Lord Magneto
Sr Member
I just got back from walmart with a few supplies... about to start up my first project.
The PEPAKURA question thread - PLEASE READ RULES IN FIRST POST!
- Thread starter DaddyfromNaboo
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- star wars
epoxinator
Well-Known Member
@mattyp916: Regarding Waybe, it's actually a plugin for Sketchup. You have to install Sketchup for Waybe to work.
Pilot
Sr Member
No turning back now! :lol
I'd like to make one suggestion: instead of the X-acto knife, try using a "snap blade" knife like this one. I personally think they're easier to control than a regular hobby knife, and blades are waaaaaaaay cheaper. Like, $1.99 for a 10-pack of blades at Lowe's or Home Depot kind of cheap. A single snap blade will yield 7 or 8 fresh, sharp cutting edges before it gets a little too short to use comfortably...so, a couple of bucks for 70 or 80 good blades versus whatever X-acto blades cost these days.
I know that's a lot of words to describe something you might not even like, but for the price difference, it's worth a look.
Lord Magneto
Sr Member
No turning back now! :lol
I'd like to make one suggestion: instead of the X-acto knife, try using a "snap blade" knife like this one. I personally think they're easier to control than a regular hobby knife, and blades are waaaaaaaay cheaper. Like, $1.99 for a 10-pack of blades at Lowe's or Home Depot kind of cheap. A single snap blade will yield 7 or 8 fresh, sharp cutting edges before it gets a little too short to use comfortably...so, a couple of bucks for 70 or 80 good blades versus whatever X-acto blades cost these days.
I know that's a lot of words to describe something you might not even like, but for the price difference, it's worth a look.
Thanks for the tip! I actually have one of those. I will give it a try. Anything to save a few bucks.
I've got my pep files printed and will start cutting tonight.
PR85
New Member
while we're on the topic of pep questions. I used regular elmers glue to put my pep together, but I have noticed a lot of people using a hot glue gun. I don't have one to test it out, but would it be recommended to use a hot glue gun over elmers? Or does anyone know that it would make much a difference?
Lord Magneto
Sr Member
I will let you know later tonight. I'm planning on trying out both and seeing which I like best.
SaberFreak
Sr Member
I tried using a water-based glue before and hated the fact that it takes too long to dry, and the glued section would come apart as soon as I put a bit of stress on it while trying to bend and glue the other side.
Hot glue only takes a few seconds to cool and then the join is solid and won't easily come apart. Hot glue does take some getting used to though and chances of getting burn if you're not careful is definitely there, but after a while you get the hang of it and will never want to use anything else.
Lord Magneto
Sr Member
Exactly... I just did a quick test on a extra piece that i cut out to test everything on and I definitely prefer the hot glue. Like you said it sticks really well and drys really fast. I can also bend it a little more after without it coming apart.
It is a good bit messier in my opinion that the elmers glue but it definitely works a lot better
PR85
New Member
Cool cool, I might go buy a hot glue gun before I start my next project pieces then. Thanks both of you for the input!:thumbsup
Lord Magneto
Sr Member
Walmart/harbor freight/ michaels is a good place for a cheap one. You can also use coupons at harbor freight and michaels.
JBomm
Active Member
Hi, I'm working on a sharkman mark VI Iron Man Helmet and I was wondering if I should be building in numerical order. Some of the things are getting tough to glue and i was wondering if it was made to go in order. like..put 1 with 1..then 2 with 2.. etc. I've been going 894 with 894, 334 with 334 in random order of whole pieces that i feel would have made it easier. I did the front face..then the eyes..the eyes are now really tough to attach. I'm just wondering if it'd be easer if I did it again with in order. Thank you
Edit:
Also, if number order isn't important, should I be gluing pieces together before I finish each section? Instead of doing each individual eye piece..putting them all together by at least 1 joint first and then folding them all up? Thanks
Edit:
Also, if number order isn't important, should I be gluing pieces together before I finish each section? Instead of doing each individual eye piece..putting them all together by at least 1 joint first and then folding them all up? Thanks
Let me give you all a tip on using a hot glue gun for pep projects, use a low temp gun you're less likely to burn yourself, and if you make a mistake during gluing (for example if you get a fold tab glued in the wrong spot) just use a hot blow dryer at close range and that will loosen the glue to allow you to re-position the piece.
