Blank firing Blade Runner Blaster - Advice needed.

[H0llyw00d]

Incorporating the 2nd trigger is still vexing me due to how the main trigger is designed. You'll notice the plate for getting at the inner workings goes all the way under the cylinder. There's springs in there for the trigger return or cylinder advance if memory serves me correct. I was hesitant to start cutting out material there to make room for the forward trigger lest I muck up the inner workings. I started flattening out the frame right where the front of the trigger guard is in hopes i could put something static in there.

Here's a link from a long time ago, Ive been working so much I haven't had time to get it back on the bench: Propsummit.com a Blade Runner Prop Community Forum BladeRunnerProps.comView topic - New Project: Blaster Homage

LOL, same! I was married to the idea of a second trigger-activated burning laser in the Steyer receiver adjustable with the bolt lever, but then I reached a point where I was so invested in the donor pistol I was too afraid to break it. I don't know if I didn't leave enough meat ahead of the trigger to find a solution or if it's just not viable... either way I just ground down one of the Sidkit triggers and Gorilla-glued it in place (not proud) so it wouldn't look weird. One of those leave-this-for-future-me-to-figure-out-a-solution situations. :/

 

[BR12819]

LOL, same! I was married to the idea of a second trigger-activated burning laser in the Steyer receiver adjustable with the bolt lever, but then I reached a point where I was so invested in the donor pistol I was too afraid to break it. I don't know if I didn't leave enough meat ahead of the trigger to find a solution or if it's just not viable... either way I just ground down one of the Sidkit triggers and Gorilla-glued it in place (not proud) so it wouldn't look weird. One of those leave-this-for-future-me-to-figure-out-a-solution situations. :/

Unfortunately I just don't think there's enough room in the Zoraki design for adding anything like a micro switch in the frame. I'll be happy with mine if I'm able to pin a second trigger in there. Make me wish I had a proper mill!

 

[H0llyw00d]

Now, my initial saner-minds-prevail "shouldn't" reason is Tomenosuke is pulling a DeBeers and keeping the market price for these prop replicas floating around the $1K mark... I got mine for that on eBay, but it was listed as a kit and turned out to be assembled. Now, I've never paid that for a display piece, much less for a build ingredient.

 

[BR12819]

No kidding! I've been hoping Tomenosuke will put out another "updated" model and the prices of the older versions will come down.

 

[H0llyw00d]

No kidding! I've been hoping Tomenosuke will put out another "updated" model and the prices of the older versions will come down.

Right?!! Or just keep cranking out the OGs. I like the weathered blued metal bits vs. the painted or powder coated versions. The only issue I can find with mine is the floppy Steyer bolt handle and I know that is by unfortunate design. Thanks, Adam!

 

[userd1402]

-.-

 

[joberg]

No kidding! I've been hoping Tomenosuke will put out another "updated" model and the prices of the older versions will come down.

Very unlikely...

 

[H0llyw00d]

Man, he just HAD to keep flopping over..and..over..again. Who could have known? :/

- edit - Now, if I was holding the Hero and the bolt flopped, the inside of my pants would be coated with a fine mist of feces and blood.

 

[H0llyw00d]

Ok, first things first. Gotta get the Sidkit to a good stopping point and hopefully generate momentum to tackle the Tomenosuke:

First thing is the trigger guard. A quick trip to Harbor Freight for a table vice. Always figured I'd run into one for free in the wild but alas, it was not to be:

After much hammering, pulling, and copious amounts of "curse therapy" I have it close:

Thanks again BR12819 for the steel bar stock for the trigger guard. Due to your generosity, I have another one for the Tomenosuke project. You rock, brother! Tomorrow, Let There Be Lights!!!

