PHArchivist
Master Member
What an amazingly fun build...
Blank firing Blade Runner Blaster - Advice needed.
- Thread starter H0llyw00d
- Start date
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
Step 0 if you are doing your own lights for your Sidkit build is GET EXTRA LEDS. Hard stop. You'll need 3mm green and red and 5mm red. I was pretinning the red LEDs, one slipped out like I squeezed a watermelon seed and it no longer exists... just gone, man:
I did decide to take Noeland's sagacious advice and smooth and blue the trigger guard after I gave it it's last and final bashing:
It's just a light bluing, not blue-black. The new LEDs are here from Amazon and tomorrow I hope to (knock on wood) get this beast squared away.
I did decide to take Noeland's sagacious advice and smooth and blue the trigger guard after I gave it it's last and final bashing:
It's just a light bluing, not blue-black. The new LEDs are here from Amazon and tomorrow I hope to (knock on wood) get this beast squared away.
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
Wow, I made that WAY harder than it needed to be. Write-up to follow, first the beauty shots 
:
So to answer the OP's original question, you can indeed incorporate a Zoraki blank pistol into a Sidkit build. Easy-Peasy. Guys, thanks for reading and helping and being so freakin' awesome.
:So to answer the OP's original question, you can indeed incorporate a Zoraki blank pistol into a Sidkit build. Easy-Peasy.
Guys, thanks for reading and helping and being so freakin' awesome.
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
Ok, I won't bore you guys with tales of my ineptitude and woe, I'll just show you how to do the wiring the right way.
You will make the wiring setup look like the picture in the online instructions here:
The slide switch powers the central pin (MUST be connected to the positive of the 12v battery holder) to either outer pin to complete the connection. The LEDs are wired in parallel (all +'s to each other, ditto the -'s). Whichever pin you choose (may want to cut off the other one) will need to be wired to the positive on the first LED (3mm red). The positive on the first LED will then be soldered to the positive on the next LED (5mm red) and so on with the negative LED posts wired to the next negative, etc.
If you are like me and positively detest soldering I would recommend you cut all the wires beforehand, twist them into pairs and pre-tin the twisted end. If you don't, when you go to solder the wires to the LED the solder will keep flowing and whatever you have attached will fall off. It's indescribably infuriating:
After I fried my second setup I put resistors on my red LEDs but it is absolutely not necessary:
Do NOT try to test your individual LEDs with the 12v battery, ONLY attach the battery to power the setup once everything is connected. You should however test your LEDs and connections as you go along. You will need a battery holder that holds a couple of AA's or AAA's for testing purposes. I used a holder that holds two 3v 2032 button cells, took one of the cells out and replaced it with 2 pennies, tied a knot in the positive wire so I'd know which one it was and Bob's your uncle:
After you pre-tin the LEDs and wire pairs then you've put off the soldering as long as you can justify to yourself so you get to it:
Once everything on the red LED rig is wired up and tested, you put it in the mag well. Then you connect all remaining loose positive wires together and put them in a tiny wire nut and do the same with the remaining negative wires. You will need to supply the wire nuts or some other solution as they don't come with the kit. Once everything is wired up you attach it to your voltage equivalent of a car battery and see if it works:
If you are in luck and it does, than stuff all the spaghetti into the magazine body, zip it up and enjoy an adult beverage to calm your shattered nerves as you gaze in wonder at the work of art you have created.
edit - Oh, and the red LEDs will be wicked bright and the greens dim. Sucks but each LED is only getting 1.7v so them's the breaks. You'll need to use a Sharpie on the red LEDs to make them usable at night or like me spritz them with black spray paint.
You will make the wiring setup look like the picture in the online instructions here:
The slide switch powers the central pin (MUST be connected to the positive of the 12v battery holder) to either outer pin to complete the connection. The LEDs are wired in parallel (all +'s to each other, ditto the -'s). Whichever pin you choose (may want to cut off the other one) will need to be wired to the positive on the first LED (3mm red). The positive on the first LED will then be soldered to the positive on the next LED (5mm red) and so on with the negative LED posts wired to the next negative, etc.
If you are like me and positively detest soldering I would recommend you cut all the wires beforehand, twist them into pairs and pre-tin the twisted end. If you don't, when you go to solder the wires to the LED the solder will keep flowing and whatever you have attached will fall off. It's indescribably infuriating:
After I fried my second setup I put resistors on my red LEDs but it is absolutely not necessary:
Do NOT try to test your individual LEDs with the 12v battery, ONLY attach the battery to power the setup once everything is connected. You should however test your LEDs and connections as you go along. You will need a battery holder that holds a couple of AA's or AAA's for testing purposes. I used a holder that holds two 3v 2032 button cells, took one of the cells out and replaced it with 2 pennies, tied a knot in the positive wire so I'd know which one it was and Bob's your uncle:
After you pre-tin the LEDs and wire pairs then you've put off the soldering as long as you can justify to yourself so you get to it:
Once everything on the red LED rig is wired up and tested, you put it in the mag well. Then you connect all remaining loose positive wires together and put them in a tiny wire nut and do the same with the remaining negative wires. You will need to supply the wire nuts or some other solution as they don't come with the kit. Once everything is wired up you attach it to your voltage equivalent of a car battery and see if it works:
If you are in luck and it does, than stuff all the spaghetti into the magazine body, zip it up and enjoy an adult beverage to calm your shattered nerves as you gaze in wonder at the work of art you have created.
