First time Pepakura/Resin/Bondo Questions

[SkeletonCrew7]

Hey all!

Recently I finished crafting a Pepakura N7 helmet in the hopes of making a replica helmet, though now that I am done with the Pepakura model I am a bit anxious to continue on to the next steps. I've never hardened/shaped a helmet, and I do not have the funds/time to craft another Pepakura model or try again so I would like to get a decent product on my first shot. I don't expect perfection or anything amazing since this is my first try, though I do believe I could make something decent and I would love the advice of some experienced experts on my plan of what to do next.

I have acquired some Bondo 420 Fiberglass Resin and some Bondo Body Filler. From what I understand, I am to coat the model inside and outside with the resin, and wait for it to dry for about a day. I do have gloves and a mask to use while resining the helmet. Then, I plan to smooth over the exterior of the helmet with bondo, and do detailing work with rondo.

Can anyone give me some additional advice on the body filler, rondo parts of the build? I would like to make the helmet very realistic and I have read some threads where people were able to peel away the Pepakura paper and have just a Rondo helmet left.

Any advice is appreciated and thank you in advance!

 

[Sean]

There are quite a few threads on the subject. you may have to dig through a few and find what you need. I personally have no experience with the mixture. but I bondo stuff four days a week for work. here Is one i have found don't If you have seen this or If It hold any answers for you.

http://www.therpf.com/f24/rondo-hardening-method-photo-guided-tutorial-114146/

 

[laellee]

Go easy on your initial resin steps. Properly mixed resin will cure out pretty fast, so after a couple of hours you can go at it again. I resin the inside first, let it harden, then outside once as well to make it more rigid. I then lay at least one layer of mat on the inside, usually two. I do not use rondo at all on helmets, namely because actual mat and resin is stronger and lays more evenly. (rondo works great on pieces you can't physically get inside and mat, like weapons)

If you plan on trying to remove the paper after resining, then you can skip resining the outside of the helmet. I have tried doing it this way, but sometimes trying to remove the paper can end up being a lot more of a hassle than it's worth. The resin soaks into the paper, so you can end up removing only a thin layer, leaving a pilled surface that can be hard to smoothen. This is a no brainer, but the quality of the original pep makes all the difference in finishing it; if everything is symmetrical and clean, you can skim your bondo right over the resined paper exterior, and just go very easy on your sanding. After the initial resin coat, I spray on a primer guide coat, and then start skimming and sanding. You'll inevitably burn through the resin coat and sand into the paper in some spots, just lightly skim those areas again and resand. It's a lot of work, but in the end you'll get a good finish. I just use bondo for detailing as well.