Fiberglass Alternatives

[Gigantor28]

Is there any other materials I can use other than fiberglass for a PEP suit? I have a lot of problem undestanding how fiberglass works, and I've read a lot of posts already. Plus I doubt the wife would want me fiberglassing in the garage with the kids in the house.... There must be something easier like spray-on-plastic or foam? That actually sounded a bit stupid...

 

[Doom]

I am sort of in the same boat. I am planning Paper Mache, Fiber glassing unfournatly isn't an option for me...

People never think Paper Macher will work or come out right, but I am perfectionist, I will find a way, I always do ;-) .

Good Luck!

-Doom

 

[Gigantor28]

I am sort of in the same boat. I am planning Paper Mache, Fiber glassing unfournatly isn't an option for me...

People never think Paper Macher will work or come out right, but I am perfectionist, I will find a way, I always do ;-) .

Good Luck!

-Doom

If you do, please let me know. I am just afraid that paper macher will be bumpy and have crease marks. Also, can it be sanded afterwards?

 

[Sigma LS]

Why not try the new spray-on resin (a polyurethane plastic) that somebody posted up a little while back.

Muslin cloth mixed with water and glue also looks promising.

 

[cys920622]

plaster cloth dipped in water... thats the crap they use to make casts.
then a layer of resin... if it doesn't melt a trial piece of plaster

 

[SPARTAN405]

Well I am new to this site but you will see more of me. Right now I use fiberglass and its the best thing I have ever used. My suggestion is to go someplace that is not your garage and work on the armor with fiberglass. the stuff just holds together and doesnt let go. Paper mache is a very cheap route to go, not in terms of quality, but in terms of money spent. I would recomend making it out of fiberglass

 

[ThoR]

i think the pep will warp alot with paper mache. i haven't tryed however, but the few things i've done over the years ended up pretty much warped :S

 

[Master Chief 13]

i used paper mache on the outside of my expanding foam helmet it turned out great there are a few bumps. in the pic it looks bumpier because of the silver battle damage paint

 

[Bad Blood]

why not get sculpting clay and paper mache over that?
and be patient and paper mache is bit by bit
thats what ima do later
as soon as i get the clay

 

[Gigantor28]

Why not try the new spray-on resin (a polyurethane plastic) that somebody posted up a little while back.

Muslin cloth mixed with water and glue also looks promising.

This sound easy enough... but I can't find anything that is a polyurethane plastic spray or resin spray.... What did you use to make your suit?

 

[dwoo]

I took a chance and paper mached my 4 yrs olds pep helmet. I was impressed with the end result. I was cautious of the cardstock getting soggy and deforming and this did happen but I expected it and didn't push it too much in any area if the deforming was getting uncontrollable. One positive side effect of the soggy cardstock - it allowed me to soften those pointly spots on the top of the helmet. I understand that these boxy edges require sanding in the regular fiberglass process.

I bought a little square $5 tub of wallpaper border paste from Lowe's and diluted it from an Elmer's glue to a cream constistency.

My 14 yr old is now mache'ing his helmet. I did buy the resin and will probably still paint it on the kid's armor, but I feel more comfortable with less toxic paste that the kids can work with.

There are some finer points for getting good paper mache: small pieces for tight spaces, narrow strips for complex contours, vary strip directions for strength, ...

I will post pics later

-dwoo

 

[Sean Bradley]

Styrene sheets and superglue?

I'm still waiting for someone to trace their pepakura on a sheet of stryene and just 1-up it straight to plastic!

 

[ensamvarg]

I was thinking of going the Styrene route but the Styrene is really hard to bend without deforming. The best thing about styrene is getting the proper "glue" that will make the sheets merge in to one solid piece.
It's really bad for you though and I still have spots where it landed from working with it in school.

It would make a nice base though for sure.

 

[Eihort]

I was seriously considering that since it would be far less toxic. However, I don't think the strength would be up to par. You'd still have to reinforce it.

 

[ensamvarg]

I was seriously considering that since it would be far less toxic. However, I don't think the strength would be up to par. You'd still have to reinforce it.

Using the "glue" (the name eludes me but I have a bottle at home if someone needs the name) strength wouldn't be an issue. It would be one big solid piece.
If you need more strength you could always put 2 or 3 pieces like a sandwich it voila, one thick piece.

 

[Eihort]

CA+ super thick maybe. Throw in some Zip kicker, but even then, I *still* have trouble getting some of my miniatures to stay together much less something that big.

 

[ensamvarg]

CA+ super thick maybe. Throw in some Zip kicker, but even then, I *still* have trouble getting some of my miniatures to stay together much less something that big.

I was thinking of Tenax. It will make styrene in to a liquid for a short amount of time. Enough time to let you put 2 pieces together. When it hardens it will be impossible to break the bond since chemically they are one and the same piece.

 

[Eihort]

Won't that cause deformities though since it literally melts the stuff?

 

[ensamvarg]

Not if used properly. The key is to use a little squirtbottle. Seen to the left in the image. You only need a tiny amount where you want to fuse the 2 pieces.

 

[Eihort]

I'll try some of that on wargaming terrain and see how it holds up.