Mass Effect - M7 Assault Rifle

[Yodajammies]

EvilFx got me hooked on EVA foam, and I had planned on building a Mass Effect suit for this year's DragonCon, so I figured I would need a nice weapon to go along with it.

I commissioned a 3d model from Vrogy (not sure if he is a member here). It's actually the assault rifle from Mass Effect I. The M8 is the rifle from the sequel and has a couple slight design changes, but I digress.

The cylindrical bits of this rifle are laser cut acrylic rings that are threaded onto a dowel. The barrels I'm trying to commission out so that I'm not forced to use this same technique.

First pass on the shopbot. This model was milled from 10lb/ft^3 density tooling board.

Second pass

After milling both sides, seaming them together, sealing, and giving them a protective acrylic coat, we then come to the scrap molding.

After 3 coats of OOMOO. I'm not sure I particularly care for this brand of silicone. I think I should have gone with Mold Max or just spent the money and used Rebound 25.

Cylindrical greeble that goes on the right side of the rifle.

I should have the mold done and ready to pull a cast by the end of the weekend. *crosses fingers*

 

[TheSt.LouisKid]

Veeeeeeeeeeeeery cool indeed!

So awesome to see new ways of making things here on the board. :thumbsup

 

[hbrika]

Following this with interest!

 

[franz bolo]

Cool!

FB

 

[Harada357]

AWESOME in progress shots. What an amazing production process !! The process is as interesting as the prop itself !!! Please post more pics as progress moves along. How did you mill the original pattern?

Thank you for such a cool post!!!

Gordon

 

[Tommyfilth]

Looks awesome so far. What model Shopbot is that, I would love to pick your brain about it someday. I also agree about Oomoo (or whatever it's called) but usually I love Smooth on products espically dragon skin (for smaller parts).

Tommy

 

[Yodajammies]

@Harada - Milling the original "pattern" is as "simple" as plugging this high detail 3d model into a program called "Partworks3d". This software creates what is called "G-code" which instructs the CNC mill on where to make cuts, how deep, in what direction, etc. A complex cut like this takes around 2-4 hours depending on what bit you use, how fast you run the machine, what your stepover rate is, and several other factors. If you get into 3d milling, bring a book and ear plugs.

Here is a quick video of the bot doing it's thing:
VID 00017 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!


@TommyFilth: You know, I don't actually know what model Bot it is. It's a 4'x8'x14" work bed with a pretty hefty router, but that's about all I know of it's specs. I'm part of a community workshop (TechShop RDU Community Website | Build your dreams HERE) that owns the machine. I'd love to see them invest in a lathe attachment for it, but noone is holding their breath.

 

[MML]

Whoa, more Mass Effect rifles, excellent! Incredible work on this! :thumbsup

 

[sycor]

Look like it's going be an awesome piece. MA and MA2 are two of my favorite games.

 

[TK648]

After milling both sides, seaming them together, sealing, and giving them a protective acrylic coat, we then come to the scrap molding.

I have been mold making and casting for 25 plus years and with the new CNC
method of making an original, I have wondered why you or any one would
cnc both sides then take both the right and left half's of the rifle, then glue and seem them together then taking the time to bury the rifle in clay and build in all of the male mold aliment pins.

Since you were having the rifle CNC'd in two half,s
you could have had the male mold guide pins CNC'D on the right hand side of the rifle, then had the female matching holes CNC'D on the left side of the rifle.
Then you could have molded both sides of the rifle at the same time
with out burying the original in clay.

Just me thinking out loud....... still a great job

 

[Kommissar]

i'm all for technology.. but something in me just feel that CNC machines are "cheating"

this looks awesome however

 

[Kommissar]

double post

 

[Tommyfilth]

i'm all for technology.. but something in me just feel that CNC machines are "cheating"

this looks awesome however

Isn't that kind of like saying cars are cheating for walking? You better believe If I had access to CNC I would be using it for all kinds of randomness.

Tommy

 

[Kommissar]

Isn't that kind of like saying cars are cheating for walking? You better believe If I had access to CNC I would be using it for all kinds of randomness.

