Harry Potter -- Quidditch Brooms -- WIP's

[TONKA1675]

I've been asked by a few friends to make scaled up versions of quidditch brooms. Since none of us are as short as the actors in HP, they will all be scaled up to 70". By the end of the summer, I will have 4 brooms completed:

1. Nimbus 2000 (POA)
2. Ginny Weasley's (HBP)
3. Ron Weasley's (HBP)
4. Firebolt (GOF)

The Nimbus will be completed first, with Ginny's and Ron's being done together 2nd, and the firebolt last.

 

[TONKA1675]

Nimbus 2000 (POA)

First up is the POA version of the Nimbus 2000. The main differences between the POA Nimbus and the SS/COS Nimbus are the Legs/Stir-ups and the bracket that goes around the bristles.

The legs have been shaped using a forge and blowtorch and the pieces welded together to make a neary indestructable piece (pics to come later). Because this will add weight to the broom, another steel rod will run from the end of the shaft through the bristles and barely poke out so that it can be rested on the bristle end without snaping off any of the bristles.

 

[TONKA1675]

Here's some pics of the leg welding and painting progress taken with my cell.

 

[TONKA1675]

Actually, I just realized I should have started this in the props section, not the costuming section. If a moderator could move it, it'd be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Westies14]

WOW!!!:eek

I have to ask: what would you charge to make another - non-scaled - metal piece like that? That's just incredible... Great work!

 

[TONKA1675]

Unfortunately it's a very labor intensive process, (heating/bending/cooling, welding, cleaning up the welds, grinding) and I've got a ton of costuming work on my plate already, plus I'm starting my masters degree. Besides, for how much time it took to get it right, you'd probably be better off costwise just buying a noble collection broom if you don't want it scaled. Believe me, if I could have just bought one of their brooms scaled to my height, I would have gone with that in a heartbeat!

If I do get some time free'd up though, I'll let you know. Thanks for the compliments!

 

[Wolfie]

WOW!!!:eek

I have to ask: what would you charge to make another - non-scaled - metal piece like that? That's just incredible... Great work!

No kidding!

I for one do appreciate you posting these though because at least it gives me hope I can make at least SOMETHING similar to what you have there.

 

[kessa]

Stick with it - sure, it's nice to be able to get one easily "off the shelf" as it were.. but there's nothing quite like knowing that *you* made a prop / costume, etc yourself

 

[TONKA1675]

Stick with it - sure, it's nice to be able to get one easily "off the shelf" as it were.. but there's nothing quite like knowing that *you* made a prop / costume, etc yourself

I absolutely agree, but it did take months to get it right, and it's not for me, it's for a friend. :cry The good news though is that the rest of the broom will be a breeze by compairison!

After these four are done, the plan is to revisit the Nimbus and make one for myself as well.

 

[sonicfreak04]

I can't wait until the firebolt it made

 

[TONKA1675]

Me either, that one's for me!

 

[EZBSVS]

These are awesome! I made my own a few years ago and am remaking them this summer. Yours great so far! Are you doing the metal work yourself?

Also, you're doing Ron & Ginny's brooms right? From all the pictures I've seen, they are pretty much the same broom. Have you seen any other differences? Can't wait to see how these come out! If you're interested in making more Firebolt pedals I may have to hit ya up. I sent CAD drawings for them to a friend but he's being a slacker so I'm looking for someone who can actually do them.

Anywho, can't wait to see how these turn out!

i

 

[TONKA1675]

There are a few differences between their brooms, but you are correct that they are very nearly the same.

To go along with character developement with the weasley's being a "poor family", I think of their brooms along the lines of "Someone else bought something like a firebolt 20 years ago, handed it down through the siblings for a few years, and when the last one was too old for it the weasley's got it at a Wizard Yard Sale!" They're very reminiscent of a dirty, overused, hand me down broom. Maybe at one time it was the best, but it's way outdated now.

Similarities
Size, shape, bristles

Differences
Pedals -- (ginny's is close to the shape of a firebolt in it's curves, where as ron's are closer to the Nimbus 2001 with straight cylinders and spheres at the end)

Color -- (ginny's is a darker brown/reddish, ron's is more of a tan yellow color -- Think light color wooden baseball bat)

Bands -- I haven't looked in a while, but it seems like ron's has 2 bands like the firebolt, and ginny has the 2nd band missing with a leather strap replacement, like the band broke and they fixed it back up

The problem I'll have with the firebolt pedals is that they go from thicker at the shaft attachment to gradually thinner at the ends. Personally, the easiest way might be to hand bend aluminum rod, and to use bondo to build up the thickness.

