What Type Of Resin Do You Use For A Bio And Armor?
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MasterAnubis
Sr Member
The majority of parts that I know for sure are made out of is Smooth Cast 320.
I've used Smooth Cast 320 and 321 with great success. I've also used other plastics from Smooth-On and PolyTek but right now I prefer 321 because of the longer work time.
Generally, if you can, I recommend trying out a couple different types to see what you like for what. The differences in them can make things easier or harder for you. Your parts may need longer to pour or you may want to bang out castings. My face hugger dread beads are cast flat and then as they cure I demold and shape them. But that is the best way to keep the detail I wanted. On a bio you may want it to set up faster so that you can get to another layer.
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I've used Smooth Cast 320 and 321 with great success. I've also used other plastics from Smooth-On and PolyTek but right now I prefer 321 because of the longer work time.
Generally, if you can, I recommend trying out a couple different types to see what you like for what. The differences in them can make things easier or harder for you. Your parts may need longer to pour or you may want to bang out castings. My face hugger dread beads are cast flat and then as they cure I demold and shape them. But that is the best way to keep the detail I wanted. On a bio you may want it to set up faster so that you can get to another layer.
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MasterAnubis
Sr Member
Yep, I couldn't do it that way with a faster resin. Even if I heated them up to shape them.
I have pics in my suit thread of how I did it.
http://www.thehunter...showtopic=18544
My bio thread has pictures of the bios I made using EasyFlo 120 from PolyTek and the other resins I used toward the end of the thread.
http://www.thehunter...-of-anubis-bio/
I have pics in my suit thread of how I did it.
http://www.thehunter...showtopic=18544
My bio thread has pictures of the bios I made using EasyFlo 120 from PolyTek and the other resins I used toward the end of the thread.
http://www.thehunter...-of-anubis-bio/
Effects Guy
New Member
Seems a lot of you guys favor urethanes. Another option would be epoxy resin and fiberglass cloth, or polyester and glass matte. Also light, a bit of flex, and that reinforcement really helps. You can use fiberglass cloth with urethanes too.
Eaglewood
Sr Member
epoxy has the smell and vapors that you usually dont want lingering around. The urethanes are much cleaner and simpler.
Elkman
Sr Member
I know that polyester resins (typically sold with fiberglass mats) have obnoxious smells and brain-eating solvents, but do epoxy resins have the same problem? I'm planning to do some pepakura work for an upcoming Halo ODST outfit, and I thought epoxy would be somewhat safer.
BIGANDOS1
New Member
good lad it´ll save me asking!!
xdmray
Well-Known Member
i prefer Poly urethane resin as well. i get mine from monstermakers. im really used to the speed that it kicks and am comfortable using it for everything.
i have used fiberglass resin, but the cure time is too slow for me to slush with and the fumes are terrible.
you should be using a respirator no matter what resin you are using though.
i have used fiberglass resin, but the cure time is too slow for me to slush with and the fumes are terrible.
you should be using a respirator no matter what resin you are using though.
kanji
New Member
My work involves working with radio controlled planes and helicopters and sometimes we scratchbuild fuselages so we build plug, molds and layup pars ourselves.
During the years I've used many different resins from polyester (yuk) to different epoxies but when it comes to hobby use and you dont have to lay up big 10' fuselage, Z-Poxy finishing resin is my weapon of choice. It doesn't smell different than your normal 2-part epoxy glue and it comes in similar bottles as 2 part epoxies. So you just pour equal amount of stuff from both bottles to a cup, stirr it up and brush it on. It cures relatively fast for a epoxy resin, in 3-4 hours so you can continue work and it hardens to final strenght in 12hours.
What I also like is that you can thin it down using normal rubbing alcohol. With normal resins you often get fiberglass clothes weave pattern. With zpoxy you wait 2-3 hours until its almost cured but still bit tacky, thin down small amount of resin with rubbing alcohol and brush it on. This seals all the pinholes on your surface. After curing its really easy stuff to sand down and if your done pinhole filling with thinned down resin it literally needs really minimal amount of bondo if any.
So if your looking easy way to get used to make fiberglass parts or want to strenghten stuff like bios and pepacura armors, give this stuff a go
http://www.zapglue.com/Finish.html
You can get this from almost any well stocked hobby shop, at least RC-hobbyshops
During the years I've used many different resins from polyester (yuk) to different epoxies but when it comes to hobby use and you dont have to lay up big 10' fuselage, Z-Poxy finishing resin is my weapon of choice. It doesn't smell different than your normal 2-part epoxy glue and it comes in similar bottles as 2 part epoxies. So you just pour equal amount of stuff from both bottles to a cup, stirr it up and brush it on. It cures relatively fast for a epoxy resin, in 3-4 hours so you can continue work and it hardens to final strenght in 12hours.
What I also like is that you can thin it down using normal rubbing alcohol. With normal resins you often get fiberglass clothes weave pattern. With zpoxy you wait 2-3 hours until its almost cured but still bit tacky, thin down small amount of resin with rubbing alcohol and brush it on. This seals all the pinholes on your surface. After curing its really easy stuff to sand down and if your done pinhole filling with thinned down resin it literally needs really minimal amount of bondo if any.
