Hellboy Corpse Locator Scratch Build - New Light Module Pics

[madmanmoe64]

Re: Hellboy Corpse Locator Scratch Build - 2nd Build Up

I'll pick the tutorial back up when I get to that stage in my production run.

But for now I wanted to show the build up of the light units, which I'm quite proud of.

At some stage I'd really like to start making my own PCB's but for now I'm still starting off with good old stripboard.

I used a set of hole saws to cut rings out of the stripboard. You have to clamp this stuff really well or the drill will throw it around and snap it.

This leaves me with some rough looking rings, as well as some tiny circular bits of stripboard, which I really have to find a use for.

Once I have the rings cut out I tidy them up a bit with a Dremel sanding drum then use a cut off wheel to make these two small notches.

The reason for the notches is to accomodate these battery contacts.

Whilst not the way they were intended to be used, fitting them this way almost halves their height sticking up from the board and allows me to use a slimmer battery (CR2016 instead of the Cr2032). You'll see what I mean later.
However, these battery contacts are one solid piece and only form the positive contact.



Once the boards are prepped I start by stitching the negative battery contact into place. Stitching?
I'm using small gauge copper wire, which I actually bought for jewellery making.

The problem here was that I need a large contact area, on the opposite side of the board to the copper traces. I tried a few different solutions, including conductive paint (very high resistance) and glueing foil to the board.

This method proved to be the easiest and most reliable.



The next step is to solder the positive battery contact into place, as well as soldering the ends of the copper wire to one of the traces.

I had trouble finding surface mount switches in the U.K so I ended up ordering from China. It took a month but they are really nice and small.

These also aren't being attached by standard means, because they need soldering to the non-copper side of the board.



So I start of by simply epoxy-ing them in place. I also add epoxy to the battery clip to strengthen it.

I then do some more sewing with copper wire.

And then a quick bit of solder, so now this switch is connected to the traces on the other side.

That's all for today, They're looking quite clean atm, but once I start putting resistors and running wires all over the place it gets very messy.

That's fine though, the reason it's set up like this is so that the leds are on the copper side, then everything else is on the opposite side, which allows the board to sit flat against the clear pivot piece, this will hopefully all be clearer when I get round to pics of installing it.

 

[madmanmoe64]

Re: Hellboy Corpse Locator Scratch Build - 2nd Build Up

I've got a stack of 7 light modules completed, I'm gonna hold off on pictures until I've installed one into the clear resin pivot piece so that you can see the full module.

Today I did finally get down to my shed and start casting again, so I've started cranking out the plastic parts and by tomorrow I will have a fresh clear pivot piece to install one of my light rings in.

 

[fivetonine]

That epoxy "weaving" really gives me some ideas... How easy was it closer to the end of hardening time? I'm thinking of something much simpler, but much bigger.

Second question: How did you scale this? Did you try to make a movie-accurate size or something that "seemed right" in your hand? Seeing as Hellboy has hands much larger than the average human, I am very interested how you found the sizes...

 

[madmanmoe64]

That epoxy "weaving" really gives me some ideas... How easy was it closer to the end of hardening time?

As you probably know, epoxy putty goes through various stages. I spent the first 2 hours rolling out long strands because this is when the material is most malleable. It also tends to be a bit sticky at this stage which can be annoying.

By the time I started weaving though, it had lost some of its tackiness and didn't stick to itself too much. But I had to work quickly, by the end of three hours it was getting brittle and beginning to crack when I bent it too much. Past three hours I was able to flatten everything out a bit and add damage etc, but for the actual weaving don't plan on going much past three hours.

I struggled to get these pieces done in time, if you give me an idea of what you wanted to make I may be able to advise you, or just have a crack at it and see what happens (epoxy putty is relatively cheap)

Second question: How did you scale this? Did you try to make a movie-accurate size or something that "seemed right" in your hand? Seeing as Hellboy has hands much larger than the average human, I am very interested how you found the sizes...

Phelyx, the creator of the original prop posted pictures in his thread here:

Unfortunately they are all inactive now, but among them was a picture of the prop in his hand. This was pretty much my whole basis for the scale.

I used my own hand as a base and scaled everything from this, then drew up plans in Vectorworks and used those to cut out my inital templates.

I know that my copy is off in a few key places, but very few people (even on here) could tell the difference.

 

[JMANTAM]

I like how the gem in the middle was made

 

[madmanmoe64]

Light module cont.

The rest of the connections are made by some thin gauge hook up wire and resistors.

Once the majority of the components are in and I've tested it, I then file all the big lumps of solder to a nice low profile, so that the board will sit closely against the clear piece.

Now for the tricky bit, the LEDs, I start by adding a small blob of solder to each pad.

Then I add some flux to the copper tracks and use an electronics clamp to hold the LED onto the board. Then I have to carefully heat the copper track until the solder melts and the LED should nicely settle onto the board.

It's a bit tricky without proper solder reflow equipment, but very satisfying once you get the hang of it.

This is how the clear pivot pieces come out of the mould.

