midian
New Member
After seeing some excellent builds on blasters and most recently a Jawa Blaster and noticing a large influx of people showing interest in jawas and their associated weapons I thought I'd give it a go..
(This is a duplicate post to a thread I had on the UKGarrison, I just thought I'd share it with you Guy's.)
This is not an exact replica as i've seen many resource pictures to find slight differences on each one.
Total Build time approx 52 hrs.... (A week off work so really got stuck into this one)
Total cost Approx £45 as it was mainly built from scrap lying around my workshop.
And before anyone asks I'm afraid i don't build to order although I am happy to help anyone with questions.
Before anything I resourced as many photo's as i could of jawa blasters and the 303 lee enfield and printed out a scale photo to work to. Most of the build is on the fly working from an idea in my head of how the workings should be then detailing from pictures.
To start with a pile of scrap.
I've done it already... got that carried away and forgot the photo's. so a little jump i'm afraid.
Welded the pipe to the gas cylinder cut out the detailing from the section of larger pipe and riveted it over the cylinder,
filled and sanded the cylinder with car body filler (I use the Isopon metalik version) to make the grenade launcher and end barrel section.
Next I moved on to the Breach and Block, I am attempting to make this operational to add a little bit extra to the build.
A jigsaw puzzle of steel pipe (Oh did I mention This is gonna have a little weight behind it) cut and welded in places to create (In my mind anyway) what will become the cocking section of a Lee Enfield.
After a lot of jiggling, filing and fine tuning the block is assembled and tested in both open and closed position before welding in place.
Minor detailing to cover the rear of the block is added and a ball is added to the end of the cocking handle (which may be cut down as it is a little long) the ball is made from 2 nuts welded together then filed round, there are imperfections to this but will add to the age/weathered look.
Thats taken 2 days but i'm happy so far. a little video to show the cocking mechanism in action. (click the image below).
I've now made the housing for the block to go into and added a little detail.
I started with a slightly larger tube to slide the block into and cut, filed and welded some flat bar around it for the sides and the the reload guide on the top. there is no point in creating the rear sight as this was removed in the screen used version.
I then welded 3 pieces of flat bar toghether (more grinding and filing) to create the handle that removes the firing pin at the rear of the block.
All assembled it's time to take a break from the metal and start on the stock.... (more metal later).
Straight into building the stock.
I'm gonna do this in 2 pieces,
1. its easier to handle in a vice and using a router
2. they originally came in 2 pieces anyway.
The original was made out of walnut but my local B&Q don't stock it and it was 7.30 at night when i went looking so not many places were open.
therefore i'm going with the cheap and easy option of what i have in the workshop..... Pine, i've got some walnut stain and a little varnish you won't know the difference.
Start by marking out the wood to scale.
before sanding the shape i'm gonna rout out the recessess for the top mechanism and the trigger and mag housing so I have a flat surface to rout from.
When i was happy with the fit cutting to shape and sanding was a doddle although a little timely and labourious.
I can not emphasize enough the use of PPE, Goggles and a mask are a must or you'll be coughing all night long.
I started making the butt of the stock when I realised I should do the connecting ring first....
Luckily i only got this far before realising.
The ring is more flat bar, this is one hell of pig to turn into a ring when all you've got is a vice and a hammer.
And with a lot of jiggery pokery the 3 pieces fit together.... You'll also notice i've added a metal rim around the mag housing to accommodate the mag.
This is from an old boiler casing sat in my workshop it's just flat metal that i cut a 3/4" strip of and bent into a rectangle and tack welded the end shut.
Now back to the metal. The stock isn't smooth yet as i've more work to do on that later with minor detailing to add.
This is the start of the mag, again flat bar and sheet steel cut and shaped to scale with the blown up picture i printed out earlier.
I should tell you before I go any further I am not a welder and have only what my dad taught me to get by with, I bought the cheapest mig welder from screwfix and practised a little until i was confident enough.
If you do not have the confidence or a little bit of Know how please do not attempt any of this yourself, better still get someone else to do it.
