@dl44blaster

Dagobah is pretty much finished..

 

And here is the Greedo Killer all finished up as well..

And one with both the Dagobah and GK together..

 

Top!!!


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Hero blaster build using an MGC Mauser for its base..

 

*whistles* that’s a beauty.

I’ve never really looked at Luke’s Dagobah blaster but it’s sick! I think it’s the subtle two-tone on it that I dig.

As usual, epic work:thumbsup

 

I have a few builds before I can start this one but this one has gotten me excited for sure.

Scored a vary rare all black MGC. Didn’t realize these black MGC’s were outlawed in japan back in the 70’s so in turn MGC had to make them in gold. Gold ones are nearly impossible to find themselves and expensive at that when you do. Black are even more valuable and even harder to find!

So what to build with such a find? GK, BESPIN, ENDOR which were all built with this same black MGC in the original trilogy but for me since this is going to be my own personal keep sake I’ve decided to build Han Solo’s HOTH blaster.

This HOTH blaster prop was also built using this same model MGC and since this one will be a keeper I’ve decided as well to use my own parts to complete it. This will be a true “scratch” build in that I spent endless hours over these designs to get them to where I have them today. The things we can do.. It’s an amazing time to be living in for sure!

Below is the a picture of the actual film prop along with what I’ll be using (the scope I will be using will have the writing on it including the serial number 52180]..

And in this video it’s both the above pics over top of each other..

https://youtu.be/MaGlV64ki6o

 

Finally you get one of your own! Nice black MGC you have there. One day I may get to see it in person.

 

And always.. #BeYourOwnScoundrel
•Back to BUILD THREAD index..

 

Those grips!!

 

So nice!

Are you going to post your SASWS build here soon? I saw your pics in the FB group.

I'm curious about your reference shots for the SASWS mystery disc part...

 

I’m just waiting for some of my new designs to arrive before I post those pics but the build thread will start shortly

 

AW Custom to “SOLO:ASWS” DL-44 Blaster conversion build thread..

So it seems for this new film they just bought up a bunch of the AW Custom airsofts and then proceeded to make some “special modifications”. To many this is a dream has come true. An affordable screen accurate blaster within our grasps!! My goal with this conversion is to keep it as simple as possible while still remaining faithful to the actual film prop itself..

What you will need..

This AW Custom below can be found on the EVIKE website for around $220 (plus tax/shipping) as of today 6/17/18..

AW Custom Limited Edition Custom Mauser Broom Handle with Scope



Basically there are 4 modifications that you need to make to the above airsoft for it to be screen accurate. (5 if you include the added line in the scope dial)..

- replace the bull barrel
- replace the heat sink grille
- replace the mystery disk
- convert the left side of the airsoft

I’ve made all these “special modifications” available below for those that are interested..

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/dl-44-blaster?section=1-SOLO:ASWS+"AW+Custom"&sort=





In designing these parts I looked at all the pictures that have become available. Limited to be sure but more than enough to make an extremely accurate replica. (Update: now that the Blu Ray has been released it pretty much confirms these modifications as well)

I believe I’ve got everything scaled and duplicated pretty close but these builds are always subjective. So if I’ve missed anything or you see something differently please let me know. Directly below is my AWC fully transformed and the actually SOLO film prop. If it takes you a second to tell which is which then mission accomplished..

 

So lets start with what you will need to do to the AWC itself and the parts you will have to replace..

First the scope. The scope in SOLO sits farther forward than it does on the stock AWC so you will need to remove this part to allow it to slide forward. Using a Dremel I was able to take it right off (pictured below is a photoshop showing what to remove)..
Here is the actually scope with that ring Dremeled off..
If you take your time you don’t even need to repaint it either as you can see it will be hidden by the mount..

Next up is you need to replace that stock bull barrel. So just cut it off where it attaches with a small hand saw and use that Dremel again to sand it smooth..

And these are the parts you will need to replace. On the left is the AWC stock parts and the right the SOLO parts that you will need to sub in..

The bull barrel..

The heat sink grille. This just pops right off the AWC and the one I designed up will slide right in..
EDIT: I’d like to add one thing with regards to the grille. It will “Snap” into place but it’s also designed in a way that it will slide a bit. I did this so I wouldn’t damage the finished paint job of the Mauser itself. Otherwise you might scrap off the paint when attaching. So if desired you can use either a dab of epoxy (which is what I would do) or just add a little tape to the inside as pictured. Once everything is painted you should be golden. So even without the glue just know it won’t come off because it does snaps into place..

Mystery disk (to take off the AWC disk just unscrew it)..

