jamesmcintoshjr
Active Member
So I can't seem to get enough of cool destiny guns, and after finishing my monte carlo I wanted to apply some of the techniques I've learned over the past year to do something super clean and quick while I reprint my invective (the original of which got a bit ruined via a bit too much XTC 3D). Enter "The Chaperone", aka year 2 Thorn (if only in quest difficulty to get it)
the chap is a very simply shape with very cool embellishments along the barrel and the grip.
First step was to grab the game model so what I was making was proportionally accurate. The game models by themselves are unprintable because of how low detail they are, but they do save some time when modelling a printable version. this model was pretty easy because of how simple the overall shape of the chaperone is.
After getting a nice hi-res mesh, I chopped it up into a printable kit, complete with dowels to make assembly a bit easier.
And the print, laid out but not assembled, I took this after hitting the main body with a bit of scratch primer. No more XTC 3D on these pieces, it just kills the details and corners too much.
The cavity underneath where the slugs normally would load will house the electronics for the red lights. After casting I'm going to drill a few holes on either side for red LEDs, and then I'm going to design and print a cartridge to hold the lights, battery and switch, which will be held in the gun with magnets and then capped underneath with the chamber cover so everything will be hidden away nicely. Speaking of XTC 3D however, I'm going to use it with a bit of tint to cast the lenses for the red lights.It will get some use
Next step was to do the barrel detailing.
One side, not all the way smooth yet but getting ready for details. For detail work I'm using the cut vinyl technique, but based on how it turned out on my monte carlo, which was a bit too subtle, I double layered the vinyl (matte automotive wrap vinyl) so the details would pop a bit more. This has the added effect of being much easier to cut fine detail on my Silhouette Cameo because the vinyl is now twice as thick.
this was a pain to weed... but not as bad as the grip.... After applying the vinyl I hit it with more filler primer to lock it down and smooth it out a bit, integrating it into the barrel a bit better, then once I was happy with that I did the other side and the top bit.
Next, the grip.
The same technique was employed as the barrel. Print was sanded, scratch primered, sanded, primed, sanded, primed, and then it was ready for vinyl. The details on the grip are quite a bit smaller than the barrel, which made the double layered vinyl so thin at points the transfer tape was only taking the top layer of vinyl, leaving the bottom layere on the paper. I won't mention the weeding process
After some doing, I managed to get it all applied.
And after it was hit with primer to lock it down, things were looking good!
the back of the grip got a bit more sanding as it looked a bit rough, then the other side of vinyl was applied and primered as well..the only thing left to do for the master is sort out the sights, and I'm debating if I should emboss the tex mechanica bull head on the back or if I should just mask and paint it on.
These just need to run through the primer/sanding machine (me) and then I can create itty bitty molds for them. In the 3D print I created little indentations for where these are supposed to go, so placement won't be guesswork.
As of this morning, this is where I'm at-
Starting molds this week. I was debating whether or not to just assemble the whole thing and do one big mold, but that makes me nervous come casting time, and if I mess up the mold that's a lot of wasted silicone. I think I'm going to do the barrel as one mold, and the body, grip, trigger as another, with teeny molds for the sights. This is all going to be cold cast with aluminium powder so I can save time and effort on painting, since I'm really not a great painter.
the chap is a very simply shape with very cool embellishments along the barrel and the grip.
First step was to grab the game model so what I was making was proportionally accurate. The game models by themselves are unprintable because of how low detail they are, but they do save some time when modelling a printable version. this model was pretty easy because of how simple the overall shape of the chaperone is.
After getting a nice hi-res mesh, I chopped it up into a printable kit, complete with dowels to make assembly a bit easier.
And the print, laid out but not assembled, I took this after hitting the main body with a bit of scratch primer. No more XTC 3D on these pieces, it just kills the details and corners too much.
The cavity underneath where the slugs normally would load will house the electronics for the red lights. After casting I'm going to drill a few holes on either side for red LEDs, and then I'm going to design and print a cartridge to hold the lights, battery and switch, which will be held in the gun with magnets and then capped underneath with the chamber cover so everything will be hidden away nicely. Speaking of XTC 3D however, I'm going to use it with a bit of tint to cast the lenses for the red lights.It will get some use
Next step was to do the barrel detailing.
One side, not all the way smooth yet but getting ready for details. For detail work I'm using the cut vinyl technique, but based on how it turned out on my monte carlo, which was a bit too subtle, I double layered the vinyl (matte automotive wrap vinyl) so the details would pop a bit more. This has the added effect of being much easier to cut fine detail on my Silhouette Cameo because the vinyl is now twice as thick.
this was a pain to weed... but not as bad as the grip.... After applying the vinyl I hit it with more filler primer to lock it down and smooth it out a bit, integrating it into the barrel a bit better, then once I was happy with that I did the other side and the top bit.
Next, the grip.
The same technique was employed as the barrel. Print was sanded, scratch primered, sanded, primed, sanded, primed, and then it was ready for vinyl. The details on the grip are quite a bit smaller than the barrel, which made the double layered vinyl so thin at points the transfer tape was only taking the top layer of vinyl, leaving the bottom layere on the paper. I won't mention the weeding process
After some doing, I managed to get it all applied.
And after it was hit with primer to lock it down, things were looking good!
the back of the grip got a bit more sanding as it looked a bit rough, then the other side of vinyl was applied and primered as well..the only thing left to do for the master is sort out the sights, and I'm debating if I should emboss the tex mechanica bull head on the back or if I should just mask and paint it on.
These just need to run through the primer/sanding machine (me) and then I can create itty bitty molds for them. In the 3D print I created little indentations for where these are supposed to go, so placement won't be guesswork.
As of this morning, this is where I'm at-
Starting molds this week. I was debating whether or not to just assemble the whole thing and do one big mold, but that makes me nervous come casting time, and if I mess up the mold that's a lot of wasted silicone. I think I'm going to do the barrel as one mold, and the body, grip, trigger as another, with teeny molds for the sights. This is all going to be cold cast with aluminium powder so I can save time and effort on painting, since I'm really not a great painter.
