Strengthening small Pepakura props

[soup2008]

Hi everyone, I'm a little new here and am really just getting into pepakura, and have a pretty quick question I think, I'm working on some armor which the strengthening process is pretty straight forward by fiber glassing, but I've seen a lot of smaller prob builds that are way to small for stander fiberglass resining technique. Does anyone have an idea on a good way to stregthen these smaller props(guns, blasters, swords and such) since the fiberglass method is more macro than micro.

Thanks for any help ahead of time!

 

[soup2008]

quick little bump.

 

[Reacher]

If a part is that small I usually ditch the paper all together and make it out of something else. Wood or foam are favourites.

 

[soup2008]

like Pva foam? only reason i really ask and am thinking pep for these items is since it doesn't require very much in the way of to many tools, other that safety supplies and such

 

[Reacher]

like Pva foam? only reason i really ask and am thinking pep for these items is since it doesn't require very much in the way of to many tools, other that safety supplies and such

EVA foam like they use for yoga mats etc. If you're thinking of making guns etc. I'd imagine the paper / fibreglass route would be very difficult as the resin is going to add to considerable size and thickness small parts and probably won't work, unless you make moulds and cast the small parts out of resin? If you haven't already, check out the Hero Tutorials or Xrobots on youtube, they are an excellent starting point for help and advice!

 

[Ninovoa]

I dont know how strong your small pepakura models are, but you can maybe try watering down some wood glue and brushing it on to your models.

 

[The Schlitzie]

If you have to make something small out of pepakura,put a few extra coats of resin on the outside and leave a piece off (preferably a flat piece on an end and when you rondo it just make it a little thin so you can pour it through a funnel. If it's small enough,you could just fill it up...Another option is make it out of something solid as a base and use styrene layered for details.

 

[soup2008]

Thanks for all the ideas guys! I'll look into some of them, you're probably all right about the pep not really appropriate for small props and such, I'll probably go a more traditional route.

 

[Uridium]

For a gun or something with small interior cavity parts, i was intending on trying Rondo.

Let us know what you end up trying and how the results are!

 

[soup2008]

I do think i'm going to try rondoing the inside, making it thin, it would be a very cost effective method.