Few Questions

[Coyote]

I am still a noob but cant post in the noob forum anymore.. so sorry for the noobish questions


Been like 2 years now since I finished the base of my pep models, got them all up to the bondo stage and went no further. I had no idea how to deal with that stage so they all got left and I hadnt done pep again. This week I finally thought I'd actually try it and see how it works. Seems to be near impossible to get it all on at the same thickness so obviously it needs alot of sanding work etc. What I cant figure out though is how to get such intricate detailing, particuarly in hard to reach areas. I bought a mouse sander just for my models which is fine for larger areas but tiny areas and bits that are inward pointing I have no idea how to do, even the detail sander attachment looks too big for some areas. Not finished yet but it looks like this right now (on a megaman helmet)

When I see people's builds at the finished stage they typically look like this which is what I cant figure out how to do is get all that detailing done and look so smooth

A dremel would work for small details that I wanted cut into it but Im not sure if thats the case for the above. Unless theres certain tools for the dremel that work well for it. It is this stage that put me off doing this stuff altogether as I really dont know how to do it and dont want bad looking pieces cause I dont have the skill to make them look good. I want to learn how to do better. In the case of my helmet I dont know how I would make inside the ear parts smooth when its difficult to get into the area, and keeping the smooth lines around the front of the helmet. I want to be able to get them looking good like the pic above, all smooth with defined details. Thats an easier helmet too with less detailing, my halo one will require alot more. Why Im using this one first to try learn before moving onto that one when I dont know how to get the definition that it should have


Secondly, I was wondering how to strengthen internal areas which are inaccessible to fiberglass. A few days ago I started a build of Loki's helmet from the Avengers. The horns on it are the problem. Not possible to get fibreglass inside there. What could I use to do those? My only idea had been liquid plastic to pour inside them but I dont know if thats the right thing to use for this or not so rather ask here than guess myself. If anyone knows of brands we can get in the UK to use that would be great as I can never find the US products (or they're way too expensive to ship here) and never sure our alternatives are quite the same thing. I just need them to be strong enough to support the weight of the bondo on them without collapsing but light enough that the helmet doesnt weigh a ton


I am very much still learning this process. Making the model itself isnt a problem at all now but everything beyond the bondo stage is new to me. I have also never done a build before with parts inaccesible to fibreglass so another thing I need to learn too. Hopefully one day I will know how to do everything I need to do to get something that looks good


Appreciate any advice on these issues, just basics on whatever it takes to get the job done

 

[Maxwell Hauser]

I'm interested in this too, I'm at the bondo stage of my first project (an ODST helmet) and I'm probably gonna go nuts sanding it for hours on end.

As for your Loki horns, you could try some expanding foam to get in there and hold it nice and sturdy. Just be sure to feed some wire through to anchor the horns from breaking off. Something like rebar in a concrete wall.

 

[Rosh]

Your bondo application doesn't look bad at all actually.

The answer to your question about what tool to use, is elbow grease.

I use use a variety of tools when detailing my helmets, but they are all human powered. When the bondo is in its rubbery state of curing I cut it with a razor blade, either details or high spots in my application. Next I use a rasp to even out my bondo, then apply a thinner coat to fill any pits/scars left by my rasp. after that I'll either move onto a finer file or 80-100 grit sandpaper. I do all my sanding by hand, unless I need to drill a piece or cut something off. The final step in my procedure is to use a glazing putty (spot putty) to fill all the pinholes and tiny spots that aren't worth applying bondo to fill. After that glaze, I use 220, 300, 400 and 600 grit paper to smooth it like glass. In this pic, I'm only working on the visor area. The red stuff is glazing putty and the light pink/grey stuff is bondo

in this pic, I drew some detail lines in, and used a set of diamond files to hand carve the visor detail. No dremel or power tools necessary.

after another coat of glazing putty and primer, and sanding here's the finished visor.

the visor was probably 3 hours worth of filling and sanding, and the detail lines were probably an additional 3 for both sides (it's symmetrical after all).

Hope I helped.