Are there any armor replication methods for the replacement of parts?

[wesleydahar]

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering whether there are there any posts related to cloning completed armor? Upon the completion of my first build, I would like to be
able to take pieces of my armor and make a mold from them for replicating those pieces. This would save me from having to cut and glue replacement
parts in the event of an accident, and allow me to create more suits relatively quickly for friends. Any links, ideas, and advice would be appreciated, and
I have no desire to take another's credit for any methods or ideas proposed.

 

[Benton188]

This really depends upon what material you made your original suit out of. So before we can move forward, may I ask what it's made out of?

 

[wesleydahar]

I'm sorry I left that information out. I am using Pepakura, so the armor will be mostly fiberglass mats and Bondo Body Filler when it is completed. I will probably use 2 layers of fiberglass on the larger pieces which have less internal support, like the chest.

 

[Benton188]

Ok, I was hoping you would say pep cause I don't think there is anyway to replicate foam armor other than just remaking a full piece. Here's a video I found that goes over making a silicone mold from completed pep armor:

If you're going to do the helmet, I suggest that you make a mold first before cutting out and adding a visor otherwise you may not be able to do it. Hope this helps.

 

[wesleydahar]

Thank you. I was hoping the mold would be reusable for at least 7 or 8 uses, but this seems to last longer if properly taken care of. Although it looks like it will cost quite a bit of money in materials to do most of the armor pieces, it will pay itself off in the long run. It is a good resource for most of what I had in mind, and I appreciate your help. One thing I'm not sure about is whether or not I would be able to use the same materials that I am already using for the original armor in the mold. For example, if I coated the inside of the mold with Bondo Body Filler enough to cover all of the details and until the inside was smooth, would I be able to apply fiberglass mats and resin once the Bondo had dried? Or would the fiberglass not stick to already hardened Bondo? Would the temperature of the chemical reaction deform the mold in any way? It seems that the video used a form of plastic for the new helmet which would probably cost more than fiberglass and resin. If possible, I would like to use fiberglass to maintain consistency with the original armor, because the new pieces may be used as replacements. But these are only preferences, and I will still listen to your probably better judgement.

 

[TrooperJasher]

If you are willing to spend more money you could use better molding materials; I personally use Smooth-on, but it's pretty spendy... On the other hand I have molds that are a few years old, pulled at least (personally, the guy who I bought the mold from has pulled who knows how many) 20 helmets from...

 

[wesleydahar]

Thanks for your input; I will look into Smooth-on and BITY some more. But as I still have some time before I do any molding, I would appreciate any other tips or advice before I go and mess something up.

 

[Dracosfire83]

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[wesleydahar]

Don't worry, I had no intentions of taking credit for someone else's time and effort. And I agree, it is unfortunate that some people do this.