Does it smell? I am working inside and this is a big factor for me.
 
Ha, I found the MSDS statement. :facepalm
My questions have been answered. Proper ventilation and breather mask is required.
 
Here's a question I'm surprised no one has asked yet: Since it's self leveling, I'm guessing it won't be much good at filling in gaps and cracks?

-Nick
 
TheNickFox said:
Here's a question I'm surprised no one has asked yet: Since it's self leveling, I'm guessing it won't be much good at filling in gaps and cracks?

-Nick
Click to expand...

I would think that it would actually be VERY useful for this, as you can apply it in multiple layers and then sand the final piece. I'll be experimenting more with it in the next week or so (and will have some seams) and will add to this thread when I have more info to share.
 
Very interested to see more with this...Im working on some stuff using styrofoam now and was thinking about a coating to make it more durable. Whered you get it and how much does it run? Trying to deceide if its cost effective to use this or go another route.
 
You can buy it right from the Smooth-on site, just search for "Epsilon" :) A trial kit is about $30. I used less than 20 oz to coat that piece of foam, so I'd imagine it can stretch pretty far.
 
Well thats not terrible. Probably will end up getting this if plan A fails.

And thanks didnt see the buy online option...probably am gonna order it, probably better then white glue?

How do you like it? whats the weight like of the stuff once coated vs uncoated? Im working on a extremely long rifle...the DC15L from the clone wars for a little something. Gotta keep the weight down on this.
 
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Seals cardboard, too?! Incredible! I've made a couple things with some scrap cardboard laying around and I was looking for a way to seal it with something other than drywall.

Question, once sealed, can it be molded?
 
A lot of interest in this :)

Weight barely increases at all with the coat. You're brushing on a glue in a very thin layer. I used less than 20 grams to cover the piece in the example.

This is a glue: it supposedly also works to seal plaster, fabric (I am a bit wary of that...), and wood, according to the Smooth-on site. I haven't experimented with any of those, figuring that for most costume purposes, foam/cardboard would be the go-to.

It was actually used to create a protective layer so an object CAN be molded in one of the tutorials... looks like it's sulfur-free!

I GUESS it could be sprayed, but I'd be worried about your air-brush tip getting clean. This is a glue, after all. It's a bit thinner than the consistency of Mod Podge at the start.
 
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