 

[TONKA1675]

I also just remembered that in a lot of the screenshots I have, it looks like the legs on ron's leading to the pedals are actually flat like a rectangular prism rather than cylindrical like ginny's. Watch the movie and look at the legs when the camera is looking at ron's back during the quidditch match in HBP.

 

[EZBSVS]

Tonka, you're absolutely right, my bad! I saw some promo pics and Ron and Ginny were using the same broom. Ron's has the square cross section pedals and Ginny has the Firebolt style pedals, but with what looks like a canvas band following the single metal bracket.

Here's the pic if you're interested: http://blogbonniewright.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ginnyweasley-quidditch-2.jpg

Also, I meant to add earlier, I'm sure you may have seen this, but when you're doing your Nimbus 2000's, those 3 bands are actually wires wrapped around in clusters. I saw the real brooms at the exhibition, and they are beautiful things but that was one detail that stood out. When we see them far away they appear to be solid metal rings but they are actually made up from brass wires. Which may work in your benefit depending on how you plan to do the tails!

Anywho, on your Firebolt pedals, yeah, I'd recommend bending some rod, but I'd advice against bondo. Perhaps take some acrylic rod on a lathe, taper it, then heat bend it? There's a great making of video for the Firebolt from Cinereplicas. Have you seen it?

Hope some of this helps you any!

i

 

[EZBSVS]

Tonka, you're right, they are square cross section. I'd get some square tube, heat bend it to shape, and then pop the circular pedals on that way.

Here's a decent pic of that:
http://littledailyprophet.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ron.jpg

 

[TONKA1675]

Also, I meant to add earlier, I'm sure you may have seen this, but when you're doing your Nimbus 2000's, those 3 bands are actually wires wrapped around in clusters.

Yep, I was aware of that. Thanks though, any help or extra insight from anyone else will always be appreciated by me. It's one of the mistakes they made on the Nobel collection broom. Here's a close-up of the one hanging up in the ceiling at WWoHP. While I know it's not a screen used broom, it's still pretty accurate.

Anywho, on your Firebolt pedals, yeah, I'd recommend bending some rod, but I'd advice against bondo. Perhaps take some acrylic rod on a lathe, taper it, then heat bend it? There's a great making of video for the Firebolt from Cinereplicas. Have you seen it?

Sounds like it would work, but I don't have access to a lathe and I've never tried bending acrylic rod. I'll definately have to check out that video for sure.

 

[EZBSVS]

Tonka, I have a good lathe myself, I don't know if you'd be interested in some sort of arrangement? And it's a pretty easy job to bend it. Set up some sort of jig for the angle you want, then use a heat gun and gently heat it till it bends. Pretty simple. Then just spray it with primer, etc etc.

As for the Nimbus picture, I remember seeing that when I visited Orlando too! Glad you caught it

What are your plans for the tails as far as the brush goes? Twigs and the like? I've seen craft stores that sell similar branches, but they tend to be kinda expensive.

Sorry to pester you so much with all this, I get rather excited when dealing with Harry Potter stuff.

 

[iycis]

I'm part of the same costuming group as Tonka and I'm supposed to come up with a Nimbus 2001 for my Slytherin quidditch uniform. Now I'm so incredibly intimidated just reading the build methods you guys are talking about. I have no access to any of this stuff. I think I'm going to have to buy a Noble version. At least its sized correctly to my height. :\

This is why I just stick to sewing...

 

[TONKA1675]

Now Natasha, I'm sure between you and dustin you could do it. I'd be willing to help you do any research or explain any methods for getting it done. Having held all three reproductions, I gotta say the 2001 is my favorite.

@EZBSVS -- don't ever think you're going to bug me with questions. Any of my friends would tell you that I ALWAYS overanalyze and overexplain everything. I am in fact using the dried naturals from the store, but I caught them on sale a few months ago at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. I believe I got enough for 4 brooms for about $85 at that discount. It's another reason why I'm using the steel rod in the brush, dried naturals are brittle and will snap under pressure, unlike the nobel collection firebolt which has rubber, bendable brush.