ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion - Three ANH Greeblies Found

[Gregatron]

If and when you get these perfected, please do offer them at Shapeways!

 

[JSConnolly]

Working on some denix upgrades. Impatience got the best of me and I couldn’t wait for the paint to fully dry so it’s a little smeared.. but I think it’s moving in the right direction..View attachment 1375179

You know... as a life long "Modeler"... things LIKE "Smeared Paint" Sometimes, are "Happy Little Accidents" and can lend to a more "Realistic" look!

Watch some of Adam Savages YouTube VIDZ and you will see what I mean! ESPECIALLY His "CHEWIE BOW-CASTER" Vid! GREAT STUFF!

 

[JSConnolly]

AstroZopyros the main problem when building these now is that there is so many inaccurate replicas being built that it can be misleading. I’ve been guilty of this myself in the past. But if u study the film prop closely and don’t pay to much attention to how others build it.. you’ll be better served IMHO anyhow.

With regards to the t track there is one person here on RPF whos opinion is respected highly and he believes there wasn’t even a T track to begin with. So it’s really up to you how you go about your build. Myself I mostly try and capture the last know imagine of this prop. But even that is in question as the rail doesn’t look to be that weathered during the actual filming of the docking bay scenes.

Now as for the antenna greeblies. There was believed to be two when the props department originally built this hero. Unfortunately one fell off before filming even started. And by the time filming was complete the one that was left looks to be really beaten up. Only the head of the one antenna looks to have survived in the end! This is a collection of photos of this prop before it was dismantled for the last time. The weathering on the rail is believed to be from the props department taking it apart (mount scratching off the paint on the rail) and then putting it back together over the course of filming as this prop was used at least in one other scene by an imperial officer.


Hope this helps and if you have any other questions, I’ll do my best to answer if I can.. View attachment 1354571

Ok... So where DO/DOES the "Antenna Greeblies" and "T-Track" parts go?
ALSO WHY is there that "Disk" shape on the left side that LOOKS to have once had something "Cylindrical" there? WAS SOMETHING There once and when it the blaster was painted {or RE-PAINTED} the part was later removed?

Thanks.

Joe

 

[JSConnolly]

You know... as a life long "Modeler"... things LIKE "Smeared Paint" Sometimes, are "Happy Little Accidents" and can lend to a more "Realistic" look!

Watch some of Adam Savages YouTube VIDZ and you will see what I mean! ESPECIALLY His "CHEWIE BOW-CASTER" Vid! GREAT STUFF!

To add to this... "LIFE" or should I say "USE" Causes ALL KINDS of "WEATHERING" and "SMUDGES" and "SCRAPES & NICKS" and "SCUFFS" and such!

So Yea... I tend NOT to get TOO Concerned with "Smudges" UNLESS I am trying to get a PERFECT "LIKE NEW" Finish!

THEN I am ALL ABOUT "Tearing of Hair and Gnashing of Teeth" as it were! LOL

Joe

 

[chubsANDdoggers]

JSConnolly as far as welcomed accidents happening when building I’m all for that. But if you start touching paint before it’s fully dried (especially if ur applying layers and each hasn’t fully dried) it leads to unwelcome finger prints and soft paint crinkling or worse.. ripping. But this was more of a tester build so I wasn’t fully concerned just more eager it see it together. But I fully agree and welcome happy accidents 100%.

I plastered more pics on my own thread where if u zoom in you can see what I mean..

DL-44 FDM c96 & MGC replicas…

The only MGC was the Hoth... the Hero’s were real Mausers. Luke pulls the Luke real Mauser

www.therpf.com

As far as the antenna greeblies and the mystery disk go.. you ask 10 people, you will probably get 10 different answers. But reading or rereading through this thread is a great place to start.

 

[chubsANDdoggers]

If and when you get these perfected, please do offer them at Shapeways!

I for sure will. Might have to do it outside of shapeways only because they have minimum sizing for prints and these are very small. Shapeways probably won’t approve it for sale because of that. But I’m looking at other companies anyhow to print my parts. I didn’t use shapeways for these print for example but they are still printed on a MJF printer and came out really nice..

 

[Gregatron]

Please do keep us posted! The inaccurate hindquarters of my Denix has nagged at me ever since I finished my build.

 

[H0llyw00d]

..."As far as the antenna greeblies and the mystery disk go.. you ask 10 people, you will probably get 10 different answers. But reading or rereading through this thread is a great place to start."

^^This...

 

[deadbolt]

Hello All...

I recently picked up a "DENIX" Broom handle Mauser in Metal with wood Grips. I would like to convert it to a DL-44 Blaster.

Who do I talk to about getting the necessary "Parts Kit" to covert it? I would need the Scope, Barrel parts and Greeblies.

Thanks.

Joe

Dave's your man, as accurate as it gets.

Primarily 'Mega-Run' machined parts though. He might be willing to do another run with enough people interested.

Dark Energy Creations - Powered by Network Solutions.

darkenergycreations.com

-Carson

 

[JSConnolly]

Dave's your man, as accurate as it gets.

Others are just copies of our hard work..for the most part.

