Alternative materials for pep armor

[rpalmer919]

OK, here's my situation. I have a printer that works wonderfully for printing normal printouts, but it can only handle up to 45lb cardstock. I'm not really up to buying a new printer just to make some halo armor. So I started thinking about non-paper-type mediums I could print my pep designs on. At first I thought about those nice plastic transparencies for overhead projectors. They're thinner than cardstock, but since they aren't paper they won't warp when they get wet from the resin. I've also heard of this stuff called "Plasticard" that comes in letter-size sheets. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this with something other than paper, and if so how they went about it and how it turned out...

 

[bugman72]

Here's something else to think about that would be as effective, but would be a tad more work. How about printing all of the pages off on regular paper and then gluing those sheets onto cardstock? Then you can cut the pieces out and have the correct type of stock that will hold up to the resin and fiberglassing.

 

[AoBfrost]

Yes, thats the best alternitive, otherwise cardboard, but with pep, you will get lots of detail and the cirrect shape, the problem with cardboard is you cant scale the piece to your size and be accurate through out the suit, thats why pep is nice.

 

[rpalmer919]

Here's something else to think about that would be as effective, but would be a tad more work. How about printing all of the pages off on regular paper and then gluing those sheets onto cardstock? Then you can cut the pieces out and have the correct type of stock that will hold up to the resin and fiberglassing.

I did think about that, actually. But I have a few "concerns" with taking that approach:

1) that the glue I use to attach the paper to the cardstock will cause the paper to warp
2) that having paper glued to the cardstock will impede my ability to score my folds, or that the top layer of paper will rip or tear when I am trying to score folds
3) that I can actually attach the paper to the cardstock perfectly flat (aka no wrinkles in the paper)

 

[AoBfrost]

None of those things will happen, a glue stick or elmbers glue will not warp a peice that is flat. they wont be wrinkled if you glue them flat.

 

[bugman72]

I did think about that, actually. But I have a few "concerns" with taking that approach:

1) that the glue I use to attach the paper to the cardstock will cause the paper to warp
2) that having paper glued to the cardstock will impede my ability to score my folds, or that the top layer of paper will rip or tear when I am trying to score folds
3) that I can actually attach the paper to the cardstock perfectly flat (aka no wrinkles in the paper)

Valid concerns but with very little effort, those concerns shouldn't be an issue. Let me address.

1)Best glue I've ever used to bind paper to cardstock is 3M's Super 77. Spray a light coat on the cardstock, let it get a bit tacky and then place the paper on it.

2)If you use the tool that I've been pimping on this forum over the past week, this won't be an issue. Go get yourself a sewing seam ripper (less than $2) and use a metal straightedge. Perfect score lines that will not harm the paper. Besides, if you use the glue I suggested, you won't have to worry about the paper ripping or tearing.

3)If you let the adhesive get a bit tacky before placing the paper on it you shouldn't have any issues. A couple of hints...take the sheet of paper and hold it with the two shorter edges (8.5" edges) together, like you're going to fold it in half length-wise. Now, place that loop (where the fold would be if you decided to fold it) onto the cardstock (marking the center of the cardstock would be most helpful here). Now, slowly let go of one of the edges and ease it down onto the glued surface. Get a credit or debit card out and use it as a squeegee and rub the paper from the center out to the edges. Do this for the other edge and you will have a nice, flat glued surface.

 

[Twitchfmx8811]

Here's something else to think about that would be as effective, but would be a tad more work. How about printing all of the pages off on regular paper and then gluing those sheets onto cardstock? Then you can cut the pieces out and have the correct type of stock that will hold up to the resin and fiberglassing.

Thats what I did with my armor. except I glued it to posterboard instead of cardstock. There is alot of extra work but in the end it come out pretty good. Just if you go that rout to save some headaches after you cut and fold it take the paper off and then take a pen and label the numbers.

If you go my myspace pic page I have pics of the steps I used.