# Fiber Glass w/Resin or Bondo



## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Anyone ever try casting using Fiber Glass with Resin, or possibly Bondo? 

My daughter and I decided to try to do a life-cast of her face for the Weeping Angels. I have Alginate and plaster and am planning on using these to make the negative mold. I read on some other F/X groups sites that some people have had luck using Resin mixed 50/50 with Bondo and backed with fiberglass to cast.

Has anyone here heard of this/tried this?

thx


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Interesting, all i have done is make a few headstones.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

You weren't at Haunt Fest this year! I was so sad... I wanted more vendors...


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Sorry, just too many unexpected things came up this year and my kids a little small yet...I so hope it all works out next year...I have 4 shows that i would like to make it to.


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

I've never tried this, but I have worked a bit with fiberglass and bondo. I'm not sure what you'd gain by mixing with bondo, but would be concerned about interactions between the catalysts used in both (I don't _know_ that it would be a problem, but you'd probably want to try first so you don't end up with a gloppy mess that will never set up). That said, why not just use the fiberglass? If you mix it in small batches & use some cheap paint brushes to get it into all the nooks and crannies in your mold, you should be able to pull a good likeness without too much trouble. You'd probably want to use a few layers of cloth & let the resin/hardener "flash" between layers. If you do have bubbles or voids in the finished product you could use bondo to fill them.You'd probably end up with a lighter, stronger finished product.


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

If your using alginate for your negative I would just use the ultracal for your lifecast, the bondo mix is not the stuff out of a can but a mix of pros-aide and cab-o-sil and use more for prosthetic transfers and filling in the gaps and small flaws on makeups, If you were using silicone I would say go for it and see how it comes out but alginate has a short lifespan to work with.


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## sickNtwisted (Sep 29, 2010)

Go with Ultracal, alginate has a short working time, it dries up quickly and could distort the cast if not used right away.
If you want a permanent negative, I'd use silicone.


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

Yes the bondo referred to here is the bondo out of a can. there are no issues at all with the catalysts they are fine to mix. I mix them all the time when Im making a silicone mask mold of a water based clay sculpture.
The moisture in the clay will keep the fiberglass from kicking, the bondo mix (50/ 50 of materials and hardeners) stabilizes the fiberglass and makes sure it kicks. Alginate contains alot of moisture so I see why you were led in this direction. It would work for your purposes but Ultracal would be better, beter still I think your best option is to do a clay pour (heat clay and brush it in the mold, or pour it in then out) Tex clay and monster clay are both great for this then you can resculpt what you need to.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Problem is, I'm on a very VERY tight budget. I have the resin and fiber glass and I'm going up to my folks in Northern Mich. My dad might have bondo, he's a retired mechanic. I read that I can shield the resin from the alginate by using a release of paste wax and vaseline dissolved in odorless mineral spirits...

Article in the Effects Lab Forum


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

Mixing the bondo with the fiberglass will help with moisture, and johnsons paste wax should be a fine release. Im sure it will work, its just not ideal.


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## playfx (Mar 10, 2007)

Thanks for the info Allen, now im going to have to look into this and give it a try myself!


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

I took all the mats for this up to Michigan to try this over my break. I get here and realized I left the resin at home... DOH!


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