edit - Oh, and the red LEDs will be wicked bright and the greens dim. Sucks but each LED is only getting 1.7v so them's the breaks. You'll need to use a Sharpie on the red LEDs to make them usable at night or like me spritz them with black spray paint.
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H0llyw00d
Sr Member
I found the PFC pistol discharge to be a tad anemic. The blank pistol sounds like a .380 because that is what it is. A .380 with no bullet. The gas pressure is really not an issue, since the pewter side plates are screwed into the steel frame and swing-out arm of the blank pistol. They aren't going anywhere. The only screws into pewter in the entire prop are the laser pointer and knob side plate greeblies. But they don't experience any gas pressure. The prop is heavier than the hero would be and incredibly sturdy. No way to describe it.
I keep waiting for others to post their builds. Tempted to call dibs on the "first ever made" claim.
Yes sir , it's a Beast ! I noticed on the original almost no gap in the outer shell for side gassed . Maybe in the movie they used low power flash blanks ! Here's a quick dirty build I did for a movie yrs ago , not B R but a blank gun that fired upwards out the cylinder . The barrel is plugged solid and it's only the 22 shorts . I put a drop of oil in each chamber just before firing to get a big cloud of smoke for effect !
No side blast so no problem ..
No side blast so no problem ..
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H0llyw00d
Sr Member
That's awesome, man! The new blank pistols (or at least the Zoraki one that I used) are "front fire" with the pressure going unobstructed through the barrel. I had Teddz drill out one of his excellent steel barrels and it works like a charm. Not going to try anything but blanks with the donor pistol. It was a miracle I got this one done without some catastrophic screw-up.
Yeah, the vibe with this top blast gimmick was diesel punk industrial so I even left some of the welds visible a little ! It rough and ready made at very short notice . This low budget no budget movie never got made .. I did do the guns for a Western last yr , far more my lane !
Noeland
Master Member
It's the first build I've seen utilizing a zoraki or ekol revolver for sure. I do believe you can claim it.I found the PFC pistol discharge to be a tad anemic. The blank pistol sounds like a .380 because that is what it is. A .380 with no bullet. The gas pressure is really not an issue, since the pewter side plates are screwed into the steel frame and swing-out arm of the blank pistol. They aren't going anywhere. The only screws into pewter in the entire prop are the laser pointer and knob side plate greeblies. But they don't experience any gas pressure. The prop is heavier than the hero would be and incredibly sturdy. No way to describe it.
I keep waiting for others to post their builds. Tempted to call dibs on the "first ever made" claim.
The live firing built on a real charters arms bulldog build has been done too. There have been a handful of those made, and some have utilized the real Steyr receiver as well.
I don't think anybody has done it for a good while. I think the Tomenosuke blasters scratched that itch for lots of people is why.
Hirohawa
Sr Member
Such a cool build. Anymore pics?
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
Yeah, I know Matt (BR12819) had the same idea before I did, with the same blank pistol (link) , but I don't believe he completed his. I know a number of CA Bulldog builds were completed but, to my knowledge, this is the first (and perhaps only) documented blank-firing BRB/PKD so I'm calling it until corrected.
Actually, Mike (AtimeSidkit), who sells the kits, asked for a video when I got it completed, so I am getting my intrepid cameraperson (my daughter) to help me get a final video done and I'll post it ASAP.
BR12819
Sr Member
I think I was the first to use the Zoraki, but you're certainly the first to finish! I had to put mine away as I was away from my bench for several months working on various sets. I'm back home now so this thread might be the push I need to pull it off the shelf and finally finish it.
I think if I were to do it again I'd go your route instead of using the airsoft rifle receiver that I did, as the proportions look so much better than mine. In fact I picked up an old RAC kit and a OffWorld that may lend some pieces to a 2.0 version down the road.
Your build looks fantastic, cant wait to see a video!
I had to put mine away as I was away from my bench for several months working on various sets. I'm back home now so this thread might be the push I need to pull it off the shelf and finally finish it.I think if I were to do it again I'd go your route instead of using the airsoft rifle receiver that I did, as the proportions look so much better than mine. In fact I picked up an old RAC kit and a OffWorld that may lend some pieces to a 2.0 version down the road.
Your build looks fantastic, cant wait to see a video!
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
Forgot to turn off the Tribble I got at the Las Vegas Star Trek Con a couple of weeks ago. The thing freaks out at loud noises, lol.Yep, it's loud
