What's the best sealer/ coating method for foam? (Iron Man costume/ ODST costume)

Enrisan

New Member
Hello,

I am building a Halo ODST and Iron Man Mark 42 pieces in foam and I was wondering what's the preferred method of sealing/ coating the foam so the final look is smooth and shiny. I have tried using Plasti-dip spray and it gives it a bumpy, rough texture that wouldn't look on the Iron Man parts.

Also, I usually get my eva foam off ebay. Does anyone have a good website for cheap foam? I think I'm paying too much. I pay almost $30 for 10 pieces of 12"x18" 6mm eva foam.

Thanks!
 
Harbor Freight for foam

Plasti-dip or pva glue mixed with water. You'll really want to look up the Hero Tutorials on youtube (Stealth, a member on here), or just browse around the forum for a while, and you probably can find someone who has done a foam build.

Iron Man and Odst... these two aren't combined are they?

-The Armorer
 
Thanks, I'll look for the Hero Tutorials.

Haha no, they are not combined. Two separate costumes I'm finishing up for Comic Con.

Harbor Freight for foam

Plasti-dip or pva glue mixed with water. You'll really want to look up the Hero Tutorials on youtube (Stealth, a member on here), or just browse around the forum for a while, and you probably can find someone who has done a foam build.

Iron Man and Odst... these two aren't combined are they?

-The Armorer
 
I used plastidip on my Mark 6. It was decent but really expensive! For my Mark 39 I used several layers of Mod Podge Gloss. It works well and smooths nicely if you apply it in thin layers.

Check out Harbor Freight for foam.
 
Mainly used PVA glue up until now. It's okay. How different is plastidip? Is it flexible at all? Does it crack? Do it keep some detailing? Does it smooth anything out or do you need to sand it?
 
With my Iron Man build I used Elmer's glue, with little or no watering down. You have to work fast with the glue tends to thicken in the open air and as it doesn't spread as smoothly if it's been sitting out more than 5 minutes. You should also do it in sections and not try to coat an entire large piece all at once... a big reason is you can't really handle and rotate most pieces when one side is still sticky. In the end I ended up liking the smooth 'hard shell' look it gave the pieces versus the Plasti-dip spray approach (which looked a bit porous to me).

The catch to this approach is the pieces lose flexibility, so if it's a piece that may bend it will be more prone to cracks. In the future I will probably use a mixed sealing approach to similar projects - Elmer's for surface areas that won't likely bend and something else for 'stress points'. Like my helmet was fine, but the shoulder bar pieces on the chest piece tended to flex a lot more when I was squeezing in and out of my suit and had a lot of cracks.

Also, make sure you are heat sealing the foam before you start sealing it with glue/plastidip/whatever... if you weren't already.

As for 6mm foam, I don't know if you are located in the states, but Hobby Lobby sells 5mm craft foam (very little usuable difference from the 6mm) in 12x18 sheets for around $1.29 a sheet (http://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Ho...-Foam/Black-5mm-Thick-EVA-Foam-Sheet/p/111098). It's the cheapest place I've found, plus they always have a 40% off coupon on the site for one item.
 
Mainly used PVA glue up until now. It's okay. How different is plastidip? Is it flexible at all? Does it crack? Do it keep some detailing? Does it smooth anything out or do you need to sand it?

Plastidip is cool. But it smells! Use safety precautions. It's pretty flexible, it moves with the foam. It can peel off though, almost like a second skin. If you apply if properly, it should level itself and smooth out. If you have small details I'm not sure how well those would show through the plastidip, especially if you brush it on.
 
I too have this issue for my Winter Soldier 5mm EVA full arm- and I tried the PVA glue, both 100% and 50% dillution. It still cracked. I tried Modge Podge with no luck. Then I got a tip to try acrylic latex caulk- spread on thin and sanded between. I'm giving that a try for my Winter Soldier 1/2 arm. I add a bead of caulk and spread it out thinly with a small brush. We'll see where we get to.

kcail1
 
Hi :D

I figured out that PVA-Glue mixed with a waterbased resin and an elastic structure paint for acrylics works very well. No sanding, easy to brush on. No smell, non-toxic. Small flat friendly.


Maybe this hint helps you.
 
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I too have this issue for my Winter Soldier 5mm EVA full arm- and I tried the PVA glue, both 100% and 50% dillution. It still cracked. I tried Modge Podge with no luck. Then I got a tip to try acrylic latex caulk- spread on thin and sanded between. I'm giving that a try for my Winter Soldier 1/2 arm. I add a bead of caulk and spread it out thinly with a small brush. We'll see where we get to.

kcail1

Winter Soldier arms crack so easily, yeah! It's because you don't expect to move that much in the arm but in the end you end up twisting and flexing it in a lot of different ways :/

Cyehra said:
Hi :D

I figured out that PVA-Glue mixed with a waterbased resin and an elastic structure paint for acrylics works very well. No sanding, easy to brush on. No smell, non-toxic. Small flat friendly.

Which resins/elastic structure did you use? Any particular brands? Because finding similar things here in belgium is going to be a nightmare :')
 
EZE-Kote from Deluxe Materials and Impasto Gel 1 from Lascaux. Instead of EZE-Kote you can also use water, because its "function" in this mixture is to thin the solution for better brush on. With water you'll need more layers then with the resin stuff. I use the resin instead because i hate priming X)
 
EZE-Kote from Deluxe Materials and Impasto Gel 1 from Lascaux. Instead of EZE-Kote you can also use water, because its "function" in this mixture is to thin the solution for better brush on. With water you'll need more layers then with the resin stuff. I use the resin instead because i hate priming X)

I'm concerned with the high price of the Lascaux impasto gel, but can't complain after the excellent results you got. And if thinned out, I imagine it lasts a lot longer.

