A Beginner Builds An Anders/Tip Top PKD Blaster Kit

[TheRealCatjuju]

Hi all,

There are many threads that detail the process behind the Tip Top Workshop blaster kit in all its forms and variations, but I wanted to combine my progress with the many questions that will come up along the way. It will certainly help me to keep track of the steps and when the questions arise.

I have previously printed and built a different kit, using my workplaces intense industrial plastic prototype machine, and rushed through every mistake in preparation, sanding, painting and building. It was a great experience but the kit from Tip Top was so much better, in every way.
Just to catch up to where I am at this stage. I went for the Anders kit, with pewter parts and hardware kit. I unpacked and checked the kit, going through the Anders instruction to gather up the parts, bagging each page into sections, marking up the instructions, and noting issues to research. For each section, I did some basic 400 sanding to remove any burrs, drilled and tapped the threads for each screw and pin used. I ensured fit and made a list of things to deal with once I took it apart again.

I have been referring to “wayouteast” and his instructions list, with full image catalog of a successful build: Anders Pedersen / Tip Top Workshop PKD blaster build

Also using “CHS111” and their build notes: I finished my Blade Runner Deckard blaster!

Here it is …

..with many steps still to go.

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

So, here is the question.

When it comes to the fit of the lovely resin grips with the outer frame, I have a certain amount of lucky fit and some level of ill fitting. That’s the nature of the kit, I know that some work will be needed to create a really good fit.

The resin grips are so nice, I am loathe to scratch them or take any filing to them.



As you can see the grips go out past the frame in some places.

Should I simply accept that I need to take a file to the grips?
Should I build up the handle with Mr Hobby White Compund and file back to fit?
If I do scratch up the resin, how I return it to its lovely state?

I am presuming that I need to file the grips flush to the frame, sand in increasingly finer papers, and all will be well - but I don’t want to plough ahead if I am going to completely muff up the whole thing.

Thanks.

 

[wayouteast]

So, here is the question.

When it comes to the fit of the lovely resin grips with the outer frame, I have a certain amount of lucky fit and some level of ill fitting. That’s the nature of the kit, I know that some work will be needed to create a really good fit.

The resin grips are so nice, I am loathe to scratch them or take any filing to them.

View attachment 1691229View attachment 1691230View attachment 1691231

As you can see the grips go out past the frame in some places.

Should I simply accept that I need to take a file to the grips?
Should I build up the handle with Mr Hobby White Compund and file back to fit?
If I do scratch up the resin, how I return it to its lovely state?

I am presuming that I need to file the grips flush to the frame, sand in increasingly finer papers, and all will be well - but I don’t want to plough ahead if I am going to completely muff up the whole thing.

Thanks.

From my own experience... you will need to sand the grips a bit. If your grips are like the ones that I recieved there'll be a natural 'rough edge' around the back of each grip where the meniscus of the poured resin would have crept up the sides of the mould slightly. That will need to be flattened. As it's the back edge you can do it without any danger of harming the visible parts of each grip. Doing this should also help bring the edges in more flush to the grip frame - though 'll be honest and say that I don't remember mine projecting as far past the frame as yours appear to do from the pictures. The grips don't have to be absolutely flush to look OK; there's a very small natural gap between their edge and the frame anyway.

I would honestly not try to build up the edges of the frame unless you feel you absolutely have to. It's a lot easier and more controllable to reduce an oversized part slightly than it is to build up an under-sized one and make it look perfect, especially one with compound curves and cut-out holes like the frame. But that's up to you, of course.

As far as bringing the resin back to its original clarity, that's all down to sanding. Sand only those parts that you have to and protect other areas. Multiple passes with increasingly finer sanding pads, ideally wet sanding. Start with something coarse enough to take off the material you need to. Then go up through the grades, using each one to reduce the scratches from the last. Micro-Mesh do a very good set of graded sanding pads. You should start to see the resin clearing at around 4000 to 6000, and I went all the way up to 12000. Then I used a microfibre cloth and a good quality plastic polish to finish the job. Finally, to get it as clear as possible, it's worth giving the fronts and backs of the grips a final wet coat of Crystal Clear varnish and letting that cure fully before handling.

