"Help!" for: Fiberglassing, Resin, & Bondo

[Scynthe]

hi i was wondering if any one could tell me what bondo is and what the equilivent is in the uk ty

Bondo is the leading North American brand of auto body filler. It's a two part system with a putty and cream hardener that when mixed together will turn hard. Any automotive supply store should sell the equivalent, just ask for Auto Body Filler. Isopon p38 is what a quick google search came up with for a UK brand equivalent.

 

[coldevil123]

I am working on a Noble 6 Helmet with a friend of mine, and we are on the bondo/sanding stage. People suggest to use "spot putty" on sections to make it completely smooth. It was late in the day, too late to stop by the store again, so we looked around my friends garage for a suitable substitute. We found some drywall filler and applied some of that to the uneven sections as a test. After it dried, we sprayed a little paint on the area to bring out imperfections. We noticed that the paint looked noticeably different where we applied the drywall filler. So, my question is: Is it okay to use drywall filler rather than spot putty? (I don't remember the brand of the filler we used, but I can get it tomorrow if I have to.) Also, is it possible to avoid the odd look by simply using primer first, or using multiple coats of paint? If anyone needs more details, just let me know.

 

[Scynthe]

I am working on a Noble 6 Helmet with a friend of mine, and we are on the bondo/sanding stage. People suggest to use "spot putty" on sections to make it completely smooth. It was late in the day, too late to stop by the store again, so we looked around my friends garage for a suitable substitute. We found some drywall filler and applied some of that to the uneven sections as a test. After it dried, we sprayed a little paint on the area to bring out imperfections. We noticed that the paint looked noticeably different where we applied the drywall filler. So, my question is: Is it okay to use drywall filler rather than spot putty? (I don't remember the brand of the filler we used, but I can get it tomorrow if I have to.) Also, is it possible to avoid the odd look by simply using primer first, or using multiple coats of paint? If anyone needs more details, just let me know.

Drywall compound is very thirsty and would definately need to be primed. The reason the color would likely be due to the different colors between the compound and the putty. If primed all the same color first it should match.

I made a portal gun using drywall compound to smooth it as it was all I had a the time. It worked fine but its nowhere near as strong as bondo, and heavier as well if I recall.

 

[paul44556]

okay cool thanks guys just one more question this one they dont show on vids ;P i have made my helm its looking good so iam going to fiberglass it on the inside and resin on the outside but cause i used pep it very square if that make sense so after the resin and fiberglass how do i get it to look more smooth ? do i use a body filler or something ?

what do you mean by fiberglass only inside and resin outside, i know how fiberglass but how I resin?

 

[ventrue]

what do you mean by fiberglass only inside and resin outside, i know how fiberglass but how I resin?

To resin means that you only apply resin. Just paint it on like paint. To fibreglass means that you use resin and fibreglass and create reinforced plastic.

 

[football]

how do i make a odst helmet step by step

 

[wrentawreck]

ty for the help

 

[CoolC]

Is it okay to use drywall filler rather than spot putty?

I've worked on dry wall before and I can tell you that it is not something you want to use on the armor. For one thing, it is not strong and it will shatter into pieces if you ever drop it. Everyone suggest bondo for that reason. It retains shape, strong and can take paint easily. Go to Wal Mart and you can get 1 pint bondo for $7. Don't waste your time on using drywall filler.

how do i make a odst helmet step by step

Sounds like you are new here. Welcome. First of all, no one will give you step-by-step instructions. Please visit noob forum to get an understanding how to make an armor. You can learn everything that you need to know from the stickies. Here is where you should start.
http://www.405th.com/showthread.php/30542-NOOB-reading-list

 

[SpartanGirl]

this may seem odd, i'm not sure, but when sanding the rondo, do I need to wear coveralls, like the kind you're suppose to wear when putting down the fiberglass mat? I swear I remember someone saying that the resin or bondo has particles of fiberglass in it. also, is there any temperature limit of when the bondo will not cure? I know its above 70 degrees Fahrenheit that it wont harden, but what i'm wondering is if it gets about...90 degrees? will anything happen? I mean its been really hot this summer and i'm just about to start rondo so....
note: in case anyone was wondering, I did finally convince my parents to get me a respirator. YAY FOR SAFETY!

 

[Jake D]

this may seem odd, i'm not sure, but when sanding the rondo, do I need to wear coveralls, like the kind you're suppose to wear when putting down the fiberglass mat? I swear I remember someone saying that the resin or bondo has particles of fiberglass in it. also, is there any temperature limit of when the bondo will not cure? I know its above 70 degrees Fahrenheit that it wont harden, but what i'm wondering is if it gets about...90 degrees? will anything happen? I mean its been really hot this summer and i'm just about to start rondo so....
note: in case anyone was wondering, I did finally convince my parents to get me a respirator. YAY FOR SAFETY!

