HELP: Making a Jet Pack durable??

[Migrate from As You Wish]

"This Bondo brand Fiberglass Resin consists of only a one-part solution and has the hardner already mixed in."

PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE CAN FIRST!! No it dosn't!! It comes with the hardener seperatly and YOU have to mix it in your self. It is NOT already mixed in, repeat NOT already mixed. You'll have a big mess if you use the resin directly out of the can without using the hardner as it will never cure.
I don't want to see you get into trouble doing this.
Also it DOES heat up a little when curing, that is the normal chemical reaction that happens when the curing process happens when you mix the resin with the hardener. If your fiber glass resin isn't too thick, 1/4" or more, it won't heat up enough to do any "possible" damage. I lined my PVC ANH trooper helmet using the same resin fg stuff you have in your pic and I got it a 1/2" thick puddle of resin in one part of the helmet and man was it HOT!!!!
Lynn

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

dude mcabrera1275, im assuming thats u in the Biker Scout picture on your post...anybody ever tell u that u look kinda like Morpheus from the Matrix?

The Purity Knight

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Purity Knight wrote:...anybody ever tell u that u look kinda like Morpheus from the Matrix?

You'd be referring to Samuel L. Jackson, a.k.a. Mace Windu, a sworn Fett enemy. Compliment or condemnation?

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

NO Lawerence Fishburn. 2 different people. Sammy, Shaft and Mace. Lawerence, Matrix and Boys in the Hood.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Ahhh, that's right. Disregard my lack of remembering names. I suck at it. :facepalm

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

No problem. Just a little mistake.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Hmmm..I've never been told I look like Morpheus.

But anyhow, I've completed one layering of fiberglass on my jet pack. I want to put a total of 4-5 layers, to make this jet pack as durable as possible. I'll post pics of it for those who are curious as to how it looks.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

HELP: Making a Jetpack durable??

I have a Jet Pack that is molded from styrene..and was wondering how I would be able to reinforce the styrene to make it more durable.

Is there some sort of applicant I can put underneath the surface of the styrene to make it "thicker and more durable?" The top where the rocket nozzle fits has already cracked due to it being molded so thinly. I was wondering if I would put plaster of paris or some sort of material to reinforce and make the styrene more stronger. The place where the nozzle fits has a huge PVC pipe that goes underneath, but the styrene on top still is chipped/cracked. Should I just glue the PVC pipe in place to hold the rocket nozzle?

Here are some pics of my jet pack's problems:

Notice how thin the rocket area was molded. It is thinner than paper here, that is why it cracked and tore.

Here is another view of the rocket area which has the thin molding:

The tear runs along the side of the shaft also.

This is the large PVC pipe that goes underneath the rocket shaft area. Even though I'm supposed to glue this underneath, I was wondering if this will provide stability to the top of the styrene surface that is already torn.

Any input & help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

What about gluing in the pipe as suggested and then filling any voids with expandable foam? It will add strength & rigidity & not much weight. Any excess that oozes out can be trimmed away and the you can patch your hole with some extra styrene & body filler. Just make sure you sand the area before applying the filler so it has a good surface to bond to.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Where can I get expandable foam and body filler? (Sorry, I'm a bit naive when it comes to these types of things) How strong is the expandable foam and body filler once dried?

If you could, please let me know of any specific name brands to go with and what stores to purchase them at. Thanks so much for replying to my post. =)

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

You can buy the expandable foam at any hardware store. It will probably be with the weather stripping because it is used to fill voids that cause drafts. I think it is called Mono foam (probably the company name). As far as the body filler, you can pick up some at an auto parts store. I think any brand will do, just make sure it is the lightweight kind that feathers out nicely. Don't buy the kind reinforced with glass fiber, you will have a harder time working with it. This combo should make your jet pack quite durable & it will not break if it takes a hard knock. If some how it gets punctured, just get out the filler & make a repair.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Ok, this is what I got. I got the Great Stuff minimal expanding foam. And I go the Bondo Fiberglass Resin.

I think I'm going to reinforce the whole jet pack interior including the cracked/punctured areas with the fiberglass resin sheets. Would it then be good to fill the whole interior with the expanding foam?

One other question I have is, would the fiberglass strengthening be worthwhile installing underneath other parts of armor such as the gauntlets, backplate, and knee guards? I truly want a durable Fett costume for Episode III, because my Biker Scout armor took some pretty harsh bumps by the crowd at Hollywood.

I have been told that the Fiberglass two-part solutions are known to "heat up" and could cause warping on styrene. This Bondo brand Fiberglass Resin consists of only a one-part solution and has the hardner already mixed in. Will this produce heat? I hope not. The jet pack styrene is thin as is.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

I don't think I would take the chance of lining the whole thing with fiberglass, it will add unecessary weight. You will be suprised at how dense the foam is & I'll bet that once you fili the interior cavity with it you could kick your jet pack around without it getting damaged. Also, whoever told you that the fiberglass resin you bought was a one part mixture with the hardener mixed in is mistaken. The MEKP catalyst is under the cap. If you choose to line some areas with this for extra reinforcement, you can control the amount of heat produced from the chemical reaction by slowing down the reaction. This means adding less catalyst & doing it on a warm day or adding one layer of fiberglass at a time. Remember that the more you mix up, the quicker it sets off.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

I definitely agree with using the expanding foam. I used the stuff to sculpt the top portion of my rifle, and it worked awesome!

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Just be carefull on the foam not to use too much. The stuff expands like crazy and could deform or crack your pack in the process. It is good stuff to use, just go slow.

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

I agree that the fiberglass will do nothing more than add unwanted weight.The "Great Stuff" is perfect for the styrene jet packs.It is as dense as can be when dry.Just add it in layers until you have it filled,but just remember to coat the rocket dowel in oil heavily so the foam doesn't glue it in place.If it does you won't be able to rotate your thrusters.


Steve