How Strong Is Your Pepakura Armor?

[SchizophrenicMC]

Well, I've only used a single layer of fiberglass on the parts I've made, and while I'd probably not hazard smashing them against anything too hard, they'll hold up. Though, admittedly, the single layer is a pro-tem thing, as I've no time to multi-layer it. When A-kon's passed, I'll add another layer of glass (Might even mudglass for $#!Ts & giggles) and respray my armor to Buck's insignia.



As for paint damage, I'd suggest using an enamel, preferably a clear matte enamel, since it will seal the paint and remove any unwanted gloss. Then, hit it with a coat of Future floor sealer. In the nerfing and mecha modeling communities, we've found it to be a great sealant against friction and impact damage to paint.

 

[Dh748]

Nice analogy haha!



So what is the reasoning behind the layers of different stuff? I can understand resin for the base, bondo for the detail, fiberglass for the strength reinforcing. But if Mudglassing is stronger than both would it be bad to just do mudglass and then bondo for the little details?



Thank you guys for the extremely informational (and swift) responses. The kindness of these forums is far beyond any other forum I've seen.



El1te

well yeah some people do that, but don't and as far as I can tell they make it sound like hat there is a certain..... knack? technique? not sure on the word, but I think it seems simple enough to do. and since bondo hasn' exactly been expained, its car body filler, people use it when restoring their cars, its easy to cut and sand, and when mixed with resin... well you now the rest

 

[HaloGoddess]

I would like to mention something about this rondo thing.



I LOVE the stuff! It makes it sooooo easy to harden my armor AND it's quick! Since I hate fiberglass due to how messy it is, I was happy to see the video tutorial by Ben Streeper. It is pretty easy to mix rondo and it really helps to make hardening your armor go quick. The stuff can start to cure pretty quick so it's working time is not very long. You also do not need to mix it with a whole lot of resin. You only really need to add enough resin so that it's easy to stir, easy to pour, but NOT too runny or else it will make it messier and harder to control when you slush it around. You also use the red cream hardener that comes with the bondo and if you want to speed it up a bit, you can add the liquid hardener, but it's not really that necessary.



Mudglassing is similar, but I believe you mix it at a 1:1 ratio and you use the liquid hardener that comes with the resin. I saw one video tutorial and when that guy did it, he also added fiberglass with it.



You CAN add fiberglass with the rondo too. I did with some of the areas that seem a little weak on my armor like in the heel part of my boots and some areas on my belt.

 

[Brandon McClain]

There is a big difference between mudglass and rondo. Rondo is slushing the mixture of resin and bondo inside. Mudglassing, as is implied by the glass part of the name, is a form of fiberglassing. Basically you slush the rondo (mud) inside the helmet or part, and while still wet/liquid you lay in fiberglass. Some people call rondo mudglassing, but there is a significant difference in strength. Hope that answers the question!

 

[SharkForge]

Thanks for all the input guys! Especially on the clarification between rondo and mudglassing. I'd assume both techniques are strong and durable, but the mudglassing adds that one extra element, the fiberglass to make it a bit stronger? This process honestly doesn't seem that difficult tho I have never messed with it. Mudglassing is the strongest method then?



El1te

 

[Camofred]

Thats VERY interesting! What stops people from making their helmets completely out of "Rondo" or this Mudglassing technique? Why do you use layers of different stuff?



El1te

to me, rond on the inside of a helmet is messier and more time consuming than fiber glass to me. my layer work like so. 1) 2 to 3 thin, like, barely covering like as thin as the paper thin, layer to seal the helmet to prevent warpage. 2) fiberglass the inside until everything has been overlapped and is covered by 2 layers(sheets) of fiberglass and plenty or resin(don't be greedy to save money!) 3) rondo the helmet in sections until the entire outside is covered. sand and repeat. once smooth cut in details with a dremel. and i dont see how you can say rondo is more expensive than just bondo/resin. it comes done to just the same, I think.

 

[Boba Fett]

one last think, try smooth-cast 300 in place of fiberglass. The main advantage is it's non-toxic. Will it hold up as well? I dunno, but for most people who use it, it seems adequate.

 

[spartady196]

I would like to ask a maybe noobish question but due to the fact that i am in Thailand materials are sometimes really cheap, i used to do Carbon Fiber parts with a friend for racebike. and i wonder if covering the pepakura with Both Fiberglass and Carbon fiber would be great, Maybe the inner layer would be in Carbon Fiber and the outside layer would be just fiberglass.

 

[Reclaimara]

Wow, I've just read this whole thread and I have to say... My knowledge about resin, bondo, rondo and fiberglassing... wow, it got so much deeeper. O_O
Thanks! This thread is very helpful, especially that I'll be hardening my armor soon.

 

[Fallen]

I would like to ask a maybe noobish question but due to the fact that i am in Thailand materials are sometimes really cheap, i used to do Carbon Fiber parts with a friend for racebike. and i wonder if covering the pepakura with Both Fiberglass and Carbon fiber would be great, Maybe the inner layer would be in Carbon Fiber and the outside layer would be just fiberglass.

Do you mean outside layer as in on the outside of the item? Or outer layer as in resin, carbon fiber, fiberglass all on the inside? Because from what I've gathered the former using fiberglass on the outside would cover/remove a lot of detail and isn't recommended.

 

[spartady196]

No, actually i didn't mean outside layer as outside the item, and yeah!! i had some experience with putting fiberglass outside while making bike fairings and the details were very messed up