Not Sure What To Do

[zakatak]

Ok hello i am new and i want to ask a question i found an iron

man helmet pep file and i havent completed it yet and it is made out of A4 paper but when i do i know thay it will be very weak so is Yhere a way to make it stronger without restarting



and i am only 12 so the most i can do is paper mache really so nothing expensive or needing to by machines or things like fiberglass

 

[mattmann1]

Welcome to the forums. 1st thing you want to do is read the stickies. They are located at the very top of when you open a particular forum. Second, If english is your first language then you should probably work on your spelling and grammer, if it a second language to you then keep up the the good work it is a hard language to learn. Third a4 is a paper size not strength. Most packaging for paper will have a weight on it, that is the important thing. Most builders here use 110 pound paper. Fourth if your build is not strong now then it won't hold up to paper mache. Though there are other non toxic alternatives. Try looking it up in the forums search box feature.

 

[zakatak]

yeh sorry i know english is my first language but i am just terrible at spelling any way so when i am done if it seems strong i can put paper mache on it and would paper mache make it stronger



sorry i am a complete noob i just basically started

 

[Charlieiscool12]

card stock is the way to go... although make sure the printer you have can handle the weight of cardstock you want to use. paper mache can strengthen a piece a little, but it would probably not withstand a 5 foot drop on cement.... if you feel that paper mache is strong enough for your needs, then go right ahead... although i advise you to apply the first few coats very thinly, as it will warp the paper, especially if you don't use card stock.

the stickies are lifesavers!

 

[zakatak]

Ok thanks so i think what i might do is put alot of cardboard in the inside and then maybe paper mache it.





And also most of what i do is on my itouch and i am not the best typer on it so please bear with me although i try very hard not to make mistakes





EDIT: this may be a stupid question but would it make any sense or be possible to insyead of using paper in paper mache,use cardbaod and by card bord i mean like shoe box cardboard

 

[box o crayons]

my best advice is to use fiberglass so i would start off by pepping your whole iron man suit and then by then maybe you will either be older or your parents would let you use fiberglass.

 

[zakatak]

Ok thanks i will talk to them about it

 

[GMer56]

What you can do is print and cut out your piece via pepakura, then trace it onto cardboard. For HD-type stuff use cereal box cardboard (and trace the flaps), for low def use corrugated cardboard.



You can try using a mixture of 1 part flour and two parts water. When that hardens it is very strong, but it also warps standard paper (I'm unsure about cardstock). I tried it, and to break the part it took considerable pressure. Just be aware that when the flour-water mixture hardens it will crack, making it not look as good (but it still functions at least).

Welcome to the world of costuming, my friend. Once you get the experience, money, and parental consent, try bondo.

 

[zakatak]

ok i will search bondo on google and i am guessing it is like clay

 

[gakkengod]

i'd go with the flour paste if you cant use fiberglass. one thing though when and if it cracks just use wood glue or regular Elmer's Glue to seal the cracks before painting and maybe use a low grit sand paper like a 280. all of this can usually be found at your local walmart. sorry it sounds like im promoting walmart its just where i get most of my stuff and easier to say than a Ace hardware and a Kroger or something....

 

[zakatak]

ok thank you all of you i will try to post my finished head because it is probably the only part i would do

 

[gakkengod]

ok thank you all of you i will try to post my finished head because it is probably the only part i would do

ohh a helmet. hey if you cant find a good visor just cut up a empty 2 liter, and hotglue it in place.

 

[kupokitty]

Take a look in my profile, and you can see the results of paper mache and a rootbeer bottle as a visor.