Hardening Pepakura With Fiberglass Resin (Episode 01)

[@Super73VW]

YAY! Finally somebody telling EVERYBODY how much resin to apply! I come from the Automotive world and laying up CF and FG... Less is more! The paper is your strength, the resin just holds it together as one uniform piece!

[@ApocalypseKIDONE]

Ive been lurking around the 405th for a while now, looking at peoples armour builds and its something ive wanted to do for a long time, found these videos today and i finally think im confident enough to go ahead and start thanks to these, theyre really informative and helpful. Having someone talk you through the process rather than reading it in a forum is a massive benefit. Thank you!

[@Karokash]

Just have to say I love how you took the time to give a detailed overview at the beginning, I really found that helpful so that I could get a heads up for what was to come instead of trying to figure it out as I go. Thanks for the video, I plan on watching the rest

[@SoftestPillow]

I'm really enjoying your detailed tutorials and tips and warnings in all of your videos Dave. You go into a lot of the science of the chemicals being used, and I can definitely adjust accordingly. This would be my first attempt to working with potentially harmful chemicals in the fore-coming summer. Once and hopefully it's all completed, i'll give the large chunk of the learning process to you and forward those in need of assistance to your channel. Thanks!

[@youngmasterpete]

I also agree with the other comments. I have seen many how to pep videos yet yours are by far the best and I have found most useful. It is your detailed descriptions and explanations of they why's, hows and the why not's that really help us to understand not just how it is best done but also why it is best done the way you have taught us. What I have learned from your videos makes me more confident that I can do it right

[@What_Zen]

I totally get using a notecard for his first episode! Ahhh! Takes me back some years!

[@arodg025]

I was just joking around. Seriously though the video was extremely helpful. I did this step last night. And I'll be laying the glass inside tonight. Thank you for these.

[@Leonidas_Apollo]

I know this is 3 years old, but I've realized that epoxy resin is better than polyurethane resin for every reason except cost. Like I said I get that its a biiiiiit late to give much advice but epoxy resin isn't as picky with temperatures, resin-to-hardener ratio, or surface texture adhesion (meaning no sanding at all if you don't want to). It dries harder and you have the option to have it as clear as glass (i use parks super gloss and its viscosity is a lot better for making a smooth appearance too) plus epoxy wont deform or shrink like polyurethane resin and I think the single best advantage is very little to no smell. Another point could be good or bad depending on opinion, but epoxy resin USUALLY takes a lottt longer time to cure. I like that so you can give it time to de-gas before and during application. Some resins even come with the ability to resist intense UV light and abrasion for years (at another expense of course).

[@keeplearning4441]

This was great, been searching for "master chief costume halo 4 for sale" for a while now, and I think this has helped. You ever tried - Cenackenzie Conspicuous Cure - (should be on google have a look ) ? It is a great exclusive guide for discovering how to create an amazing Master Chief Halo or Iron Man suit costume minus the headache. Ive heard some amazing things about it and my friend got excellent success with it.

[@FlesHBoX]

Thanks for these. I've never done a build but have just recently gotten really interested in doing a Tribes Ascend build with a roomate whose done some mando costumes in the past. Saw your helmet on therpf and was in awe of your attention to detail, which is my primary driving force in wanting to build a suit.

[@Hellboy4621]

That video cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had about the whole resin process. Good video man, now I have to work on MY spartan armor. Thanks!

[@Phraxdust]

I'm from the UK. I've been using Fastglas resin. And for the bondo/filler I used Isopon, p38 easy sand. I also got Fastglas hardener. Glass fibre mat for the majority of work. and glass fibre tissue for tighter work. All David's brand and I got them all in store from Halfords. Everything seems to be working out for me really well.

[@PiecesOfPrestige]

This video is much more professional then the average! Great work man!

[@gregfharding]

Thanks for the info mate, especially about how much to apply etc, I totally agree about loosing detail, learning the hard way, but instructional videos like this make it easier to get things right the first time. So thanks again.

[@kevingomezart]

Your videos are awesome! I just started a Judge dredd helmet. Today i put bondo on it and started to sand it, and i hate it already lol. So i went looking for tutorials and came across yours. You explain so much little stuff that people leave out which will help me! So i've decided to scrap my current helmet and redo it..... and do it right! Every mistake in the field i could make i did. Its my first try, but thanks to these videos the next will not be a dissapointmet! Keep it up!

[@MrGrumpyGinger]

loitering in the 405th brought me here. not signed up yet. only got into pepin' about 2 weeks ago. this video & thread are invaluable guides and instruction on what to and what not to do. doin mark 6 armour myself. will be following your thread with intent :D awsome work.