I wear my coveralls when I'm sanding to help keep the dust out of my pores/clothes, but I'm not sure if there is any risk to not doing it. I do wear a dust mask and goggles/face shield to help keep it out of my eyes & air pathways.

I know the Bondo needs to be at or above 65 to cure, but as for maximum temperatures I think you just need to reduce the amount of hardener depending on the temp, as ambient heat changes it greatly. I did a batch a few days ago and it was hitting the upper 80's, I mixed a large batch with a very small amount of hardener and it went off quick seconds after I got it onto the piece. The thing threw off so much heat while curing I got a mild burn on the hand that was holding it (applied to outside, hand was inside).

If you're experiencing very warm weather, try to start small and get a feel for how your heat/humidity affects your curing. I've noticed that when I'm mixing up a batch of resin the bigger the batch the less (additively) I put in. For a batch of 3oz I'd only do 20 drops when my can recommends 10 per oz. Mainly trial & error, so I always start small so I don't waste too much of my materials when I'm trying out a new product and inevitably botch it.

 

[SpartanGirl]

I wear my coveralls when I'm sanding to help keep the dust out of my pores/clothes, but I'm not sure if there is any risk to not doing it. I do wear a dust mask and goggles/face shield to help keep it out of my eyes & air pathways.

I know the Bondo needs to be at or above 65 to cure, but as for maximum temperatures I think you just need to reduce the amount of hardener depending on the temp, as ambient heat changes it greatly. I did a batch a few days ago and it was hitting the upper 80's, I mixed a large batch with a very small amount of hardener and it went off quick seconds after I got it onto the piece. The thing threw off so much heat while curing I got a mild burn on the hand that was holding it (applied to outside, hand was inside).

If you're experiencing very warm weather, try to start small and get a feel for how your heat/humidity affects your curing. I've noticed that when I'm mixing up a batch of resin[/I the bigger the batch the less (additively) I put in. For a batch of 3oz I'd only do 20 drops when my can recommends 10 per oz. Mainly trial & error, so I always start small so I don't waste too much of my materials when I'm trying out a new product and inevitably botch it.

so, wear coveralls when sanding I suppose?
and if I want to bondo my helmet, belt, chest plate and shoulder pieces, how much bondo would I need? if it was about...5 oz I would need...30 drops?

 

[ventrue]

so, wear coveralls when sanding I suppose?

Getting the dust on your skin isn't dangerous. So yes, you can of course wear coveralls while sanding, but it's not necessary. Respirator (with particle filters, not with the vapour ones you use for resining!) and glasses are the important things.

 

[Jake D]

so, wear coveralls when sanding I suppose?
and if I want to bondo my helmet, belt, chest plate and shoulder pieces, how much bondo would I need? if it was about...5 oz I would need...30 drops?

I'm not too sure =/ My bondo has this red cream for a hardener, so I can't say for certain. It may be best to mix it up in small batches, like the size of a golfball for each area. Yeah there will be some waste left over from stuff that dried on your tray/tools but it beats mixing up a big batch and having it set up before you even apply 1/2 of it.. Plus, you don't want to overdo it. I made that mistake on my shin (still working on it) and applied tons of bondo. It looked crappy and increased the weight substantially. I spent the better part of a day with a hammer and chisel trying to remove it to start again ;_;

 

[SpartanGirl]

I'm not too sure =/ My bondo has this red cream for a hardener, so I can't say for certain. It may be best to mix it up in small batches, like the size of a golfball for each area. Yeah there will be some waste left over from stuff that dried on your tray/tools but it beats mixing up a big batch and having it set up before you even apply 1/2 of it.. Plus, you don't want to overdo it. I made that mistake on my shin (still working on it) and applied tons of bondo. It looked crappy and increased the weight substantially. I spent the better part of a day with a hammer and chisel trying to remove it to start again ;_;

oh dear! and i'm sorry, I meant for the resin I would need that many drops. I plan to rondo instead of plain bondo because I hate fiberglass mat.. I remember someone saying with rondo you don't necessarily need the red creme? or was it you didn't need the resin hardener...

 

[CoolC]

oh dear! and i'm sorry, I meant for the resin I would need that many drops. I plan to rondo instead of plain bondo because I hate fiberglass mat.. I remember someone saying with rondo you don't necessarily need the red creme? or was it you didn't need the resin hardener...