And the left side of the AWC will need a full makeover..

 

Before I start to paint anything I like to make sure everything lines up where it should. If you choose the bull barrel with the screws already designed into the model then you can just attach everything and skip these next few steps below..

But if you like the look of using actual screws I also designed up this bull barrel as well..

FYI I already tapped this Mauser so I’ll just show what I did farther up on the barrel. Idea is the exact same..

Using a center punch will make your life a lot less stressful when it comes to any build..

You will need 2 (6-32 x 3/16) “socket button cap screws” for this bull barrel attachment.

First tap the holes on the bull barrel with a 6-32 tap. Or just use the screw itself to tap the hole. Either will get the job done..

Next slide the barrel into place. I designed this so it will fit nice, snug and even with the top/bottom of the mauser..

I now use the screw itself to make a mark on the Mauser barrel. You don’t need to force anything. Just tighten it up and once you feel a little resistance that’s all it takes. Don’t over do it. The screw will scratch a circle into the black paint and mark your spot nicely..

Take off the bull barrel and you will see exactly where u need to use the center punch..

Now drill in the hole. I always start with the smallest drill bit I have and then work my way up to what every the desired hole should be..

For this I want the hole bigger than 6-32. I’m not using the screws to actually screw into the mauser (you can if desired). There just needs to be enough room on the other side for the screws to come through. Don’t worry about ruining the functionality of the Mauser either. There are two barrels so to speak. The outside and a smaller on inside.

You only need to drill through the outside barrel. Again start with the small drill and you will feel it pop through and hit the inside barrel. Stop there! (If you zoom into the picture you can see the inside barrel) Then drill the hole to the desired size..

After which slide the bull barrel into place and add the screws..

Now slide on the flash hider which will come to a rest nicely right up against the bull barrel. Tighten up that retaining screw and it won’t come off..

Everything should fit nice, flush and snug

Now you can attach the “Heat Sink Grille” and “Mystery disk” (I just taped it in place for now as I still need to paint it). Also slide that scope forward so you can see how everything lines up..

 

With regards to that left side makeover you will want to take apart the Mauser itself. So you can remove that selector switch and then replace the whole side so it reflects what you end up seeing on screen in SOLO.

Here you can see here how the “left side filler” and the “left side replacement” works. Personally I think it’s best to use a material that’s easy to sand if you want it to looks seamless..

When taking apart the Mauser I would highly suggest using a clear plastic bag. Three reasons..

1 - so you can see what you are doing

2 - so if anything comes loose you won’t loose it, but most importantly..

3 - SAFETY!

There are springs that could fly loose and best case scenario is you just lose something while worst case scenario is you actually lose an eye! So ya safety goggles doesn’t hurt either..

Since I learned this (taking it apart and removing the selector switch) from a gentleman who was kind enough to share this info I’ll just quote him directly if that’s cool. But first you will need to take apart the Mauser itself. The diagram below will show you how..



“@xbadcardx

Push in on the button to rotate the selector past the N mark, then turn the inner button counter clockwise while pushing in on it slightly. This will release the inner button form the outer selector indicator.

Then rotate the outer part of the selector switch to this position:

Then the whole thing will come out. You can see how it is keyed in this view:


This can be done with the upper barrel assembly on or off, but it's easier to see what you are doing with the top part off.”

 

So with the Mauser now broken down into two parts I need to fill in those holes left from the switch being removed. Either of these will work great..

Add a little tape to the inside to keep it clean then simply fill in the gaps..

Once it’s dried just sand smooth with 220 sandpaper and remove the tape from the inside..

Next is add the “left inside filler”. I use two part epoxy and then apply some clamps to hold it in place..

Once it’s dried it’s time to fill in the gaps. Apply the putty again how ever you see fit. As you can see it’s the back lines that need the most attention as the top, front and bottom will be covered by the additional plate..

Now sand it smooth..
Next up is attaching the “left side replacement” plate. My design came out pretty good but on the bottom right it’s a little long. So I just marked it off and dremeled it into shape..
And then epoxy everything into place..
Once dried I now sand the corners and edges that I want to blend into the AW Custom..

Then fill in those gaps with the putty..

Then sand everything smooth once again..

Next add the primer (two coats should do it)..

Once the primer dries, blend it all together again with some light sanding. 400 grain sand paper is all you want to use here..

You can just add black now if you prefer but I like to add some silver first so I can always weather if needed..

Now to finish it all off with some black. Krylon Matte Black I always use first as it goes on smooth then add the Satin as it seems to match the AWC nicely..

