HELP! Batman Batarang How To

[IndyFanChuck]

Hey friends,

I am in the planning stages of Making a FOLDING 1989 Batman Batarang. I have taken about 50 High Res Screen Caps of the scene where Batman uses the Batarang in 89 Batman. I have taken more screen caps of the Making Of Documentary where the Prop Maker actually folds the 89 Batarang in a close up for the camera.

So, the ONLY thing I know about the 89 Batarang is that my friends on the Brotherhood of the Bat Forum feel that Bungee Cord is what is on the inside somehow - to snap it open like it does. I dont have ANY idea how it works! haha I don't pretend to have ANY idea how to go about making one.

I just thought before I got started I was ask for some assistance from you all. If you have any ideas and suggestions please let me know. Otherwise, I plan to have my HOW TO here, and on the Botb Forum as well. To share how this is done with you all, that way EVERYONE can have a 89 Folding Batarang for their collections!

Anyone have any suggestions before I start from scratch?

Thanks for your help and suggestions,

----Chuck

 

[Funky]

I want to say that I saw a pretty cool one here on the RPF being sold some time back. It was smooth on the "inside" and opened with a simple hinge with a tiny action spring inside (that similar to a woman's hairclip). The thing could be held closed then by letting go on one side it snapped open. Only problem was there was no locking mechanism so in order to keep it closed you had to hold it closed with your hand.
This was a while back and my memory could be faulty because I'm old.

 

[Jawafive]

You should contact BOTB member Blackwood Bat. He made one that folds in all 4 places just like the movie one. Be prepared though as I don't know how many of the secrets he wants to give up. Also, let me know about the PM you sent me.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Anyone else have any suggestions? I would GREATLY appreciate the help on this project.


Please. Help me out. Looking for information on the Folding 89 Batarang. I have been researching this for MONTHS.....

Please guys, help a fellow member out.

God Bless!


----Chuck

You should contact BOTB member Blackwood Bat. He made one that folds in all 4 places just like the movie one. Be prepared though as I don't know how many of the secrets he wants to give up. Also, let me know about the PM you sent me.

 

[blufive]

A lack of information from RPF members probably means no one here is familiar with the mechanism.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Thanks for the post. I appreciate someone talking to me. haha

I am told that the Folding 1989 Batarangs are out there, but someone sent me a PM saying that people tend to be "elitist" about them. Which made me laugh, and made me sad.

It's sad to think that people on here would be selfish and not help a fellow member out. Especially when I'm working on making the Best Batman Fan Film ever produced!

But, thanks for at least responding. Maybe someone will offer their help. And we can get this 1989 Folding Batarang Mystery solved!

A lack of information from RPF members probably means no one here is familiar with the mechanism.

 

[blufive]

I was wanting to do one of these 'rangs years ago but information was scarce and I was just too lazy to try and figure it out.

After all these years, I'm still lazy. I'd happy buy a finished piece, though!

:lol

 

[ave4uevoli]

People aren't "elitist" about it. Yes, the batman forums are a little harder to get into than other forums like the RPF :rolleyes

but the truth of it is there are absolutely NO accurate 89 batarangs out there.

Yes Blackwood bat 2 years ago tried to make one with a bungee cord inside.
The general theory behind it was that he took a resin rang cut it into 4 pieces and drilled holes into the pieces and ran a bungee cord through all the pieces. the bungee cord was tight enough so that when a person let go the cord would snap all the pieces in place.

He never finished it at least, he definitely never mass produced it.

On a side note, all the resin castings of the 89 keaton batarangs out there are horribly wrong. The shape is wrong, there are too many ribs.. etc.
No one on the batman forums has the time to pursue making an accurate one at this time which is why no one can help you.

Now, seriously, making a folding batarang is not going to be fun or easy. I suggest, depending on what you need this for.. is to buy a 1 sided batarang and just cut it in half, put a regular but very small hinge on one side to hold the pieces together, and you can simulate a folding batarang. (This is ghetto I know... but I kinda remember what people have had to go through to try and get their batarangs to fold.. and it's a disaster. For example, you have to cut the batarangs in a certain way, it's not a straight cut, Depending on how you cut the batarang will determine how easily it'll snap together... etc)

I think I recall that's how they did it in the movie, they showed the unfolding batarang for like a split second and then they showed a solid double sided batarang when he was throwing it at the goons legs.

You can do the exact same thing if you're making a movie.

I understand you've been searching for 89 batman props for what seems like a long time now. But you need to listen to what many people are telling you. Especially if you're already talking to Jants, who is one of the best in terms of batman prop costuming. I've been "looking" for the props that you've been requesting for the last 5-6 years now and I'm even friends with some of the people who are making the props.. and I told you... they don't exist.

On a side note, if you want to try to make these props then by all means, everyone in the batman community would extremely happy to see your progress and everyone there will be happy to help you if you posted some preliminary pics and asked for advice.

 

[blufive]

People aren't "elitist" about it. :rolleyes

I would disagree with you there. I've been around on many forums for a number of years. SOME of the people on the superhero boards are indeed elitists.

Your perception and ours differs on this particular point.