JBomm you don't have to start in numerical order, lol. Believe it or not when I first started doing pep files I thought that as well, but if you use pepakura viewer with your build looking at the computer view of it all you have to do is click on the piece you have in your hand on the 2D window of the pepakura viewer to see where the piece goes on the build. You can even expand or "explode" the 3d model in the 3d window of pepakura viewer to get a better idea of where a piece should go by going to Setting>>Display Setting of The 3D Window>>And Ajusting the Size of the Opening to see where a piece fits.
JBomm you don't have to start in numerical order, lol. Believe it or not when I first started doing pep files I thought that as well, but if you use pepakura viewer with your build looking at the computer view of it all you have to do is click on the piece you have in your hand on the 2D window of the pepakura viewer to see where the piece goes on the build. You can even expand or "explode" the 3d model in the 3d window of pepakura viewer to get a better idea of where a piece should go by going to Setting>>Display Setting of The 3D Window>>And Ajusting the Size of the Opening to see where a piece fits.
JBomm
Active Member
@PepMaster Thank you for the quick response. Now I can continue to work on this I noticed in pepakura designer (I got a license so I could export to .dxf to cut, score, and Pen on my CNC table at work) that you can't double click the 3d Face to show the part on the 2d side like you can on the viewer.. or at least it's not defaulted? Idk. It's a useful tool.
I noticed in pepakura designer (I got a license so I could export to .dxf to cut, score, and Pen on my CNC table at work) that you can't double click the 3d Face to show the part on the 2d side like you can on the viewer.. or at least it's not defaulted? Idk. It's a useful tool.That's correct or at least I have'nt figured it out or I can't remember how to allow pepakura designer to do that, like pepakura viewer that works that way. Altogether for my 3D extraction, 3D editing, and unfolding I have about 10 different programs I use. I use the Crafty Object Viewer for .skp, and .dl files to convert to .obj, I use 3D Ripper DX or 3D VIA Printscreen for a lot of my video game extractions, Milkshape 3D for doing some editing, Metasequioa LE for a lot more of my 3D editing among a ton of other various programs I use. Right now I'm currently trying to figure out how to use a program called Sculptris.
Lord Magneto
Sr Member
well... im on to the gluing stage and I'm about 75% done and I can already tell my file i printed is way way too large for my head.
Also it seems like some of the pieces were larger than others... meaning the numbers weren't even close to lining up. It's like the scale was off on 1 or 2 of the pages I printed. Looks like I will be heading back to the drawing board to rescale my project.
Also it seems like some of the pieces were larger than others... meaning the numbers weren't even close to lining up. It's like the scale was off on 1 or 2 of the pages I printed. Looks like I will be heading back to the drawing board to rescale my project.
pandamajik
Member
I personally prefer the Elmer's white glue. I think people might be putting it on too thick or something. I use something like a toothpick so I can spread on a thin layer. What I do it apply glue on to 2-3 tabs at once so by the time I finish the last tab the first tab will be halfway dry. This means I only need to hold it for a few seconds and then it won't move. Just enough time to move it around a bit for positioning. It's a lot cleaner than hot glue in my opinion and no risk of hurting yourself.
Switch to "Check Corresponding Face" mode(Ctrl+K) to get that same functionality in Designer.
PR85
New Member
That actually sounds about like the exact thing I have been doing. I typically either rub the glue spout right against the paper so it comes out thin, or I'll use a toothpick to smear it around. I also do several pieces at a time do they begin to dry and it only takes a few seconds to dry it. I am not unhappy with the job it does. But I will probably test the hot glue for comparison purposes. Thanks for you input though, it's nice to know I'm not the only person doing it that way!
Pilot
Sr Member
I use regular ol' white glue about 95% of the time, and the cheapest super glue that money can buy the other 5% of the time if I really need something to stick together immediately. Super glue is also great for stiffening edges and whatnot so things hold their shape.
I have a stainless steel pick that I use to both score my fold lines and spread my white glue...works like a champ. As the folks above have said, you only need a wee tiny bit to make it work. If you get any glue on your fingers when you press the tabs together you've probably used too much.
I have a stainless steel pick that I use to both score my fold lines and spread my white glue...works like a champ. As the folks above have said, you only need a wee tiny bit to make it work. If you get any glue on your fingers when you press the tabs together you've probably used too much.
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