[@themistoklesv]

Dave you are great.I like your craftsmanship but most of all your personality!wish you the best from Greece.(yesterday I started my first pepakura Dredd helmet, just resigned it today)Thanks for the vids

[@xZer0Gradex]

thanks for the info. now i can get started on my armor. keep up the good work with the tutorials. they are really helpful.

[@dghezzo]

Happy to help out! Yes, I did go straight to rondo from the resin coat. However, I only did this because I have no real intention of wearing the piece. It will primarily be used as a master for molding. I will wear a cast as it would be much, much more stable. Had I had the intention of wearing the piece, I would have absolutely used fiberglass as a strength medium. For wearable costumes, using "rondo only" with no glassing should be reserved for pieces of a much smaller size.

[@TeahouseTales]

I was starting to think I couldnt finish my helmet.. but as soon as I heard the intro song I knew I had to finish it! For red vs blue!

[@federz666]

MAke more videos!! definitely the best resource for pep tips on youtube, but you need to get more video's up!!

[@ScornfulSix]

He's going through a hard time at the moment if you look at his most recent video. He'll come back when he's ready, but i do agree that he is THE best resource for these things.

[@federz666]

Yeah i only seen that video recently.. SO i completely understand!!.. I lost my dad a few years ago so i can actually understand.. The fact he still made the effort to upload that last video explaining the lack of activity is pretty badass of him.. Its not easy

[@Kerwin85]

Dude right off the bat (paused the vid for this) AWESOME opening song lol, very helpfull vids bro, been following up on your vids.

[@kaia6584]

You have the best videos for this I've seen!! I was looking for a way to make my Brotherhood of Steel(Outcast version) from Fallout armor. I really didn't want to pay someone $1000+ for the full body cosplay and you saved me dude!!! I seriously cannot thank you enough!! Keep making videos you're doing a great job!!!

[@martinmoore8075]

Great videos Dave, thanks for doing them

[@dghezzo]

I'm glad you are enjoying! More to come soon!

[@nyazillagojira7079]

Still referencing YOUR videos after all this time. It just works. Nice to find your 1st one.

[@WolfGodwin]

Great video. Turns out I made almost every mistake you mentioned and ended up with adhesive-level tackiness, but it was good experience and made your instructions all the more valid. On to watch the rest of this series!

[@dghezzo]

Lol, yes I have also had this issue. Where do you live? Is your winter cold? If it is, even though there was no tacky feel to the piece, cool/cold temps slow the curing right down. Either way, what I would suggest doing is taking a paint brush and brushing the piece with baby powder or corn starch. This will help to get the odor out of the piece. That and time. It can take up to a couple of weeks for the smell to go away.

[@dghezzo]

You are correct that the higher quality resins will indeed provide a greater hardening capacity. However, no matter how good the product is, you still have to stay within the temperature range stated by the manufacturer for the product to catalyze properly. Most people who run into "tacky" finishes, the work area temp is outside the suggested range :)

[@Hayoshu]

this is great sir that would explain why my helmet warp alot. i always tried to resin all in one go

[@dghezzo]

I'm actually testing a material out in hopes that it will replace the need for Body Filler entirely! I will let you know how it turns out. So far it looks promising.

[@JoshMooney]

Man your work is fantastic I'm a big fan

[@flora_overgrowth]

Love your steeler tshirt!

[@bluebeam09]

This is a great Tutorial. I wish I would have found it earlier. However, I have two tips from my side: 1. High quality resin contains additives that prevents the tacky surface. Also you can usually choose differnt hardeners that give you different working time. E.g. look for Resinpal 1714 (also usually cheaper than the stuff from the hardware store). 2. You can reuse your tools (e.g. brushes) if you clean them with acteone -< saves some money.

[@shawnzomc]

Thanks man, this was a really helpful video. You clearly know what you're talking about.

[@dghezzo]

The resin you want to be using is "Polyester resin" it is readily available everywhere that has an automotive repair section. yes superglue makes stronger joints than hot glue. The joint strength is never the problem when hardening a pep.

[@dghezzo]

You're quite welcome! More to come very soon.

[@dghezzo]

You are quite welcome, more to come soon!

[@OCDTraci]

Thank you! He actually mentions what it is in one of his later episodes; so I got my answer :)

[@dghezzo]

Something needs filling or smoothing.... Only if it needs filling or smoothing. You CAN primer/paint directly on top of bondo/resin/rondo. Be sure to "scuff" the surface prior to paint with no lower than 320 grit sand paper as you want some coarseness in order to have something for the paint to stick to.

[@dghezzo]

Thank you! Yes, temperature is indeed a big factor when dealing with catalyzed materials (polyester resin, aerosol paints, bondo, epoxy). With fiberglass resin, if the temperature is not above 21.0c / 69.8f it will not be able to generate enough heat to completely set up.