That said lets continue, here is the mag welded up (grinding and cleaning up works wonders) this had a few minor things I didn't like but a little filler and it's fine as the mag will be painted later the working parts i'm gonna try and discolour by anealing.
Next to it is the trigger housing again the dreaded flat bar and plate steel and lots of grinding and polishing makes it some what presentable.
To this I added a simple trigger mechanism to satisfy those who like to pull triggers like myself.
A sneak peek of how it all sits together and a check for any major anomolies.
You will also noticed i've shortened the cocking handle to where it's supposed to be.
I needed to produce a grip pattern on the side of the Grenade launcher so I masking taped an area off around the grenade spread a very thin layer of filler between the tape and before it set I imprinted some very fine mesh material into it to create the pattern.
All the metal componants were too new looking and the easiest way round this is "Bluing" heating up the metal until blue and then rapidly cooling in cold water finished off with wire wool to take the dullness off and highlite prominant parts.
By this time the filler had dried and was ready for a couple of coats of paint, Undercoat, a metallic blue/grey topped with black and when dry a light sanding with fine sandpaper, Additional distress will come with wear and tear.
The same process was applied to the magazine and the result is parts that look about 30 years old.
A couple of minor details were added, screw fixings to either side of the stock and a clip in front of the mag housing.
A final bout of sanding and then onto the walnut staining which to begin with didn't look too distressed so a bit of rough sanding and a few knocks in the stock and a restain improved things immensly.
when dried I applied a matt varnish with a cloth to keep the coat as thin as possible, a very light sanding when dried then a coat wiped on with a cloth of yacht varnish again only a smear of varnish.
Using a cloth I was practically rubbing the the varnish into the wood and i'm very happy with the results.
a final wipe over of all the metal componants with a lightly oiled rag then it was a just a matter of screwing it together when dry.
The final article in all it's glory.....
One slight hiccup during this build and that was when bluing the block a guide became warped and the cocking action was hindered but a quick smack with an hammer and a little oiling and all is well.
Well it's come to the end of this build and it's been fun, I've not enjoyed such a build in a while and it's good to get back on the horse.
I hope you have enjoyed following this build as much as I have building it, till the next build..... Work hard... Party Harder.... Guy.
(This is a duplicate post to a thread I had on the UKGarrison, I just thought I'd share it with you Guy's.)
This is not an exact replica as i've seen many resource pictures to find slight differences on each one.
Total Build time approx 52 hrs.... (A week off work so really got stuck into this one)
Total cost Approx £45 as it was mainly built from scrap lying around my workshop.
And before anyone asks I'm afraid i don't build to order although I am happy to help anyone with questions.
Before anything I resourced as many photo's as i could of jawa blasters and the 303 lee enfield and printed out a scale photo to work to. Most of the build is on the fly working from an idea in my head of how the workings should be then detailing from pictures.
To start with a pile of scrap.
I've done it already... got that carried away and forgot the photo's. so a little jump i'm afraid.
Welded the pipe to the gas cylinder cut out the detailing from the section of larger pipe and riveted it over the cylinder,
filled and sanded the cylinder with car body filler (I use the Isopon metalik version) to make the grenade launcher and end barrel section.
Next I moved on to the Breach and Block, I am attempting to make this operational to add a little bit extra to the build.
A jigsaw puzzle of steel pipe (Oh did I mention This is gonna have a little weight behind it) cut and welded in places to create (In my mind anyway) what will become the cocking section of a Lee Enfield.
After a lot of jiggling, filing and fine tuning the block is assembled and tested in both open and closed position before welding in place.
Minor detailing to cover the rear of the block is added and a ball is added to the end of the cocking handle (which may be cut down as it is a little long) the ball is made from 2 nuts welded together then filed round, there are imperfections to this but will add to the age/weathered look.
Thats taken 2 days but i'm happy so far. a little video to show the cocking mechanism in action. (click the image below).
I've now made the housing for the block to go into and added a little detail.
I started with a slightly larger tube to slide the block into and cut, filed and welded some flat bar around it for the sides and the the reload guide on the top. there is no point in creating the rear sight as this was removed in the screen used version.
