Keyblade build: WIP report

*Update!! I've been painting...

Hey guys! Just sharing an update on my Keyblade progress. I have been slowly coating it in a thin layer of Bondo.

This serves two purposes. Firstly, it evens out the texture of the blade. Fills in any huge dips or scrapes. Secondly, it helps strengthen the build a bit more.

I coated it in paper mache for that reason too. But paper mache won't stand up to convention stresses like bondo or fiberglass will.

A few things to note:

1. Bondo smells really bad. It is recommended you use it outside. And wear protective gloves when handling it.

2. It is a chemical so when sanding it wear a mask and goggles to minimize irritating your eyes or lungs with the dust

3. The more red hardening solution you add to the Bondo the faster it sets. It's best to work with small amounts at a time so you don't waste any.

After sanding down the lumps and bumps with rough grit sand paper (this can be done with an electric sander as well as by hand) I use wall putty to fill in all the additional imperfections.

Wall putty is great for finishing work. It doesn't smell as gross as Bondo, and it's a little easier to sand away excess. I use old playing cards to spread it across the build and level it out a bit. I recommend wearing gloves for this too just to minimize how often you need to wash your hands.

Of note wall putt does not dry as fast as Bondo. So be patient with it and let it set for a few hours.

After it has set, I usually sand it down with fine grit sand paper. Usually by hand as well since it doesn't require too much elbow grease to finish this step.

Then it'll be time to prime it and paint! I'm so close to being done I can smell it... or maybe that's the Bondo? :eyes: