Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Done (with pretty pictures)!

Snow Builder · Jun 9, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

jimpeachey said:
That looks very,very good

Burnsie38 said:
That is looking fantastic!

Thanks to you both! As so many others have said, the positive comments really help fuel the build.

While had the paints out I took a little detour to another project...

I picked up a Nerf gun at our annual neighborhood garage sale.

First time attempting a repaint and I'm pleased. Done with rattle can black and silver, hit the black with steel wool and finished the silver with several black washes. I sanded most of the text off, leaving just the Nerf logo.

ripleys clone · Jun 10, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

Looks great!
Can't wait to see it all finished up.

I thought I'd ask if you were planning on some kits to sell? Gotta friend who loves this still phaser rifle!

Larry

Snow Builder · Jun 11, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

ripleys clone said:
Looks great!
Can't wait to see it all finished up.

I thought I'd ask if you were planning on some kits to sell? Gotta friend who loves this still phaser rifle!

Larry

Thanks for the kind words. I am planning on offering a kit once I make sure the pulls I've created are usable (hence my initial build). I'll have something in the JY once I'm to that point.

Small update, did a little more of the detail paint. I'm ok with the detail on the stock, but want to redo the side detail -the lines are a little too thick (and I had some paint bleed). I'll try again this weekend. I also need to cast and mold the clear insert pieces for the gun sight and power indicator -but getting closer...

Masking the areas

Masks removed:

Close up of side detail:

Thanks for looking, stay tuned...

Kevlarr · Jun 15, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

The progress on the rifle looks great! Nice paint job on the nerf as well as the rifle.

Snow Builder · Jun 30, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

Kevlarr said:
The progress on the rifle looks great! Nice paint job on the nerf as well as the rifle.

Thanks!

Sorry for the lack of posts. Two reasons: another side project, and (more importantly) some long overdue vacation with my family at the beach.

The side project: my Mom's birthday was last month -she collects small, abstract sculptures of couples and I thought I'd make something to give her.

Couple of pieces of wood attached with rough cuts sketched with a sharpie:

Rough cut

After the first round of sanding

Final sanding, stain and polyurethane

Mom liked it, so we'll call this little project a success

I've made a little progress on the phaser rifle, new pics to follow soon.

Stay tuned...

Snow Builder · Jul 6, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

A very good weekend for the Phaser Rifle...

Cleaned up/touched up the paint

Added the red "lens" on the strap side of the gun

Stealing a page from Steve Neill, one more round of red putty for body clean up

Battery compartment:

More to come, stay tuned...

Snow Builder · Jul 7, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Let's Paint!

Back from going to the pool with the family

More pics...

More red putty around the power switch and emitter

Created the hood and targeting bits (to be molded)

...and in their quick-and-dirty mold boxes

Course, I had to do a lot of sizing and test fitting first

...and final paint (with white buttons too!)

Last but not least, strap attached

...and the little beauty as she currently stands

I hope to have the clear pieces poured tomorrow morning, wish me luck

. Final assembly should be next weekend.

Stay tuned...

Snow Builder · Jul 9, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - On the Final Lap!

So, mixed bag on the molding and casting activity. The molds came out great, nice and smooth with no bubbles.

My first (and only castings so far) have a lot of bubbles -I should have degassed the resin.

Here's how they came out:

Fortunately, for this prop, the resin does not need to be clear. A little time with some fine-grain sandpaper and I think the pieces should be usable:

For the hood light I'll be airbrushing a light coat of red on the non-exposed sides to give it the proper tint. The targeting lens will get a light coat of white across the back (and possibly the front) and black acrylic painted into the etched portion (can't wait till I get home on Friday).

I'm very excited to have gotten the prop to this point, it's starting to look like the real thing

Stay tuned...

Snow Builder · Jul 11, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - On the Final Lap!

Got back last night and was a little low-energy. But, did take a fine-point sharpie and get the gunsight done.

Stay tuned...

Snow Builder · Jul 13, 2014

Re: Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - On the Final Lap!

Alrighty, done and done!

I didn't take any progress shots, but the last bit got done this weekend. Final work included:

adding an additional LED to better light the side indicator,
permanently attaching the targeting sight,
tinting the cowl light,
attaching cowl it to the sight,
adding body filler to all gaps,
clean up (sanding), and
final paint

Overall I'm pretty pleased (though there's certainly things I would do differently if I were to do it again).

I setup some decent lighting, pulled out the good camera and here's the beauty shots:

Thanks to everyone who followed my build thread and a special thanks to those leaving comments -it's the words of encouragement that make it possible to get through the build when things become "challenging"

.

For those that inquired, I hope to have a sale thread in the junkyard shortly.

13doctorwho · Jul 14, 2014

It's really bueatiful. I would never guess that it was vacuform. Every vacuform model I've ever made looks like crap. It is really excellent work!!!!

DoctorEight · Jul 14, 2014

Oh wow! This came out stunning!

beautiful work. Definitely a build I mean to accomplish eventually.

chazdragon · Jul 14, 2014

Guys. I saw the Rifle in person this weekend and the work Snow Builder did on this project is outstanding!!!! His skills on this project not to mention his entire portfolio are something to aspire to. Bravo my friend, Bravo!!!!

Snow Builder · Jul 15, 2014

13doctorwho said:
It's really bueatiful. I would never guess that it was vacuform. Every vacuform model I've ever made looks like crap. It is really excellent work!!!!

Thanks, I'm very happy with it

DoctorEight said:
Oh wow! This came out stunning!

beautiful work. Definitely a build I mean to accomplish eventually.

It's a great project, I highly recommend giving it a go.

chazdragon said:
Guys. I saw the Rifle in person this weekend and the work Snow Builder did on this project is outstanding!!!! His skills on this project not to mention his entire portfolio are something to aspire to. Bravo my friend, Bravo!!!!

Thanks Chaz!

For those who've expressed an interest, I've now got a JY listing for the raw kit http://www.therpf.com/f13/star-trek-tng-first-contact-type-iii-phaser-rifle-vac-formed-kit-217757/

DoctorEight · Jul 15, 2014

Aw man, if I had the cash, I'd be all over that kit!

Kevlarr · Jul 16, 2014

What a great result Snow Builder! It's just simply breathtaking, you have all reason to be proud of this build!

Snow Builder · Jul 18, 2014

A couple more beauty shots...

MrCafe · Mar 29, 2015

Sexy, I also enjoyed the distraction builds in this thread as well.

Snow Builder · May 12, 2015

I was contacted to do a commission build of a static version of the Phaser Rifle (no lights or electronics).

I'm only to work on the piece on weekends, but have two sessions done.

First week: cutting the halves from their sheets, attaching them, and rudimentary filling, shaping and sanding.

Week 2, sealed and continued to trim the seams, hit it with a couple of coats of primer and begin cleaning up defects with red putty.

Snow Builder · May 19, 2015

All the sanding, filling and priming work is done and now we're on to the fun part.

I hit it with a coat of gloss blue to check for any defects, then high gloss black as the base for the final paint.

On to masking

Multiple light coats of metallic paint

More masking and adding the details

Star Trek TNG First Contact Type III Phaser Rifle - Done (with pretty pictures)!

Sr Member

Well-Known Member

Sr Member

Active Member

Sr Member

Sr Member

Sr Member

Sr Member

Sr Member

Sr Member

Master Member

Active Member

Active Member

Sr Member

Active Member

Active Member

Sr Member

Active Member

Sr Member

Attachments

Sr Member

Similar threads