thinking about scratch building my dc15L

[Fettski]

I have been thinking a lot about how I want to acquire a weapon for my kit. I think I would like to try and scratch build a dc15L. Any recommendations from you builders out there for materials and process. I have a rough idea. Thinking about foam and then maybe fiberglass and resin for strength. I think I found a scale drawing to use for plans and measurements.

 

[TK6918]

I have been thinking a lot about how I want to acquire a weapon for my kit. I think I would like to try and scratch build a dc15L. Any recommendations from you builders out there for materials and process. I have a rough idea. Thinking about foam and then maybe fiberglass and resin for strength. I think I found a scale drawing to use for plans and measurements.

 

I think wood would be the best thing to use for a scratchbuild.

[Fettski]

I think wood would be the best thing to use for a scratchbuild.

 

I considered wood, I know there is a guy out there that uses wood. I'm thinking foam would be more forgiving and light weight. then once I am happy with it, coat with fiberglass and resin and bondo to make it smooth. Now that I typed that i realize that the bondo would be a major cracking possibility. This costuming is all new and so fascinating. I cant afford and dont really want to buy everything. maybe I could use the foam and resin to make a mold and then make a rubber version of some type. I saw the vacuum formed versions and I would like to have a little more detail than that.

[fett-bobafett]

You have to build it tough enough to be "droppable." I let kids hold my Fett blaster for charity drive pics.

 

I made the mistake (Once) of buying a resin gun for my Fett on ebay. It arrived with a small torn hole on one corner, in a tight-fitting box, and inside the box were several resin pieces and one small piece of bubble wrap. It was very difficult to get my money back.

 

My Aurra Sing pistols are poured resin and (Shhh! Don't tell Will), one slipped out of my hands while painting it. It bounced off a plant and dropped 18 inches to the tile floor. Luckily it only broke off one piece that I was able to glue back on.

 

A friend started my current EE-3 Fett blaster, and I finished it with another friend's help. It is made of wood for the butt, metal for the trigger area, and PVC/styrene for the barrel. I still try really hard not to drop it.

 

I hear what you are saying, though. The DC-15L looks like a BIG gun and will be very heavy to have to carry around. Even my Fett blaster gets heavy after a while.

[Fettski]

Although a quote does come to mind from one of my fav rmovies. I will give the first trading card i give away to the first to guess the movie. "heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it doesn't work, you can always hit them with it."

[TK6918]

Although a quote does come to mind from one of my fav rmovies. I will give the first trading card i give away to the first to guess the movie. "heavy is good, heavy is reliable, and if it doesn't work, you can always hit them with it."

 

In this hobby, its best to have something you can drop. Kids will try to steal from you, and accidents happen.

 

A large resin blaster is just begging to be dropped.

 

The time put into making one or repairing it can eventually outweight the price of getting a decent wood one ($100 or more)

or a rubber one which are no longer made. I just sold my hyperfirm for $500.

[Heatshock]

download the MG34 plans from blasterbuilder

 

use yor preferred method of building the stock - I used cardboard, sintra and bondo:

 

2/3s of the blaster is pvc piping and pine wood make for it pretty light weight.

 

I scratch built the detailing bits

 

 

they are the best or the most accurate, but will do for a trooping blaster. Might put em through some silicone if there is enough interest?

 

 

not quite done, but getting there

 

 

tbh my stock is too fragile as is at the moment, I was thinking of casting just the stock - nto sure in resin or in polyurethan foam - just for other budget builders to attach their pvc and wood to

 

[darren1970]

Here's a tutorial of one of mine Ski.

 

http://galacticmarine.myfreeforum.org/about7.html

 

Darren

[Acrylikhan]

Hey Ski.

 

Wood (pine or plywood sheathed in styrene plastic) is probably the best thing to build with. Foam is easier to sculpt, but will dent easily, even with a few coats of resin and chopped fiberglass. If you can, avoid MDF as it can be too heavy and may contain formaldehyde resins... sculpting it would require hanging out in the garage with respirator, and then sealing it with oil based primer, such as "Kilz."

 

In terms of using body filler, Bondo is tough stuff, but I wouldn't recommend slathering it on like cake frosting for a prop your going to tote around. (If it was for building a pattern for molding, or vac-forming, that's a different story.) Use body filler for filling small gaps, evening out wonky edges. Use drywall screws where ever possible to keep things together. Liquid Nails will become your best friend in some instances.

 

I used Wizard of Light's blueprints... but you might have to scale down the grip... as he made his way too big. (My build blog is here on BSN for both the Carbine and the Rifle.)

 

WOL- DC15L Plans

 

As always, If you need help, let us know.

[Fettski]

Thank you all for some great ideas. Looks like I have some good reading and a trip to my local big Orange box store.