Funcional/Wearable Armor?

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Naarkon

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Hi everyone, this is my first post on these forums.

First off, a confession. I'm not a Halo fan. I plan to make Star Wars armor.

Anyway, after reading this and several other forums and watching a few videos, I think I get the general process of making armor from pepakura and its something I'd like to try. My question is this: Does the pepakura method (using the resin and bondo/rondo to build up the original paper fold model) make wearable armor? I mean, I know it makes armor that I can put on, but is it practical to actually walk around in, or is it to fragile/brittle and only good for display?

Many apologies if this is covered somewhere else, I looked but didn't find it anywhere.
 
Yes, armor built using the pepakura resin bondo style is fully wearable........to an extent. Mobility is the main issue with this style as the resin and bondo tend to weigh more than foam or cardboard. Rigidity wise though, it can take quite a beating and still look good, but like every other material it does have its breaking points. With the correct sizing, and depending upon what parts of the costume you are making out of resin, you should have no problems wearing it. My first Halo suit was made completely out of the resin cardstock and I was able to keep it on for 13 hours straight! Although, I could not sit down or I'd risk breaking the thigh and cod pieces =/
 
My first Halo suit was made completely out of the resin cardstock and I was able to keep it on for 13 hours straight! Although, I could not sit down or I'd risk breaking the thigh and cod pieces =/

Do you mean just the cardstock and a couple resin coats, and not resin coats on outside, fiberglass cloth and resin on inside, bondo on the outside? I'm hoping when I build it can withstand me sitting down. Is there something extra I should do to ensure that kind of durability when I build?
 
Mine was made from 110 cardstock. I put one resin coat on the the outside, fiberglass matted the inside with a coat of resin, then added another coat of resin to the outside and sanded it down. I skipped the bondo process to save some cash and time, but by doing so my armor had a more edged shape than round. With all that resin and fiberglass on there it was very rigid even without the bondo. In theory I could have sat down if I took off the cod piece and belt, but I didn't feel like constantly taking that part off and putting it back on.
 
Hi everyone, this is my first post on these forums.

First off, a confession. I'm not a Halo fan. I plan to make Star Wars armor.

Anyway, after reading this and several other forums and watching a few videos, I think I get the general process of making armor from pepakura and its something I'd like to try. My question is this: Does the pepakura method (using the resin and bondo/rondo to build up the original paper fold model) make wearable armor? I mean, I know it makes armor that I can put on, but is it practical to actually walk around in, or is it to fragile/brittle and only good for display?

Many apologies if this is covered somewhere else, I looked but didn't find it anywhere.

It really depends on the process you use. If you build Foam with "eva foam" it can take a beating and its firm/durable and it gets messed up you can just simply reapply paint and such. Pepakura is a love and hate with some pieces. IF you use fiberglass and resin it makes it very durable but I have notice some people interior models being brittle and if hit with a decent amount of force it can crack a bit. With Rondo filler "resin + bondo body filler" I actually dropped my helmet off my table onto concrete and I swear to god I nearly pooped my pants because I was so worried it would have just caved in the helmet. Luckily it didn't bust or crack it was as hard as a rock but I will say Fiberglass resin even though it can be brittle a bit it also can be flexible if it takes a beating. Where as Rondo is basically a rock. Also it depends on how many layers you apply as well. Either way both are very wearable and useable or pretty display pieces. For exterior Bondo is what is use and it is fairly solid from what I have seen and can get scratched, gouged, etc and you just have to paint over it or just simple filler it with filler.

Make sure when you create your armor you take the time to reinforce it / apply resin/rondo. People have busted pieces off small pieces of their armor mostly edges because there was little reinforcement.
 
If there are pieces you are worried about breaking you could always reinforce them on the inside with Kevlar... It's supposed to be used with epoxy rather than polyester resin and you need special scissors to cut it but it's TOUGH!!!!!!!!
 
You could always look into what those on www.501st.com do, techniques will be similar if not the same, but you may see others working the same project. I am eventually building a starkiller costume, so I have lurked over there for ages. Good luck on the build and hope to see some pics too!
 
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