Education on hyperfirm.

Lord Abaddon

Sr Member
Can someone please explain to me more about hyperfirm? I see these very well done props in hyperfirm and then I see the prices. I mean, some are priced more than the MR or other licensed pieces made of full metal, moving parts, and all the gadgetry! And for what I thought was essentially modified rubber pulled from a mold?

So can someone give me a better education of what hyperfirm really is, why it's so expensive, and how can you tell if it's "hyperfirm" compared to some other rubberized material?

Thanks.
 
Hyperfirm...that's what she said! :lol

I got a hyperfirm E-11 for Christmas. It's nice, but I could never justify the price to buy another one.
 
This topic is like beating a dead horse…. Trust me, the Hyperfirm props/blasters are not cheap, but it’s just that expensive to produce, let alone in such small volume…
 
Hey LA,

Hyperfirm is not actually the name of a specific rubber, but moreso the customized mix that the SciFire guys had made for this particular project. Its something you can't go looking up because its specially formulated.

Having recently taken the world tour of flexible rubbers with my last project, I can tell you from every company I have worked with both professional and hobby, there is nothing like HF in terms of the detail and non vapor emission qualities it has as a rubber. The stuff is top of the line and belongs in the professional community.

Lastly, if you look closely there is a metal armature that is made for each piece that has to be hand crafted every time. I believe there is some exception to this as with the boba fett, they had to laser cut the metal armature to ensure fit and width of the stock. Having witnessed the process myself, its not a pour and go type project, instead it requires a lot of preparation a multiple steps to the final product. In short, I think the pricing is spot on.
 
"Having recently taken the world tour of flexible rubbers with my last project, "

Hey Maul, weren't you working on an anatomically correct male manequin for your 300 gear?

It was kinda like a "real doll" only a man. I still don't know why you had to make him anatomically correct, if you were just going to dress him as a Sparten. :confused
 
It was kinda like a "real doll" only a man. I still don't know why you had to make him anatomically correct, if you were just going to dress him as a Sparten. :confused

Talk about coming aat the middle of a conversation, sheesh, lol.

As one of the original founding members of sci-fire (all those years ago it seems now yet no longer affiliated with them) I know all about the process as I learned it from scratch, sourced much of the original parts and then made most of the molds and parts myself (again back then, no idea what they are doing with the new people involved as of now).
The silicone is top of the line as is the rubber involved. EVERYTHING is done by hand and eye with very hazardous raw materials. Chemical burns to the skin, eyes and lungs are a constant danger with the said raw materials until they have been cured. Another danger is heat. Ive burned my hands to a pulp not only mixing and brushing the materials but pulling the parts from the molds.

There is also the trial and error period of new molds and pieces, sourcing original parts or fabricating them from scratch. The MG34, Lewis Gun, MG42 and the Sterling are all cast from real guns. There is the fact that the size of each piece = material cost in rubber and armatures (having already mentioned the cost of silicone and sourcing the original parts) and even materials needed to use/apply the aforementioned materials.

Few may know this but the Lewis Gun project cost roughly $5000 to make happen as it was a live fire automatic weapon. There was a good trial and error period with that project. You have a four foot tall piece thats made of durable lightweight rubber yet needs armatures strong enough to support not only its weight but the duties of costuming. There is also the volatile nature of the materials and implosion due to heat. I remember making parts then watching them implode on themselves, back to the drawing board....

The Fett rifles were parts I mainly helped source but didnt get too involved with other than molding and I seem to recall where the main problems started in regards to shipment. There was a serious problem to overcome with internal armatures. John, being the genious that he is came up with laser cut steel as the solution. The only downfall was the added cost of each piece but it was a fair trade off for durability.

I enjoyed doing the projects and didnt make money off the pieces. It was something I looked forward to until others became involved and it turned into more an mad rush to keep up with sales and non shipment but thats another story. It started out as offering the most accurate pieces possible for the best price with profits being returned to new projects. Ive no idea where the money goes now a days.
 
Thanks guys, that explains a lot. I really had no idea what was involved in the materials or production (I apologize if this was all talked about before, just never was interested originally). I do see that the details are damn amazing and have never read a bad comment about the final products (also didn't know they had a skeleton).

I see "hyperfirm" props on good ol' eBay all the time but some of the descriptions, and quality of the items, seem more of the "pull n go" variety. I'm glad I know more about it now, always learning something new on the RPF! :)
 
CTF,
where did it snap?
Did you get it replaced?

It snapped between the stock and the barrel--I think it wobbles a bit, but not much more than that. Nah, he didn't get it replaced. It's going to its third owner, so that ship has sailed. :)
 
It snapped between the stock and the barrel--I think it wobbles a bit, but not much more than that. :)
That was an issue with the original armeratures IIRC
The new ones are Lazer Cut as well, however there is TIG Welding involved now for added strength.
 
ahh, the handle and barrel area of the Fett rifle, yup, that was something I mentioned when the first armatures were made. Again, was another learning curve.

I had been sourcing a Rexim Favor and the needed parts to make the trooper combat blaster after the ROTJ E11 project run that seemingly never happened yet I see and heard of them making it out there.
2eobggo.jpg


some pics from the good old days,

Lewis Gun
2nkqwxi.jpg


MG42
3004c4z.jpg

dbcco.jpg


MG34 for Arturo
wjjcdg.jpg

ok8p6g.jpg

MG bipod
2bsm86.jpg


Japanese Type 99 (unpainted)
dfj8li.jpg

2rqk9p4.jpg


When I helped with the initial Fett rifle project
voyf0z.jpg


E11
2zp6vbm.jpg

vzzy45.jpg


2a7er7d.jpg

ivi9w0.jpg


Mauser
2dj5lvq.jpg

2vb53co.jpg

Custom
20hldoi.jpg

5nrpld.jpg


Biker Scout
2jbp114.jpg

35kob9v.jpg
 
This thread is more than 3 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top