Plastic to Fiberglass - Gauntlet Conversion

[MontgomeryFett]

I read a posting on someone taking an ABS Plastic gauntlets and converting them into Fiberglass. Does anyone have that link handy, my ninja searching abilities are not find it right now. :-(

 

[syllander]

Are you talking about inlaying the interior of the gauntlet with cloth and resin, or recasting pieces? Couldn't tell by the terminology "converting"?
If it's inlaying, you just need to properly abrade and clean the ABS so the resin will have good adherence. There are a few threads where folks have done this with resin gaunts, and the process should be the same. Gonna make them heavier though?

 

[MontgomeryFett]

Yes I am looking at in laying fiberglass inside my plastic gauntlets. What products would I use (amazon.com links would be awesome)? I have a piano hinge on one side so what would I use to connect the other side of the gauntlet, magnets?

 

[toofastrobot]

I've seen magnets epoxied in as well as a clip, much like the ones on backpacks, but smaller.

 

[MontgomeryFett]

How would the clips work inside, wouldn't that leave a gap? I am currently using Velcro and I am not liking how it comes off... scares me and I even pulled off the Flamethrower last time I wore the costume.

 

[toofastrobot]

Here ya go:

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f20/darth-voorhees-mow-gauntlet-build-45457/?highlight=gauntlet+clip

 

[Darth Voorhees]

Just sand the inside of the plastic and lay the glass on the inside. I've done it before for FP bottoms on my old gauntlets. I will say though i had wished i left them alone. The clips are cool and very secure but they are a royal pain to open and close and i always needed my wife to help be put them on and get them off.

If you like the sturdiness of the glass, just glass the tops and leave the bottoms plastic so you can use magnets or velcro as the closure. You will need the bottoms to be able to flex for either of those methods to work properly.

Thanks for posting that thread catbread ...so if you want to use the clips, full glass is a good option and the thread catbread linked to should help you

 

[MontgomeryFett]

Thanks Guys!

 

[emme3]

lol i have fiberglass gauntlets but i was thinking about plastic was better xDD

 

[Darth Voorhees]

Yea over the years i realized i like the full vac'ed over fiberglass. Not only is it screen accurate, but they are lighter and easier to deal with overall. The thing thats cool about the fiberglass ones id that they really feel "real" ...but that novelty wore off for me eventually lol.

 

[MontgomeryFett]

HMmmmmm.... I may just keep these as plastic then

 

[Darth Voorhees]

If you arent having any issues with them being plastic, i would leave em... thats my opinion though!

 

[toofastrobot]

So, fiberglass tops, vacced bottoms?

 

[Darth Voorhees]

If you like the fiberglass, yes, id recommend glass tops with vac'ed bottoms, other wise full vac'ed. Again though, this is just what I like. The key is the vac'ed bottoms though because you can use the magnet method like RKD posted or velcro (just about a 2" strip in the center NOT across the entire length of the gauntlet) and have a great secure closure without the hassle of those clips FP and RKD both have done gauntlets this way, though RKD's were resin tops and vac'ed bottoms, but same idea. I believe both now offer full vac'ed as well.

 

[syllander]

Yup. Glue one side together, and use Velcro on the opposite side. That way you can just unzip the Velcro for putting on/taking off.