Cosplay Question *or* HEY Mike B!

[hanyou-no-miko]

So I'm getting all ready to make a ginormous boomerang according to some instructions Mike gave me, in which he said I should coat the stuff in something called Vanillacryl. Now, I don't have any of that laying about, but I DO have some polyurethane. Anybody know if that'll fail hardcore, or is a polyurethane coat Fine Too?

[Dewey Novac]

No, polyurethane will not work for this. Coatings like vanillacryl will create a hard outer shell that can be sanded and worked. Polyurethane is not a foam coating (and might even melt the foam, I'm not sure) and will not create the outer layer you need. It is mostly used to seal wood and the like. Now, I suppose you could just sand down the foam with very very fine grain paper and paint as is (spray paint will melt it though), however, this will mean that the boomerang will be softer and much more susceptible to damage. The uncoated foam will also retain some texture and can never be sanded perfectly smooth. Putting on a proper hard coat is by far your best option, though you will need to order some online if you cannot find any in local stores (more than likely the case). This website ( http://www.fxsupply.com/materials/foamc ... 7645f56c03 ) sells an alternative to vanillacryl that should work fine, and also sells vanillacryl too, if supplies are available. Yes, you'll need to spend some money for this, but one must always be prepared to part with one's cash if one is to do a proper job. Of course, the ultimate decision on how to proceed with this project is yours; I can only offer advise.

[hanyou-no-miko]

Hmm, those prices aren't too shabby. How much of this stuff d'you think I'll need? (especially since I'm probably gonna have to rush-order this stuff...)

[Dewey Novac]

Well, that website only does rush delivery on orders of at least $50, so if you are rush ordering it you would have to order at least a gallon to cover that cost. A gallon should be well more than enough for what you need, though I cannot say for sure. I think that if you are really concerned with how much to buy the best thing to do would be to email the store and ask how many square feet of coverage you get from the product.