Worbla - Any experiences to share?
- Thread starter jeffreygullett
- Start date
bschossler
Well-Known Member
BillyOnion
Member
How have you used the Wrbla with the Iron Man suit? Is the Worbla backed with a foam suit? Or did you mould the Wrobla around the suit and just have a plastic suit?
glassfox
Member
i recently made a whole costume from Worbla and to be fair, i dont recommend it. it was heavy, uncomfortable, time consuming and expensive. i really liked the look of it (although i think the paint job helps greatly.) but attaching it to straps and fastenings was just really difficult. in the future i'll definitely stick to foam, possibly with some small Worbla components.
BillyOnion
Member
A full Iron Man suit would be well heavy then... Oh well.
Still contemplating a helmet just to try it!
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bschossler
Well-Known Member
I did 3mm foam with a warbla coat. Personally, I find it a ton better than foam. The weight really isnt bad (I don't even notice it), and it holds up really strong.
BillyOnion
Member
Boris Mzhen
Active Member
Can worbla be used to strengthen existing foam armor pieces, by placing it on the inside?
inkblot
Active Member
It probably could; some of the pieces I've put together are quite rigid (if double-layered or if a bit of foam is sandwiched inside) and could easily put out an eye if not careful... But it's also rather pricey if it's only going to be used as a reinforcement for large pieces and not for surface work. I imagine there are other things you could use that could be a bit more reasonable, costwise. Wonderflex or Kobracast might be better alternatives if you are like me and don't necessarily want to deal with fibreglass.
ImThatGuy
Member
I just found out about this today, a lot of possibilities. I know people were trying to figure what it was made of and I went to the website and watched their tutorial video it's in German but English subs and they state that its a plastic wood blend and that it can be sanded as well.. Really cool stuff
ApophisV
Active Member
Actually Worbla has a lot of more uses than only creating surfaces like armor plating and such! When heated it can be shaped into any form, it kinda feels like a mixture of clay and hot glue. I actually sometimes use it as a subsitute for the latter whenever I don't want to create the typical hot glue mess and / or I want to get more control over the result. THis works since it sticks just as fine to surfaces, but it doesn't get completely fluid like hot glue does!
Here is an example from aoversized pocket watch build for a White Rabbit costume:
Notice the Worbla at the corners of the clockwork, those four spots were enough to hold it tight and secure!
I never throw away any Worbla, even if it is the tiniest leftover but collect it in a special "hot glue replacement" bin
(At least in Germany the price of hot glue compared to Worbla isn't really that big a difference compared to the weight, so it doesnt't really hurt.)
BTW, if you really want to see what one can create from Worbla you should check this facebook site:
https://www.facebook.com/AccessoriesForTheUniverse
Those guys create amazingly detailed stuff (mostly He-Man related accessories for the action figures), most amazing piece is this one:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...914.-2207520000.1384499140.&type=3&permPage=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...914.-2207520000.1384499140.&type=3&permPage=1
As for stiffening the inside of armor parts:
The above mentioned Kobracast is a very nice material too! I used it to strengthen the inside of both foam and paper pepakura helmets and it came out nicely, using to layers of Kobracast creates a very stiff surface, due to the cloth in it. It is even possible to cover it with resin to get even more strength, but not as much as you would get using the standard fibreglass / epoxy route...
Main let down of Kobracast is it's texture though, due to the cloth it will look like, well, cloth, unless you cover it with any sort of filler. It is not sandable due to the textiles inside, even after soaking it with resin it was a mess...
Nonetheless: Both Worbla and Kobracast are great materials!
Here is an example from aoversized pocket watch build for a White Rabbit costume:
Notice the Worbla at the corners of the clockwork, those four spots were enough to hold it tight and secure!
I never throw away any Worbla, even if it is the tiniest leftover but collect it in a special "hot glue replacement" bin
(At least in Germany the price of hot glue compared to Worbla isn't really that big a difference compared to the weight, so it doesnt't really hurt.)BTW, if you really want to see what one can create from Worbla you should check this facebook site:
https://www.facebook.com/AccessoriesForTheUniverse
Those guys create amazingly detailed stuff (mostly He-Man related accessories for the action figures), most amazing piece is this one:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...914.-2207520000.1384499140.&type=3&permPage=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...914.-2207520000.1384499140.&type=3&permPage=1
As for stiffening the inside of armor parts:
The above mentioned Kobracast is a very nice material too! I used it to strengthen the inside of both foam and paper pepakura helmets and it came out nicely, using to layers of Kobracast creates a very stiff surface, due to the cloth in it. It is even possible to cover it with resin to get even more strength, but not as much as you would get using the standard fibreglass / epoxy route...
Main let down of Kobracast is it's texture though, due to the cloth it will look like, well, cloth, unless you cover it with any sort of filler. It is not sandable due to the textiles inside, even after soaking it with resin it was a mess...
Nonetheless: Both Worbla and Kobracast are great materials!
Talaaya
Well-Known Member
Has anyone tried attaching worbla together without heating it? What about reinforcing it without heat? (i.e. no extra worbla, no hot glue)
I'm doing an experiment with worbla where I'm using it sort of like you would if you were to vacuform an object: I'm forming it over a pre-made shape. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do once I cut it off of the buck. I need to attach the pieces back together but since it will no longer have the original shape to follow I can't heat it back up without warping it. I was thinking some sort of glue to hold it in place, then reinforcing the inside with fiberglass. Does anyone know if resin eats worbla? What other non-heated ways could I reinforce the inside if resin doesn't work? This all needs to stay lightweight or it defeats the whole purpose. The original shape is usable as a final piece, but it's a couple pounds extra that I'd really rather not be lugging around, so I thought I'd see what other options I have.
I'm doing an experiment with worbla where I'm using it sort of like you would if you were to vacuform an object: I'm forming it over a pre-made shape. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do once I cut it off of the buck. I need to attach the pieces back together but since it will no longer have the original shape to follow I can't heat it back up without warping it. I was thinking some sort of glue to hold it in place, then reinforcing the inside with fiberglass. Does anyone know if resin eats worbla? What other non-heated ways could I reinforce the inside if resin doesn't work? This all needs to stay lightweight or it defeats the whole purpose. The original shape is usable as a final piece, but it's a couple pounds extra that I'd really rather not be lugging around, so I thought I'd see what other options I have.
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