My First DL-44

Thanks! I’m new to this community. My second blaster is here: Luke Skywalker’s Dagobah DL-44
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War Machine claims that the grips are based on scans & measurements from a real Mauser. That’s probably true. They look great. The basic shape fits the Denix (I think they adjusted them) but you still need to modify the handle a bit. There is also a gap that needs to be filled with wood filler. Overall, these wooden grips are wider than the plastic or wood grips from Denix.
They are from scan but they had to be cheated a little to fit denix frame....
 
Scope looks great !!!!!
Dude thanks! I got the scope replica from a company called War Machine. The main body is cast aluminum alloy (I think). I toned the metal with layers transparent orange, yellow & “smoke” paint to get it looking like the tarnished brass reference photos I found. I applied black texture paint over that. That way, chipping/sanding revealed fairly realistic brass in a believable way. I think I could improve on the technique. The scope replica had detailed markings on the brass eyepiece rings that were well done & easy to fill with white paint.
 
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I used very little paint. Just dry brushed Tamiya X1 over the JBWeld filler I used to hide the stamped markings. I also ground down/filled the pins & covered them the same way. My steel parts took a few applications of bluing. The new aluminum parts took even more al. black to build up a dark finish. Cleaning, light (fine) sanding & lots of heat helps. At least for me, I’m not an expert with this stuff. A finish coating of gun oil or wax also helps. The only place I used an airbrush was over the filled made in Spain stamp. On the second one I built I just dry brushed that too.

Just remembered... I did airbrush the brass parts with X1. I then sanded them back with 400 & 2000 grit to make them look well worn. I covered all this with satin clear.

I made very thin decals (clear inkjet decal paper) for the sight & extractor. I blended the extractor decal with paint & clear coat.

I guess I should have tried that. Other threads said to sand/Freeman it to the metal and repair with a dark gun metal finish. So now, I have a really shiny Denix Mouser. I’ll post pics shortly.
 
I guess I should have tried that. Other threads said to sand/Freeman it to the metal and repair with a dark gun metal finish. So now, I have a really shiny Denix Mouser. I’ll post pics shortly.
Aluminum black will darken the Denix metal almost immediately. It’ll look 100 years old in 5 minutes. :)
 
Dude thanks! I got the scope replica from a company called War Machine. The man body is cast aluminum alloy (I think). I toned the metal with layers transparent orange, yellow & “smoke” paint to get it looking like the tarnished brass reference photos I found. I applied black texture paint over that. That way, chipping/sanding revealed fairly realistic brass in a believable way. I think I could improve on the technique. The scope replica had detailed markings on the brass eyepiece rings that were well done & easy to fill with white paint.
funny, War Machine is FieldMarshall that you are currentlu talking too ;)
Nice work on the weathering (y)
 
Guys here’s a question: Do you prefer painting the Denix a metallic black, gunmetal or matte black?

and when it’s done, do you out a coat of matte lacquer over the top of everything once it’s weathered?

it’s my first build and I don't want to mess it up.
 
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There isn’t really a correct answer. Your best bet is to pick the version of the prop you want to build & then decide if you want it to be screen accurate or idealized. That will dictate the finishes you use (paint vs bluing, stuff like that). Anyway, good luck. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
 
There isn’t really a correct answer. Your best bet is to pick the version of the prop you want to build & then decide if you want it to be screen accurate or idealized. That will dictate the finishes you use (paint vs bluing, stuff like that). Anyway, good luck. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

the issue I’m having is I’m doing a Han ANH set up as well as an Indy ROTA. I bought some gun metal paint for my airbrush, but it’s rubbing off all over my gloves. I’ll have to do a lacquer on that for sure. But was wondering on KIND of paint will work best for Han gun.
Acrylic? SHOULD I have to do a lacquer and if so, matte? Semi matte? I can’t find the answer on Line.
 
When I restore metal toys I have great luck with Tamiya Fine primer (left to cure) + Acrylic color (left to cure) or lacquer color + Gloss or semi gloss lacquer. Once fully cured, this is a tough finish. Tough enough to cut and buff to a high shine.


