Questions About Rondo

[sdhoigt]

ok, so i just really have one major question, which has really been bugging me.



from what i have seen, there are 2 types of rondo... but what are the differances between them?



one type that i have seen, which were found in benstreeper's video, is:



-mostly bondo, with little resin

-bondo hardener is the primary catalyst

-resin hardener is optional to speed the process

-consistancy of "jello pudding"

-reddish in colour

-requires a temp of 16+*C to cure



and the other type i have seen is:



-1:1 ratio bondo:resin

-bondo hardener is not used

-resin hardener is only catalyst

-pretty much a liquid

-yellow-gray in colour

-unknown cure temp required







so, can anyone hook me up with some qualitative awnsers? thanks guys!

 

[Outlaw Tiger]

haha i also would like to know the answer to this. and i would also like to add one more question to sdhoigt's original post. and that would be, if we go with the benstreeper method, is the rondo more prone to cracking and generally failing ? or dose his mixing ratio fix that problem ? or vice versa ?

 

[Brandon McClain]

When mixing rondo, you can vary the mixture of resin to bondo in order to achieve the consistency that you want. You can use either hardener you want, straight resin hardener or bondo hardener, or both, I prefer to use one or the other. Since Bondo is simple resin with beads/talc added, you are simply adjusting the total volume of beads/talc in the mixture. So if you want it runny, then just add more resin, its a tailored thing. If its too soupy, just add more bondo. Once you have the consistency desired, add your preferred hardener. The reason some rondo turns pink, is that the person uses bondo hardener which is red. Mine is typically grey because I use the cheap bondo to make my rondo with straight resin hardener. As far as flexibility of the rondo, Ben Streepers method functions because he uses foam inside and then carves detail etc with the purpose of molding and not wearing. If you plan on wearing a rondoed part, I suggest mudglassing, which is rondo with fiberglass mat or cloth laid into the drying rondo, otherwise your part will crack. Hope that helps!

 

[sdhoigt]

well just from a scientific standpoint, there must be a difference between using one hardener or another. if anyone has experimented, please state your findings. i would, but it is still too cold here, and its going below 0*C again by the end of the month

 

[Brandon McClain]

liquid hardener

Cream hardener

There you go!



DIMETHYL PHTHALATE



Benzoyl Peroxide

 

[Xtreme TACTICS 101]

There are a lot of different receipts to rondo. I personally use the following for the following uses:



Rondo Glassing Reinforcement Method:



-50% Resin/50% Bondo

-Resin hardener



Used for reinforcing the inside of a helmet/armour part.



PROS:

-Moves easily when sloshed around

-Soaks into fiberglass very well

-Extremely strong



CONS:

-Hard to sand

-Very runny (Hard to control)



-------------------------



Rondo Reinforcement Method:



-20% Resin/80% Bondo

-Bondo Hardener with option of additional Resin Hardener



Used for reinforcement of the inside of a helmet/armour part.



PROS:

-Easy to sand

-Not too runny (Lots of control)



CONS:

-Not runny enough to slush cast

-Sometimes harder to mix

-Not as strong as Rondo-glassing



-------------------------



Rondo Detailing Method #1:



-20% Resin/80% Bondo

-Bondo Hardener with option of additional Resin Hardener.



Used for detailing of the outside of a helmet/armour part.



PROS:

-Easy to work with for detailing purposes

-Easy to sand



CONS:

N/A



-------------------------



Rondo Detailing Method #2:



-50% Resin/50% Bondo

-Resin Hardener



Used for detailing of the outside of a helmet/armour part.



PROS:

-Quick coverage of armour part



CONS:

-Very runny and messy

-Hard to sand

-Requires lots of masking to keep rondo in area of choice

-Overall more work



-------------------------



I hope that all clears some stuff up for you.



Cheers!

 

[AerialInk]

There are a lot of different receipts to rondo....

Thank you for laying this out. I just tried benstreepers rondo method, and while it worked just as he had explained in his videos, the end result isn't what I necessarily wanted, or thought I wanted. I think I am going to give the rondo glassing method a go, once I pep another helmet...



... anyways this is something I'll have to keep as a reference.

 

[HaloGoddess]

I used ben streepers method recently for the rondo and personally, I love it! It works for what I need it to do and will allow me to have it finished in time for what I need it for.



There is a good chance that I will only wear my hayabusa armor a couple times so I won't need it for much. There is also a possibility that I will wear it once for an upcoming convention then never wear it again. XD

 

[sdhoigt]

thanks X-T101 (im gonna call you that from now on)! you should really just make that into a post (i meant to say topic) on the site, because i think that info is sticky worthy!

 

[Trigger]

thanks X-T101 (im gonna call you that from now on)! you should really just make that into a post on the site, because i think that info is sticky worthy!

I second that.

 

[McPrimus]

I agree with Halogoddess; I go with Ben's Rondo (brondo?" because it is super easy to work with when wet, and easy to sand once dry. I also know that my finished product will be worn only a few times, so I don't see the need for a lot of reinforcement. Also, i absolutely hate trying to get fiber-mat to work right, it always makes a big mess when I use it.