E-11 from real Demilled Sterling

Since I've been gone for so long and there are so many people here that are newer to the hobby I thought I would post a few pictures of my E-11 blaster I made from a real demilled (read "cut to pieces") Sterling MK IV L2A3 pile of scrap metal. I am enclosing a picture of what it looked like when I dumped the pieces out of the bag and also finished pictures.

This thing is only a prop and can never be made to function as it was originally designed. All the functional parts have been destroyed by welding or have been cut in half, or removed. Critical parts that have been destroyed are permanently welded and cannot be replaced without destroying the prop to an even further useless state.


I made mine to the way I always remembered it to be since I was 13 when the movies were originally released, as well as the way I perceived it to be, before frame by frame critiqueing of the movie. So there is no need to point out this or that is not accurate, it is the way I want it, and love it.

Steve

Looks great and I bet it feels real too...

<div class='quotetop'>(SiR&#045;ROUND &#064; Oct 9 2006, 12&#58;58 AM) [snapback]1334582[/snapback]</div>

Looks great and I bet it feels real too...
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That&#39;s what she said.

You nerd you...

Very funny&#33;


Ok, here&#39;s a better left and right view. I forgot I had this picture. After I got it together and painted I kicked it around on the garage floor to mess it up so that it looks like it has "been around". I got the scope from a board member in Buenos Aries, South America. I thought that was pretty cool.


Steve

Looks darn good. Did you save any progress pics? That might be cool to share, too.

A hybrid&#33; Very nice&#33;

<div class='quotetop'>(Treadwell &#064; Oct 9 2006, 03&#58;18 PM) [snapback]1334709[/snapback]</div>

A hybrid&#33; Very nice&#33;
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Very nice indeed&#33;

I would put some saberfreak t-tracks on it. NIIICE E-11 though. Its been a whikle since we had a thread like this.

how the hell did u get it back together so flawlessly?

Assembled over a smaller tube and then puttied maybe? Looks great, however it was done.

Great Build. I&#39;d love to see some in progress pics. I rebuilt a sterling a couple years ago.

Not to hijack but click for my progress pics.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/vader_1974/a..._1974/my_photos

Brian

Yup. She&#39;s a beaut&#33;

Nothing beats the real deal Nice&#33;

Thanks for all the kudos. I really appreciate all the praise.

Here is a picture of the insert that I machined to reassemble the parts on. It effectively reduces the inside diameter so that a real bolt cannot be used in the prop. Also the insert cannot be removed as it is welded to the rest of the pieces.



I also had to machine a section that was discarded during the demill process. You see that in the above picture also.

Here is a picture of the test fitting process. The geometry had to be re-instilled in order to get the folding stock to lock in the open and closed positions.



Here it is after welding. The beads were intentionally large in order to assure penetration with the insert and to have extra to file and sand smooth.




Steve

<div class='quotetop'>(Lucasberg &#064; Oct 9 2006, 08&#58;59 PM) [snapback]1335059[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for all the kudos. I really appreciate all the praise.

Here is a picture of the insert that I machined to reassemble the parts on. It effectively reduces the inside diameter so that a real bolt cannot be used in the prop. Also the insert cannot be removed as it is welded to the rest of the pieces.



I also had to machine a section that was discarded during the demill process. You see that in the above picture also.

Here is a picture of the test fitting process. The geometry had to be re-instilled in order to get the folding stock to lock in the open and closed positions.



Here it is after welding. The beads were intentionally large in order to assure penetration with the insert and to have extra to file and sand smooth.




Steve
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That looksl like an ElvisTrooper blaster if I ever saw one&#33;

Nice work, great attention to detail.

Just wanted to add my thanks for the photos on this.

I have owned an E-11 for about 3 years, but never new
anything about how much of it was from a real sterling,
nor did I know the work that went into it until a few days
ago, and now that I see your photos, I know I will be
able to more properly talk to others about this prop.

Ed

<div class='quotetop'>(MusicTrooper &#064; Oct 10 2006, 03&#58;02 AM) [snapback]1335107[/snapback]</div>

Just wanted to add my thanks for the photos on this.

I have owned an E-11 for about 3 years, but never new
anything about how much of it was from a real sterling,
nor did I know the work that went into it until a few days
ago, and now that I see your photos, I know I will be
able to more properly talk to others about this prop.

Ed
[/b]

You&#39;re welcome. There is a ton of work that goes into putting one of these back together. I also was very concerned about making sure there would be no legal issues with it. It is still just scrap metal.

"That looksl like an ElvisTrooper blaster if I ever saw one&#33;"


I am guessing ElvisTrooper posted similar progress pics?


After I welded it together (TIG weld) I sandblasted the whole thing and then started working on the welds.



Then it was time for body work. I used spot putty first and then I just painted it, sanded it down, and painted it again and repeated the process until the paint filled in the low spots. I left a couple imperfections on purpose again to give it that "used" look.

Beautiful job. I really like to see the progress pics. It&#39;s really a prop that takes some hard work to make it look good. Your&#39;s looks like it was never cut up. Aren&#39;t real Sterling E-11&#39;s great?

Here&#39;s mine:

(Wipes tear from eye)

That, my friend, is an absolutely stunning piece of restoration&#33;

If I only had the &#036;&#036;&#036; and the means...

Very nicely done&#33;

Vader 1974, I bet your pictures are also helpful to many. Great job.

Sumatra, your&#39;s looks excellent as well.

Isn&#39;t there an almost overwhelming, initial impact when you dump those pieces out? I was wondering how the heck I was going to get this thing together. Then instead of looking at the whole mess I just decided to look at two pieces and figure out how to get them back together. Then I looked at how to add the next piece. It became a lot easier after I started looking at it this way.

This is certainly one of my most prized replicas that I have made. It just seems the most "real", perhaps because it is not a diecast replica or any other substitute. Even though it isn&#39;t exactly like George had, it is made the same way, and I think that is where the magic is. Ok, I am sure George didn&#39;t have to have his people piece the things back together like we did, but you get the idea. :P

Steve