So if your looking easy way to get used to make fiberglass parts or want to strenghten stuff like bios and pepacura armors, give this stuff a go
http://www.zapglue.com/Finish.html
You can get this from almost any well stocked hobby shop, at least RC-hobbyshops
Effects Guy
New Member
Not all epoxies have a strong smell, and some urethanes have a really strong smell. BJB urethanes have serious fumes, but I have found Polytek's to be quite odorless. Polytek has a resin in their Easyflo series that is designed for rotocasting. If you used a slower setting urethane you can embed fiberglass for extra strength, but only fiberglass cloth, matte will not work with anything but polyester.
ptgreek
Active Member
I know Casey, Art and I all use Silpak resin. I've been using their Siltool, pre-tinted black. It always comes down to preference thing. I find Smooth-on products are nice, but pricey. Burman's 808 was a bit to "rigid" for me. With siltool, I found a nice plastic that cuts and sands well, but doesnt feel brittle. There is no "best" ....just best for you.
As for glassing? ..agreed ..stronger and lighter ..but what a pain in the ass it can be. ha ..I only glass when I have to...usually for film work. ( molds, animatronic cores and understructures, and props)
As for glassing? ..agreed ..stronger and lighter ..but what a pain in the ass it can be. ha ..I only glass when I have to...usually for film work. ( molds, animatronic cores and understructures, and props)
Effects Guy
New Member
Gotta agree with you on the glass. I had some bad experiences with Silpak and never went back. I might have to play with the Siltool, it sounds interesting. Might pick some up next time I am in LA. My new favorite thing is aluminum filled urethane and fiberglass cloth. I find the cloth a bit less itchy and messy than polyester and matte. At the end of the day, it is always not having to deal with a single material. I can certainly appreciate the ease and simplicity.
ptgreek
Active Member
ha ..ya ..its funny ..i stayed away from Silpak for a few years ..then was turned on to them by a couple of guys here. I have literally cast in almost every poly resin available, and I still go back to this one type of resin. However, there are a few Silpak resins that arent my cup o' tea. Im not a fan of their slowcast ..Id rather use a smooth-on rotocasting resin instead. Their pre-tint black is soooooo saturated, that it pours and cures jet black ...saves money on the pigment that you'd need to get it that color ( which I love as a base for armor...even looks cool when cold cast)
I hear ya about the bad experience thing ..its really hard after that happens. Ran into an issue with some bad latex at Nigels over a year ago ..even though Nigel replaced it no problem, I think i still shied away for a bit. However ..they have completely revamped their FX supply section ( thanks to Brandon from MEL) and they are selling all kinds of great product now.
I hear ya about the bad experience thing ..its really hard after that happens. Ran into an issue with some bad latex at Nigels over a year ago ..even though Nigel replaced it no problem, I think i still shied away for a bit. However ..they have completely revamped their FX supply section ( thanks to Brandon from MEL) and they are selling all kinds of great product now.
snowred
New Member
thanks guys for all the input keep it coming. what i have is two bio molds that i did. for the casing am using what ever i can find on ebay. i have bios from from guys on ebay and lair and they are so much lighter. i don't know if this is good or not. my mode is just like hez modes. i did it like his posts said to do. i just need a lighter resin. or am i looking for something that's not there?
MasterAnubis
Sr Member
hez uses (or at least did) 320 for his bios with a black tint added to turn them grey. What may make the big difference in what your seeing is practice. He's made tons of bios and sometimes you can’t explain experience.
My first bio casting was a bit thin on the edges and then had a few clumps. My root problem was really the way I made my mold that prevented me from doing it properly. If your molds look like hez's then you should be able to reproduce his results.
On a side note about respirators. Picking the wrong type of filter can be just as wrong as not wearing one. That being said, I don't believe they're necessary for everything but you need to remember that even the odorless resins are giving off gas you shouldn't breath.
My first bio casting was a bit thin on the edges and then had a few clumps. My root problem was really the way I made my mold that prevented me from doing it properly. If your molds look like hez's then you should be able to reproduce his results.
On a side note about respirators. Picking the wrong type of filter can be just as wrong as not wearing one. That being said, I don't believe they're necessary for everything but you need to remember that even the odorless resins are giving off gas you shouldn't breath.
Effects Guy
New Member
Hands down, the best mold silicone I ever used was Quantum 2125. The only vendor in the US that I know that sells it is MPK Enterprises. It cures in 2 hours with its standard catalyst, and you have about 18 minutes of work time. With its slow catalyst it cures in about 6 hours and you have about 40 minutes of work time. The fast catalyst does not make it hard or brittle and does not shorten the life. I have molds that are 5 years old and it is like brand new. Can't say enough good things about this stuff. I have flown like 80 gallons of this guy's silicone to China already. www.moldmakingsilicone.com If you call the office and talk to Mike Knott, he can answer any questions you have.
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