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All of our large (and some small) prop kits/accessories are modelled with internal channels for rods/dowels to add strength necessary for taking your props out and around conventions! Here is a list of rods we use, as well as some alternative materials you can use if you desire.

We model our props to use INDUSTRY STANDARD ROD/DOWEL DIAMETERS, so they should be easily accessible at most hardware stores around the world. Don't worry - we've checked!

Aluminium Rods
In-house, we use aluminium rods where possible to keep prop weights low. We use the following diameters:

• 6.3mm (1/4 inch)
• 10mm (3/8 inch)
• 12mm (1/2 inch)
• 25mm (1 inch)

The above links have options for 1m lengths or 3m lengths. TO CUT THE RODS, we use a handy little Pipe Cutter on the tube-like rods (10mm, 12mm and 25mm), and a Dremel/rotary tool on the solid rods (6.3mm).

Aluminium rods are light and can have some flex to them! If you'd prefer your props to have less flex, or to have some weight (this can help when posing!), please consider the following options instead.

Galvanised Steel Rods
Truthfully, these get quite hefty the thicker diameter you go, especially if they are solid. Please consider how carrying your prop around all day (potentially multiple days in a row) when choosing heavier cores for your props. (Ask Laith how he knows this can be a problem) Because of this, we do NOT recommend using galvanised steel as an alternative for 25mm rods.

• 6.3mm (1/4 inch)
• 10mm (3/8 inch)
• 12mm (1/2 inch)

As Galvanised Steel is a much stronger metal than aluminium, these rods will need to be cut to length using a saw or a grinder.

Fibreglass Rods
Fibreglass cores are often found in LARP/reenactment weapons as they are stiff, flexible and impact-resistant. While we don't recommend using 3D printed props for any impact sport/choreography, these can still be a handy alternative if you can't get your hands on aluminium cores!

• 10mm (3/8 inch)
• 12mm (1/2 inch)

PLEASE NOTE: before settling on fibreglass cores PLEASE ensure you have the facilities, PPE and equipment necessary to cut and use the rods safely. Fibreglass is an incredibly hazardous material and should not be used without necessary safety gear and precautions.

A handful of props/accessories available on our store have fun little floating parts! We create this illusion through the use of clear acrylic rods. The product listing will detail if your prop needs these!

The diameters we frequently use are:

• 3mm
• 5mm
• 10mm

We've also had luck ordering these ones from marketplaces like Amazon and AliExpress!

PLEASE NOTE: Acrylic rods are prone to shattering when mishandled. Please ensure you have safety glasses/faceshields in place when cutting to length.

ADDITIONALLY, acrylic rods are NOT an alternative to the internal cores listed in the above section (aluminium/galvanised steel/fibreglass) as it is too fragile. It is only recommended for floating pieces.

Some of our prop and accessory kits are designed for Rare Earth/Neodymium Magnets to use the kit at their full capacity! Here is a list of sizes we use frequently, however, specific listings may require specialised magnewt sizes that don't appear here. Double check the relevant listing for your prop/accessory kit before purchasing these sizes!

• 7mm x 3mm
• 10mm x 2mm
• 12mm x 3mm

Please note that magnets should be kept away from mobile devices at all times. Neodymium magnets are strong enough that if snapped together they can a) pinch skin, or b) shatter splinters from themselves. Please be responsible when handling magnets.

• Gorilla Glue 2-Part Epoxy
  Best used for assembling large props and/or accessories. 2-part epoxy has slight flex to it which stops it from cracking/shattering on impact like other glues such as superglue.
  NOTE: Sets cloudy, but smooth. Not recommended for use after your paint job is complete.
• Gorilla Glue Expanding Glue
  Best used for gluing in internal rods down the length of props, and using on seams that have key/peg connectors. This glue foams as it sets, expanding to 4x its original volume, eliminating small gaps and potential wobbles/rattles where tolerances on rods/keys may be slightly off.
  NOTE: sets yellow and bubbly. Not recommended for external use on props.
• Gorilla Glue Clear Gel Glue
  Best used for attatching gems into their housing - we use this for our Genshin Visions and to attach pin-backs! Mostly recommended for adhering resin prints to other prints, particularly where you want the glue to dry smooth and clear (ie. attaching gems after you've finished the rest of your paint job).
• Loctite Super Glue
  This is our absolute favourite and most trusted super glue. Recommended for small props and accessories that are FDM printed.
  NOTE: Super glue is NOT recommended for resin applications - it does not bond securaly to resin for extended amounts of time but can be used for quick fixes in a pinch.
• Zap-A-Gap and Zap-A-Gap Kicker
  Zap-A-Gap is a great alternative to Loctite, but also a really handy adhesive to have in your Emergency Convention Kit! If you're in a pinch, apply the Kicker for an instant bond.
  NOTE: do NOT use Zap-A-Gap kicker in enclosed spaces such as convention halls/venue bathrooms due to fumes.

PLEASE NOTE: The best glues for your project depends on the type of material you are using/have printed in. As a result, these recommendations are based on what is suited for our in-house materials, which are PLA filament for FDM printing and standard model resin for resin printing. If you have printed your kits at home in different materials, please note that these suggestions may not apply/be as successful in your particular application.