 

[Funky]

I'll drink to that. I know several people on this board (a few have been around since the begining) who are amongst the most obnoxious elitists I've ever met.

 

[blufive]

Don't get me wrong. There are elitists on every forum. All I'm saying is the superhero forum(s) are no exception.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

I am not bashing anyone in particular. Let me make that clear. I really am not. I dont know of a single person who actually had a folding 89 Batarang.

I have just received a few PM's in my Inboxes here and in my other Forums of people telling me that there ARE people who make the Folding Batarangs - but that they dont help anyone and are elitist about their props.

Again, I dont know who these people are. LOL I would have messaged them personally and begged for help.

It is just a darn shame - if what I am being told is true - that there are people on the Fourm for Replica Prop Making that would not share information with their brothers.

Maybe it's the Youth Minister in me coming out. Maybe I am just being naive? But NOT sharing seems very childish. Especially if I am willing to do all the work, or if it's out of my skill range, to pay for the work to be done.

Either way, it doesnt matter in the end. If people wont share then I will have to do my best and make one myself.

I actually found a way I think I can do it, and have one side of the Batarang look superb. It's just the other side of the Batarang will have slightly visible tiny hinges. Surely someone else has already done this, as it shouldnt be all THAT hard. Just wont be the way they made the original.

When I can track down the teenie-tiny hinges, I will post photos of my Progress. As I said, one side will be off, but at least the other side will look similar to the 1989 Batarang!

And that can benefit us ALL - if everyone wants an inexpensive Batarang that folds! Just wont be screen matched!


---Chuck

Don't get me wrong. There are elitists on every forum. All I'm saying is the superhero forum(s) are no exception.

 

[franz bolo]

You should contact BOTB member Blackwood Bat. He made one that folds in all 4 places just like the movie one. Be prepared though as I don't know how many of the secrets he wants to give up. Also, let me know about the PM you sent me.

His was nice. He seems to have thought up the folding part so I don't think there are any inside secrets about it.

FB

 

[d_osborn]

Only problem was there was no locking mechanism so in order to keep it closed you had to hold it closed with your hand.
This was a while back and my memory could be faulty because I'm old.

I'm pretty sure that's how the original hero 'rang was... you can see bats slightly moving his thumb when he snaps it open. There was an interesting theory that the 89 rang used gravity, that there was no spring mechanism at all... the shot was filmed at an angle where the 'rang would have unfolded using gravity, sped up slightly in post. No clue, though. That may have actually been debunked, though... it has been SO long since I've researched it...

I have a set of old design drawings for most of the bat-gadgets from B89, including several for the 'rang.... nothing on the folding/opening mechanism, though.

 

[moviebuff5]

You could use Neodymium magnets as the locking mechanism. I picked up a few from All Electronics.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Would you mind sharing the photos if you can find them? I would appreciate anything at all that would help me build mine.

Also, great idea on the magnets! I will have to try that as well. Might have to make several different ones to see which ones works best! This might be a TON of fun after all!

Thanks for the good advice guys!

I'm pretty sure that's how the original hero 'rang was... you can see bats slightly moving his thumb when he snaps it open. There was an interesting theory that the 89 rang used gravity, that there was no spring mechanism at all... the shot was filmed at an angle where the 'rang would have unfolded using gravity, sped up slightly in post. No clue, though. That may have actually been debunked, though... it has been SO long since I've researched it...

I have a set of old design drawings for most of the bat-gadgets from B89, including several for the 'rang.... nothing on the folding/opening mechanism, though.

 

[wuher da brewer]

How many pieces is this batarang? Lets see what we're talking about. Maybe we can engineer it. There is one I'm thinking of, that was two main parts. Maybe use one spring rod for the snap and one or two coiled springs for the lock. If it is more parts, add more spring rods.

 

[d_osborn]

Would you mind sharing the photos if you can find them? I would appreciate anything at all that would help me build mine.

They're stashed away somewhere in a closet. I have a ton of things that I've been needing to scan...when I get around do it, I'll add the bat-gadget designs to the pile and post away.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Thanks for those of you that are planning on sharing your photos of the Bat gadgets! I look foward to seeing them.

As for the photos I have, basically its just what I have surfed for, and I have had two other members of the RPF and BotB give me a few. Wait..... I take that back. I took a TON of Screen Caps of the Batarang. But as far as "on set" or "behind the scenes" photos, I really dont have any. I should be clear about that. I have tons of Screen caps of the 89 Batarang. Just not much else, other than what I can screen grab.

Here is some of what I have:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang1-3.png


http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang1-2.png


http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang1-4.png

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang1_1.png

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang_b89-1.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/redrockerjr5150/batarang1-5.png

Feel free to share your 1989 Batarang photos if you have any to share. Or anything at all. :thumbsup

How many pieces is this batarang? Lets see what we're talking about. Maybe we can engineer it. There is one I'm thinking of, that was two main parts. Maybe use one spring rod for the snap and one or two coiled springs for the lock. If it is more parts, add more spring rods.

 

[KidL]

In case you don't know, there's a great photo resource over at: http://www.batmanunmasked.com/

Unfortunately, none of the photos show the actual mechanics of the fold/pop-out action.