Dark Energy Creations - Powered by Network Solutions.

darkenergycreations.com

-Carson

COOL! Thanks! Sounds Good!

Now I JUST Need a Down Loadable Pattern for the Han Solo Belt and Holster. WITH Measurements IF POSSIBLE?!

 

[chubsANDdoggers]

Here’s that Denix mod I shared a couple posts ago all finished up. Would work obviously for this hero build as well. Came out pretty nice all things considering..

 

[JSConnolly]

Here’s that Denix mod I shared a couple posts ago all finished up. Would work obviously for this hero build as well. Came out pretty nice all things considering..View attachment 1375939

Yea now THIS Looks like a Blaster that not only LOOKS and FEELS Like a REAL, WORKING Weapon... But that You would think it REALLY WORKS!

GREAT JOB! I can't WAIT till my arrives and can get to work on it! First thin will be to shorten the barrel, File/Grind flat the underside of the barrel,
Then take it all apart and see what I need "Kit" wise to convert it into the DL-44.

I wonder HOW they came up with that name/Nomenclature of DL-44?

 

[AnubisGuard]

Absolutely amazing work making those look like real metal. I still can't tell what's what.

 

[chubsANDdoggers]

Yea now THIS Looks like a Blaster that not only LOOKS and FEELS Like a REAL, WORKING Weapon... But that You would think it REALLY WORKS!

GREAT JOB! I can't WAIT till my arrives and can get to work on it! First thin will be to shorten the barrel, File/Grind flat the underside of the barrel,
Then take it all apart and see what I need "Kit" wise to convert it into the DL-44.

I wonder HOW they came up with that name/Nomenclature of DL-44?

Thanks man! My only advice on your build is don’t do much of anything with denix UNTIL you decide which kit you go with and the kit itself arrives. Each kit will be subtly different from the other and will require there own specific mods..

 

[chubsANDdoggers]

Absolutely amazing work making those look like real metal. I still can't tell what's what.

Thanks Anubis! Only parts that are metal are the denix body (minus trigger/hammer) and screws. Everything else I use are my own designed parts printed mostly on a MJF depending on the details that need to be captured. That goes for all my builds now so it should be easier to detect. I appreciate the compliment with regards to capturing the metal look.

 

[JSConnolly]

Thanks man! My only advice on your build is don’t do much of anything with denix UNTIL you decide which kit you go with and the kit itself arrives. Each kit will be subtly different from the other and will require there own specific mods..

Yes! I TOTALLY Agree! I want/need to go with the most economical, but also QUALITY Conversion Kit possible?

Any Suggestions? I Know there are at least two really decent kit makers out there that are ALSO on here.
Blaster Factory and Dark Energies. Sooo What do you all suggest? I don't want people to take sides...

I just want a decent replica at an affordable price?

Thanks.

Joe

 

[sbeall]

So it’s not about taking sides. All these conversion parts will get you to the same place, you just have to decide which ones YOU like best, and what YOUR budget is going to be. And just because you pick up one kit, it doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later. You don’t have to do everything all at once, if it doesn’t fit your budget.
For myself, for example, I got the Dark Energy kit when he had a sale last year. My blaster isn’t even done yet, but I’m thinking of upgrading to a Field Marshal (Blaster Factory) scope because I really want it to have the Hensoldt markings.
Read every DL-44 build thread on here, and you’ll see that most often these are never really finished, they’re always works in progress.

 

[JSConnolly]

So it’s not about taking sides. All these conversion parts will get you to the same place, you just have to decide which ones YOU like best, and what YOUR budget is going to be. And just because you pick up one kit, it doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind later. You don’t have to do everything all at once, if it doesn’t fit your budget.
For myself, for example, I got the Dark Energy kit when he had a sale last year. My blaster isn’t even done yet, but I’m thinking of upgrading to a Field Marshal (Blaster Factory) scope because I really want it to have the Hensoldt markings.
Read every DL-44 build thread on here, and you’ll see that most often these are never really finished, they’re always works in progress.

Thanks for the feedback. I totally understand what you are saying. I DO Like to get projects "FINISHED" though and once the paint has dried and I am putting the blaster back together... barring any "ISSUES" I will consider it "DONE".

But I've been working on my Screen Accurate "DARTH VADER" Costume now for about THREE Years! So Yea... It's sometimes a CONSTANT "Work in Progress" as you find Updates on things, or "Something Better" to replace this or that? Yea... ALWAYS "SOMETHING" to do! LOL

 

[JSConnolly]

ANYONE have ANY Links/Leads to Accurate "Blaster Belt and Holster" patterns? Especially with Measurements?
I do leather work, so THIS I can do myself! I sew and Rivet and know how to do ALL of the accuracies for a nice blaster belt/holster assembly.

Thanks.

Joe

 

[scottjua]

Personally, I feel you need to mix parts to get the best setup. You want the FM steel Mauser with bull barrel... DEC Flash hider and STEEL MACHINED scope mount... because the upright is closer... but the FM cross bar has the correct offset holes (can be fixed on the DEC by widening one hole)... and the Todds Scope...

This is just my opinion of course.

That's being ultra anal about it though. Otherwise, I'd just get the FM complete kit with deluxe scope and be done.