Firstly I trim the spout and then rough up the face to better diffuse light. Don't sand anything else, this resin shrinks more than urethane so the piece is already a loose fit.

Next I sink some holes into the back for the LEDS to sit in, I also drill some holes to match the screw holes I made in the stripboard.

A quick test fit.

The board is then removed and the pivot is glued into a centre dial.

This is fairly delicate operation. Firstly the pivot must be glued with it's back completely flat to the dial. This is so that the pivot is perpendicular to the dial, otherwise your dial will be wonky when it spins.
You also have to make sure that when you glue it all in place that the switch on the board will line up with one of the notches in the dial, do a test fitting and make some marks.

That being said the process goes a bit like this:
- mix up some clear epoxy and add a few modest blobs to the back of the amber dome (which has already been gilded and scratched).
- press it onto the clear pivot piece making sure it is centred.
- add a good layer of epoxy around the perimeter of the pivot piece and then carefully place it into the dial.
- clamp the whole piece to a solid backing (steel rulers) making sure the pivot and dial are flush.

:wacko

Tricky, but important. Once dry you can then reattach the light board. Here you can see how the switch lines up with one of the notches in the dial, you can activate the lights with a toothpick if you don't want to remove the dial.

Then flip it over and test it out.

There's not much left of the tutorial, just some detailing I added to the lid as well as all the painting technique.

 

[Phelyx]

Sorry those images disappeared. They were on my iDisk which no longer exists. Here's a link to some of the images, resurrected. Let me know if you want to see more.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35104055@N00/8017425370/in/photostream

 

[madmanmoe64]

Luckily I saved them all to my hard drive, because they were such an amazing reference material.
^ Everyone else, check out the original in all its glory ^

Also I really love the resurrection amulet concept. If it weren't for that picture in the middle (is that hand painted!) I might try to knock one up to sit next to my locator (if I ever get time to build one for myself). I think they make a good pair.

 

[Phelyx]

Unfortunately I have sort of freakish hands, so using that as reference might be a little off - but still close enough to be a really excellent replica.
I just measured one of mine and it's 3.5in diameter across the top from flat side to the adjacent flat side, and 4in diameter from point to point. Each of the six sides is 2in. The "wall" around the outside is 1 inch high, and since the top lid and bottom are slightly convex, the result is just a little over 2 inches high. the inner ring is approximately 2.75in diameter. There's an indent on the underside of the lid that roughly matches the dome, so that the dome comes up into the lid and almost touches the sculpted vines in the lid where the openings are.

 

[tonykch]

I just grabbed my corpse locator and a tape measure:

Unfortunately I have sort of freakish hands, so using that as reference might be a little off - but still close enough to be a really excellent replica.
I just measured one of mine and it's 3.5in diameter across the top from flat side to the adjacent flat side, and 4in diameter from point to point. Each of the six sides is 2in. The "wall" around the outside is 1 inch high, and since the top lid and bottom are slightly convex, the result is just a little over 2 inches high. the inner ring is approximately 2.75in diameter. There's an indent on the underside of the lid that roughly matches the dome, so that the dome comes up into the lid and almost touches the sculpted vines in the lid where the openings are.

On the replica, the measurement from flat side to flat side on the top is 3 9/16 (1/16" off), and from point to point is 4 inches (PERFECT!). The sides are 2 inches (PERFECT AGAIN!). The "wall" around the outside is 1 inch high (THAT'S THREE PERFECT ONES!), and with the top and bottom lid it's 1 5/8" (3/8" off). The inner ring is 2 3/4" inches in diameter (BACK TO PERFECT!) and the dome is probably about 1/16" from touching the vines where the openings are.

All in all, other than the height, that's pretty darn accurate from going off a guesstimate of the size! I for one am VERY impressed!

 

[madmanmoe64]

Thanks for checking my work :thumbsup I was afraid to.
The main geometry was fairly easy thanks to this image. But I guess I got the height a little wrong, mainly because I underestimated the curve of the top and bottom.

I know that the lid is the most inaccurate piece.
It should have slightly more of a curve to it, making it thicker overall, then I could add the dish shape (which mirrors the amber dome) to the inside.
Also I think the lid is about 2mm wider one way than it is another. It was one of the first pieces I did and I hadn't quite perfected my hexagon drawing technique.

I've thought about redoing it several times, but the thought of weaving that epoxy putty again puts me off.

Also there's only one guy on here who noticed .

 

[madmanmoe64]

Back to the build up tutorial. It's become so fragmented now that to be of any use I might have to re post all the bits in a new thread.

There isn't any good reference for the hinge area of the compass so I just add some made up detailing to each piece.

Firstly I cut off the side where the hinge will be at an angle, this allows the lid to open fully, if left alone then the lid only opens about 70 degrees.
Then using the hinges I mark and drill holes for the screws.
(Note: the hinge side is the side with the pour spout)

Using a file, I make the ends of the beading more defined, and using epoxy putty I add some texture, to match the rest of the lid. As well as filling in any bubbles I may have uncovered.