When you apply it, do you coat the foam, and then paint it? do you add the paint to the gel and then paint the mixture on? or do you paint it, then coat the gel on last for a glossy finish?
 
EZE-Kote from Deluxe Materials and Impasto Gel 1 from Lascaux. Instead of EZE-Kote you can also use water, because its "function" in this mixture is to thin the solution for better brush on. With water you'll need more layers then with the resin stuff. I use the resin instead because i hate priming X)

I've been interested in this process since I first saw that finish you have. Looks so good I've got a lot of the same questions as collinE83 about what stage the colour is added in to it all.

I'd be really keen to know the kinds of ratios you use, if there's any particular mixing process.

A deciding factor for me I think would be what volume of EZE-Kote and Impasto Gel is needed to cover a particular area? What volume/number of bottles do you anticipate making use of for the full suit?
 
you can use every gel painting medium which is similar to the product i used. I used this one because i already had it at home. It is just important that it is flexible.

I coat first about 2-3 layers. 1 veeery thin layer, watered down just for closing the litte cell pores. 2 with normal "solution" and a third one just for a good coat-thickness.

After coating i paint it with elastic-drying acrylic paints. There are very hard drying acrylic paints and very flexible drying acrylic paints. From brand to brand is a huge difference.

For the final glossy finish i only mixed eze-kote with the impasto gel 1. PVA-Glue would cause a matte effect.

for the whole suit i need 1 bottle pva-glue (750g), 1/4 bottle Eze-Kote (125ml) and a half bottle gel medium (40ml)

If you only have hard drying acrylic paints, just mix it into the solution. You'll get a flexible color, but need more layers of paint.
 
Thanks for going into so much detail. I like trying out different methods to see what's best for my workflow. Yours is a unique way that I don't think had been used before on here, but gives a result that many have been trying to get for a while. Thanks again.
 
Thanks very much for these details. I'll definitely be giving this a try at some point. I'd be really interested to find out how you came across this method.

Are there are any particular brands on acrylics you would recommend? I guess for weathering you just use the same mix over the top of the nice final gloss coat, possibly with PVA depending on the finish you're looking for? Are the typical mixing ratios near the values you've listed for totals?

If it was possible I'd love to see a video of this all being applied. It would be a huge help. If not, I can experiment a bit. Cheers.
 
I used white glue and diluted it with water. About 50/50 of white glue and water, and I paint on 2-3 thin layers with a paint brush. It takes more time than Plasti dip but it comes out more even and definitely a lot less expensive. Good luck!
 
well how i came across is very simple: i have a 50qm loft. So the only doors my flat has is one for the bathroom and one for the entrance ;) i don't have a garage, balcony or some other possibilties to use spraypaints. I simply couldnt sleep, when the flat smells like plastidip and other coating methods breaks so fast. So i had to try and find out a "solution" for my living/working situation.

i use acrylic paints which drys elastic. Here in my home country every brand writes in their describtions if they do or not. For the finish i use a mixture of the waterbased resin and the impasto gel 1. PVA-Glue would add a silk matte finish. you can use that gel water thinned only too, but adding the resin makes it much cheaper.

I planned a how-to video when i have time again.

Buuuut i can tell so far:
- i hit some pieces with a hammer. It didn't break.

and i made some first experiences at a convention:

Last weekend i was with a crafting booth at a convention. Hundreds of people touched the different armor pieces. I let children play with them.
Several people tried on my helmet. The pieces survived hours in a box, while traveling to the convention.

There is no single scratch on one of the different pieces. Well to be honest i'm very surprised. I expected some small damages.
I'm veeery curious about how it will be while wearing. I hope i can test this soon.


Well yes plastidip is way cheaper for US-People. But where i live plastidip is very expensive (about 20$-25$ per spray can) and like i wrote: i don't have the possibilities to use spraypaints. :"D
 
well how i came across is very simple: i have a 50qm loft. So the only doors my flat has is one for the bathroom and one for the entrance ;) i don't have a garage, balcony or some other possibilties to use spraypaints. I simply couldnt sleep, when the flat smells like plastidip and other coating methods breaks so fast. So i had to try and find out a "solution" for my living/working situation.

i use acrylic paints which drys elastic. Here in my home country every brand writes in their describtions if they do or not. For the finish i use a mixture of the waterbased resin and the impasto gel 1. PVA-Glue would add a silk matte finish. you can use that gel water thinned only too, but adding the resin makes it much cheaper.

I planned a how-to video when i have time again.

Buuuut i can tell so far:
- i hit some pieces with a hammer. It didn't break.

and i made some first experiences at a convention:

Last weekend i was with a crafting booth at a convention. Hundreds of people touched the different armor pieces. I let children play with them.
Several people tried on my helmet. The pieces survived hours in a box, while traveling to the convention.

There is no single scratch on one of the different pieces. Well to be honest i'm very surprised. I expected some small damages.
I'm veeery curious about how it will be while wearing. I hope i can test this soon.


Well yes plastidip is way cheaper for US-People. But where i live plastidip is very expensive (about 20$-25$ per spray can) and like i wrote: i don't have the possibilities to use spraypaints. :"D

Wow! I'm in Belgium personally, could you maybe name the brands you use for drys-elastic acrylic and the water-based resin? It's an obnoxious question, but whenever I go to the store to look for these things they always have thousands of differents brands and models and I always end up getting the wrong ones that mess everything up. :(
 
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