Rey's Gun TFA
- Thread starter newmagrathea
- Start date
chinbeard
Active Member
Thanks for the kind words everyone! If anyone is interested, I drew up some blueprints for my version. You can get them right here.
Still need to finish the grips and weather it, but it's getting there!
VanOaksProps
Sr Member
Kevin Gossett what paint did you use?
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Alclad II polished aluminum via airbrush
Christof
New Member
Got a question... Does anyone else think that the hero prop is made of nickel silver? Or at least plated in nickel silver? To me, it seems to have the same luster/warmth/sheen as a well worn car key, old trumpet, old drafting tools or old camera. For some reason I don't think it's aluminum or stainless... Or maybe I'm just crazy.
JJ Griffin
Sr Member
It's possible they were 3D printed then electroplated, like I've been told the hero F-11Ds and various other props were.
Yeah, I'm not convinced they were metal. Since it's not based on an existing gun frame, it wouldn't make sense to machine it.
VanOaksProps
Sr Member
Just my 2 cents, but it might make sense to machine it to allow for it to be dropped, etc. which, on a 3d print, has the potential for disaster.
There's also something to be said about holding an item with real weight and substance to it. Especially for actors.
I'm not an actor, but I never knew what a DL-44 felt like until I bought a Denix and immediately felt differently about it and have been considering different ways to give my 3d printed NN-14 some added weight...but deep down inside want a metal version.
There's also something to be said about holding an item with real weight and substance to it. Especially for actors.
I'm not an actor, but I never knew what a DL-44 felt like until I bought a Denix and immediately felt differently about it and have been considering different ways to give my 3d printed NN-14 some added weight...but deep down inside want a metal version.
yojay
Well-Known Member
I agree. I used to use prop guns in my job every day, but they were real. 38 Specials and Ruger Blackhawks. It helped in my performances having such a high quality prop. You can always print with more infill, but that still won't get you to the weight and balance of a metal one.
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JJ Griffin
Sr Member
Great points above.
The sort of 3D printers they used on Force Awakens were industrial-grade SLS machines. They print using nylon powder sintered by lasers. There is nothing brittle or fragile about them compared to the FDM-printed objects people make on their cosumer printers. If anything, these would be more durable, as metal has a tendency to dent and ding (this is why they just bit the bullet and used fiberglass shields for most of Winter Soldier, the metal ones kept getting damaged and were a pain in the butt). SLS prints are very difficult to damage by comparison. They won't break, dent or ding from being dropped, and if they are, you can produce another one very quickly compared to having to machine a new one.
We all know metal isn't a good material for a stunt prop; it's heavy and can risk injuring the actors or stunt men during fight scenes, acrobatic stunts, etc. On the other hand, as we're all aware, nothing looks quite like metal except metal. Electroplating a print fixes this while still leaving the prop much lighter than a metal equivalent. I agree it's nice to have something weighty in your hands but a production does not want to have to worry about damaging a prop (either stunt or Hero), or risking an actor falling onto a metal prop and injuring themself, or having to spend a week machining a dozen of them when they can print the same number in a single night and have them all plated and weathered by the end of the next day.
I am not sure if the NN-14s were metal or printed, mind you. I suspect that any blank-firing ones would be real metal, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that almost all of the F-11Ds and other Props they used were either hand-built and scanned, or modeled, then 3D printed and plated to save time, money, and make them as durable as possible so they could be used on future films. I suspect the same mentality would have applied to this piece but I don't know for sure.
Just my two cents.
The sort of 3D printers they used on Force Awakens were industrial-grade SLS machines. They print using nylon powder sintered by lasers. There is nothing brittle or fragile about them compared to the FDM-printed objects people make on their cosumer printers. If anything, these would be more durable, as metal has a tendency to dent and ding (this is why they just bit the bullet and used fiberglass shields for most of Winter Soldier, the metal ones kept getting damaged and were a pain in the butt). SLS prints are very difficult to damage by comparison. They won't break, dent or ding from being dropped, and if they are, you can produce another one very quickly compared to having to machine a new one.
