How to plastic coat foam costume pieces
- Thread starter XRobots
- Start date
electraflier
Well-Known Member
Thanks for helping with my addiction! LOL! I appreciate your ideas and tutorials very much as I want to mold my armor! Keep up the great work!
M
M
AuldEffects
Active Member
Thanks! Something to think about.
7sinzz
Well-Known Member
I'm doing my helmet in plastic tomorrow hopefully. That's assuming the weather holds out. I've put 5 coats of pva glue on then cut the faceplate out. It's quite rough along the edges. Will spend today coating the edges in pva. Not sure how I'm gonna get my head in after tomorrow... If i take the back off now the helmet will probably warp. Cross that bridge when I get to it. Will report back with photos some time after tomorrow. If anybody wants to advise me on the points I've made, before tomorrow id be greatful.
XRobots
Well-Known Member
Maybe glue cardboard formers inside it to hold it in shape while you coat it?.
7sinzz
Well-Known Member
I did that, thanks for the tip though.
I'm Currently half way through the plastic coating of the helmet. This stuff cures rapid so you need to get the coats on fast for pieces larger than the test piece you built. But that means I've put to much on in the rush it and its blotchy in places, and various puddles and streakes have formed.
Any tips on getting it to cure slower? How did you manage to get an even coat over the majority of your test piece. I only get half way through the helmet and its already started curing so rotocasting isnt even an option.
Ive also noticed that the smooth-cast doesnt seem to stick to itself. So how does the second and third coat stay on?
How is it going to be possible to coat the bigger pieces before the stuff cures?
Inspections of the following photos and advice would be very welcome...
Absolutely awful first attempt.
I'm Currently half way through the plastic coating of the helmet. This stuff cures rapid so you need to get the coats on fast for pieces larger than the test piece you built. But that means I've put to much on in the rush it and its blotchy in places, and various puddles and streakes have formed.
Any tips on getting it to cure slower? How did you manage to get an even coat over the majority of your test piece. I only get half way through the helmet and its already started curing so rotocasting isnt even an option.
Ive also noticed that the smooth-cast doesnt seem to stick to itself. So how does the second and third coat stay on?
How is it going to be possible to coat the bigger pieces before the stuff cures?
Inspections of the following photos and advice would be very welcome...
Absolutely awful first attempt.
Last edited:
XRobots
Well-Known Member
Maybe apply thin coats in sections over the helmet/piece...
It will stick to itself because I've used it to cast solid pieces in multiple passes - sometimes up to 8 layers. You just need to apply it ideally before the last coat is fully set. The 65D sets slowly over about 10 minutes - is this what you're using?
In the example video I did lightly sand the first coat before applying the second one, which may have given it a 'key' to stick to.
There's another project going on where the person has made this work on large pieces:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/iron-man-mk4-plastic-coated-foam-build-150770/
Post 5 has more details:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/iron-man-mk4-plastic-coated-foam-build-150770/#post2303970
It will stick to itself because I've used it to cast solid pieces in multiple passes - sometimes up to 8 layers. You just need to apply it ideally before the last coat is fully set. The 65D sets slowly over about 10 minutes - is this what you're using?
In the example video I did lightly sand the first coat before applying the second one, which may have given it a 'key' to stick to.
There's another project going on where the person has made this work on large pieces:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/iron-man-mk4-plastic-coated-foam-build-150770/
Post 5 has more details:
http://www.therpf.com/f24/iron-man-mk4-plastic-coated-foam-build-150770/#post2303970
7sinzz
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the fast reply. Its the official 65d. Do you think I'll be able to save this helmet? Its a right bloody mess. Also will I to need to fill it? Im not very good at sanding so not sure of the process to smooth it.
Would you suggest i do the side of the helmet, then the top, then the other side, then the back?
Would you suggest i do the side of the helmet, then the top, then the other side, then the back?
XRobots
Well-Known Member
You could try sanding the big lumps off, lightly sanding all over, and then some thin thin coats of resin... in thin coats it'll take longer to set, so just keep mixing small quantities up and working your way over it.
7sinzz
Well-Known Member
Any particular grit sand paper you'd suggest? Is plastic sanding as messy as fibreglass sanding? Even though its quite a mess, im still happy with how it feels 
Infinitely more durable than the foam. I'll upload another picture to show the few extra coats I put on...
And yes... that is a bristle from cheapy paint brush stuck to his forehead
Infinitely more durable than the foam. I'll upload another picture to show the few extra coats I put on...
And yes... that is a bristle from cheapy paint brush stuck to his forehead
I would give it a light sand with 120g paper. Then scrape some filler over it, keeping it very thin. This should just about fill any low spots. Then lightly sand with 120g again. You might have to fill and sand quite a few times. Once it starts looking flat primer it to show up any imperfections, then fill and lightly sand again. You could go to 240g paper then.
You should be able to lose any scratches from the rougher paper with the 240g paper and some filler primer.
Dont know where you get your brushes from, but poundland do a 5 pack of brushes for (funnily enough) a pound.
You should be able to lose any scratches from the rougher paper with the 240g paper and some filler primer.
Dont know where you get your brushes from, but poundland do a 5 pack of brushes for (funnily enough) a pound.
That was the part of fibreglass building i hated. It doesnt seem as bad on the foam build though. Probably because theres a lot less of it involved.
Hi guys... Just thought I'd share a little nugget of gold I found this past weekend. It's called ISOPON Bumper filler, got it at halfords in the UK. It's a body filler but mainly for plastic car bumpers. What makes this stuff awesome is that it's flexible.
After coating my helmet with the polyurethane resin I too was left with many uneven bits. I gave it a light sand and used this ISOPON on it... Works like a charm!!! It's easy to sand and dries quick too. Been planning on using it to also recreate some of the detail that has been lost!
Good luck to you all!!!!,
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
After coating my helmet with the polyurethane resin I too was left with many uneven bits. I gave it a light sand and used this ISOPON on it... Works like a charm!!! It's easy to sand and dries quick too. Been planning on using it to also recreate some of the detail that has been lost!
Good luck to you all!!!!,
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Hey man... Yeah I guess it would be if you tried to do the whole suit but I managed to do all I needed with one tube which was £6.99 so I guess it just depends on how much you plan to do with it
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
