vt357
Active Member
I posted this build over at the Krayt Clan, but thought I'd share with everyone here as well. I wanted to build the gunstock gaffi seen in ANH and make it as accurate as possible. It's not perfect, but I think it turned out pretty good.
I started with the reference photograph and this screenshot of the tusken holding the gaffi. I am 6'-1" tall, so in costume I'm close to 6'-6". I scaled the screenshot, assuming the actor was 6'-3" in costume while slightly scrunched over.
From the scaled screenshot I determined the total gaffi length needed to be 60.75". I then scaled the ref image, added dimensions, and printed at full size for a template. This template is available HERE in PDF format. It is designed to be printed on a large size plotter on 34"x44" paper. Cut out the two sections of the gaffi and tape them together for your full size template. The stock can then be cut out from a 2"x8" piece of lumber. Additional mace tip images are also provided so you can cut those out as well.
I cut out the 2 mace end shapes from 1/8" tempered hardboard and notched them so they would slide together. I also cut and notched a dowel rod to hold the mace end.
I carved out a ring to hold the tip in place. Eventually glued it in place with 2-part epoxy.
I added a handle from a PVC pipe. I'm working on a Jawa so I had some of those 25 cent toy machine bubbles for the eyes. The cap from one of the bubbles worked perfectly to create a step between the handle and the dowel rod.
Painted and weathered. Also test fitting the leather strap.
Mace tip weathered by with a base coat of primer and aluminum paint. Then black washed with black acrylic paint using a small detail brush. Finally sanded with fine grit sandpaper to rough it up. Final result looks pitted and worn.
Since the top of this gaffi is a medieval mace I assumed that the handle would have been wire wrapped. I used some 16 gauge steel that I had left over from a chain maille hauberk I made years ago. Wire wrapping proved more difficult to get right than I first anticipated. I ended up doing it a somewhat non-conventional way. When I tried to coil the wire around the 1" handle it wouldn't stay tight and wanted to spring back. So I first wrapped it around a 7/8" dowel rod, the stretched it over the handle. To lock it in I spread on a 2-part epoxy to get under the wire, then wiped off the surface with paint thinner. It worked out really nice.
The finished wire wrap and leather strap, all weathered.
The gunstock portion was cut out to shape from a 2x8 board using a jig saw. Then all it needed was some quality time with a belt sander, safety glasses, and a dusk mask to get the rounded shape.
I drew a vertical line every 1/4" along the stock and proceeded to dremel out a ridge at every line. I originally planned to go back and make horizontal grooves to give a checkering effect, like on the pineapple end of the traditional gaffi. But I really liked the way the natural wood grain came out horizontally, so in the end I left it with just vertical ridges. Actual gunstock totokia war clubs all have unique carvings and the reference photos for the screen used gaffi aren't really detailed enough to tell exactly what type of carving it there.
The full mace end of the gaffi.
Gunstock end fully carved and stained.
Finally the completed gunstock gaffi next to the full-sized printout of the reference image.
And finally fraternizing with some good guys.
I started with the reference photograph and this screenshot of the tusken holding the gaffi. I am 6'-1" tall, so in costume I'm close to 6'-6". I scaled the screenshot, assuming the actor was 6'-3" in costume while slightly scrunched over.
From the scaled screenshot I determined the total gaffi length needed to be 60.75". I then scaled the ref image, added dimensions, and printed at full size for a template. This template is available HERE in PDF format. It is designed to be printed on a large size plotter on 34"x44" paper. Cut out the two sections of the gaffi and tape them together for your full size template. The stock can then be cut out from a 2"x8" piece of lumber. Additional mace tip images are also provided so you can cut those out as well.
I cut out the 2 mace end shapes from 1/8" tempered hardboard and notched them so they would slide together. I also cut and notched a dowel rod to hold the mace end.
I carved out a ring to hold the tip in place. Eventually glued it in place with 2-part epoxy.
I added a handle from a PVC pipe. I'm working on a Jawa so I had some of those 25 cent toy machine bubbles for the eyes. The cap from one of the bubbles worked perfectly to create a step between the handle and the dowel rod.
Painted and weathered. Also test fitting the leather strap.
Mace tip weathered by with a base coat of primer and aluminum paint. Then black washed with black acrylic paint using a small detail brush. Finally sanded with fine grit sandpaper to rough it up. Final result looks pitted and worn.
Since the top of this gaffi is a medieval mace I assumed that the handle would have been wire wrapped. I used some 16 gauge steel that I had left over from a chain maille hauberk I made years ago. Wire wrapping proved more difficult to get right than I first anticipated. I ended up doing it a somewhat non-conventional way. When I tried to coil the wire around the 1" handle it wouldn't stay tight and wanted to spring back. So I first wrapped it around a 7/8" dowel rod, the stretched it over the handle. To lock it in I spread on a 2-part epoxy to get under the wire, then wiped off the surface with paint thinner. It worked out really nice.
The finished wire wrap and leather strap, all weathered.
The gunstock portion was cut out to shape from a 2x8 board using a jig saw. Then all it needed was some quality time with a belt sander, safety glasses, and a dusk mask to get the rounded shape.
I drew a vertical line every 1/4" along the stock and proceeded to dremel out a ridge at every line. I originally planned to go back and make horizontal grooves to give a checkering effect, like on the pineapple end of the traditional gaffi. But I really liked the way the natural wood grain came out horizontally, so in the end I left it with just vertical ridges. Actual gunstock totokia war clubs all have unique carvings and the reference photos for the screen used gaffi aren't really detailed enough to tell exactly what type of carving it there.
The full mace end of the gaffi.
Gunstock end fully carved and stained.
Finally the completed gunstock gaffi next to the full-sized printout of the reference image.
And finally fraternizing with some good guys.