When sanding your props/accessories, you want to be starting at a low grit and working your way up to high grits. Your starting grit largely depends on whether your kit is FDM or Resin - for more details on the sanding process for each material, check our our FDM Finishing Guide and our Resin Finishing Guide!

Files
While not 100% necessary, we do recommend having a file set on hand to help you clean up little nooks and crannies in detail areas while sanding! These don't need to be hefty, full size files. Mini File Sets like this one are much better suited!

Sand Paper
At lower grits we use standard sand paper, but from 400 grit upwards, we switch to wet-sanding safe papers! We use the following grits for our in-house projects:

• 80 Grit
• 120 Grit
• 240 Grit
• 400 Grit
• 600 Grit
• 1200 Grit

Sanding Sponges
Sanding sponges are great to have on hand when working on kit pieces you want to have a high-gloss finish such as gemstones. They can be bought in kits with a range of grits, generally starting around 1500 grit. We previously recommended The Sandpaper Man who was our long-time supplier, but they have since retired 😭

A good alternative to the kit we use would be these Soft Touch Pads from Timberbits.

PLEASE NOTE: Sanding, particularly after using Filler Primer, creates a large amount of dust and mess. PLEASE ensure you wear a respirator and work in messy clothes in a dedicated work zone when sanding. Wet sanding can reduce airborn particles, but PPE should still be worn where possible.

Filler is an important step in smoothing out print lines and seams in your prop/accessory kits! Gap filler is the best thing to grab for filling and smoothing out seams where you've connected printed pieces together, and automotive filler primer is great for smoothing out layer lines in prints.

Gap Filler

• Selleys Plastibond Heavy Duty Bog
  Plastibond Bog is our go-to gap filler! It's heavy duty formula doesn't shrink or crack like other fillers can, so it's great for props like swords and spears that get a decent amount of weight to them. It's quite easy to sand and has a 20 minute working time (less, if you use more hardener).
  NOTE: Plastibond is heavy duty, epoxy-based industrial filler. Please only use in ventilated spaces with gloves and respirators.
• Monocure3D's Incredafill
  Monocure's Incredafill is a strong, handy filler to have if you struggle waiting on drying times. Incredafill a ready-mixed urethane polymer filler that is cured with UV light, is non-shrinking and non-cracking, and made right at home here in Australia!
  PLEASE NOTE: Incredafill cannot be used without a ventilated space, nitrile gloves, and UV safety glasses.
• Selleys Spakfilla Colour Smart Gap Filler
  Spakfilla is easy to find, easy to sand and easy to use! For crafters who don't have well ventilated work areas or the necessary PPE for the above gap fillers, Spakfilla will do the trick just fine!
  PLEASE NOTE: through years of use, we've found that SpakFill'd props are prone to cracking long-term (despite Selleys claiming it is a non-cracking filler).
  ADDITIONALLY, Spakfilla is water soluable, so if you use this filler you'll want to refrain from wet sanding until you've covered the Spakfilla with Filler Primer or it will dissolve all your hard work!

Filler Primer

• MTN Pro Grey Filler Primer
  Full disclosure: using this filler primer will ruin your experiences with every other filler primer. We apologise, but if you can get your hands on this, do it. You deserve the best! MTN Pro filler primer, in our opinion, has the best coverage, the best nozzle and range, layers nicely and is quick-drying. You can also grab it from Monocure3D who offer delivery, unlike Supercheap Auto (the main link).
• Omega High Build Primer Filler
  If you can't find MTN, Omega is our next-in-line recommendation. It comes both in a spray can (as linked above) and a large tin, and is a good alternative to MTN. Be careful when layering up - make sure sots where the primer can pool (ie. in crevices around details/in corners) have dried before reapplying a new layer, or the primer can bubble as it dries.
• Septone Primer Filler in Beige
  We recommend this one as a secondary to either Filler Primer above you choose to go ahead with! It can be really helpful when layering up primer and sanding between layers to alternate between two different colours of primer - this allows you to see you high spots a lot clearer, indicating points on your prop that may need a little more attention than others!

A question we get quite often is if acrylic paints can be used to finish our kits - the answer is yes! We use acrylic paints quite frequently whether we're painting by hand or with an airbrush. Below is a list of acrylic paint brands and ranges we use frequently in-house:

• Liquitex Heavy Body
  Liquitex Heavy Body is a handy selection for a cosplayer to have in their supplies! Not only is it well pigmented and semi-smoothing, but it is also flexible (which is great for painting foam armour!). We frequent Liquitex Heavy Body as this range is a direct colour match to their Spray Paint range, making it great for small touch-ups after spray painting along with regular hand-painting.
• La Sonja Matte Flow
  Found in most art & craft stores, La Sonja is a trusty brand with a wide range of colours that can sometimes be more accesible than Liquitex.
• Atelier Interactive Acrylic
  Atelier Interactive is similar to Liquitex as another heavy body paint, but is also engineered for easy blending - you can use a water sprayer to keep the paint workable for longer than usual paints, which makes this a great option for handpainting gradients!

