Molding the MKVII back?

[ShaunDark80]

Hi all

I'm about to make the MKVII back from foam board, and though I'm quite excited about how quickly this should go together, I am concerned about how durable the material will be. Ideally I'd like the piece to be made from fibreglass.

So, is there a relatively cheap way of moulding such a large piece? I don't want to spend hundreds on silicone for what is likely to be a one-off cast. Is making a fibreglass mould a good idea for such a large and weirdly shaped piece?

I know I should just make the whole suit from cardstock, and do this properly, but I can't see myself ever finishing the suit in time if I go with that method. The Chest took me the best part of a week, and I can see that keeping the thing in the right shape during resin and fibreglass is going to be a pain.

I look forward to any suggestions.

Thanks

Shaun.

 

[ShaunDark80]

Anyone?

 

[Kevin Gossett]

Molding and casting is never a cheap endeavor, especially with something so large

 

[Atymisk]

cardboard is always an option for fiberglass and filler

 

[laellee]

A fiberglass mold would work, but if you are only making a one-off then it's quit a bit of overkill. To do it right, you're going to end up going through practically the same steps to strengthen and smooth the piece that you would if just finishing it normally. Then you still have to make a mold of this piece to make your cast from.

Just me, but I would finish out your back piece in the normal means, strengthen it up with resin and fiberglass, finish it out with bondo and sanding, and then decide if you still want to mold it and have a fiberglass piece. Molding and casting is a lot of work no matter what material you are using.