Sidkit Mal Gun Build Thread
- Thread starter DrMcoy
- Start date
cheech9898
Sr Member
Actually, I won't be able to get the antique copper & black patinas till Tuesday. The only pics that show the patinas are my post showing the piece of stained glass & the pic of the sidkit clip just above it which was the 'bright copper'. I'll post how the turn out as soon as I get them.
The pic's of the gun in my last post are with 'replacement parts'. The clip was machined on my Smithy mill from a piece of 2 x 5/8 brass bar stock and the barrel milled from a piece of 3/4 square brass bar. I was almost done milling the front barrel site when my last end mill grabbed & broke on the piece of brass. I think it may be salvageable, but I'm down till I place a mcmaster order & get some decent quality end mills.
Whoa, whoa....I have a big question. There's a part that attaches to (and contiues the line of) the main frame, going up toward the "viewfinder" piece. If you don't know which one I'm talking about, it also contains the "hammer" mechanism. Now, in the finished gun, that piece is sandwiched between two outer plates, and the safety runs through the whole mess.
What I need to know is this: do the edges of the inner part and the outside plates line up flush on the surface? I ask because I did a lot of extra sanding on the inner piece (to remove gouges I accidentally put there with the wrong wire brush), and I just hastily assembled the gun and realized that the inner piece appears recessed into the gun once I put the outer plates on it. I didn't think I had sanded off that much, so I'm really hoping that it's not supposed to be flush.
Wow, I had a really hard time putting that into words...I hope it made sense. =/
What I need to know is this: do the edges of the inner part and the outside plates line up flush on the surface? I ask because I did a lot of extra sanding on the inner piece (to remove gouges I accidentally put there with the wrong wire brush), and I just hastily assembled the gun and realized that the inner piece appears recessed into the gun once I put the outer plates on it. I didn't think I had sanded off that much, so I'm really hoping that it's not supposed to be flush.
Wow, I had a really hard time putting that into words...I hope it made sense. =/
Boba Debt
Master Member
Birdie
Master Member
Ahhh..the grips...I had a few problems with the grips :lol
They looked pretty clean out of the box, so I just washed them, gave them a quick dust over with 600 wet and dry, then primed them. Mini-pinholes galore :angry
Used Le Marchand's patented primer and talcum powder mix to fill, resanded, then reprimed and added the topcoat. Well, I must have missed a few spots, cos the paint started pooling up at the top of the left grip, so I had to strip the ****** thing and start again :cry
Anyway, forgive my little rant.
I used auto plastic primer with a couple of topcoats of Rover Russet Brown, an auto-paint that I always use for simulating wood grips. Here in the UK it's sold by Halfords, don't know if there is a US equivalent.
I then applied thin lines of Humbrol matt black enamel with a fine brush, which are then just smeared into the finish with a fingertip, in the direction of 'the grain'. Very simple technique, but pretty effective
Nice one Birdie!
BTW - I see you've gone the same "silver" route with the pistol grip and triggerguard as I have. Did you just leave the metal unfinished? I polished mine with a brass dremel brush, and then hit it with some 0000 steel wool and it comes out right shiny. Is there anything that can be sprayed over that to keep it from naturally dulling down again?
BTW - I see you've gone the same "silver" route with the pistol grip and triggerguard as I have. Did you just leave the metal unfinished? I polished mine with a brass dremel brush, and then hit it with some 0000 steel wool and it comes out right shiny. Is there anything that can be sprayed over that to keep it from naturally dulling down again?
Birdie
Master Member
Yeah, i just used the steel wool route. I have Siderio's metal BR blaster, and the polished gripframe has retained it's shine without any further treatment.
I found the B&C Perma Blue very durable, btw. Doesn't come off even with a light wire wool polish.
Darth Brass
Sr Member
I'm doing final assembly now - do I need to put in the "circular block"? If so, do I glue it to the hammer assembly or to the frame?
DrMcoy
Sr Member
The little circular block, I believe, gets glued to the FRAME -- but you may want to post a picture of the part in question so I am sure I understand your question correctly.
Darth Brass
Sr Member
From Sidkit's site:
I just want to be sure. Once I get that piece in, I'm finished except for the Rub n' Buff!
I just want to be sure. Once I get that piece in, I'm finished except for the Rub n' Buff!
Kadajiroth
Sr Member
I wasn't sure where to post this, either here or in the other Sidkit Mal pistol thread, so just tell me if I should post it over there instead of here.
Has anyone thought about a display stand for their Mal pistol? It should be a pretty easy thing to make, I assume, but how should we go about the design to make it "'versey"?
Has anyone thought about a display stand for their Mal pistol? It should be a pretty easy thing to make, I assume, but how should we go about the design to make it "'versey"?
DrMcoy
Sr Member
Yes -- you want to glue the round barrel piece to the FRAME of the gun being sure not to get glue on the little post that runs thru the centere as this piece has to be able to move freely thru the barrel -- the barrel serves as a guide, I suppose, although I did wonder if it had to even be included in the kit....but I did glue mine in. Good luck finishing your pistol.
From Sidkit's site:
I just want to be sure. Once I get that piece in, I'm finished except for the Rub n' Buff!
cheech9898
Sr Member
Ok, I got the stained glass/art glass solder patinas. They don't make the antique copper/brass patina anymore, so I was able to only get the bright copper & black. While they do work, they don't seem to give as nice of a result as the BC Plum brown when the bright copper & black solutions are mixed, and the black patina alone comes out a dark gray/black. My camera is MIA at the moment, think I left it at a friends house the other day otherwise I'ed post pictures.