Tommy

true, and not to devalue yoda's work, but from the outside, it seems as if CNC machines are easier to use than actually crafting the object by hand.
the fact that they are extremely expensive to get ahold of is the only reason why everyone isnt using them right now.

 

[TK648]

true, and not to devalue yoda's work, but from the outside, it seems as if CNC machines are easier to use than actually crafting the object by hand.
the fact that they are extremely expensive to get ahold of is the only reason why everyone isnt using them right now.

Some of us have a true talent for building props from scratch
you may have power tools, or just plain hand tools to make a rifle
like this. I do not have the patience any more for building something
from the ground up, and having a c-n-c machine would help out a lot.

I want to buy a CarveWright machine as it would and could do a lot of this.

 

[KitSmasher]

After milling both sides, seaming them together, sealing, and giving them a protective acrylic coat, we then come to the scrap molding.

I have been mold making and casting for 25 plus years and with the new CNC
method of making an original, I have wondered why you or any one would
cnc both sides then take both the right and left half's of the rifle, then glue and seem them together then taking the time to bury the rifle in clay and build in all of the male mold aliment pins.

Since you were having the rifle CNC'd in two half,s
you could have had the male mold guide pins CNC'D on the right hand side of the rifle, then had the female matching holes CNC'D on the left side of the rifle.
Then you could have molded both sides of the rifle at the same time
with out burying the original in clay.

Just me thinking out loud....... still a great job

Oh. I misunderstood. LOL

Hmm. Interesting point. I don't see why you couldn't do it that way. I may try that sometime...

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

If I had access to that equipment I'd be cheating like a madman then! :lol

Not to derail the thread, but they have talked about rapid prototyping machines and CNC stuff at Starshipmodeler several times. Most people decided that you have to have skill to run the machinery and then you have to have some skill to finish the model/prop so it's still "legit". It just speeds up the process.


Very cool so far! Now do a sniper rifle!

 

[KitSmasher]

If I had access to that equipment I'd be cheating like a madman then! :lol

Not to derail the thread, but they have talked about rapid prototyping machines and CNC stuff at Starshipmodeler several times. Most people decided that you have to have skill to run the machinery and then you have to have some skill to finish the model/prop so it's still "legit". It just speeds up the process.


Very cool so far! Now do a sniper rifle!

Not to mention skill to build the 3d model. I've run into a lot of old timers that seem to think you just click a mouse and type, "Make Prop" and the computer spits a model out.

And it's not just modeling an object- modeling for SLA or CNC is a whole different animal- especially if someone is going to have to assemble the parts later. You have to give the parts thickness, take into account where screws and electronics are going to go. With CNC you have to split the model up into parts because the machine won't do undercuts, etc. It's not just "pushing a couple of buttons".

 

[Yodajammies]

Oh I can go ahead and tell you right now that Volpin is a vastly superior craftsman. If you want to see some real prop making skill, check out his M8 build thread.

Of course, one could argue that learning how to properly use a CNC mill is in the same vein as learning how to use a miter saw, or a drill press, or any of these other tools that traditional craftsmen use. For a project like this, the artistry is in the build itself. We as prop makers didn't design the intellectual property, and some can argue that crafting an object from a video game is just that, craftmanship. I feel like this could really cross over into the philosophical pepakura thread.

I see this as merely using a tool that I have at my disposal. I've learned it, become skilled at it, and stored it in my repertoire as a skillset for perpetually improving my propmaking hobby.

 

[Kommissar]

Oh I can go ahead and tell you right now that Volpin is a vastly superior craftsman. If you want to see some real prop making skill, check out his M8 build thread.

Of course, one could argue that learning how to properly use a CNC mill is in the same vein as learning how to use a miter saw, or a drill press, or any of these other tools that traditional craftsmen use. For a project like this, the artistry is in the build itself. We as prop makers didn't design the intellectual property, and some can argue that crafting an object from a video game is just that, craftmanship. I feel like this could really cross over into the philosophical pepakura thread.

I see this as merely using a tool that I have at my disposal. I've learned it, become skilled at it, and stored it in my repertoire as a skillset for perpetually improving my propmaking hobby.

Well said!
I withdraw any inference that CNC machines are 'cheating'.