Blade Runner Blaster news: model kit version of the Tomenosuke Blaster is coming

[JOATRASH FX]

OK, I've been fiddling with my kit this evening since it arrived and the parts do indeed seem to be reacting nicely to the Super Blue.

I also noticed something else. The frame appears to be cold-cast, or at least it is cast in a silver-grey metallic plastic then coated with something darker that looks pretty close to blued metal. I noticed silver shining through in a couple tiny spots and I tried scraping a little inside the cylinder cage and silver started shining through! I also took a little steel wool to part of the barrel that is hidden once assembled and it really did start to look like aged, blued metal. The attention to detail they've paid with this kit is fantastic. I also really like the fact that they included both the slot screw AND the weaver knob so you can choose between the screen version and the Worldcon setup.

(Still haven't checked the little ball and pin though...)

 

[scottjua]

Postman came when I was in the shower... ugh... no blaster today then.

 

[Clutch]

I found that a small bit of silver polish on cloth brings out a nice shiney finish on the blueing.

I think if it gets through customs I will be more than happy to pay the import tax, I just want the dam thing!

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Also to add, what happens if it doesnt go through customs? Can they send it back and we get a refund? Or will it go to the furnace? :-O

I'm also wondering if they inform you if it doesn't get in. How long is too long for something to be held in customs?

Going over it with fine steel wool after bluing makes it look good too. I'm tempted to get it professionally blued but he might make it look too good.

 

[Nwerke]

Careful on the plastic parts. I noticed the same thing, e.g. the rear of the cylinder seemed to be plated or metallic somehow, but I scrubbed right through it back to ABS. Whatever it is, it's thin. But yes - the colour match to blued metal is incredible.

Anyone have any thoughts on removing the washer cast into the front of the cylinder?

 

[Clutch]

Was the washer for weight or just so you couldn't put real bullets in it?

 

[Nwerke]

Bullets. It's located to prevent a round exiting the cylinder, not that it would have anywhere to go anyway.

 

[DaveG]

Okay, here's my first attempt at a steel barrel for the Tomen.



3mm and 6mm tapped holes for the mounting bolts. The bore of the barrel is drilled about 1 1/2" deep. Plenty deep enough to go to black.



I slotted the breach end twice, to try out different tooling, only one slot is necessary to fit around the flat bar cast into the frame. Originally I had thought that the slot could help register the barrel in place, rotationally, but the flat bar isn't perfectly horizontal in mine so the slot will be slightly over size to allow for adjustment.



I like to look of the steel barrel!





And blued...

 

[cratercritter]

Sheesh that was quick. Excellent work Dave.
Steel does give it that additional coolness factor and extra weight.

:devil

 

[Clutch]

That barrel is beautiful!

 

[cratercritter]

opcorn

Hey Beastmaster...:confused ....you like to live on edge like Deckard, the Blade Runner. :cool How come you did not get a permit or check with customs first before buying it?
Just curious. Here in Australia, I get the required police permit for the item being imported before I buy. Less stress that way.:ninja

 

[PeterLC]

Just curious. Here in Australia, I get the required police permit for the item being imported before I buy. Less stress that way.:ninja

People in the UK think their gun laws are strict but not as hard as ours here in OZ.

If I didn't already have the Richard Coyle kit, I'd have jumped at one of these.

 

[Nwerke]

Welp, mine's done for now:



...at least, it's done till the metal barrel arrives. Still got to seat the binding post properly and a few things, tweak the paint, polish butt plate, etc. Made a new pin for the hammer and got the ejector and trigger springs working properly, and greased it a little on reassembly which makes for a much more solid feel with fewer rattles.

I didn't want a full Worldcon relic look but I do want my piece to have some wear and tear, so I've attacked it a fair bit. Here are a few bits and pieces:



- I found Scotchbriting the cast finish off the Steyr upper gave the blue more to get its teeth into. Should give you at least this dark a finish if you use a couple of applications.



- I painted my outer grip frame black inside and out, which I think matches Karl's photos though I know others swear blind the whole frame is silver. It's very hard to tell; from many angles all you see is refraction, like this. I gave it hell with abrasives but didn't take off the whole layer of paint at the bottom where it joins the butt plate; just enough to refer to that look.



I blued the inner (Bulldog) grip frame, then Scotchbrited it back to mostly-silver. Far as I can tell it is natural metal on the original but the newly cast alloy look on the Tomenosuke parts just looked too bright through the amber grip for me.

Similarly I blued the Steyr bolt, but I used a weakened solution for the ejector port section (leftover fluid on the brush that had already been largely 'used up' chemically, treating another section. This was just to give it a little bit of character, I took 95% of it off again with Scotchbrite leaving just a hint of discolouration.

This is a FANTASTIC kit. Thank you Mune and co!

 

[Nwerke]

Hey Joe, had a nasty thought. Your 'ball bearing' doesn't have a rough patch where it has broken away from something else, does it? If so it could be the end of your mainspring shaft.

 

[Hirohawa]

Amazing work!

 

[DaveG]

Nice work Martyn! I like the weathered semi-World Con look. It'll look even better with that steel barrel!

I've not put my kit(s) together yet. Does the kit version have the same "floppy" bolt action that the assemble Pro does, i.e. when you turn the blaster upside down the bolt lever flops open? Or did they add some for of detent to hold it in place?

 

[DaveG]

STEEL BARREL UPDATE

--- moved by DaveG to the Junkyard ---

 

[Hirohawa]

Dave

Any chance of making the STEYR front end cap in steel as well?

I think it would look great the steel barrel mated up to a steel front end cap.

 

[DaveG]

My most profuse apologies, I've mistakenly broken the RPF rules by posting about something for sale here, instead of in the Junkyard. So I've started a FS thread over there for the barrels.

http://www.therpf.com/f13/steel-barrels-tomenosuke-bladerunner-blaster-kit-186202/#post2914861

If you've already PM'd me there's no need to do so again, but you might want to subscribe to the Junkyard thread for updates.

I will still be posting progress pics here, just no sales talk.

Again, I am most sorry.

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Dave

Any chance of making the STEYR front end cap in steel as well?

I think it would look great the steel barrel mated up to a steel front end cap.

I agree that a steel end cap would look great, and the one with the kit is a little ragged around the thin edge. But it would be a real bear to do without a CNC lathe, which I don't have right now. But maybe in the future...

And of course a steel frame...

 

[Nwerke]

Oooh! Frame yes please...

I don't think very many people are actively offended by sales talk that's directly relevant to the subject at hand. (Eh; this whole thread is a sales thread for Tomenosuke, effectively.) That said, while the RPF is probably not unique in insisting that the sales area be used exclusively it is policed quite strongly here.

I just assumed you'd be posting a JY thread when you were good and ready and didn't think to warn you about the rules; sorry for that as I would have otherwise! Hope you didn't get an infraction.

 

[Nwerke]

PS thanks, Hirohawa and Dave!

It'll look even better with that steel barrel!

Ooh yeah. And, horrid though they are it will be getting the white wires so I might as well also go for working laser pointer LEDs too, hehe. All in good time.

I've not put my kit(s) together yet. Does the kit version have the same "floppy" bolt action that the assemble Pro does, i.e. when you turn the blaster upside down the bolt lever flops open?

Not any more it doesn't. :ninja There's no real detent but I used some fairly thick grease on reassembly this time and it feels a bit more solid. If you shake it while upside down it will pop out but it isn't terrible. The trigger and hammer action works a lot more nicely now too.

I'd also like to shim some parts sometime to get it really tight, but I just have too much on at the moment. It's going on the display shelf for now.