My Portal Gun Build

[jeremiahjw]

EDIT: Thanks for all the responses. I'll be posting all my updates on the build on this thread.

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Hey everyone! I'm a videographer/FX artist in the Dallas, TX area, and I've been wanting to do a short video around a Portal gun. The only problem is that the only good looking Portal gun replica I've seen is the one Volpin Props made, and I don't think he'd let me borrow his.

So, I decided that I should try making it myself. The thing is that I've never made a prop. Well, I did when I was a kid, but it consisted of paper mache', paper, and tape. I don't want to put a lot of money into this, and it only needs to look good on video, e.g. there can be flaws that you wouldn't see on screen.

I went through Volpin's blog post on how he made his Portal gun, and I can't say that I'm not intimidated at the idea of trying this out, which makes it worse because I have a deadline of about 1 month and two weeks.

Here is said blog post - Volpin Props: Portal Gun.

Is there a way I could simplify this, cutting down the cost and difficulty, but still make it look good on screen? The light part doesn't intimidate me, I've played with electronics since I was 10, but the rest does.

It seems that the basic steps were to cut up a piece of PVC for the base, then use foam, apoxie sculpt, wonderflex plastic, and bondo to create the plastic parts.

Any suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

-Jeremiah

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Hi Jeremiah,

If you look at the gun you can see that there are four main design elements.

The main element is the cylindrical center tube with the light at the end. Head to home depot or any other DIY store and get yourself a few pvc pipes of various diameters and a few transition pieces.

For the shell pieces you could go look at cheap helmets while you are at Home Depot, or hit a ToysRus and have a look at toy helmets, or any store with pvc bowls. A heat gun will be your friend for deforming the pvc items.

Next, get creative with those little arms. They should be easy to do with a stuff from a DIY store, like u shaped aluminium rails etc.

Of course this won´t get you a screen or game accurate portal gun, but you should be able to build a look a like within a few days.

Very curious to see what you come up with

 

[Volpin]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

You may want to check out my most recent build - I go into more detail about creating the barrel and center sections, as well as the illumination.

Volpin Props: Portal Gun for Child's Play

Best of luck with it!

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Wow, the real Volpin himself! Thanks for replying! I actually emailed you a few days ago about renting your Portal gun, but I figured you wouldn't want to do that.

I do see some stuff in that post that clears some things up, I also found your thread here talking about the construction of it, which helps to. Would it be possible to get the length of the front casing, rear casing, the middle barrel, and front barrel?

@ManfromNaboo - After thinking it over again, I think I'll try making it myself. I looked through another step-by-step that Volpin did, and he used the expanding foam and cardboard/paper to make the base for his Daft Punk helmet. Volpin Props: August 2009

I guess I could also use paper mache'. What would be the easiest way to cover it up and sculpt the details? Clay? Apoxie sculpt? Bondo? Wonderflex plastic?

This is starting to not look as complicated. Things seem simpler once you narrow it all down.

 

[rollerboi]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

You could simply use papier maché pulp to sculpt details. Rather than using strips, just cut up squares and squish 'em together. Not sure if I still have the recipes I posted before but I'll take a look around.

Please, take pictures and document your own build! This is an awesome gun.

Edit: A site, in spanish, detailing migajon (a sculptable bread paste that dries very lightweight). Use google translate if necessary: http://www.laescuelavirtual.com/migajon/migajon1.htm

You can also look for engrudo, which is a paper mache paste with very good strength. You can dip strips, or squares.

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Ok, I'm leaning towards that. Still, what material should I use to smooth it over and add details?

I'm going to put together a cardboard/paper model together soon to give me an idea of the scale of everything. I'll certainly be posting photos.

 

[rollerboi]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

If working with papier mache, you'll most likely want to sand and laquer it both for strength and smoothness.

You can then add bondo to it, but that will add to the weight, or require that you mold and cast the finished piece.

 

[IronCostumer]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Ok, I'm leaning towards that. Still, what material should I use to smooth it over and add details?

I'm going to put together a cardboard/paper model together soon to give me an idea of the scale of everything. I'll certainly be posting photos.