When using acrylic paints for airbrushing, we mix the above paints with Liquitex Airbursh Medium until it has the consistency of milk. When mixing your own airbrush paints, be sure to test a small amount of the mixed paint in your airbrush before filling it up to avoid accidental clogs/blockages.

We frequently use spray paint on large and small props and accessories! It is a quick and easy way to lay down colour smoothly without brush strokes. We've played with various brands and ranges over the years, and these are our current go-to spray paints.

• Liquitex Professional Spray Paint
  Liquitex Spray Paint is a great option to go hand-in-hand with Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paints - they have direct colour matches between the two ranges, making small touch-ups and colour-matched hand painted details a breeze.
• Montana (Gold Range)
  Montana GOLD is a specially developed, low-pressure aerosol paint with a no-cracking, no-bleaching formula. Montana GOLD has one of the largest and most concise colour ranges in all spray paint with 215 shades available. It is also now available at select Officeworks stores in Australia! Great for high pigment, sharp lines and highly specific colours.
• Montana (Black Range)
  Montana BLACK is the opposite to its sister range, GOLD, where it is formulated for high spray coverage, and rapid re-application. It is also formulated to run reliably in extremely cold conditions! We favour Montana BLACK for base coats and large colour-blocking.
• MTN Pro RAL Color Spray Paint
  MTN Pro spray paints are another great option! Smooth, easy application with a wide range of colours, MTN has recently partnered with Supercheap Auto and is available in most Australian stores!

PLEASE NOTE:

• Montana (both GOLD and BLACK) are specially formulated graffiti paints. This makes them difficult to remove overspray from clothes and environments. Please use with care.
• In Australia, it is illegal for spray/aerosol paints to be sold to anyone under the age of 18. Please purchase these supplies responsibly, and if you are underage, please use with an adult present.
• All aerosol and spray paint should ONLY be used outside or in a well-ventilated area. We recommend the additional use of gloves and respirators where possible.

As mentioned above in the Acrylic Paints dropdown, we mostly mix our own airbrush paints from acrylic tubes using Liquitex Airbrush Medium. There are, however, some specific airbrush paints we return to frequently depending on the project! Here's a small list of our favourite airbrush-specific paints and where we use them:

• MTN Liquid Gold
  MTN Liquid Gold is our go-to chrome-based gold paint - we use it for the vast majority of our trophy builds! While we use this in the airbrush, it is also self-smoothing when handpainted with a brush, and can be used in MTN's metal body markers as a refill. It is permanent and weather-resistant.
• SMS Pearl: Mother of Pearl
  It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is Shin's favourite paint. Ever. Period. It's exactly what it says on the jar: when applied over a white base coat, it will turn anything into Mother of Pearl, an iridescent white with a pink and green shift. We use this a lot on magical girl props and accessories!
  PLEASE NOTE: SMS Mother of Pearl has decently large particles within the paint, and cannot be run in an airbrush with a needle size below 0.5mm.
• SMS Colour Shift Extreme: Black Hole
  This one is simply a very cool colour-shifting paint to have in your cosplay arsenal. A quick way to elevate any sci-fi prop is to shift detail areas away from flat black. When applied over a black base coat, this paint gives an oil-slick effect, shifting between royal blue, purple and orange.
• SMS Premium: Clear Black
  Clear Black quickly shot its way up our paint necessities list. As a semi-transluscent paint, Clear Black is your best friend if you're airbrushing gradients and don't want to be mixing a handful of pass-over colours!
• Alclad / Vallejo
  if you would rather buy ready to go airbrush paints we recommend Alclad and Vallejo paints! both ranges offer a wide variety of colours! both ranges can be found in most hobby stores! they still may need some thinning to run correctly but they are less hassle than mixing your own!

PLEASE NOTE:
All paints listed in this section are lacquer- and enamel-based paints. This means they are not to be used without respirators, gloves and well-ventilated work spaces.

To top off your paint and sanding jobs, you'll be needing some top coats! We use these frequently in-house for a few different reasons.

• MTN Pro Acrylic Gloss Varnish
  Acrylic Gloss varnish is our go-to for finishing up resin-printed gems for extra shine. Whether your gems have been sanded to perfection or are just off the curing unit, a few coats will have them shining in no time!
• Omega 1K Top Coat Clear Acrylic Lacquer
  A good alternative to MTN Pro Acrylic Varnish, sold at Repco!
• MTN Pro Acrylic Satin Varnish
  A handy satin finish to have in your arsenal - removes gloss looks, but has more depth than matte topcoats.
• MTN Pro Multicolour Glitter Spray Varnish
  Another necessiry for all your magical girl cosplays, or props and accessories that just need a little... more. This glitter spray varnish will safely seal your paintwork with extra sparkle!
• Septone Acrylic Topcoat: Clear
  This is our go-to regular old topcoat, but any gloss topcoat from any art store will do!

PLEASE NOTE:
All spray/aerosol paints, varnishes and finishes should ONLY be used in a well-ventilated area with gloves, masks and other necessary safety precautions.