Good luck!

 

[LimeyBuilds]

I had to use a rotary tool to file my grips to get them flat against the grip frame, and then I had to heat them and bend them in a couple directions to get it to be flush, as they were warped, but i got them good enough in the end and overall it looks great. As for your overhang, I did not have this problem. i am wondering if it is just the way the resin grip frame sits while free. If you pin it into the bulldog body frame, does that force the grip frames to the right shape to meet the edges of your amber grips? They may just need to be attached to be pulled out tot he right position.

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

Oh boy, LimeyBuilds, the glow of those grips! Amazing.

I will take on this advice and do some testing. I imagine somewhere between all of this advice is the path, with a bit of everything.

Thanks, LimeyBuilds and wayouteast

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

Stage One: Preparation

This process was essentially working out how the whole thing fits together, and how to get to grips with the instructions. Naturally, the instructions are for the Anders pieces and not specifically about the Tip Top kit. Although there is essentially no difference I realised that I would have felt more at ease with a step by step that was tailored to this kit. Perhaps it is only because I am in that narrow group of people who are beginners yet who start with a relatively complex kit for a beginner. Clearly, I am following in the steps of other skilled individuals who already bring a lot of experience with them, but my approach is 'dumbing down', so I can be as sure as I can be.

For example, I learned that it is better to soft assemble first to work out where I needed to drill or tap, and sometimes I had to disassemble in order to work with the pieces.

Bag 1. The triggers, the hammer, and the main bulldog.
The instruction manual begins on page one with the triggers and the cylinder switch. Page two shows the bulldog handle and the main cylinder and cylinder arm. I bagged up all items on page one along with the handle, the hammer and its associated items. Then I bagged the cylinder and arm into bag two.

• My pewter triggers required holes made in the front and rear triggers, and I used a pin vice, drilling by hand. The relevant holes in the bulldog frame also required widening, so I used the needle file to carefully make sure the metal pins could pass snugly through the holes.
• When it came to testing out the springs I discovered that it was very easy to put the spring under a squeeze and have it miraculously disappear into nowhere, so a replacement was found by going through ball point pens that click until I had a similar spring.
• The two parts of the cylinder switch was glued together and the hole for the silver flat head screw was tapped into the bulldog frame hole. I am surprised that this doesn't have a channel or edge to help it slide along, but I trust in the build.
• Both the handle and frame required filing with the needle file to allow the metal pins to fit through.
• At this point there should have been the instruction for the hammer and hammer spring. It looks like it would be able to function as a hammer but when fully complete there is almost no allowance for movement here. This isn't a problem, as it is an aesthetic addition, but how it all fitted together was not immediately clear.
• I drilled the hole in the hammer and the filed the frame to allow the hammer to be in place but the rest of the spring and cap will have to wait until later.
  

Bag 2. The chamber and chamber arm.

• The chamber arm was all pewter and required some care to make the connections smooth.
• The cylinder swing arm itself requires three holes drilled out. The main hole that allows the cylinder to swing out would be large enough not to be impeded by the screw that would be going through, connecting the trigger guard to the bulldog frame. The other two screw holes, where the chamber cover is to be attached required drilling and then tapping - I tapped these along with the chamber cover from page 9 (bag 7).
• The pin and spring can be added and then the out sleeve can be glued to the main arm. However, the spring was quite strong and I was unsure how much pressure would be needed - so I will come back to that later. As such, I did not yet glue the whole thing together. I may need to trim that spring down and I can do the final assembly of this part even after the whole painting and final steps.

Bag 3. The trigger guard and outer handle.

