First Parts with Bondo

[SagittariusArt]

After a few Days i can present my Helmet und Handplates, the Plates have the first Layer of Bondo on it, the Helmet already 2-3 Layers.

But my Problem is, i´ve used already the half of the 1kg Bondo Can and it doesnt get smoother, anyone a Idea or mus i put more Layers of Bondo on it? By the Way, dont wanna do that anymore, but if no other Way avaible....think i dont bondo the whole Armor, the Helmet costs enough hard Work, and dont have such a "Electric Sanding Mouse", because they are to expensive at me Places, costs around 110USD (in my Case 99EUR, but too expensive for me....).

The first Layers are sanded with Sanding Paper 80, have 160 too here, but that comes only at the End.

And on the other Side, how do you Guys make the Holes in the Plates round and even?

 

[Vexona]

Yup you got a fair bit of bondo on there and a good start to sanding. To answer your first question, I wouldn't put anymore bondo on. I think you've got more than enough on there to work with as is.
Bondo is easy to apply but difficult to sand down (as I'm sure you know!) and weight can quickly become a problem too.

Ideally, as you said, you'd have the sander to speed up this process. It's a shame they are not cheaply available in Austria. Here in the states they have really small/cheap ones at like Walmart for $15. If you have exhausted your search for one, you might try looking for sanding 'blocks'. Blocks are great because they come in various grits and you can at least get a more even sand than with paper. They're usually about $2 per and are commonly foam centered (like those below).

Even still, it will probably take a ton of sanding to get it very smooth (you've got a good start tho).
80 grit is 'medium' sort of paper. While you have to watch your progress carefully, doing some work with 40-60 grit 'coarse' paper initially can be a time saver. As time goes on you can move down to 80-120 (medium), then 150-180 (fine), and finally 220+ (very fine to super fine) to get it smooth.

A finished and very smooth project may even still have pinholes from where air bubbles formed. That can usually be fixed with some spot putty glazing compound. The spot putty isn't a replacement for thorough sanding though, so I'd only use this when your project is down to the minute imperfections

Other than that, wear a good mask and old clothes, and use a wet rag ever so often to clean the dust off the helmet

As for the hand plate holes, some ppl may be using Dremel tool sanding attachments like this:
(Austrian Dremel Demo of the 300 model)

Off the top of my head, a home made solution might be to cut and glue sand paper to the sides and bottom of a thick wooden dowel. Then you would just spin it vigorously in the depressions of the hand plates. Not as quick as a sanding disc, but hey it's something if you don't have access to dremel tools either.

Hope some of that helps

 

[AoBfrost]

Very nice! Like vexona posted, a dremel sanding piece would really help, even if you get a cheap dremel for 20-30 dollars, it will still sand. Keep up the good work! Did you do robogen's hand plates? Or did you do someone else's?

 

[FinnishSpartan]

Very nice! Like vexona posted, a dremel sanding piece would really help, even if you get a cheap dremel for 20-30 dollars, it will still sand. Keep up the good work! Did you do robogen's hand plates? Or did you do someone else's?

Yeah you have the same problem as i did... too much bondo... I got a Black'n decker mouse it's very handy. You should be able to get one for 45-60€
Also is that PRESTO putty? it's the same colour i used...

-Finish

 

[AoBfrost]

You could use regular sand paper too, but that would take too long, and your fingers cant get into all the small detailed areas, a dremel bit works wonders for those details.

 

[SagittariusArt]

First, very big THX for the big Post!

The Sanding Paper that i have was a Walmart-Like Package, i have around 50 Pieces of the 180 Paper, should look for a 60 or 80 Paper Package to some time....

The Trick with the Dremel Tool is a great Idea, i have an original Dremel here, also should it work....hope it^^

Sanding Blocks are no Problem to get some, they are very cheap too here.


@AoBfrost: Nope, i use the Pep files with the "FIXED" on the End, dont know at the Moment who the Uploader was, but i´ve must repait some of the Files, there was Pieces over some another Pieces etc..