 

Now to get the rest of those conversion parts prepped, painted and finished..

You can choose many materials to work with. Below is the “Versatile Plastic” that will need some primer and light sanding. For the “Detailed Plastic” you can skip those two steps if desired and just paint as I’ll show at the end of this entry..

First up as I mentioned is the “versatile plastic”. I like to prep my parts by adding some tape strategically so I have something to hold onto when painting..

Then I add two coats of primer (krylon works amazingly well as it drives FAST). This is the first coat..

Below you can see that after the 2nd coat of primer (added about 5 minutes after the first) that there isn’t much sanding required..

Next up is sanding..

I use 400 sandpaper. You most definitely don’t want to use anything more rougher than this..

You can zoom in on the pictures and see that without much work they comes out pretty smooth..

Next I like to add a base of silver so if I want to weather the look I have that option down the road. For this I like to use “Dupli-Color Gunmetal” or “Krylon stainless steel”..

I wait about 10/15 minutes before I start adding the final touches. First I cover the mystery disk with some tape to keep the silver intact..

Here I bring back into play the AWC flash hider. Since I cut the back off and dremeled it smooth I now need to cover the exposed silver. I start by adding flat black to everything as it will stick to pretty much anything..

Lastly I finish it all off with a satin black. Satin because it seems to match that original AWC paint job. As soon as it’s applied I take the tape off the mystery disk. I also only use one coat of each flat and satin..

So as I mentioned with the “Detailed Plastic” you can get some very nice prints that are pretty much paintable right away. This is the “Smooth” (left) and “Smoothest” (right). The smooth I’d still lightly sand first. Also for the bull barrel you can see the one designed with the screws already attached..

I painted the “Smoothest” prints and I didn’t add any primer and the only sanding I did was on the disk after the first coat of silver..

Here you can see how they came out. I also designed this grille in two parts so you can capture even more detail if desired..

 

Now a couple details you can easily add to enrich ur blaster build.

First is blacking in the numbers on the scope dial just like the film prop as pictured..

This is what I used and it worked great. You can find it on Amazon..

Another nice detail to add is a scope reticle. If some one knows who is responsible for this reticle please let me know and I will happily give credit. Otherwise it can be easily found by simply googling “Star Wars reticles” as it should come right up..

The back of the scope screws off easily. This will allow you to place the reticle inside with the lens..

 

Here is that link again to shapeways were I have made these SOLO parts available if interested..


https://www.shapeways.com/shops/dl-44-blaster?section=1-SOLO:ASWS+"AW+Custom"&sort=


And with everything painted up it’s now time to get it all assembled. I just use the two part epoxy to hold the “Mystery Disk” in place..

Now for some SOLO blaster porn.

This is with the “versatile plastic” parts before I finish that left side..

This finished blaster is using the “smoothest detailed plastic”..

If you are still with me thank you for taking the time to read through it. Hopefully it was helpful and inspires you to do the same if not something similar..


And always.. #BeYourOwnScoundrel
•Back to BUILD THREAD index..

 

John, so how do you attach the new bull barrel to the flash hider? I just assumed for the movie they 3D printed a thin TFA-style barrel sleeve to go over the existing AWC bull barrel so the prop could be holstered, thrown across the room, etc.

 

Just updating that part of this thread. My OCD keeps me editing constantly so bare with me a bit as I get this all organize..

 

I also believe they 3d printed it as well. But this SOLO BB is a little different than what was scene in TFA actually. The t track is a different design and the screw placements are also in different locations.

What they didn’t do IMHO was cover the existing AWC bull barrel. They either printed up a fully new flash hider/Bull Barrel (I feel this is probably what they did) or something similar to what I’ve done here. If you look at the film prop the bull barrel lines up nicely with the Mauser itself. If they covered the AWC bull barrel I’m pretty sure you would see a big step between the two as the AWC is much bulkier. ?

 

I was thinking just a super-thin barrel sleeve held in place by tapping the AWC BB with the two button head screws would hold it in place good enough for production. Seems the easiest route is the one they usually take.

 

I totally agree with you with the easiest route for sure. The thing that makes me question that they added a sleeve is how thick the AWC one already is. If they put even a thin sleeve over it wouldn’t line up with the Mauser as it appears the film prop does. The AWC bb is pretty thick as it is..

This last shot of the film prop u can see how the bottom seems to line up flush with the base of the Mauser. That doesn’t appear to be possible with the stock AWC bb so if u added any sized sleeve it would only thicken..

 

If I was to guess, I think they fixed the bull barrel OD with a lathe or fix the Flash Hider to accept a thinner bull barrel.

