NovaDom
New Member
Hello guys, first time poster here!
I've been on the board for about a month now and I've been reading pretty much everything I could about Pepakura.
I think I'm about ready to begin playing with Pep and, like so many others before me, I'm trying to plan what material I need before jumping in.
Alright so, putting aside the obvious (cardstock, scissor, exacto, glue, etc), I'd like to know if I'm on the right track with the "chemicals" used to harden the outside, then the inside of my Pep parts..
I never used or owned any of those products before.
Here the summary of what I understood:
(I've read to stay away from water based resin for Pep parts, so that's why I'm not referring to them at all)
Ok so, Bondo is a (car putty) filler, polyester based.
Rondo is the result of polyester resin mixed with bondo.
I'd like to know if Rondo is only "doable" with polyester resin?
From what I read, polyester resin stink pretty badly (still smells after its cured.. bad for a helmet).
I'm guessing that the reason that both chemicals mix no problem is because both products are polyester based.
So, especially for the smell "problem", I'm leaning toward Epoxy resin for the inside of my Pep parts.
I know that it won’t be a problem to use fiberglass cloth with epoxy resin for my "strength" layer..
But I'd like to try "slush casting" the first layers inside the Pep parts..
So, basically I'd like to know what would happen if I mix epoxy resin and bondo to create an alternate type of Rondo ? Am I thinking too much about this, and it’s going to work no problem?
Or am I looking at an epic failure waiting to happen?
When researching about slush casting or rotocasting, everything I read is either about rondo, or urethane resin.
My gut feeling tells me that if Rondo (made with epoxy resin and bondo) is doable, it would be stronger than slush casting urethane. I can totally be wrong, that's why I'm looking for the expert knowledge of the RPF users!
Like I said before, slush casting would be the first layer inside, then fiberglassing.
Now, that would cover the strengthening of the inside of my Pep parts..
For the outside of the parts:
I'm leaning toward Urethane resin. From what I've read, urethane resin can be applied very thin to give some strength to Pep parts, but can also be used to cast solid pieces.
For example; let’s say I'm building an Iron man helmet..
I could do the actual helmet in Pep, but I could cast the "ears" in solid urethane, and then install them on the helmet.
Am I somewhat on the right track?
I should say that while shopping online, I've came across polyurethane resin and urethane resin.
I have assumed that they are the same thing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Should I expect so type of weird reaction between the urethane resin and the epoxy resin / bondo & fiberglass combination?
Am I complicating things for nothing and should just stick with epoxy resin, applied all over the parts with a brush, then fiberglassing?
Your comments are very welcomed
I've been on the board for about a month now and I've been reading pretty much everything I could about Pepakura.
I think I'm about ready to begin playing with Pep and, like so many others before me, I'm trying to plan what material I need before jumping in.
Alright so, putting aside the obvious (cardstock, scissor, exacto, glue, etc), I'd like to know if I'm on the right track with the "chemicals" used to harden the outside, then the inside of my Pep parts..
I never used or owned any of those products before.
Here the summary of what I understood:
(I've read to stay away from water based resin for Pep parts, so that's why I'm not referring to them at all)
Ok so, Bondo is a (car putty) filler, polyester based.
Rondo is the result of polyester resin mixed with bondo.
I'd like to know if Rondo is only "doable" with polyester resin?
From what I read, polyester resin stink pretty badly (still smells after its cured.. bad for a helmet).
I'm guessing that the reason that both chemicals mix no problem is because both products are polyester based.
So, especially for the smell "problem", I'm leaning toward Epoxy resin for the inside of my Pep parts.
I know that it won’t be a problem to use fiberglass cloth with epoxy resin for my "strength" layer..
But I'd like to try "slush casting" the first layers inside the Pep parts..
So, basically I'd like to know what would happen if I mix epoxy resin and bondo to create an alternate type of Rondo ? Am I thinking too much about this, and it’s going to work no problem?
Or am I looking at an epic failure waiting to happen?
When researching about slush casting or rotocasting, everything I read is either about rondo, or urethane resin.
My gut feeling tells me that if Rondo (made with epoxy resin and bondo) is doable, it would be stronger than slush casting urethane. I can totally be wrong, that's why I'm looking for the expert knowledge of the RPF users!
Like I said before, slush casting would be the first layer inside, then fiberglassing.
Now, that would cover the strengthening of the inside of my Pep parts..
For the outside of the parts:
I'm leaning toward Urethane resin. From what I've read, urethane resin can be applied very thin to give some strength to Pep parts, but can also be used to cast solid pieces.
For example; let’s say I'm building an Iron man helmet..
I could do the actual helmet in Pep, but I could cast the "ears" in solid urethane, and then install them on the helmet.
Am I somewhat on the right track?
I should say that while shopping online, I've came across polyurethane resin and urethane resin.
I have assumed that they are the same thing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Should I expect so type of weird reaction between the urethane resin and the epoxy resin / bondo & fiberglass combination?
Am I complicating things for nothing and should just stick with epoxy resin, applied all over the parts with a brush, then fiberglassing?
Your comments are very welcomed