"Help!" for: Fibreglass alternatives for pepakura armor?

[Valcara]

working on a pepakura armor, and i would rather not work with itchy fiberglass mat, because im abit afraid of using something that is so potentially damaging to my skin, and is just toxic in general if a mess up while cutting it up and pasting, id rather not risk any complications. so i was wondering if anyone could guide me, if the fiberglass step is completely necessary, or if there are any safer alternatives to this step in the possess.
please share your experiences and stories!
Thanks

 

[Wiltonican]

you dont need to use fiberglass. You can just you any fabric that is porous. (cheap at a fabric store. look in the bargain bin too.. because it doesnt need to look good.) Just use laminating resin to bind it.

Fabricators in auto stereo shops use this method all the time to build speaker boxes.

 

[coldevil123]

You could also try using smoothcast or a plastidip sort of process. There are tutorials around here or YouTube somewhere. You could also try using Rondo. It is a mixture between Bondo and resin that is slushed around the part.

 

[TJX62]

You don't need to use fiberglass to harden your peps, there are a few alternatives. You can use smooth cast for the inside (I don't know exactly which so someone with more experience could help you there) or you can use rondo. Rondo is just a combination of Resin and Bondo that you slush around the inside. The downside is that it is incredibly brittle and can break with not a lot of force. If your afraid of getting itchy from fiberglass, if you cover your arms with talc powder, it'll clog your pores and cut down on the itchiness.

 

[Valcara]

Thanks alot! those are deffinately some good ideas (i like the fabric one best) those ideas will work with aqua resin correct? im planing on putting a layer or two of aqua resin on the base first, then putting the fabric covered resin on over it. it dosent sound like there would be anyproblems there, but im still new to the trade.

 

[Wiltonican]

Not really sure about Aqua resin. Never used it. I see resin having 2 types, finishing and laminating. (I'm simplifying this) (I don't know where Aqua resin falls, but my guess is finishing). Finishing resin is great for model making and dries hard. Laminating resin doesn't dry as hard and actually stays sticky for the next layer of resin. This way it'll bond multiple layers better.

If your goal was to strengthen the inside of your helmet, then laminating resin is the way to go. Coating the fabric with resin would bond to the helmet, giving it strength and a bit of flexibility (without the brittleness). Just paint over it when you've got the layers in.

Hope that helps.

 

[Valcara]

thanks that really does!
i just thought of this, which might work as good as fabric, just throwing it out there as a thought, what about plaster gauze? its the stuff that if youve ever broken your arm its what the hard cast is made of, it only needs alittle water and will stick to just about everything, it dries quickly and hard, and is abit flexible, maybe putting that on the inside of the armor over the resin would be good renforcement?
my 2cents

 

[coldevil123]

I think I've seen someone try gauze before and it didn't turn out too well. If you feel like trying it out, don't let me stop you, but that's just what I've seen. You also shouldn't be too afraid of the fiberglass method by the way. As you might have seen from the people here, it works fantastically and I haven't seen any complaints. Is there any particular reason you don't want to do it aside from the itchiness and toxicity? Because neither of those are really an issue from my experience as long as you are careful.

 

[Wiltonican]

Plaster gauze doens't sound like a good alternative. It's too brittle. And when dry, it's powdery. The resin won't bond with it properly. Imagine bonding to flour. It just wont work.

Leave the gauze for pre-school projects and broken arms. haha

 

[Valcara]

next to the fact that no potentially dangerous substances are allowed in this household (i almost couldnt work with aquaresin, but since the MSDS sheets say i dont need a respirator, and just mimial skin protection its ok) with younger siblings mucking about, i can blame parentals for worrying if they get into things, even with my own studio, nothing is safe enough.

 

[ZoidianKings]

I don't know much about paper mache, but there are a few people on here using this idea. Somebody that knows a little more about it might can help you out, but I believe it is just a ratio of glue to water. It also depends on the piece that you are wanting to strengthen, but I know the Hobby Lobby has a couple different casting resins that do not give off fumes or as toxic as other. I have used the "Amazing Resin" before for a few small pieces and it does a pretty good job.

 

[erayachi]

Plaster gauze doens't sound like a good alternative. It's too brittle. And when dry, it's powdery. The resin won't bond with it properly. Imagine bonding to flour. It just wont work.

Leave the gauze for pre-school projects and broken arms. haha

Yeeshka! xD I find myself defending this method a lot...I use plaster gauze in my armour, and it's going great. I've built a helmet, upper arm piece, chest piece and thigh armour with it, and worn it (plus tested it with light hammer taps) You don't use resin with it, you use normal water and reinforce it with either modge podge or acrylic medium.

You gotta know what materials to use with plaster gauze in order to make it successful. I've made nearly indestructible Fire Emblem armour with it before (Tested at a con with waaaay over 20,000 people) thanks to paperclay and acrylics.

Aaaanyway, that's my two cents. I need to spit out that plaster tutorial already. Valcara, dear, you can use plaster guaze to reinforce the inside if you're not afraid of many hours of tedious handwork. The only problem I've experienced is cost--better to order the stuff online than pay through your nose for tiny rolls of it.

 

[Katsu]

I dunno why this hasn't been suggested yet, but if chemicals are so bad, is Foam an option? What armor are you making?