Combi Stick.....need Help

[MikaPred]

Looking to build the Combi Stick as my first full Pred prop and was considering using a set of lightweight wooden dowels (Perhaps balsa wood). Does anyone have specs on the fully extended staff? Any suggestions on preferred materialsm etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lflank]

Looking to build the Combi Stick as my first full Pred prop and was considering using a set of lightweight wooden dowels (Perhaps balsa wood). Does anyone have specs on the fully extended staff? Any suggestions on preferred materialsm etc would be greatly appreciated.

I made mine from two toy collapsible "laser swords" that I picked up in a Dollar Store. I connected the handles together with a PVC pipe, covered that in faux leather, added blades to each side that I cut from sheet metal, then painted and decorated with some Yautja letters cut from foamie.  

I can flip them open just by spinning them, but I can't close them.

 

[MikaPred]

Lflank-
     Thanks for the idea! So I'm guessing an overall length of 76 inches including spear tips. That gives me a general idea of what to shoot for. I really appreciate the assist.

 

[wonko]

If you take in to account how talk KPH was suited, and the fact that the spear is taller than him, you should be able to find some pics from the movie and work it out from there. My guess is the spear was closer to 8' tall rather than 6.

Brian

 

[Lflank]

Lflank-
     Thanks for the idea! So I'm guessing an overall length of 76 inches including spear tips. That gives me a general idea of what to shoot for. I really appreciate the assist.

Mine is about 65 inches from tip to tip.  But I'm a short little guy (about 5'4".  

 

[Giles]

I'd use reference pictures of KPH in P2 and use that to give you a scale so that you don't end up with a massively out of proportion spear.

 

[wonko]

Giles has a good point. Proportion is always important, and can make the look more convincing. My spear is right at 7', and suited I'm about 6'3". Seems to work pretty good, although transporting it kind of sucks.

Brian

 

[MikaPred]

Giles has a good point. Proportion is always important, and can make the look more convincing. My spear is right at 7', and suited I'm about 6'3". Seems to work pretty good, although transporting it kind of sucks.

Brian

Saw one for the Celtic and Scar Preds listed on ebay has an overall length of 58 inches. 69 overall inches for the P2 fully extended if the measurement off the toy is truly 1:6. then there's that one pic in red with grey images listing it as extended to two meters. Not sure what to go with since suited up I may wind up like Wonko at 6'3"

 

[MikaPred]

Well I got the pepakura files that Rhinoc and Movieman made. So I'm going to give that a try. Hopefully it works but I do have a question. What glue should I use to secure the various pieces together? And what is the recommended resin?

 

[Lflank]

Well I got the pepakura files that Rhinoc and Movieman made. So I'm going to give that a try. Hopefully it works but I do have a question. What glue should I use to secure the various pieces together? And what is the recommended resin?

Well, I cut off all the tabs and tape the pieces together with masking tape. on the inside.  It makes less overlap and fewer ridges, so I get a smoother finish.

But that's a lot of extra work, so most people just use gluesticks instead.  

As for resin, I use fiberglass resin (without the fiberglass) from Home Depot. I put a layer or two of that on the outside of the piece.

To stiffen and harden it, most people use a layer of fiberglass resin (WITH the fiberglass) on the inside of the piece.  I don't like using fiberglass, so instead I use a sheet of plain ole cotton muslin cloth, and glue it in with PVA glue. It is not as strong as fiberglass, but is still pretty tough. And its lightweight, cheap, and readily-available materials.

 

[MikaPred]

Lflank-

Okay. So after I cut out all the sections, I should use the resin and fiberglass on the inside first, nick that as needed so I can bend where necessary then glue gun it together. Followed by a few coats of resin on the outside....

Is that correct order of procedure?

Sorry for all the questions but I want this to turn out right. And since I have never done this kind of thing before....Rather ask first.

Mika

 

[Lflank]

Lflank-

Okay. So after I cut out all the sections, I should use the resin and fiberglass on the inside first, nick that as needed so I can bend where necessary then glue gun it together. Followed by a few coats of resin on the outside....

Is that correct order of procedure?

Sorry for all the questions but I want this to turn out right. And since I have never done this kind of thing before....Rather ask first.

Mika

Well, I always assemble the piece first and then resin it/fiberglass it.  That might be hard to do with a very narrow closed piece like the combi, though.  I've never resined the pieces before assembly, so I don't know how it would work out.  You'd still have to resin the outside after assembly though, to get all the seams.

 

[MikaPred]

Maybe pour some inside and roll it around to coat it, let it harden after. then repeat a couple more times?

 

[Lflank]

Maybe pour some inside and roll it around to coat it, let it harden after. then repeat a couple more times?

I doubt that's doable--the fiberglass resin is pretty thick stuff and doesn't slosh around.

 

[backbone]

It should work, I slushed it around in my bio mold decently easy. You just have too keep the resin moving till it hardens. Otherwise it will pool in the low spots.

 

[Lflank]

It should work, I slushed it around in my bio mold decently easy. You just have too keep the resin moving till it hardens. Otherwise it will pool in the low spots.

I think you are talking about a different kind of resin . . . .  I was talking about fiberglass resin, like you get at a Home Depot.  It's too thick for slush casting.  You, I think, are talking about plastic resin, like SmoothOn. It's pretty expensive stuff, and won't be found in the local hardware store.

 

[backbone]

No, I'm talking about the bondo fiberglass resin from Home Depot. I agree, It's really thick stuff, but if you take your time and just roll and roll it around, it can catch detail. You would probably get a smoother Finnish brushing a few layers on the outside though .

 

[Lflank]

No, I'm talking about the bondo fiberglass resin from Home Depot. I agree, It's really thick stuff, but if you take your time and just roll and roll it around, it can catch detail. You would probably get a smoother Finnish brushing a few layers on the outside though .

Ah, interesting.  I'll have to give that a try sometime.  

 

[MikaPred]

Well, I went with a simpler means that will help til I get myself some resin. I used crafting sticks to strengthen the interiors some. Here are the photos:

the two sides of the main grip assembly.

The center piece of the main grip.

the first two lengths beyond the main grip.

 

[MikaPred]

Now that I've got almost all the cutting and gluing finished, I got a fresh question.

What would folks recommend to get the tube lengths, in between the spear point and central grips, rounded out? The first is hexagonal while the outer length is squared....

ANY help would be appreciated.