• The handle frame and trigger guard needed threads tapped for the screws that connect to the main bulldog receiver and bulldog handle frame.
• The trigger guard required heating and adjusting to fit, so I followed CH111 instruction on using hot water and subtle adjustments.
• The trigger guard screw runs through a tapped section of the bulldog frame, then an untapped part of the cylinder swing arm, then back to tapped hole in the frame again. I tapped these with the assembly in place to make sure the threads ran together.
• The outer handle required tapping threads and I kept the frame, handle, and guard all in assembly before tapping.
• The screw that runs into the bottom of the outer handle needs to be flush and hidden, so I was careful to tap a little deeper and the make sure it was capable of sinking fully.
• There is a hole in the back of the handle that no one seems to mention. Dave of Tip Top Workshop said it was just the way it was built.

Bag 4. The barrel and bullets.

• This could have been gathered up with bag 5, as I did not have the inner rod or any bullets supplied with the kit.
• I sourced some dummy rounds from flecktarn.co.uk and will see if these .44 Specials in brass will do the job. These are a UK source, and I am presuming getting hold of these is no problem in other parts of the world.
• I sourced a threaded 8mm x 80mm bolt and used that as the suggested weight. The opening would not have tolerated the 10mm weight suggested.

Bag 5. The Steyr frame.

• This bag covers page 7 and 8, because page 8 uses the whole space just to show two screws.
• The safety piece of pewter needed to be tapped and screwed to the side of the frame.
• The grubs and top screw, which were for the sights, needed to be tapped. The screw here needed the inner frame item in place before tapping, and in turn would benefit from the whole assembly being put together first. The bolt draws through this item and may effect the alignment.
• The barrel also required tapping the side holes for the Steyr frame and tapping for the lower tube connecting to the magazine case. I made sure the rest of the assembly was in place before I made those threads.

Bag 6. The bolt.

• The bolt was two parts that needed to be glued together and a third item that would be bolted to the back.
• I used large safety pins and cut out the metal I needed to size. I used this tho stick into both sides of the bolt and then superglue to hold it all in place. There is a small allowance here that could mean the bolt is out of alignment with itself, or with the Styer frame. I had to use some judgement and then sand the whole thing together.
• I wonder if I should use the Mr Hobby Compound to make the join more seamless, but so far the tests show it to move smoothly within the frame.
• The back of the bolt set up has a very delicate little line where the side screw would prevent the mechanism from being removed entirely. I will wager that is a delicate part of the whole kit.

Bag 7. The bolt cover.

• The right hand cover, where the bolt slots into place.
• There is a screw that needs to be tapped to the main frame, along with the larger thread of the 'weaver knob' and 'binding post'.
• The binding post proved to be difficult to tap and the fitting resisted for some time. Patience and care were needed.

Bag 8. Screwdriver/sighting post

• This section is the item that holds the green LEDs. I had a resin cast, which had the holes and path ways all complete, and a solid pewter version. The pewter required holes to be drilled through.
• This section, along with the lower magazine, appears to be the most confusing and daunting for any beginner. I would have thought it would be better to have all of that element within one section and with more clarity. It would be great if a step by step could be made for the electronics.

Bag 9. The chamber cover.

• This item also has small holes where the sighting post can be attached to the side cover directly, rather than glued. No tiny screws were provided, so this appears to be an optional extra, but I would be happier to see this attached 'mechanically' rather than 'chemically'.
• The other screws require threading through to the pewter cylinder arm here, and some care is required to make sure that the cylinder still rotates freely and aligns within the frame correctly.
  

Bag 10. The grips and butt.

• The butt requires tapping through to the outer handle section and filing to make sure that it connects directly.
• After that, the two grips can be aligned in place. They already have holes, which still required drilling through, and the grip and handle require tapping.
• The kit was listed as having enough screws for 2 x 12mm, 2 x 10mm, and 2 x 8mm. My kit had 2 x 12mm, and 4 x 10mm, but they all seem to go in correctly just the same.
• I took advice here on the grips, and it was true that the flat underside of the grips were a small level of bowed extra width to the entire grips. I sanded down this level and improved the degree of match between the round grip and handle front and back. I sanded down with finer ranges of paper (400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000) which is probably overkill. All in all the sanding did not ruin the beautiful crystal nature of the resin grips as I had feared. It was enough to improve the fitting, and to put my mind at rest.

