Sealing/Painting foam armor?

RogueDax1

New Member
OK, I'm looking to build some Age of X Magneto/Gambit/Rogue foam armor. It doesn't look to complicated like a IromMan.
I've gathered how to build the armor but have a few questions regarding the sealing/painting. If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it :)
After I build up the armor, I've seen some people use diluted elmers glue to seal it. I've also heard people use plastidip. Would I use one or the other? Or seal it with the glue first then plastidip?
Or I've seen people use the smooth on/rondo stuff. I like this idea too as it would make it more durable. Also where do you buy it? I'm in Chicago,Il.
If I used this stuff would I still need to seal it with diluted glue?
As far as painting, Would I primer it after the glue/plastidip/smoothon/rondo and then paint it?
If there are any Chicago,IL area based foam builders. I'd love to be able to watch your process. Here's a pic of the armor I'd like to build...
1289572140_zpsc94d5589.jpeg

Thanks for any info :)
 
Man Me too, I think pva, 2 or 3 coats are enough for this work :D
if you see my projects, the result makes rly diferencce

:D
 
Thanks guys for the tips :)
I really appreciate it!
PVA is the same as Elmers? Or is it different?
Also forgot to ask, For wearing/attaching the armor, I was thinking of putting and elastic band on the inside so it'll hold the armor in place better. Do you think I could just hotglue some elastic to the inside? Any other ideas?
 
Do you want to make soft flexible or rigid hard armor? I am currently building an iron-man mark 42 helmet and I am using the plastidip method. Once the foam structure is complete you spray it with 1 even coat of plastidip, then coat it with a plastic or polyurethane resin to give it a nice rigid feel. You then allow the resin to dry and sand off any uneven bubbles or dents to be filled in with bondo spotting putty. Just a few suggestions I have used to work on my projects so hopefully I can help you too!
 
Thanks guys for the tips :)
It's really helpful. I plan on working on the armor this weekend.
I've seen people use Smooth On 65(I think, may not be right number) or somthing called Rondo? I know both are 2 parts and have to be mixed. Are these items something Menards or Home Depot sells or is it more of an automotive store thing? I'm in the Chicago area.
 
Rondo actually you cant buying I discovered the other day, Rondo is: 50% bondo and 50% fiberglass resing, you mix it and then you use the bondo hardener to turn it "pinkish" and then you use it like you were using normal Bondo, took me months to figure this xD passing te knowledge
 
Also a question guys, here in Panama they dont sell Smooth on products and due to restrictions im unable to bring them over from internet, do you know similar brands or products that work like them?
 
After I build up the armor, I've seen some people use diluted elmers glue to seal it. I've also heard people use plastidip. Would I use one or the other? Or seal it with the glue first then plastidip?

Or I've seen people use the smooth on/rondo stuff. I like this idea too as it would make it more durable. Also where do you buy it? I'm in Chicago,Il.

If I used this stuff would I still need to seal it with diluted glue?
As far as painting, Would I primer it after the glue/plastidip/smoothon/rondo and then paint it?

If there are any Chicago,IL area based foam builders. I'd love to be able to watch your process. Here's a pic of the armor I'd like to build...



I'm in C. IL. And ironic enough I'm also getting ready to seal and paint my suit after I finish making my boots and helmet.

You would use one or the other for Plastic dip and glue. Plasticdip was suppose to be an alternative and I think faster approach for sealing, however it's also more costly.

I looked up smooth-on on their website. I think it has to be shipped to a store here were you can pick up. However that stuff is about $90. And I think there is only one store here that it can be shipped too. If you want to buy bondo or fiberglass, you can go to home depot or any automotive place like Auto Zone. I've been to them both and they have it.

The purpose of sealing the foam with glue or plastidip is because the foam will suck up the paint and screw over what could have been a beautiful paint job. However, I'm not sure how it would work with smooth-on or rondo. In theory, you shouldn't have to use the glue because the outer layer won't be foam anymore it will be fiberglass or plastic. I used glue, primer and paint and I liked the way it came out.

I could try out a piece with just glue and paint and see how it goes.

PVA is white glue any white glue. Be it elmers or tacky
 
Also a question guys, here in Panama they dont sell Smooth on products and due to restrictions im unable to bring them over from internet, do you know similar brands or products that work like them?

If I'm not mistaken Smooth-on was just an alternative to Fiberglass resin. Smooth-on I think is safer were you can use it indoors, while the Fiberglass resin you need a mask and have to be outside
 
Great! Thank you all so very much.
I'm going to do a test build this weekend and see how it goes :)
One other question, I know some people have use the strap/buckle system to wear the armor. I was wondering if its possible to hot glue elastic straps to the foam armor amend Velcro to secure it? Does anyone think it would damage the foam if I hot glue it to the armor and then smooth-on over the elastic that is attached to the goal?
 
im wondering about plastidip and pva. I'm reading mixed info.. 50% say to PVA then plastidip and 50% say just plastidip right on the foam.
I can understand that adding PVA first, will add better adhesion for the plastidip, and will yield a better end result, but can you just spray plastidip right to the foam and yield a decent result?
 
Great! Thank you all so very much.
I'm going to do a test build this weekend and see how it goes :)
One other question, I know some people have use the strap/buckle system to wear the armor. I was wondering if its possible to hot glue elastic straps to the foam armor amend Velcro to secure it? Does anyone think it would damage the foam if I hot glue it to the armor and then smooth-on over the elastic that is attached to the goal?

I'm not sure what you said... but if you put smooth-on over the elastic it wouldn't be elastic anymore. XD can you rewrite that.

im wondering about plastidip and pva. I'm reading mixed info.. 50% say to PVA then plastidip and 50% say just plastidip right on the foam.
I can understand that adding PVA first, will add better adhesion for the plastidip, and will yield a better end result, but can you just spray plastidip right to the foam and yield a decent result?

I always thought it was pva OR plastidip. The idea is to seal the foam so while painting, the paint won't be adsorbed into the foam. Pva is the cheap slow way to do it, while plastidip is the expensive fast way to do it (I've heard plastidip makes a better result, but I'm not sure). However, if you're looking for adhesion, you should remember that the pva if mixed a certain way can peel. This will also peel the plastidip in theory.

But most of this info I got off the HeroTutorial. I would check that.
 
Sorry for the confusion :)
WHat I meant was, say I've made my shin armor and was thinking of using elastic straps(with velcro on ends to hold) that were about 5"(just an example). If I hot glued 1" to the foam and put smooth on over that 1" along with the rest of the armor piece( not the other 4" of elastic). Would the elastic be secured enough to the foam armor with the hotglue/smooth on to allow the rest of the elastic to stretch some? Or would it just break away? Hope that clearifies my question :)
 
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