Han Solo Rubies Blaster

[Egon]

Hey all!

This is only my second thread as I am rather new here. I got into prop making last summer with some failed attempts. I figured over winter break, I would do something easy and fun that i could take back to school with me.

Being a big Star Wars guy I was thinking of something like a blaster that i could put on my shelf. I did some research into toys that I could make up, and the rubies han solo blaster seemed to be the one.

The stand and grip of the gun aren't finished, so please be gentle...this is my first replica prop.

I did a base coat of metallic silver and laid over some mat black. I then used a straight edge to get the weathering done.

Let me know what you guys think of my first prop!

Thanks!

 

[DLO Studios]

Nice. Beats the crap out of my 1st. Its a fun hobby/obsession. Good luck ever having any money in your wallet ever again. Welcome to the board by the way.

 

[darth_myeek]

Hi Egon,
Welcome to the RPF :thumbsup I think you did a great job, specifically with the color.

I have a couple on the back burner for the same idea. Wondering if you think it's worth the effort to drill out the holes in the muzzle?

Thanks,
DM

 

[Egon]

Thanks you guys!

I would say that it is definitely worth drilling out the muzzle. it took about 2 minutes (not an exaggeration) with my dremmel on the front of the muzzle (there was a piece of plastic over it). The other holes on the muzzle I would say that the others are worth taking out too. I was a little hesitant because I didnt want to botch the job. I wish I had filled in the holes with some bondo or something before painting it though. That would give it a much cleaner look. Other than that there isnt much that needs to be done with this thing. For the price, I can't see anything else that can beat it. For someone like me who is just starting out, I think it is a great little project and I can't wait to get it to school and put up on my desk.

I was nervous to put it up here with all the incredible work that is shown off here!

 

[Sporak]

Hey man, it looks really nice

Be encouraged...I'd suggest you go and get another one...and with this one just take it slow and drill out all the little holes on the muzzle and fill all the cracks with bondo and putty if there are any...screwholes etc...

Jump right in...don't let this hobby make you afraid of taking a chance...if you screw something up, just fix it....that's what the bondo and putty is for.

Welcome!

 

[Egon]

Thank you guys for the kind words. I don't know that I will have time to start a completely new blaster over my break, but thank you for the encouragement, all of you guys. I may try and drill out the holes then do a bit of over spray with some darker silver paint to give it a bit more accurate look.

I was also wondering if anyone could recommend a way to get a pseudo wood finish on the grip? It looks like the pieces themselves would be easy to cut out..so I may end up carving some real wood grips and stick those in. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you guys again!

 

[darth_myeek]

I wouldn't carve real grips. I like the idea of an inexpensive, but semi-accurate blaster. I like your grips. I think faux graining on a contoured, and grooved plastic would take some practice.

Here is the concept for faux graining wood.

The color strategy should be similar for plastic, but a graining tool would be too unwieldy.

-DM

 

[Egon]

wow! that was just what i needed. thank you!

 

[wuher da brewer]

Pretty nice work. Though I'd paint the muzzle darker. Han's hero is the one Han blaster that has a blackened muzzle.

 

[Corellianexports]

I'm surprised that Rubies' has some thing this accurate. Of course, they have the rfp to thank for that!

You could try darkening that muzzle by spray painting into a an old t-shirt and rubbing the paint onto it. Try some stain black or flat black paint. That will give it a nice weathered look.

Looking back, I think a lot of us lightened that muzzle a little too much (I.E. Hasbro, MR, etc.), which was partially my fault. The original was made of steel and painted satin black. Over the the years (Between aroudn 1943 and 1976) that black weathered down and revealed some of the steel color, thus the muzzle was a lighter color than the rest of blaster.

 

[DrMcoy]

Nice work -- I did a quickie tutorial on painting this piece when it first came out about a year or so ago:

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=52137&highlight=rubies+solo

One thing you might consider that will save you time and a few cents next time you do something like this -- don't do a base coat of silver, but simply take some RUB N BUFF silver paint, dab it on your finger, small paint brush, toothpick or q-tip, and then lightly apply it to areas you want silver to show through. The key is to use the SMALLEST amount of the rub n buff until you get comfortable with how you can control the "smearing" weathering effect it has when applied to something painted black or gunmetal color.

 

[Funky]

I think it looks great! A couple little things you could do with minimal effort would be to fill in the screw holes with putty and dremmel out the scope sights.

 

[Egon]

Thank you guys for the kind words. Also, I really appreciate the input on this project.

The weathering on the muzzle went quite well thanks to Corellian Exports. Dr. Mcoy, your project was the inspiration for mine, I never would have done this project without you starting it off on here.

There are still a few little things i want to do to this little guy, but so far I am rather pleased.

 

[AT-AT Luvah]

Great job for a newcomer! Heck, I have absolutely no skills to build props, but I love them and collect them.

Great work!

Hector

 

[DrMcoy]

WOW -- fantastic job -- and drilling the holes out makes ALL the difference - you have inspired me to pull mine out of the basement and drill holes out, too.

Also, very nice work on wood handle/grip -- much nicer than mine.

Thanks for sharing pics.

The Rubies piece is GREAT for a quick mod and costume play, and your mod is the nicest I've seen.

 

[MooCriket]

Great work! You turned a piece of garbage into a work of art...no easy featthumbsup:thumbsup

 

[Weezer]

Nice work! It looks so good that I had to take a crack at it. Just purchased one off ebay.

 

[Egon]

Thanks guys.

Thank you, DrMcoy, I truly appreciate the encouragement. Also, I'm glad i could inspire some others on here to try out this quick, decent looking project.

DrMcoy, for the grip I sanded down the paint i had on there until it was the first silver base coat. Then I used your technique of the shirt with some sort of metallic style finish spray paint. I wish i had the name for you but i tossed the can (it was left over from a project of my dad's). It looks quite nice, not exactly like wood but photographs rather well.

Weezer, I'd really like to see what you do with yours so i can get a few ideas and maybe try and do a more refined version over next break!