Bag 11. The magazine and magazine chamber.

• All I did here was to ensure that the connections for this resin item, where it touched any other, was smooth.
• I needed to tap the case and frame on one side, and the main under-barrel connection.

Overall Process

• I gathered the instructions into bags.
• I made sure each bag had all the screws and pieces it needed.
• I assembled in order, making any required filing, sanding or smoothing to confirm elements could connect. The bolt required a lot of sanding, and where the bolt travels within the Steyr also, but I could only get to these once dis-assembled. SO, I made notes as to what needed to be improved and fixed.
• I took it all apart, rebagged, and then approached each section again to make some more adjustments.
• I then went back through the assembly process and then confirmed that all was well.

Questions at the end of all that

• On page 7 the indication is for M3x8mm, but I only have M3x10mm. I am presuming that is fine.
• The side cover for the chamber is marked to be attached to the frame on page 9 using an M3x8mm hex. However, the depth of the hole is fully 20mm and this 8mm screw does not appear to get deep enough. Is this just bad tapping (meaning I need a longer screw)?
• The other side of the chamber has no instruction on any page, but it gets sandwiched between the main magazine case. Again an M3x10mm was suggested but it feels it needs more.
• You can see where the second hole alignment has brought about the first ‘calamity’. The hole is close enough to the outside that there is some cracking and a fine line crack across the frame. How should I treat this?
• On the opposite side, the cylinder chamber cover, there are two points of contact. Again the instructions ask for M3x12mm, but only the lower one seems to like that. Definitely due to a mistake, the top hole in the pewter arm begins too wide, so I may need a longer screw.

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

• I sourced some dummy rounds from flecktarn.co.uk and will see if these .44 Specials in brass will do the job. These are a UK source, and I am presuming getting hold of these is no problem in other parts of the world.

These turned up and were very high quality, for my requirements.

 

[wayouteast]

Stage One: Preparation

This process was essentially working out how the whole thing fits together, and how to get to grips with the instructions. Naturally, the instructions are for the Anders pieces and not specifically about the Tip Top kit. Although there is essentially no difference I realised that I would have felt more at ease with a step by step that was tailored to this kit. Perhaps it is only because I am in that narrow group of people who are beginners yet who start with a relatively complex kit for a beginner. Clearly, I am following in the steps of other skilled individuals who already bring a lot of experience with them, but my approach is 'dumbing down', so I can be as sure as I can be.

For example, I learned that it is better to soft assemble first to work out where I needed to drill or tap, and sometimes I had to disassemble in order to work with the pieces.

Bag 1. The triggers, the hammer, and the main bulldog.
The instruction manual begins on page one with the triggers and the cylinder switch. Page two shows the bulldog handle and the main cylinder and cylinder arm. I bagged up all items on page one along with the handle, the hammer and its associated items. Then I bagged the cylinder and arm into bag two.

• My pewter triggers required holes made in the front and rear triggers, and I used a pin vice, drilling by hand. The relevant holes in the bulldog frame also required widening, so I used the needle file to carefully make sure the metal pins could pass snugly through the holes.
• When it came to testing out the springs I discovered that it was very easy to put the spring under a squeeze and have it miraculously disappear into nowhere, so a replacement was found by going through ball point pens that click until I had a similar spring.
• The two parts of the cylinder switch was glued together and the hole for the silver flat head screw was tapped into the bulldog frame hole. I am surprised that this doesn't have a channel or edge to help it slide along, but I trust in the build.
• Both the handle and frame required filing with the needle file to allow the metal pins to fit through.
• At this point there should have been the instruction for the hammer and hammer spring. It looks like it would be able to function as a hammer but when fully complete there is almost no allowance for movement here. This isn't a problem, as it is an aesthetic addition, but how it all fitted together was not immediately clear.
• I drilled the hole in the hammer and the filed the frame to allow the hammer to be in place but the rest of the spring and cap will have to wait until later.