I then welded 3 pieces of flat bar toghether (more grinding and filing) to create the handle that removes the firing pin at the rear of the block.
All assembled it's time to take a break from the metal and start on the stock.... (more metal later).
Straight into building the stock.
I'm gonna do this in 2 pieces,
1. its easier to handle in a vice and using a router
2. they originally came in 2 pieces anyway.
The original was made out of walnut but my local B&Q don't stock it and it was 7.30 at night when i went looking so not many places were open.
therefore i'm going with the cheap and easy option of what i have in the workshop..... Pine, i've got some walnut stain and a little varnish you won't know the difference.
Start by marking out the wood to scale.
before sanding the shape i'm gonna rout out the recessess for the top mechanism and the trigger and mag housing so I have a flat surface to rout from.
When i was happy with the fit cutting to shape and sanding was a doddle although a little timely and labourious.
I can not emphasize enough the use of PPE, Goggles and a mask are a must or you'll be coughing all night long.
I started making the butt of the stock when I realised I should do the connecting ring first....
Luckily i only got this far before realising.
The ring is more flat bar, this is one hell of pig to turn into a ring when all you've got is a vice and a hammer.
And with a lot of jiggery pokery the 3 pieces fit together.... You'll also notice i've added a metal rim around the mag housing to accommodate the mag.
This is from an old boiler casing sat in my workshop it's just flat metal that i cut a 3/4" strip of and bent into a rectangle and tack welded the end shut.
Now back to the metal. The stock isn't smooth yet as i've more work to do on that later with minor detailing to add.
This is the start of the mag, again flat bar and sheet steel cut and shaped to scale with the blown up picture i printed out earlier.
I should tell you before I go any further I am not a welder and have only what my dad taught me to get by with, I bought the cheapest mig welder from screwfix and practised a little until i was confident enough.
If you do not have the confidence or a little bit of Know how please do not attempt any of this yourself, better still get someone else to do it.
That said lets continue, here is the mag welded up (grinding and cleaning up works wonders) this had a few minor things I didn't like but a little filler and it's fine as the mag will be painted later the working parts i'm gonna try and discolour by anealing.
Next to it is the trigger housing again the dreaded flat bar and plate steel and lots of grinding and polishing makes it some what presentable.
To this I added a simple trigger mechanism to satisfy those who like to pull triggers like myself.
A sneak peek of how it all sits together and a check for any major anomolies.
You will also noticed i've shortened the cocking handle to where it's supposed to be.
I needed to produce a grip pattern on the side of the Grenade launcher so I masking taped an area off around the grenade spread a very thin layer of filler between the tape and before it set I imprinted some very fine mesh material into it to create the pattern.
All the metal componants were too new looking and the easiest way round this is "Bluing" heating up the metal until blue and then rapidly cooling in cold water finished off with wire wool to take the dullness off and highlite prominant parts.
By this time the filler had dried and was ready for a couple of coats of paint, Undercoat, a metallic blue/grey topped with black and when dry a light sanding with fine sandpaper, Additional distress will come with wear and tear.
The same process was applied to the magazine and the result is parts that look about 30 years old.
A couple of minor details were added, screw fixings to either side of the stock and a clip in front of the mag housing.
A final bout of sanding and then onto the walnut staining which to begin with didn't look too distressed so a bit of rough sanding and a few knocks in the stock and a restain improved things immensly.
when dried I applied a matt varnish with a cloth to keep the coat as thin as possible, a very light sanding when dried then a coat wiped on with a cloth of yacht varnish again only a smear of varnish.
Using a cloth I was practically rubbing the the varnish into the wood and i'm very happy with the results.
a final wipe over of all the metal componants with a lightly oiled rag then it was a just a matter of screwing it together when dry.
The final article in all it's glory.....
One slight hiccup during this build and that was when bluing the block a guide became warped and the cocking action was hindered but a quick smack with an hammer and a little oiling and all is well.
Well it's come to the end of this build and it's been fun, I've not enjoyed such a build in a while and it's good to get back on the horse.
I hope you have enjoyed following this build as much as I have building it, till the next build..... Work hard... Party Harder.... Guy.