You still need the red hardener to harden rondo. Once you mix Resin and Bondo together, you need to add resin hardener and bondo hardener in the mix. Otherwise the "Rondo" will not set. Please keep in mind that you may need to use fiberglass. Rondo works but it is not strong. It is brittle once set. You can still wear your armor but your armor is prone to break if you abuse it too much. I suggest that you use fiberglass on areas that get abused the most.

 

[Jake D]

oh dear! and i'm sorry, I meant for the resin I would need that many drops. I plan to rondo instead of plain bondo because I hate fiberglass mat.. I remember someone saying with rondo you don't necessarily need the red creme? or was it you didn't need the resin hardener...

It depends really, what does your brand of resin say? My first quart of it said 15 per (which was way too much!) and this current one says 10 per. If you're doing up a bunch of rondo I'd use a bit of both. When I do my batches it's about 2 oz of bondo, maybe 2 oz of resin? I just put in about... 10 drops of the Resin hardener (MEKP is the proper name I think) and maybe an inch and a half strip of the bondo cream? It always sets up *just* after I get it all in and rolled around, so it works for me. Mostly trial and error until you get a feel for how much you need for the amounts you do. Sometimes when I mess up the amounts and it stays liquid or tacky, I just point my halogen lamp at it (from a safe distance) and the added heat helps it cure. I've also used a handheld heat gun to do it, but it's a lot more work and less effective than my halogen.

If you're doing straight rondo instead of cloth, it may start to get up there in weight really quick and have the possibility to crack/shatter in an impact. I've been doing a coat of rondo all over the inside of my pieces to fill the gaps & corners. When I sand down the hard edges on the outside, I can sand into the rondo and help round them with less use of bondo. Then I put a layer of two of fiberglass cloth over that, and it's been very sturdy for me.

 

[SpartanGirl]

It depends really, what does your brand of resin say? My first quart of it said 15 per (which was way too much!) and this current one says 10 per. If you're doing up a bunch of rondo I'd use a bit of both. When I do my batches it's about 2 oz of bondo, maybe 2 oz of resin? I just put in about... 10 drops of the Resin hardener (MEKP is the proper name I think) and maybe an inch and a half strip of the bondo cream? It always sets up *just* after I get it all in and rolled around, so it works for me. Mostly trial and error until you get a feel for how much you need for the amounts you do. Sometimes when I mess up the amounts and it stays liquid or tacky, I just point my halogen lamp at it (from a safe distance) and the added heat helps it cure. I've also used a handheld heat gun to do it, but it's a lot more work and less effective than my halogen.

If you're doing straight rondo instead of cloth, it may start to get up there in weight really quick and have the possibility to crack/shatter in an impact. I've been doing a coat of rondo all over the inside of my pieces to fill the gaps & corners. When I sand down the hard edges on the outside, I can sand into the rondo and help round them with less use of bondo. Then I put a layer of two of fiberglass cloth over that, and it's been very sturdy for me.

I was planning something similar, but instead of the fiberglass mat that im not allowed to work with, I was going to improvise and use the cotton shirt technique and add more if its needed

 

[Jake D]

I was planning something similar, but instead of the fiberglass mat that im not allowed to work with, I was going to improvise and use the cotton shirt technique and add more if its needed

If you've got your respirator and some eye protection, there should be no reason to not be allowed to use the fiberglass. But that's none of my business. I'm not sure how well the T-shirt method would work, but good luck and let me know how it turns out

 

[SpartanGirl]

If you've got your respirator and some eye protection, there should be no reason to not be allowed to use the fiberglass. But that's none of my business. I'm not sure how well the T-shirt method would work, but good luck and let me know how it turns out

but...dont you need to cover your whole body while working with it? that would suck, considering how hot its been this summer...

 

[Jake D]

but...dont you need to cover your whole body while working with it? that would suck, considering how hot its been this summer...

It would be a good idea but you don't have to. I just wear the same coveralls I use for resin/painting. The deal is the little shards, or fibers, can get into your skin and then itch like mad. Usually a hot shower can help get them out, but sometimes it just takes time for your body to push them out, much like it would if you had a small thorn stuck in your foot that broke off. Just be sure to never touch your face, and especially your eyes after working with it! When I'm working with it I've got some swim goggles, a dust mask (for when I'm cutting it,) my respirator (when applying) my coveralls and some nitrile (surgical) gloves. It does get a little bit warm if I'm doing my stuff out in the sun with it all on, but most the time I'm in the shade so it's no big deal. It inevitably gets on me somehow, but it itches less than mosquito bites, at least for me.