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Can’t say thanks enough, John.









I took shots of the barrel and mystery disk but they didn’t come out so great. Anyways, just wanted to share the beauty that is chubs’s work.

 

Mechanized2400 Thanks for posting these pics. Would u mind if I reused any of them? Very beautiful.

 

Feel free, my man! I wouldn’t have been able to snap ‘em if it wasn’t for your art :thumbsup

Aside from always picking it up to hold, the blaster has now become my favorite thing to shoot. So there may be more to come lol.

 

Just finished up the SOLO build thread. Starts on post #212..

Turn your AW Custom into Solo’s blaster from SOLO:ASWS..(post #212)

 

Fantastic thread! Thanks so much for this - excuse me for being silly if you already posted it (I can't see it if so) but what size are the litle hex screws in the bottom of the bull barrel?

Thanks again!
P>

 

Thank you. This info is in post #214..

“6-32 x 3/16 socket button cap screw”

 

Building someone an MGC based bunker blaster. Now with all those hi res pics that have come out it should be pretty cool once finished..

 

Designs are coming along..

 

Picked up a resin 1:1 scaled c96 and it’s interesting to see what an actual DL-44 should look like..

 

is it possible to purchase what i need to convert my aw customs dl44 to screen accuracy like you have shown?

 

I believe I have the link actually in that SOLO build thread but here it is again. Everything you need can be found here..

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/dl-44-blaster?section=1-SOLO:ASWS+"AW+Custom"&sort=

Enjoy the conversion

 

Just curious; where did you pick up the resin cast Mauser?

 

thanks brother! what is the differnece between the one part grill and the 2 part grill?

 

I seen that mauser resin cast on ebay.
Username Corellianexports.

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Only different is this below. The two part grille I designed so it will have a more predominate divide line in the bottom 3rd of the grille. Otherwise they are identical (you will have to use glue or tape to hold the two part grille together)..



The build in the thread is using the one part grille in “smoothest fine detailed plastic”. Using that material it captures all the details you really need honestly.

 

As Marcos22579 mentioned I found it on eBay sold by “Corellianexports”. Only warning I can say is one of the two resin Mauser I bought actually came broken and seller’s only help was saying good luck in fixing it. He wasn’t very helpful and I bought it outside of eBay so make sure you protect urself. Buy through eBay and use PayPal..

 

they've been a bit sketchy with me in the past too.

I also agree its cool seeing the mauser in it's real dimensions. I made a blaster with a Lytle cast aluminum Mauser and its my favorite blaster

 

Here a progress pic of a new build I’m presently working on for someone. It’s based off that bunker ROTJ blaster that was recently auctioned off for 550k. I remodeled all my parts thanks to all those new hi res pics that also became available because of the auction.

The base is an MGC Mauser just like the film used prop. If all goes well it should be a pretty close to 1:1 duplication of said prop..

 

That's a beautiful MGC, John. Drilling the side holes would have given me fits. Well done, brother.

 

Thanks H0llyw00d. Honestly it’s the same as tapping a denix really. All u need is a good center punch. Plus any mistake can always be corrected with some patients.

 

I noticed something tonight while watching EMPIRE. When Luke falls in Cloud City he looks to be carrying the same style resin blaster he used on Dagobah..

The scope/mount looks to have either broken off or was taken off. But what’s interesting is the paint job. It looks like they painted it with the scope and mount already attached??

 

SOLO’s bookend blaster’s..

 

Beautifully built and finished “BESPIN” DL-44 BLASTER by HannibalMortis on Instagram. Using parts from my Shapeways page to help complete the build..

Pictures by www.teemuriihela.com

 

chubsANDdoggers / John,

I'm thinking of converting my AW Custom to the Han SOLO movie version. Thanks for providing the parts necessary for that. You go into great comparison about the "Smooth" vs "Smoothest" Fine Detail Plastics offered by Shapeways. But they also offer Versatile Plastics. I've have received Black Natural Versatile Plastic from them before - What do you think of Versatile Plastics? Is it better in your opinion? I know you don't represent Shapeways, but is the shipping discount for ordering all parts at once?

Thanks for any information.

Jedar

 

chubsANDdoggers

I'm going to modify AW Custom to the Han SOLO movie version. Going by the pictures from the movie. It looks like they kept the stock plastic grips even on the hero prop. Would you change out the grips to Wooden Mauser grips? If so, which wooden grips would fit the AW Custom the best with the least modifications? DEC? eBay, Amazon or a place called "Epic Militara? Ones made for Denix / MGC? or the real Mauser c96?

Thanks

Jedar