AVATAR door gun (GS-221/'AVR-30') build thread

[Farmboy]

Hello all, here I'll be updating with progress pics of my Avatar door-gun project.
Due to oversights by the makers of the Pandorapedia and the Activist Guide book (descriptions of this gun were paired with incorrect pictures) and the IMFDB (it is called the AVR-30 on that site), it will be a 93% replica of the real prop (49" instead of 53").

Holes drilled:

Holes cut out:

Cleaned up and primed (further research showed that the last open hole on the top is rounded, have since fixed this)

flash hider on end of barrel:

rough fitting of stock layers:

 

[Rook 3]

Looking good! Keep up the good work!

Russ

 

[Mike J.]

Nice start on the stock.

What's your barrel shroud made of?

And do you need any reference pics?


-Mike J.

 

[Noeland]

For half a second I thought somebody was building the 3 barreled belt fed monstrosity!

LOVE to see the scratch builds! Very nice start on the gun. Looking forward to your progress.

 

[Farmboy]

Nice start on the stock.
What's your barrel shroud made of?
And do you need any reference pics?
-Mike J.

Barrel shroud is 4" PVC shaped with the combined powers of a heat-gun and a ceramic kiln.
And yes please, I can always use more reference pics!

 

[franz bolo]

Cool! Looks good so far! How do you plan on cutting the pill shaped vents?

The only thing that stands out are the slight unevenness of the vents you cut. Do you freehand your lines or use templates, curves and rulers?

FB

 

[MooCriket]

Loving this:thumbsup

 

[swearimsober]

Looking good. Cant wait to see it done

 

[Mike J.]

Pix.


-Mike J.

 

[Farmboy]

Cool! Looks good so far! How do you plan on cutting the pill shaped vents?

The only thing that stands out are the slight unevenness of the vents you cut. Do you freehand your lines or use templates, curves and rulers?

FB

Yeah, I laid the holes out with a ruler, but wound up making the template afterwards. (I've attached a copy if anyone wants to take their own stab at this.) Should've used calipers or a compass.

For the pill-shaped vents, I imagine I'll just drill the end-holes and then use the dremel on the sides to connect them, same as I did on the trapezoid holes. But that second part of the barrel shroud--as well as the section with the square holes--will have to wait until I actually have access to my dremel and heat-gun.

 

[Farmboy]

updated progress pic of stock:

 

[Farmboy]

I will likely be starting on the ammo-canister this week, but I am still unsure what shape to make it.
Because I've been unable to find a straight side-on image of the rifle, it's hard to tell if the can is 'longish' (7.5"?) or 'squarish' (5-5.5"?). Either way, the diameter seems to be about 5".

Sith Sherrif Brody's attached picture is of the gun mounted on top of the shuttle-bomber; it has a 'long-style' ammo can, and lacks the little vent-things in front of the knob (which covers the M60 sights). But in the two pictures I've attached here (from guns not attached to vehicles), both have vent-things and what seem to be 'short-style' cans.

Also, see the images for this RDA Jake action figure: short canister.
RDA Jake toy

Is it possible that Weta made two different versions? Or have I just gone crazy from staring at fuzzy screencaps for too long?

 

[franz bolo]

Is it possible that Weta made two different versions? Or have I just gone crazy from staring at fuzzy screencaps for too long?

How much of those scenes were CGI? Some of them might be just computer generated.

FB

 

[Farmboy]

went home this weekend and spent a few hours in the shop banging out the last few pvc components, updated progress pic:

 

[Rook 3]

Pretty darn impressive!

Russ

 

[CTF]

Nice work! I just forwarded this thread to one of the guys who built 'em.

"Easy, you just don't lead 'em so much... ain't war hell?"

Whoops, wrong movie!

 

[STARTREKTOS]

^ Thats funny because in one scene the guy was yelling "get some get some" lol

 

[CTF]

Hence why I posted it.

 

[Farmboy]

Re: need more reference pics of AVATAR M60 door gun

Alright folks, I am in need of some more reference pics (I'm looking at you, people with blu-ray!). What I'm looking for is shots of the top of the stock (the top cover of the M60), and the bottom of the barrel shroud/heat-guard.

Based on what I have now, it looks like the top cover is decorated with some T- or I-shaped greeblies, but I'd like to be sure of the shape.
On the bottom of the barrel, I can't tell if the two sides of the barrel shroud come together or if the bottom is just left open.

If anybody could help me out, I'd appreciate it!
EDIT: I've added a picture indicating the areas I need pictures of. Thanks!

 

[CTF]

Here's what my friend was firing out the side of that Samson gunship in Avatar.