[@tubbycustard8866]

This is very helpful, wish i watched this before I applied resin

[@JazieChristine]

Ok. this is an excellent video for me to begin with :) thanks for teaching us all the details cx

[@dghezzo]

This topic is actually covered in the next video, however, what you will need to do is apply heat (blow dryer or heat gun) to the warped area and brace the piece from the inside. Leave the bracing in until the piece has been thickened.

[@dghezzo]

I would suggest taking a look at my last 2 videos as I do cover a lot of this content. Fiberglass mat "can" absolutely be used with Epoxy resins, with some constraints. Also, I'm not sure what you mean when you say "the initial coat". I will be releasing another video shortly which goes over the different types of fiber-glass material as well as when/where to use them.

[@dghezzo]

Melt like butter!

[@NIGHTMARE-zy7tq]

thank you for making this.

[@KAGARAKIS]

GOOD WORK DAVE!(i like the music too in the begining!)

[@dghezzo]

Have you been trying to move/force the support piece to fit on a single page? Most of the chest supports are longer than a single pages printable surface. The program will take this into account when you scale a file and will automatically create a break in the piece and span it across two pages for you, then once you cut it out, you will have to re-join it by gluing the folds so you have 1 large continuous support piece. I would re-open the original file and start over.

[@xXlightstarXx]

@xillerkiller you only need the baby powder if after the resin dries it feels tacky or "sticky". So if it feels tacky after its done drying you brush the powder on those spots. So to answer your question: AFTER the resin is dry. Do not mix the powder with resin and apply it.

[@hexenvii]

I greatly appreciate the MXC reference

[@wolfking1985]

Love your work man thanks for the video vary well done.

[@dghezzo]

Happy to help out! More to come soon.

[@dghezzo]

Glad I could be of help!

[@marialafollette4932]

Stupid question, I know, but is it actually safe to bondo the inside of a helmet?(Like, will there be any really bad fumes after it cures when you wear it?)

[@akkeriworkshop]

Very very late, but in case other people see this, it should be ok. Just make sure you give it time to cure. If you are worried, you can cover the inside with fabric afterwards.

[@dghezzo]

If you would like to use fiber strands, you absolutely can. It will only add more strength to the piece. However, if you plan on fiber glassing the inside, this would not be necessary.

[@dghezzo]

With the dry/high head in Phoenix, I would actually (slightly) reduce the amount of hardener used in the resin, it should extend your working time without compromising the curing.

[@bane426]

Great video, super helpful

[@DawnOfDeathx]

I'm using regular paper with super glue.. and it's making it even stronger on the unions, I think it might make it :)!

[@dghezzo]

Also, there are alternatives to fiberglass & poly resin... This is something that I will be covering in the near future.

[@thorn696]

Awesome vid.

[@h00pla434]

I recently put a chest piece together that had much less detail than the chest piece in the video and it took me about 16 hours from cutting to gluing to a finished paper model,

[@dghezzo]

With 1oz of material I can cover 1/4 of a torso with two generous coats (approx. 120 sq/in) In theory, you could use acetone to clean up brushes, as long as they did not harden too much and as long as the brush bristles are tension fit and not glued to the shaft (giggity) of the paint brush. As the acetone will dissolve the glue. Personally I buy my 1" brushes in boxes of 100 for $18 dollars from a local automotive repair supplier. So it doesn't bother me to throw them out.

[@dghezzo]

Easiest way is when you are assembling the pep file, assemble it in two pieces, front/back so that you can do a dry fit before you join the two pieces together. Also, if you measure and scale correctly, this will not be an issue.

[@dghezzo]

It's all about the weight. I use 110lb (199g/m for metric) paper. I would advise against using anything under 100lb for pep work. More often than not it will cause warping. Just go to staples or the like, you can get 250 sheets for around $7 or so.

[@dghezzo]

Lol, I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. However you are correct! It is the music that is playing on the warthog whenever the red team is driving.

[@dghezzo]

If you mean, can you take down the sharp edges made by the pep joints, than yes, you can. See Episode 4.

[@dghezzo]

Hey everybody.... I know it's been a long time since there has been a video installment. I'm in the process of a rather large move to a different province and have not had the time to really reply to comments let alone do a video :( Rest assured, things will be picking back up in a few weeks! I have the material for 3 videos that will be coming out pretty close together! Sit tight all! I'm on it! Cheers, Dave.

[@MsCharzilla]

yay thats good to hear, your videos are very helpful :)

[@SILVERSURFING514]

love the intro/outro music

[@Sam-pi2xq]

Nothing beets Red VS Blue!

