My Pep is falling apart, advice please.

[Satan]

Hey there 405th,

I'm a long time reader and have been wanting to make some MC armour for ages, I just finished my first helmet pepakura, using a regular paper glue stick to glue it.

It is now the hottest and most humid summer I have ever experienced, and the humidity is making the glue come apart and the paper warp slightly. it isnt all the tabs but its enough that the helmet cant support its own weight. ive got it supported using blocks and tape, but it still looks kind of distorted and some of the tabs are inconveniently located for me to re glue.

My question for you is whether you think it's best to scrap it and start again, when the weather stops being mental, possibly using a different method of glueing(suggestions?) or to keep it supported like this and attempt to stick it all back when I can?

Cheers to any who answer.

 

[SPRTNBD50]

Well.....the 405th members don't tend to use normal A4 paper, not even for size tests. We use cardstock, preferably 110lbs. As for the glue, glue stick or wet school glue is not recommended. Use those normal School Glue or UHU Adhesive Glue. You have to know the fact that some glue can dissolve when resining causing the pep to fall apart...A.K.A: MAJOR WARPAGE!!!! thats a bad thing

 

[ARCsaber987]

While I'd be a fool (wouldn't be the first time) to say the humidity wasn't affecting it, I think the glue stick is the main problem, I find most glue sticks are useless for even sticking a picture onto a piece of paper (ok, that may be taking it to far). Next time use something like a craft glue, it will hold together a lot better.
You could try, while it's still reinforced with the tape etc, to coat the inside with glue, eg something like the craft glue, and when it dries it may hold the helmet together enough to continue. But realisticly speaking in the time it would take to repair, you could be halfway through a new one, so I'd say just restart (but keep the old one).
That's just what I'd try, I hope something in there helped, good luck with your suit and don't give up!

 

[Waynehead]

i use a hot glue gun and the hot glue sticks easy to use and dries super fast try this

 

[ventrue]

My question for you is whether you think it's best to scrap it and start again, when the weather stops being mental, possibly using a different method of glueing(suggestions?) or to keep it supported like this and attempt to stick it all back when I can?

Those glue sticks are water soluable, that should explain why everything is coming loose. The most popular glues to use for Pepakura are superglue and hot glue, but superglue reacts with water and can get brittle when it's too wet, so that might not be the best choice either.

I'd rebuild the model. Warpage like this isn't going to go away its own, and repairing it at a later stage is a lot of work.
http://www.405th.com/member.php/22762-SPRTNBD50

 

[Agent Arizona]

Well.....the 405th members don't tend to use normal A4 paper, not even for size tests. We use cardstock, preferably 110lbs. As for the glue, glue stick or wet school glue is not recommended. Use those normal School Glue or UHU Adhesive Glue. You have to know the fact that some glue can dissolve when resining causing the pep to fall apart...A.K.A:MAJOR WARPAGE!!! thats a bad thing

I 100% agree. You NEED to get card stock. normal paper cant stand the armor making process. 110lbs paper is recomemnded but 65lbs will work well too you just need to be a little more careful. As far as glue goes, I use Elmer's Glue all. Works like a charm but dont get Elmers school glue as it is watery and will fall apart. (found out the hard way. Other favorites on the 405th are hot glue, super glue.

 

[leet]

i made a entire suit using 10c glue sticks. they worked fine for my first attempt. my 2nd suit half was gluesticks and then i moved up in the workd to a hot glue gun. and SO much easyer after a lil practice... just get a cheap one at wally world there 2 bucks and a pack of 100 sticks is 4bucks. and sometimes u get 25 sticks free!!!im glad i started using the glue guns.