 

[H0llyw00d]

Well dang, that didn't take long to screw up. :/ The Sidkit comes with everything to wire up the LEDs except instructions:

These are all the little pieces left over after the build (including a recharge port and momentary switch from when I had delusions of grandeur) and we will start with the dental tool/laser pointer thingy:

It comes prewired through the doohicky so after paint you just attach the LEDs:

Please excuse the bad pics, I just snap them as I'm going along and if they suck they suck :/ After the LEDs are all attached time to test them:

And this is where **** goes south, by the size of the included battery holder I'm thinking these must be for the 12v 21/23 battery. Wrong!!! It fries the LEDs with aplomb:

The N-sized battery is too big and only 1.5v to boot, the only existing instructions for the kit describes a pre-wired unit the kit used to come with and I can't tell what this battery is supposed to be:

I've been looking at battery size charts thinking maybe a 3.6v 1/2AA but it looks too fat and specialized for a kit this old, 123 and CR2 are only 3v. Jeez! Anybody have an idea what battery we're looking at here?

 

[H0llyw00d]

Duh, where's my brain? Hey AtimeSidkit my man, what battery do you recommend for use with your most excellent kit?

​

 

[Hirohawa]

12v A23 battery.

 

[H0llyw00d]

12v A23 battery.

Sweet!! Thank you good sir!

-edit- well that's the one I have and the LEDs put out 3.2v. No resistors included but I could install them.. hmmm

 

[AtimeSidkit]

Hi, I confirm.. it's a 23A 12v battery..

Thanks

 

[H0llyw00d]

Ah, so I see, the 5 red LEDs are run in series with a forward voltage of 1.8v each and the 2 green LEDs in parallel with 3.2v to total approximately 12v. You have to test the individual connections with a 3.6v max power source and then power the completed setup with 12v. NOT intuitive. :/

 

[H0llyw00d]

Hi, I confirm.. it's a 23A 12v battery..

Thanks

Thanks for getting back to me, Michelle! I hope things are going well with you brother and you are selling kits as fast as you can make them.

Try getting customer service like THAT from Tomenosuke or he-who-cannot-be-named.

 

[H0llyw00d]

Well (surprise), Gorilla Glue does not work for the long-term. It appears to dry out and crumble. The 2nd trigger started letting loose so JB Weld it is. With the little feet the 2nd trigger on the Sidkit leaves when you cut it down, I'm hoping the pewter trigger will let go before the base does.

 

[Noeland]

Yeah, I don't use gorilla glue for any of my builds. I stick to 2 part epoxy putties mostly. JB weld makes a few good ones, one has steel powder in it I think they call them qwik stick,and steel stick, something like that. Milliput is also one of my favorites, and it has never let me down.

If you want to wet sand, and cold blue (then distress) that trigger guard I'd stick with birchwood casey perma blue. Wet sanding will definitely remove those tool marks, but it will take some elbow grease.

It's coming along nicely!!

 

[H0llyw00d]

Yeah, I don't use gorilla glue for any of my builds. I stick to 2 part epoxy putties mostly. JB weld makes a few good ones, one has steel powder in it I think they call them qwik stick,and steel stick, something like that. Milliput is also one of my favorites, and it has never let me down.

If you want to wet sand, and cold blue (then distress) that trigger guard I'd stick with birchwood casey perma blue. Wet sanding will definitely remove those tool marks, but it will take some elbow grease.

It's coming along nicely!!

Thanks for the advice and the kind words, man! I dunno about the tool marks, it seems the more I mess with the thing the more it resembles the Hero (don't know whose pic this is, sorry). It'll form a patina naturally (or rust) over time if I leave it alone. On the home stretch now.

 

[H0llyw00d]

Stupid "careful what you wish for" cliché. When Gorilla Glue is improperly cured ( :/ ) it swells up and JB Weld does not. JB Weld claims, and I can affirm, that it can be drilled and tapped. When cured it's slightly softer than the pewter itself. When I affixed the forward trigger it is now 1-2mm too short and stuck for good. How quickly we go from hoping it won't fall off to hoping it will. Grrr... :

If by some miracle it does fall off I'll put a 1-2mm coat of JB Weld on the trigger aperture and life will be as it should be.