Harry Potter Quidditch Broom (Hardware Build)

[Fuzzual]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Trooper, first off, GREAT BUILD. Thanks for sharing and giving us all the tools to get this started. I am knee deep in the middle of my first build.

A big thanks to eviltig as well for putting in the time and effort on the Stencil work! PM sent!

I just started, and I need a fair amount more grass.

 

[Trooper_trent]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Awesome! Great job so far. Just as some advice, if you're having trouble getting enough grass in and getting it even, one of the things that helped me the most is to put the grass in BEFORE putting the foam form in.

1. Lay the axe handle on the table.
2. loosen the bracket as FAR as it will go and slip it over the axe handle.
3. Take small bunched of grass and even up the ends by lightly dropping and tapping them on the table, then thread them through the bracket FARTHER than they need to go (this will give you room to even everything up at the end)
4. Keep adding more and more grass, working it around the axe handle evenly. After a while, its easier to juet get it in there and THEN position it rather than trying to put it in where it needs to go.
5. After getting as much grass in as you can, and getting everything evened out, try to even out the ends as much as possible and position the grass and bracket where it needs to be on the axe handle. Then tighten the bracket.
6. After all of this, stand the axe handle on end with the grass pointing up, and stick your hand down into the grass to find the center. Now, wedge the foam form down into the grass. This will cause it to fan out. You can move and adjust the grass so that everything is even.
7. Now gather the grass around the form and tie it off at the end. Use this as a starting point to get the shape the way you want it.

 

[Funky]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

PM sent. I gotta get one of these!

 

[Fuzzual]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Thanks so much man, it may be a little late to work it that way, I glued the foam down on the handle with everything in the shop. So it may be a challenge, but i should be able to make it work. I'm making two of them, so I will try the (below) method next time. Great job on yours by the way, love it!

Awesome! Great job so far. Just as some advice, if you're having trouble getting enough grass in and getting it even, one of the things that helped me the most is to put the grass in BEFORE putting the foam form in.

1. Lay the axe handle on the table.
2. loosen the bracket as FAR as it will go and slip it over the axe handle.
3. Take small bunched of grass and even up the ends by lightly dropping and tapping them on the table, then thread them through the bracket FARTHER than they need to go (this will give you room to even everything up at the end)
4. Keep adding more and more grass, working it around the axe handle evenly. After a while, its easier to juet get it in there and THEN position it rather than trying to put it in where it needs to go.
5. After getting as much grass in as you can, and getting everything evened out, try to even out the ends as much as possible and position the grass and bracket where it needs to be on the axe handle. Then tighten the bracket.
6. After all of this, stand the axe handle on end with the grass pointing up, and stick your hand down into the grass to find the center. Now, wedge the foam form down into the grass. This will cause it to fan out. You can move and adjust the grass so that everything is even.
7. Now gather the grass around the form and tie it off at the end. Use this as a starting point to get the shape the way you want it.

 

[Wolfie]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

For reference, in mine from the link in the first post, I also did not add the foam in until after I got the branches/twigs glued down at the end of the handle and then clamped. I was using much stiffer branches though than this build. and I only have the balls in it, no foam triangles.

I also painted the foam balls to match the color of the branches in case it moves a round a little to help camouflage them. I also slipped in extra branches after gluing the originals down and adding the Dryer Vent clamps. to help even it out some more. Then held it upright again and let some wood glue seep down into the clamped area from the top.

The issue I ran into with the asian willow is that they appear to paint/dye some of the grass and handling it a bunch makes the dye come off on your hand.

We're going to work on my husbands this weekend with similar grass to yours Trent. We'll try to take better photos from start to finish this time. I've also gotten a hold of thin copper tubing and a pipe binder so I can attempt some foot rests with bent tubing. Will post how that works out.

 

[Trooper_trent]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

I think I'm finished! I still might want to cover the extender brackets in somethin a little more aesthetic so the nuts and bolts aren't visible, but not sure what to use yet.

 

[Moviefreak]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

I started mine and getting bear grass was a nightmare. I went to JoAnn Fabrics as well as Michaels and they didn't have the right color. I then drove two hours to Hobby Lobby to find they are closed on Sundays... Ughhhhh!!!!

I then found that they opened a Hobby Lobby about an hour from me in another location, so I was able to head there yesterday.

I would have to say that the grass stage is the most difficult part of the build. I spent a few hours today trying to get the grass in and looking right. I will say, paint the styrofoam the color if grass before you start, I didn't and it shows through in spots and I am not about to start over.

 

[Trooper_trent]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

sorry to hear you had so much trouble with the grass. I got all of the grass in, in about 10-20 minutes, so maybe there's a trick to it. There's a possibility that I'll be making another one soon. If so, I'll make an official step by step how to video.

 

[Fuzzual]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

yes sir, I had the same problem with Hobby Lobby, thankfully I did not have to drive 2 hours. I too did not paint the foam before, and I am going to have to double up the grass to cover the problem areas, crycry oh well, I will know better next time.

I started mine and getting bear grass was a nightmare. I went to JoAnn Fabrics as well as Michaels and they didn't have the right color. I then drove two hours to Hobby Lobby to find they are closed on Sundays... Ughhhhh!!!!

I then found that they opened a Hobby Lobby about an hour from me in another location, so I was able to head there yesterday.

I would have to say that the grass stage is the most difficult part of the build. I spent a few hours today trying to get the grass in and looking right. I will say, paint the styrofoam the color if grass before you start, I didn't and it shows through in spots and I am not about to start over.

 

[ecl]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

wow this is so awesome!

 

[eviltig]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Looks super awesome! I need to get back to work on mine

 

[Trooper_trent]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Check it out! I hung it from his ceiling on fishing wire. Easy to get down when he wants to play with it and up out of the way to keep it from being damaged when not in use. Plus, it 'floats'.

‪Nimbus Quidditch Broom Built for my Son‬‏ - YouTube

 

[Jm419]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Ok, that's it. I can no longer be a member of this forum, because now I WANT ONE OF THESE.

Lol. Beautiful work here; they look just as nice as the film props.

 

[Moviefreak]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Check it out! I hung it from his ceiling on fishing wire. Easy to get down when he wants to play with it and up out of the way to keep it from being damaged when not in use. Plus, it 'floats'.

‪Nimbus Quidditch Broom Built for my Son‬‏ - YouTube

Awesome, you took the idea out of my head, lol.

I just wrapped up the broom and an waiting on my Nimbus 2000 decals to show up. I will shoot some photos when they are placed on the broom.

Then I will be hanging it in the home theater along with a floating Quiddich ball for the final touch.

 

[Egon Spengler]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

WOW!!!

 

[woozelmom]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Trent:
Really AWESOME!!! What a lucky little boy to have such a wonderful broom

 

[Funky]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

Is it "kid sized"? what's the overall length?

 

[Trooper_trent]

Re: Hardware Build - Harry Potter Quidditch Broom for my Son

it's approximately 55" long. 2 inches shorter than the Noble Collection Nimbus 2001

I would say it's "Hogwarts student sized"

 

[SchubroProductions]

I would suggest using brass bolts and washers and a nice rounded brass acorn nut instead of the silver washers and nuts. Might tie the piece together better.

 

[Trooper_trent]

I would suggest using brass bolts and washers and a nice rounded brass acorn nut instead of the silver washers and nuts. Might tie the piece together better.

I definitely agree. I think I'm going to try to find some kind of brass or bronze sleeve to fit over that whole section though, to completely hide as much of the "hardware-ness" as possible. Even a nice nut and bolt is still a nut and bolt. :lol