Bag 2. The chamber and chamber arm.

• The chamber arm was all pewter and required some care to make the connections smooth.
• The cylinder swing arm itself requires three holes drilled out. The main hole that allows the cylinder to swing out would be large enough not to be impeded by the screw that would be going through, connecting the trigger guard to the bulldog frame. The other two screw holes, where the chamber cover is to be attached required drilling and then tapping - I tapped these along with the chamber cover from page 9 (bag 7).
• The pin and spring can be added and then the out sleeve can be glued to the main arm. However, the spring was quite strong and I was unsure how much pressure would be needed - so I will come back to that later. As such, I did not yet glue the whole thing together. I may need to trim that spring down and I can do the final assembly of this part even after the whole painting and final steps.

Bag 3. The trigger guard and outer handle.

• The handle frame and trigger guard needed threads tapped for the screws that connect to the main bulldog receiver and bulldog handle frame.
• The trigger guard required heating and adjusting to fit, so I followed CH111 instruction on using hot water and subtle adjustments.
• The trigger guard screw runs through a tapped section of the bulldog frame, then an untapped part of the cylinder swing arm, then back to tapped hole in the frame again. I tapped these with the assembly in place to make sure the threads ran together.
• The outer handle required tapping threads and I kept the frame, handle, and guard all in assembly before tapping.
• The screw that runs into the bottom of the outer handle needs to be flush and hidden, so I was careful to tap a little deeper and the make sure it was capable of sinking fully.
• There is a hole in the back of the handle that no one seems to mention. Dave of Tip Top Workshop said it was just the way it was built.

Bag 4. The barrel and bullets.

• This could have been gathered up with bag 5, as I did not have the inner rod or any bullets supplied with the kit.
• I sourced some dummy rounds from flecktarn.co.uk and will see if these .44 Specials in brass will do the job. These are a UK source, and I am presuming getting hold of these is no problem in other parts of the world.
• I sourced a threaded 8mm x 80mm bolt and used that as the suggested weight. The opening would not have tolerated the 10mm weight suggested.

Bag 5. The Steyr frame.

• This bag covers page 7 and 8, because page 8 uses the whole space just to show two screws.
• The safety piece of pewter needed to be tapped and screwed to the side of the frame.
• The grubs and top screw, which were for the sights, needed to be tapped. The screw here needed the inner frame item in place before tapping, and in turn would benefit from the whole assembly being put together first. The bolt draws through this item and may effect the alignment.
• The barrel also required tapping the side holes for the Steyr frame and tapping for the lower tube connecting to the magazine case. I made sure the rest of the assembly was in place before I made those threads.

Bag 6. The bolt.

• The bolt was two parts that needed to be glued together and a third item that would be bolted to the back.
• I used large safety pins and cut out the metal I needed to size. I used this tho stick into both sides of the bolt and then superglue to hold it all in place. There is a small allowance here that could mean the bolt is out of alignment with itself, or with the Styer frame. I had to use some judgement and then sand the whole thing together.
• I wonder if I should use the Mr Hobby Compound to make the join more seamless, but so far the tests show it to move smoothly within the frame.
• The back of the bolt set up has a very delicate little line where the side screw would prevent the mechanism from being removed entirely. I will wager that is a delicate part of the whole kit.

Bag 7. The bolt cover.

• The right hand cover, where the bolt slots into place.
• There is a screw that needs to be tapped to the main frame, along with the larger thread of the 'weaver knob' and 'binding post'.
• The binding post proved to be difficult to tap and the fitting resisted for some time. Patience and care were needed.

Bag 8. Screwdriver/sighting post

• This section is the item that holds the green LEDs. I had a resin cast, which had the holes and path ways all complete, and a solid pewter version. The pewter required holes to be drilled through.
• This section, along with the lower magazine, appears to be the most confusing and daunting for any beginner. I would have thought it would be better to have all of that element within one section and with more clarity. It would be great if a step by step could be made for the electronics.

Bag 9. The chamber cover.