We all know metal isn't a good material for a stunt prop; it's heavy and can risk injuring the actors or stunt men during fight scenes, acrobatic stunts, etc. On the other hand, as we're all aware, nothing looks quite like metal except metal. Electroplating a print fixes this while still leaving the prop much lighter than a metal equivalent. I agree it's nice to have something weighty in your hands but a production does not want to have to worry about damaging a prop (either stunt or Hero), or risking an actor falling onto a metal prop and injuring themself, or having to spend a week machining a dozen of them when they can print the same number in a single night and have them all plated and weathered by the end of the next day.
I am not sure if the NN-14s were metal or printed, mind you. I suspect that any blank-firing ones would be real metal, but I don't know for sure. What I do know is that almost all of the F-11Ds and other Props they used were either hand-built and scanned, or modeled, then 3D printed and plated to save time, money, and make them as durable as possible so they could be used on future films. I suspect the same mentality would have applied to this piece but I don't know for sure.
Just my two cents.
MatterMaker
Well-Known Member
Speaking only of the hero prop. Aluminum is cheap, CNC'ing is cheap. I don't think they would go through the trouble to use nickel silver. More expensive and copper, nickel and zinc are about 3 times heavier than aluminum, ignoring alloy. I doubt the hero prop for one of the main characters would be 3D printed. It's got to last for the production. You drop a 3D print, it probably wouldn't survive. Buffing, scotchbrite, weathering etc... the finish can be tweaked pretty easily. I think it's aluminum. (it better be, I'm making mine aluminum!
). Someone who was involved with the props on SWE7 would know, we just need to find them. Or get a hold of the prop! The only part I'd doubt is the barrel tip as it looks to be heat treated, can't get that effect on aluminum, but I think that's some kind of paint finish as the rest of the barrel material looks exactly the same as the body.MatterMaker.
JJ Griffin
Sr Member
You know what, screw it. I am going to settle this once and for all! Be right back...
As JJ mentioned, we're not talking about someone printing these on a home Makerbot. Studio prop houses utilize industrial grade, high fidelity "printers" to create props all the time. Sometimes they're produced as a one-off to mold and cast, other times they will just print 10 in one go. They're not brittle or fragile in the least. They would certainly hold up to the rigors of filming.
Don't get me wrong, recreating this in aluminum is definitely the way to go for an amazing replica, but I'm still not convinced the prop was metal.
Don't get me wrong, recreating this in aluminum is definitely the way to go for an amazing replica, but I'm still not convinced the prop was metal.
JJ Griffin
Sr Member
I know the prototype that was built and shown to Abrams for approval was "solid machine aluminum", with "3d printed" grips. I am not sure whether it was then scanned and printed or simply used as a base to machine more copies. Trying to get a definitive answer from my 'informant' so the debate can end.
Either way I agree with Kevin that I think metal ones will look and feel more satisfying, ultimately
Either way I agree with Kevin that I think metal ones will look and feel more satisfying, ultimately
I know the prototype that was built and shown to Abrams for approval was "solid machine aluminum", with "3d printed" grips. I am not sure whether it was then scanned and printed or simply used as a base to machine more copies. Trying to get a definitive answer from my 'informant' so the debate can end.
Either way I agree with Kevin that I think metal ones will look and feel more satisfying, ultimately
Is it possible that this aluminum approval prototype is the one that went on display at Launch Bay? That one has slightly different detailing (single piece front plate rather than two pieces, position of screws on front plate higher) than on the blaster as seen other accompanying promotional photos (and presumably the movie).
Doubtful it's the actual one on display at Launch Bay, since there are two (Disneyland and Disney World). It is possible they used it as a master to mold and cast, however
JJ Griffin
Sr Member
"It changed a bit after this. Small details. The recessed square moved [at JJ's insistence]" for example.
Having seen the aforementioned prototype, I can say with certainty it is not the one on display in the Launch Bay; the grooves that run along the body are positioned differently and the front plate is two pieces (or at least the illusion of two pieces). I get the impression we won't ever see it displayed anywhere, but if it is at some point in the future, it should be easy to immediately tell that it's different from the others we have seen on display/in magazines/on screen.
Wish I could say (or even show) more, but you all know how it is
Sorry, guys...
