Jasmine's Brainchildren: Post Easter Meeting & Thermoplastic Heaven

This day started early and heavy on the first day back after Easter. We met with Fiona - a few people showing up late as I had unfortunately grown to expect - and she went around the group discussing the next steps for everyone present. We discussed in depth the new decision to make the head pieces out of a thermoplastic called rhenoflex. Popular with cosplayers, it is highly versatile, and a cheaper version of the 'warblr' and 'wonderflex' brand versions.

We went ahead in ordering eleven large sheets of the 1.55mm rhenoflex, with the intention of covering it in a single layer of gum tape to gain the look of the gum-tape-only masks without the time consuming layering and potential lack of durability.

BJHardware, our source of rhenoflex, shows how rhenoflex can be used to make masks in their product sample image.

Rhenoflex is a cheaper alternative to Worbla because it is usually used to make the plastic core of shoes, instead of being a cosplay/prop-specific material.

The thermoplastic can be heated by very hot water, or, more desirably, a heat gun. It is reinforced by a fine plastic mesh, similar to how modroc is reinforced plaster. This makes it incredibly strong and flexible without being brittle. It has a rougher, matte side and a slightly smoother, shinier side which is more adhesive. It sticks to itself well when heated thoroughly, and can be re-heated and re-shaped if a piece is done wrong - reassuringly, the heat required to bend it is so high that it will never be adversely affected by a hot day in the sun, or under the heat of stage lighting.

Worbla is more commonly used for cosplay because it doesn't contain the reinforcing grain that rhenoflex has; it still has a texture, however, and makers tend to use a filler like Gesso or wood glue over their armour pieces before sanding and painting. Here are some examples of cosplay pieces made with Worbla.