I use this Files because the Parts are perfectly for me, they have the correct Scale and easy to build, on the other Side i can use Robo´s Files too, but i make a Custom Armor and for that this Files are good enough.

My Project goes into a complete BLACK Armor, with Silver Visor and superbright white LEDs (i buyed LEDs with 30000mcd, got it very cheap for around 3USD for one) for the Helmet Lights and put some other LEDs on Torso, Forearms and other Parts, i hope that goes straight in that Way that i´m thinking.

EDIT: @ Finnish: You´re a lucky one, 60USD for a Sanding Mouse, thats cheap....the Black & Decker Tools at my Places costs the double :-(

And Yes, i use Presto

BTW: I got your PM, but i couldnt answer on it, the System says that you are not exist in the Board ?!?

 

[docbytes]

After a few Days i can present my Helmet und Handplates, the Plates have the first Layer of Bondo on it, the Helmet already 2-3 Layers.

But my Problem is, i´ve used already the half of the 1kg Bondo Can and it doesnt get smoother, anyone a Idea or mus i put more Layers of Bondo on it? By the Way, dont wanna do that anymore, but if no other Way avaible....think i dont bondo the whole Armor, the Helmet costs enough hard Work, and dont have such a "Electric Sanding Mouse", because they are to expensive at me Places, costs around 110USD (in my Case 99EUR, but too expensive for me....).

The first Layers are sanded with Sanding Paper 80, have 160 too here, but that comes only at the End.

And on the other Side, how do you Guys make the Holes in the Plates round and even?

Love the pic your doing great! Two questions, while I love that wooden stand in the background is there water on top and beer on the bottom? If so can I come visit you, I'll stay real close to that stand. I might even spend some time on the floor!



j/k

 

[Sean Bradley]

Keep in mind that you can use hand files also to help cut through the material faster and to keep your angles straight.

Also you can use 'spot glazing compound' as a filler for smaller voids that need to be filled. It sands much easier than the bondo, and can really help with smoothing.

 

[Vexona]

Sean, the tube in your picture looks a lot better than the one I posted (It's seen better days haha XD)

 

[Sean Bradley]

Oop!

 

[link4044]

stay with the lower grade sand paper like 80 and lower maybe stay with 40 grit till you get the pits and holes out then work your way up to the higher grit sand paper

 

[SagittariusArt]

@DoC ByTeS:

Yes, youre right, but it´s not my Beer, i´m not even drinking that Stuff

Water, Coke and Icetea are rather my Sort of "Beer" (Whereby, the Water has many Tastevarietys like Apple, Strawberry, Pineapple and others, here a Excample http://tweezer.at/blog/bilder/kuli_tipp/vo...ce/bild_gr.jpg)

Dont know what happens when I get the wrong Bottle, but the Helmet wouldn´t looking much better then

Hope i find that Putty at my Store, cant wait for the Painting *gg*

 

[SagittariusArt]

Sooo...installed Visor to fill the last Holes for a perfekt Fit:



Dont Panic, the Visor is not damaged or already fix installed, it has a thin Foil around.


BTW: Have a Sanding Mouse now, buyed it for around 30 Bugs: http://www.skiltools.com/en/AllTools/Categ...&cid=192166

 

[Keegan]

What you need is spot putty, there is a tutorial in the pepakura and cardboard forum, (wonder who wrote it?)

 

[SagittariusArt]

I wish i could find that Putty, but the only Putty that i´ve found have Nitro in there, not good for Bondo or the later Paint i think?!?

I´ve searched also all Car- and Bike-Parts Shops for that Putty...also the biggest Homeworker-Superstore that i know doesnt had this Thing! (But another Stuff that nobody knows and wants...)

Hmmmm....or i use the not so smooth Areas as an Fight-Damage-Effect

EDIT: Ok found that Stuff....searched the Net for Bondo Products and that Spot Putty...why nobody say that this Putty also has NC in there?

I hope the Weekend bring a good Weather with clear Sky, cant wait to paint it, maby gonna Airbrush some Logos on too.