• This item also has small holes where the sighting post can be attached to the side cover directly, rather than glued. No tiny screws were provided, so this appears to be an optional extra, but I would be happier to see this attached 'mechanically' rather than 'chemically'.
• The other screws require threading through to the pewter cylinder arm here, and some care is required to make sure that the cylinder still rotates freely and aligns within the frame correctly.

Bag 10. The grips and butt.

• The butt requires tapping through to the outer handle section and filing to make sure that it connects directly.
• After that, the two grips can be aligned in place. They already have holes, which still required drilling through, and the grip and handle require tapping.
• The kit was listed as having enough screws for 2 x 12mm, 2 x 10mm, and 2 x 8mm. My kit had 2 x 12mm, and 4 x 10mm, but they all seem to go in correctly just the same.
• I took advice here on the grips, and it was true that the flat underside of the grips were a small level of bowed extra width to the entire grips. I sanded down this level and improved the degree of match between the round grip and handle front and back. I sanded down with finer ranges of paper (400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000) which is probably overkill. All in all the sanding did not ruin the beautiful crystal nature of the resin grips as I had feared. It was enough to improve the fitting, and to put my mind at rest.

Bag 11. The magazine and magazine chamber.

• All I did here was to ensure that the connections for this resin item, where it touched any other, was smooth.
• I needed to tap the case and frame on one side, and the main under-barrel connection.

Overall Process

• I gathered the instructions into bags.
• I made sure each bag had all the screws and pieces it needed.
• I assembled in order, making any required filing, sanding or smoothing to confirm elements could connect. The bolt required a lot of sanding, and where the bolt travels within the Steyr also, but I could only get to these once dis-assembled. SO, I made notes as to what needed to be improved and fixed.
• I took it all apart, rebagged, and then approached each section again to make some more adjustments.
• I then went back through the assembly process and then confirmed that all was well.

Questions at the end of all that

• On page 7 the indication is for M3x8mm, but I only have M3x10mm. I am presuming that is fine.
• The side cover for the chamber is marked to be attached to the frame on page 9 using an M3x8mm hex. However, the depth of the hole is fully 20mm and this 8mm screw does not appear to get deep enough. Is this just bad tapping (meaning I need a longer screw)?
• The other side of the chamber has no instruction on any page, but it gets sandwiched between the main magazine case. Again an M3x10mm was suggested but it feels it needs more.
• You can see where the second hole alignment has brought about the first ‘calamity’. The hole is close enough to the outside that there is some cracking and a fine line crack across the frame. How should I treat this?
• On the opposite side, the cylinder chamber cover, there are two points of contact. Again the instructions ask for M3x12mm, but only the lower one seems to like that. Definitely due to a mistake, the top hole in the pewter arm begins too wide, so I may need a longer screw.

View attachment 1692230View attachment 1692231

Thanks for the great, detailed write-up. Sounds as if you're really making progress!

Your questions...

M3 10mm should be OK. You'll have to test to see if it interferes with the bolt action, but it should sit just under the bolt I think from looking at my TipTop blaster without disassembling it!
Not quite sure which bolt you mean by this. If it's the one at the back of the right-hand (bolt lever side) cover, I have an M3 12mm button head there (see below).
Ditto the point at which the cover is 'sandwiched' between frame and magazine. If it's the right-hand marked location in your second photo, I have an M3 12mm cap head bolt there.
On the left cylinder cover (sighting rod side) I have two M3 cap head bolts that attach the cover to the cylinder swing arm - the top one is 16mm and the bottom one 10mm.
As I mention above, I have M3 12mm hex bolts in both the marked locations in your second picture - a button head in the left position and a standard cap head in the right.
My recommendation for repairing the crack/chip in the frame would be 2-part JB Weld. You can smooth it in and form it while it's soft, it acts as both an adhesive and a filler, and it will harden overnight into an easily sandable repair that will probably be stronger than the surrounding resin!

Hope this helps!

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

Thanks for the great, detailed write-up. Sounds as if you're really making progress!

