How do you use PVA/water to seal foam? What brand of PVA?
Assuming that the roll of foam is smooth on the other side, that looks exactly like the stuff I used for my helmet. You're definitely looking for floor mat foam, rather than camping mat foam.
I would also highly recommend building a test fit out of paper first, before you cut out your foam, to make sure it fits. Remember that your foam is a lot thicker than paper so you don't want the paper version to fit really snugly, or your foam version will be too thick. This is a great post on how to scale your pep file: http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=148889&page=96&p=3376464&viewfull=1#post3376464
I used a dremel to smooth my edges, and it worked great. Just be careful - it will sometimes "kick", and leave gouges in your foam.
I can't help with the plastidip/painting, because I just used PVA glue/water to seal mine, and craft paint to paint it (but I wasn't going for a super glossy look).
Good luck!
The common name for PVA is wood or white glue. You mix it with water until it's a little thicker than the consistency of milk, and paint it on the foam. A few coats will leave the foam sealed and give it a nice surface that you can lightly scuff to give the paint something to stick to, instead of soaking into the foam.
Hey guys, quick question and this may be a simple answer. I posted this question in the Captain America thread that the helm in the first post was linked to, but seeing as it was a bit of a necro I am guessing it may not be answered.
With the CA helm, I noted a bit of a ridge running down both sides of the dome. The pep file actually has a valley fold marked at the edge of dome piece that I expect would form this ridge. However, all of the builds I have seen don't seem to have this ridge.
Can I assume that the valley fold lines were just ignored and the side of the helm was just joined to the dome edge? Or am I missing something?
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I'd say most people have just ignored it; it would be MUCH easier to just join the edge as a smooth transition, rather than go through the work of defining that extra bevel with a back cut (especially with it so close to an edge).
Hey guys, first post so be kind.
Just starting out with this sort of stuff so figured I would head down an easy path and try the CA helm in the first post.
Firstly, being in Australia I have found it difficult to find some of the materials. The foam itself has been tough as even ebay don't seem to have anything other than small thin foam pads. Anyway, found a 5mm roll at KMart and a 6 mm roll at Clarks. However, they both seem to be very different materials. The clarks version seems much more rigid and harder. The KMart roll I bought is actually a camping mat and if I pinch it it does leave an indent in it that does eventually fade out. So is the KMart one sufficient? It is a heap cheaper than the other one and I'm not even sure whether the Clarks one is EVA - it didn't have a description on it but the sales person was pretty confident it was EVA.
Apart from that question, I just wanted you guys to comment on the process I intend to follow. I just want to be sure I have the right process before starting out:
- print out pep designs and join together. Cut out shapes
- transfer shapes to foam and cut out (following JFC's cutting methods in the first post)
- Using hot glue and heat gun, create the helm
- fill any gaps and attempt to smooth out the ridges with a paintable silicone - http://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-410g-white-silicone-paint-over-sealant_p1210351
- coat the helm in PVA glue - 3 coats
- paint the helm with plasti-dip - 3 coats
- paint the helm with enamel paint - https://www.autobarn.com.au/motortech-sky-blue-250g-paint-ex202-sp34689-mt202 (not sure if this paint is any good though)
- seal with a clear coat
So is there anything I need to do differently? Also, is there any way I should be sanding or smoothing out edges? I have a dremel and was going to use that, however that might be overkill for just wanting to smooth out cut lines etc.
Any comments would be appreciated guys...
Thanks
UPDATE: OK so I just cut a little bit of that foam off and tried to work with it. I think it's too soft. I was looking for info on EVA and it appears there are different densities. I am guessing this one is a very low density. It will come in handy for detailing etc but not for building the entire helmet. Looks like its back to hunting for the foam...
Does this look like a reasonable foam to use? It seems quite dense compared to others being used on the forums: http://www.clarkrubber.com.au/eva-checker-plate-floor-mat-mat-size-120cmx240cmx7mm-black.html
Hey Dezziedc,
Being a fellow Aussie I might be able to answer a few questions you've asked. Firstly I used the Kmart foam you're talking about (one is 5mm and yellow and the other is grey/green and 10mm?) for armour previously to good effect, but I agree they aren't perfect, especially the thinner 5mm stuff which is very low density. I used the 5mm stuff for my daughters MKVII suit a couple of years back, and I used the 10mm stuff for my Iron Patriot last year. I have since moved on to using a 6mm floor matting which I pick up in rolls from either Bunnings or The Reject Shop for around $20-25, I believe I has posted pics of it in one of my other threads. This foam is a lot more dense and holds it shape better.
As for sealing I've used numerous methods including Rondo for my daughters suit, PVA and SmoothOn 65D for my Cap helmet, PVA and automotive body deadener (bitument based) for my Patriot, and I'm currently in the testing phase of using PVA and Peel Coat (similar to Plastidip) to coat my current Megazord build. They're all good for different reasons, but if you're going the PVA and Plastidip route I would definitely suggest getting a few scraps of foam and doing test sealing/painting pieces before you start putting it on your good helmet because you want to know how these things work together and how many coats of each you need BEFORE you chuck it on your helmet. I would suggest, if you're careful with your coating, you may only need one coat of PVA, 2 tops, before you Plastidip as it will only be acting as an analogue for your rubber to adhere to seeing as the Plastidip will do most of the sealing for you. But like I said, do test pieces with different levels of coats of each etc to see what gives you the effect you're looking for.
Hey guys, I'm sure it's covered somewhere in the 104 pages of this thread but how do you give your foam cowl a finished leather texture look? I've seen it done with a Flash cowl but no details.