 

[madmanmoe64]

Once all the pieces are cleaned up it's time for primer. As with most things on this build though, it's not that easy.
Filling the hundreds of undercuts with spray paint is near impossible, unless you get in close, over-spray and take out all the detail.

My solution to this was to water down (almost to a wash) some primer and hand paint the main body and lid pieces. It's nice and easy to paint, and capillary action causes it all to collect in the undercuts.
Once this dries I then give them a spray to get an even finish.

The other pieces can be sprayed as normal.

All pieces then need undercoating in black. Unfortunately the same problem occurs with spray. So I do an acrylic ink wash first to get paint in all the tiny gaps.

Stone compass anyone?


Then they get sprayed with matt black to give a nice even finish.

 

[planet]

wow those are nice

 

[madmanmoe64]

Once everything is undercoated the next step is painting the insides of the lid and body.
These parts are hard to see, so I just went for a loose, deep red, wood kind of colour. Painted on thick and streaky to give it a bit of texture. And if you're being really detailed, you can lighten your mix a little with yellow and add a very light dry brush to highlight it a bit.

Possibly the most satisfying step in the painting, is gilding everything.

I tried a gold airbrush paint, but for a really shiny metallic finish nothing beats 'Rub 'n Buff'. I tried using the 'Antique Gold' product, but it's really dark, bronze even, so I decided upon the 'Gold Leaf' variety.

I use a large stiff brush to dry brush it on. Start slow, but don't be afraid to go heavy with it and get it into the gaps, remember that all this gets knocked back a fair bit with weathering.

Once everything is gilded then you want to give it all a good clear coat. I used matt because, although it is gold, we're not going for that highly polished metal look.

 

[darthwhitey]

A beautiful little prop...a welcome addition to the collection!

Looking forward to seeing what you tackle next! :thumbsup

thanks

 

[madmanmoe64]

Sorry if anyone is actually following this tutorial, I keep getting distracted.

The dome, one of the smallest pieces but probably the most important, so it's worth getting right.

Despite a lot of effort I could never cast perfectly smooth pieces with polyester resin (tips welcome) so they come out looking something like this.

Not actually half bad, if you were lazy you could just trim and install them, but I prefer to get them nice and smooth.


These were cast in open moulds so the first job is to sand the back flat. I usually just sit it on 40 grit paper but if you have a belt sander that might work too.

The outer layer of the dome is a bit gummy, which means it's a pain to sand. I used a dremel attachment to get as much of it off as possible (otherwise it gums up any paper instantly)

After this you probably want to take more 40 grit to it making sure all the gunk is off.
Then comes the slow tedious job of sanding and polishing.
First I use 100 grit to get rid of all the tool marks from the dremel. The back of the dome can be left at 100 as it gets painted anyway.
Then the dome gets wet sanded with 240, 600, 800, 1200, 2000, 2500, and penultimately 3000 grit paper.
This is painfully boring and my mind tends to wander so I tried to be methodical, counting how long I was sanding for, using a small circular motion and always washing the dome when I changed grits.
The final stage is to polish. I use toothpaste and a pair of tights to polish. One of the weirder things in my toolbox, but toothpaste is just a mild abrasive.
Some people use an old sock for polishing, but I found tights are smoother and give a better finish, plus they're finer, making it easy to handle small objects.

Anyway, the end result of all that should be a nice smooth, shiny dome.

The next job is to paint the back of the dome gold. You can use rub 'n buff, but I found it hard to get a completely solid layer without really caking it on, so instead I just used a gold acrylic and sponged it on. 2 - 3 coats should give you complete coverage, hold it up to the light to see where gaps are.

Once the gold has completely dried then you need to etch some lines in it. You can sketch out a design before hand if you want, but remember whatever you do the final result will be reversed.
Using a pin I etch lines into the paint, continually checking the other side to see how it comes out. If you are adding LEDs place your dome over them to gauge the effect.

 

[NuadaDesigns]

Unreal!

 

[madmanmoe64]

After years of reading and planning, I've finally got my CNC mill set up.

I had a go at milling a new light board with it.

The lines aren't very neat because I'm just using a cheap bit that came with my Dremel. Proper PCB milling bits are on the way, but it's a fairly simple circuit so it works just fine.

There was supposed to be 4 LEDs but I must have forgotten to add the last outline when I was creating the toolpaths, I was in a bit of a rush.

I've used 3mm LEDs instead of the surface mount ones, this way everything is soldered on one side of the board, I could potentially do the same thing with the surface mount LEDs, I'm not sure what I'll end up doing.

I'm pretty happy with it. It cuts the production time for each board, down from several hours, to under one.

Setting up the machine takes a few minutes, then the board itself is milled in about 5 minutes, and the soldering is a further 10.

A tiny bit of tweaking and then I'll be sending these out with the next run of kits.

 

[Whovian]

hey... great work!

The Rub n Buff Gold is a great idea. I just got a project going that it might be perfect for. Thanks for the idea!