Heres the Portal gun I made based off an Instructable for halloween last year. It was completed in a week of hard work. Here's my WIP thread with pics: http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-portal-gun-build-99093/

For the back shell I used a bike helmet as a base. That's a good place to start if you want. Just make sure it isn't too big. Then I added layers of paper mache. What I suggest you do is use a helmet as a base and use paper mache or plaster strips, then build it up with paper mache clay. Here's a recipe I found:

Paper Mache Clay Recipe | Ultimate Paper Mache

It's what I should of done but I ran out of time. You will be able to layer it on the get the right thickness and then sand and paint. All for free with ingredients you probably already have at home. I'm planning on making a new Portal Gun for the release of Portal 2, so I'd like to see how this comes out for when I use it on my second build. Good Luck!

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

@Rollerboi - Would the sanding and laquer give me a surface like this? I'm not really worried about weight, but I would like it to look like it's smooth plastic.

Volpin covered the foam in Wonderflex plastic, and lined the edges with apoxie sculpt for definition. It was then painted with several layers of high-build primer to hide the texture of the wondeflex.

@IronCostumer - I came across your thread while searching this forum to see if anyone other than Volpin had tried a Portal gun. That paper mache' clay looks like a good thing to go with, would be easier to smooth I think.

 

[Volpin]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

I actually emailed you a few days ago about renting your Portal gun, but I figured you wouldn't want to do that.

Would it be possible to get the length of the front casing, rear casing, the middle barrel, and front barrel?

Yeah, my email punctuality kind of blows. Sorry about that.

A very talented gent named "Bevbor" made some fantastic blueprints of the gun a little while ago. I have a copy, but don't want to distribute them without his permission to do so. You might see about dropping him a line and asking for a set. It would help on your build immensely.

I may be able to get measurements later this week. My V1 and V2 guns vary by about .75" in length though.

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Haha, I kinda figured that you probably get a ton of emails, and you probably don't have a lot of time to pay attention to all of them.

I did some Googling, and I think Bevbor uploaded the blueprint to Flickr, if this is it. Portal Gun Drawing | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[rkpetersen]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

I wanted one of Volpin's aperture guns bad. So awesome. But some rich ****er beat me to it at auction.:unsure

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Ok, I painted some cardboard with primer, going to try a few coats of that and sand paper, to see how smooth it is. On Friday I'll get the ingredients for paper mache paste/clay. Also assembling a prototype of the large white portion in the rear out of paper, cardboard, and masking tape.

-Jeremiah

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Here is the prototype.

It probably isn't the right scale (that pipe is 3''), but I wanted to get an idea of how I'd build the framework. I'm guessing once I have the scale, I'll build another one, and cover it with expandable foam, then carve that into the correct shape. I'm wondering what I should do next. Should I cover the foam in paper mache, Wonderflex Plastic, or apoxie sculpt? I still have to made the indention in the middle, along with the hole for the light.

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Ok. I purchased a few materials tonight for the gun.

Hoping to buy the 4'' PVC tomorrow. I already had some 3'' PVC laying around. I think my plan is to make the "skeleton" of the white parts out of paper and cardboard, cover that with expandable foam, then that with clay or sculpt. Then with various sanding and priming get the smooth surface.

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Ok, I figured out the scale, it's going to be around 19-20 inches long. I just scaled up the blueprint that Volpin mentioned in Photohop, knowing the main chamber size was 4''.

 

[Volpin]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

If it helps, my V1 was about 21" long from the tail to the barrel end. V2 was 22" long, because of a slightly longer barrel and center chamber section.

 

[jeremiahjw]

Re: I want to build a Portal gun replica. Now what?

Oh thanks. I was actually going with that scale at first (21 inches), but then I decided I would go with the blueprint scale. I might make the barrel a little longer, so it might come out to 21 inches.

Going to Lowes tomorrow to get all my parts. Excited about this. <smile>

 

[jeremiahjw]

Thanks all for the advice on how to go about building this (especially Volpin). I'll be posting updates on my build here. I'm going with pretty much the same scale as a blueprint I found, I will be lengthening the middle of the barrel by a few inches though, so, from 19 inches (in total) to 20 or 21 inches.

I've worked on the rear casing a bit, but I'm going to start on the barrel now to make sure it's the right scale. I'm going to Lowes tomorrow to get the rest of the parts I need.

 

[giz]

cool! keep us updated