[@Jerrum]

Great vid! Can you paint straight on to a piece that has been treated with resin? I get why you need to bondo/filler more complex pieces but is it necessary for a flat piece cut in to square/rectangle type shapes that will lay flat against a base? I don't want to go to the lengths of sanding down bondo/filler for something that I only need to give the impression is hard.

[@dghezzo]

That is one of the projects I will be doing, as well as a storm trooper.

[@willusmc1422]

thanks for bringing the camera closer

[@starbase101]

Good tutorial. You mention not mixing more than 1 oz at a time. How much square inches/centimeters will 1 oz cover? Resin cleans up with acetone, so could a brush be used more than once (but not indefinitely) if cleaned afterwards?

[@dghezzo]

If you have translucent areas, just add more rondo/bondo or fiberglass to the thin area, and you'll be good to go.

[@dghezzo]

Not a problem at all! I'll try to help in any way I can. Just post a comment in the appropriate video or send me a PM and I'll do what I can! Dave/Cereal.

[@dghezzo]

I'm not sure what you are referring to. Are you referring to what brand of resin to buy? If so, I'll have a video coming out in the next couple of days which will cover all of this. If you're talking about something else please clarify.

[@DawnOfDeathx]

I know that i'll run into issues, and that it has a high chance of collapsing or warping, But i'll try to proceed with caution and with a very thin layer of resin. I'm not sure if the resin i bought is fiberglass resin.. Does that make a diference other than its stronger because of the fibers? Yeah Super glue is just annoying, but i'm using it since its regular paper and it makes the unions stronger so i belive that stronger unions will make the shape stay and it will prevent the warping

[@ericbuol5426]

Great stuff and thanks for sharing! Have you ever worked (pepped) in cardboard? If so, I there anything you would have to do differently in regards to resining?

[@ColteConn]

great work man im working on a Mk 5 helm and its looking great i just need to grind out some resin before i go one cause i used too much but looks good man

[@XDKonanz]

These are great very helpful videos! Is there anyway you could do a video on painting a piece? Like what kind of paint to use?

[@TehVyper]

Im working on an ODST helmet and added resin on the outside but not on the inside. I also added the fibeglass cloth on the inside as well and coated it in resin. Some of the cloth peeled up and didnt stay in place. Could I still rondo the inside?

[@elliotpipes5769]

I'm making the nice veteran ranger helmet from fallout. I've gotten to the stage of resin. For the helmet I used fibre glass resin and lacquer. I have now started fiber glass matting. My resin looks like treacle. It is very thick and sticky. What is that clear resin?

[@Wowzerfish555]

Oh yeah if it is very thick and sticky you probably put too much hardener in, since it probably started curing quickly.

[@SkyBoxGaming]

if i add another 10 drops... will it instantly cure?

[@nixland]

Do I have to seal the paper with something like mod podge or pva glue first before resin it?

[@ridck369]

keep making vids man. they're really helpful =)

[@dghezzo]

You're very welcome!

[@sonsofsin]

personally, i would add loose fibre to the mix and it would be much stronger, or go all out and do it with fibre glass sheets, then sand everything flat/smooth after, look much better when painted

[@dghezzo]

Don't worry... Iron Man is on my to-do list! ;)

[@dghezzo]

There will be, very shortly

[@hitozoku]

Quick question. With most pieces after you ?pepped? (made) you can test fit them on. If you say that if you can fit the torso on you without cutting it is too big, how would you figure out whether its the right size or little small or little big?

[@dghezzo]

Card stock of course. You cannot use regular printer paper, it will not hold up to the stresses. Cheers, Dave.

[@shyguy479]

When you apply the resin and let it cure, does the cardstock pepakura part shrink?

[@dghezzo]

In Pepakura viewer/designer open "2DPatternWindow" and make sure "Show Edge ID" has a check mark beside it!

[@MrKeykeylikesit]

Love the vids... Hate the steelers shirt lol

[@justinbaldwin7637]

I recently added my first coat of resin to my chest. The sides are kinda sticking out a little. What could I do to even them out?

[@1Anatoliy]

im making a master sword. there is no way to get inside to cover back side of the paper with resin. what do i do to make it string inof for the bondo at the end

[@ChadVanHalen5150]

HELL YA PUMA MUSIC For Halo armor do you recommend paper and resin or foam?

[@manapunk3085]

MXC YESS!!!! instant subscribe!

[@DawnOfDeathx]

Don't worry i'm taking all the advice i can, it's nice to get some help/advice sometime.. Yeah i've haven't done enough research on the hardening process but i thought that it might colapse... Now that you say that i think it is in fact going to warp. I knew i had to use card stock paper, but i said what the hell let's try this.. lol

[@dghezzo]

There are some, I will be covering them in future videos.

[@brettsims5396]

How and were did you get the mold of the armor pieces done