Hardening Pepakura w/ SmoothCast 320

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Seraphin290

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Greetings, 405th! It's been a long time since I've posted here, but I'm waist-deep in an ODST armor project at the moment. Had to take some time off for personal and occupational reasons, but I'm finally back in a position where I can regularly work on this.

At any rate, I've finished the Pepakura stage of the armor - every piece is put together, and I've started hardening the paper with SmoothCast 320 epoxy resin (at the recommendation of several users). The outer coat is finished on just about all of the pieces, but given that I've never worked with this stuff before, I had a couple of questions that I'm hoping some of you veterans can answer.

First, I read the directions and safety data sheets for the SmoothCast, so I know to shake it vigorously before mixing it (which I've been doing). However, I forgot to on a couple batches that I mixed. Afterward, the parts that I used that resin on are coated, but it doesn't seem to be adding any rigidity to the piece, and just kind of soaking into the paper. It's had 24 hours to cure - maybe it just needs longer? If it doesn't get any tougher in the next day or two, I'm just going to have to re-do it. Is this normal, or did I do something wrong (other than not shaking the mixture)?

Second, when I ordered the SmoothCast 320, I also picked up a box of URE-FIL 3 filler to add to the resin so I wouldn't need to use as much for the inner coats. I just tried it out today for the first time, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's mixing properly. The directions say to add one part filler to one part A and one part B (so half the mixed resin, which in the case of a 1 oz batch amounts to about a tablespoon). When adding the filler, it seems to retain its sandy, gritty consistency and the overall mixture ends up that way, too. Is this how it's supposed to be? My assumption was that the filler would be "absorbed" or disperse into the mixture evenly, but this doesn't seem to be the case. Am I doing something wrong here, too?

Anybody who has some measure of experience working with these materials and has some advice or suggestions to offer, I would be most appreciative. Also, apologies to the mods if this thread is in the wrong place, this seemed like the best fit.
 
I'm wondering if Onyx or other slush/rotary casting resins would work. No experience, but I hear letting it cure 24 hours hurts the bonding of the numerous coats of resin. 1 to 1 for filler does sound allot of filler. No time to research right now.
 
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