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Thanks for the help. That gunmetal paint is coming off and scuffs very easily. I guess I got the wrong kind. Lesson learned. I have some semi-matte lacquer. Ill see what that looks like.
 
Ok, so, again, being new to this, I messed up. I made this quick paint box. Took a big box when I order two cases of wine in. Drilled holes at the top, took and old box fan with two air filters on the bottom, one at the top. Works so far.

Heres the issue. I’m working on a Dinex Webley for my Indy set up. Rather practice on that than ruin my Solo ANH FL-44. Any way I put 4-5 coats of the Klear Kote lacquer. Loved how it looked. But paint would scratch off VERY easily. So I went and grabbed a can of RustOleum lacquer. Given the way the top looked, I assumed it would have been the same semi matte like the Klear Kote.

It ended up turning one side PURPLE!!! You can see the side that just has the Klear Kote vs RustOleum.
Do I have to redo the whole thing now? Dremel it all off and start over???
 

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Ok, so, again, being new to this, I messed up. I made this quick paint box. Took a big box when I order two cases of wine in. Drilled holes at the top, took and old box fan with two air filters on the bottom, one at the top. Works so far.

Heres the issue. I’m working on a Dinex Webley for my Indy set up. Rather practice on that than ruin my Solo ANH FL-44. Any way I put 4-5 coats of the Klear Kote lacquer. Loved how it looked. But paint would scratch off VERY easily. So I went and grabbed a can of RustOleum lacquer. Given the way the top looked, I assumed it would have been the same semi matte like the Klear Kote.

It ended up turning one side PURPLE!!! You can see the side that just has the Klear Kote vs RustOleum.
Do I have to redo the whole thing now? Dremel it all off and start over???
Yeah that looks weird for sure. There really is no such thing as black paint... just very dark purple, green, blue & so on. Warmer blacks are sort of brown-ish, cooler blacks are sort of blue-ish with lots of variations. I don’t have enough experience to explain your problem, but maybe one of pigments in your paint reacted to the top coat. Like when photos fade & pick up a red or blue cast.

FWIW, I’ve had no trouble using Tamiya clear lacquer over Tamiya X1 black. The effect is a rich, gloss black. Especially with a little buffing. Mr. Hobby works well too.

Anyway, I don’t paint replica guns (unless they’re plastic or resin). On metal props, I use a chemical process that’s closer to the way many real guns are actually finished. I only use paint to touch-up specific flaws. Guns get their shine from oil & wax, that’s how I do it. No lacquer needed. It’s the process I detailed before.

The big downside of the technique I use is all the prep work needed. Also, different metals need different chemicals & react in their own way.

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Yeah that looks weird for sure. There really is no such thing as black paint... just very dark purple, green, blue & so on. Warmer blacks are sort of brown-ish, cooler blacks are sort of blue-ish with lots of variations. I don’t have enough experience to explain your problem, but maybe one of pigments in your paint reacted to the top coat. Like when photos fade & pick up a red or blue cast.

FWIW, I’ve had no trouble using Tamiya clear lacquer over Tamiya X1 black. The effect is a rich, gloss black. Especially with a little buffing. Mr. Hobby works well too.

Anyway, I don’t paint replica guns (unless they’re plastic or resin). On metal props, I use a chemical process that’s closer to the way many real guns are actually finished. I only use paint to touch-up specific flaws. Guns get their shine from oil & wax, that’s how I do it. No lacquer needed. It’s the process I detailed before.

The big downside of the technique I use is all the prep work needed. Also, different metals need different chemicals & react in their own way.

So, I’m learning. Found out today, all the paints I have are plastic model paints and do not adhere to metal well‼️ I got a metallic black metal primer today. It’s a rattle can but I’ll just mist it on and be careful. So what I’ll have to do now is remove all the paint and weathering down to the steel, primer it, then use my airbrush lacquer to coat that, so the thinned enamel weathering paint doesn’t strip the primer. I’ll post pics as I redo it.

You don’t know what you don’t know till you learn it‼️
 
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