Hope this helps!

Totally answers all questions. Thanks for the detailed help, this gets me back on track.

 

[LimeyBuilds]

I also drilled in and glued brass threads for all screws.

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

These turned up and were very high quality, for my requirements.

View attachment 1693066View attachment 1693067

Although these are high quality, I now discover they are ever so slightly too long in the nose. Because they are real rounds made safe, they basic have new tips crimped on to a shell. This means there is a crimps worth of extra length and it prevents the chamber from rotating.

Something to note.

I have filed down the tips, making blunt nose bullets, and they now have a silver circle at the tip.

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

After the final series of sanding and putting the whole thing together, I noted some oddities and have more questions.

1. The pins that hold the hammer and handle to the frame. Do people just file these down or cut them?

2. On this side I see that the lever does not come all the way into that groove (red). Is that the same on others? The dial and sight post are very difficult to get seated (blue). Is there any advice about those bits and tapping for them? The screw connecting the magazine (green) sits a little proud. I was going to ask if that was the same on others but I think that is well documented.

3. The grips added first means a mismatch between the butt and the handle. It seems like I need to file down the grips to match and make that plane flat, has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks all.

 

[wayouteast]

Hello again. Congrats on the continuation of your build!

1. The pins can be either filed down or trimmed to fit. I pushed them through so that one end was flush, and then used engineers marking fluid to paint the protruding excess on the other side to see what needed to be cut off. I used a rotary blade on a Dremel to do this and then filed the end smooth.

2. You might need to trim a little more material from the inside of the receiver or the top of the bolt to get the lever to rotate downwards far enough to fit into the gap in the cover. It should certainly go a little further than shown in your photo. I've found on both my resin blaster and the metal one that when the lever stands slightly proud like that it's not the lever itself, or the slot, that's causing it but some part of the top edge of the bolt catching on the interior of the receiver somewhere. The only way you'll find out exactly where is to (very gently without forcing anything) work the lever and the bolt and examine the components afterwards to see where there are signs of rubbing.

I drilled and tapped the holes for the weaver knob and the binding post on my resin blaster. The weaver knob needs an M4 tap and the binding post an M3. If you're not going to remove or swap out either part you can simply drill a very slightly larger hole and glue them in at the end of the assembly, which saves you having to tap the holes. The binding post in particular is quite fragile and if the tapped hole and the threads of the post are even slightly off it can snap if you try and force it to screw in. I think the instructions call for glueing those parts anyway. My weaver knob is screwed in because I wanted the option of swapping it for the large slot head screw seen in the movie.

The screw on the magazine does indeed sit a little proud as there's no countersunk hole for it to sit into. That's as it should be.

3. Yes, it looks as if you'll have to flatten those edge ridges on the back side of the grips so they fit flush with the outer grip frame. Use a file or sandpaper to reduce that edge and then move up through finer grades of sanding pads to smooth the surface out as much as possible. You may need to polish the area afterwards, too, to get it as clear as the rest of the grips. You might want to use some low-tack masking tape to protect everything except the edge you're smoothing and minimise the area being abraded in the early sanding stages.

Hope this helps!

 

[TheRealCatjuju]

Thanks wayouteast, great advice yet again.

 

[Ekfud]

I also drilled in and glued brass threads for all screws.

Curious to know what product/option you used for this? Had a bit of trouble tapping some of the resin and have been thinking about a more permanent alternative for a couple of the screws.

 

[LimeyBuilds]

Curious to know what product/option you used for this? Had a bit of trouble tapping some of the resin and have been thinking about a more permanent alternative for a couple of the screws.

This sort of thing:

sourcing map Knurled Insert Nuts - 50Pcs M3 x 4mm Length x 5mm OD Female Thread Brass Threaded Insert Embedment Nut for 3D Printer : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

sourcing map Knurled Insert Nuts - 50Pcs M3 x 4mm Length x 5mm OD Female Thread Brass Threaded Insert Embedment Nut for 3D Printer : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

www.amazon.co.uk