Prop Runner
Sr Member
It's been a while since I last posted on my "Lirpa" recreation project, and last time I did, I had just received my wood prototype, based on the 3D CAD model I'd spent weeks tweaking. So a little recap is in order: first, what the frakk is a "Lirpa?" I won't get into the story behind it, but if you're a TOS Trek fan, you already know that it appears in one of the most memorable episodes of them all: Amok Time, legendary for its utterly absurd plot and campy fight music (parodied to perfection by Jim Carrey in Cable Guy), but most of all, for the awesome two-ended Vulcan "Lirpa" ceremonial dueling weapon: a pendulum-shaped slashing blade on one end, metal skull-crushing mallet on the other, and a thick hardwood blocking staff in between. For a synopsis of the episode, click here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amok_Time
Some highlights:
and what was being fought over :love :
As I hadn't known anyone to attempt a *TRULY* accurate fan-made reproduction before, based on screen captures and painstaking scaling trial & error, I came up about 6 months ago with the 3D CAD model for the Lirpa and a wall mount based on the gong that was shattered during the fight:
I designed the mallet to be hollow so I could pour plaster, cement, or resin into it to provide a counterweight, if needed for horizontal display or re-enactments. Then a flat steel disk would be attached to the circular depression with JB WELD. The disk diameter also approximates what appears to be a disc in several of the screen grabs of the mallet's bottom.
I then commissioned a very talented woodworker (now turning wood gas bomb replicas for "King Kong" fans - shameless plug
) to construct an all-wood proof-of-concept prototype, which served to gauge the accuracy of my CAD model, as well as scale and proportions. Needless to say, I was mighty pleased with his work and my interpretation (once again, I apologize for the horribly geeky t-shirt :$ ):
That's when I posted my show-off thread and mentioned that a metal "hero" version was in the works, and after the initial enthusiasm for the wood prototype ebbed, the thread sunk fast since I did not post any progress, and it eventually dropped off the RPF deep end - my bad. Fast-forward to today... After more trial & error, financial delays, and decisions about materials and finishes, I've finally come up with a near-perfect version that only needs some tweaking to the mallet shape and the bolts replaced with wooden dowels.
So without further ado, may I present, the Lirpa:
Let me preface any comments and questions by agreeing that the base shape is still off and I'm sending my spinning/forming vendor a new drawing so he'll get it right. The blade and mallet are stainless steel, and I'm REALLY happy with the laser-cut profile and rough-ground edge, which simulates the look of the original:
The face of the blade is bead-blasted, so it can be sprayed with gray paint for a truly non-reflective flat surface like the original, or left alone for the idealized look.
I haven't decided if the mallet should be painted for the satin painted look of the original, or leave it stainless, so I welcome opinions.
Also, the hanging wall mount is made of hardwood, like the shaft, and needs to receive the airbrushed stripes to match the original gong. The staff will be painted in a dark brown lacquer to match the original. I may also add a dip at the free ends of the steel hooks so the blade doesn't slide and cause the mallet to hit the wall and get dinged.
One last item: I'm not offering these yet, but when I'm ready, I'll start an interest list. If you'd like more info until then, please contact me privately at proprunner@aol.com or post your comments and questions here. I can't answer PMs because my box is currently full, so save yourself the trouble.
Thanks for looking, and hope you enjoy the eye candy.
- Gabe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amok_Time
Some highlights:
and what was being fought over :love :
As I hadn't known anyone to attempt a *TRULY* accurate fan-made reproduction before, based on screen captures and painstaking scaling trial & error, I came up about 6 months ago with the 3D CAD model for the Lirpa and a wall mount based on the gong that was shattered during the fight:
I designed the mallet to be hollow so I could pour plaster, cement, or resin into it to provide a counterweight, if needed for horizontal display or re-enactments. Then a flat steel disk would be attached to the circular depression with JB WELD. The disk diameter also approximates what appears to be a disc in several of the screen grabs of the mallet's bottom.
I then commissioned a very talented woodworker (now turning wood gas bomb replicas for "King Kong" fans - shameless plug
) to construct an all-wood proof-of-concept prototype, which served to gauge the accuracy of my CAD model, as well as scale and proportions. Needless to say, I was mighty pleased with his work and my interpretation (once again, I apologize for the horribly geeky t-shirt :$ ):
That's when I posted my show-off thread and mentioned that a metal "hero" version was in the works, and after the initial enthusiasm for the wood prototype ebbed, the thread sunk fast since I did not post any progress, and it eventually dropped off the RPF deep end - my bad.
Fast-forward to today... After more trial & error, financial delays, and decisions about materials and finishes, I've finally come up with a near-perfect version that only needs some tweaking to the mallet shape and the bolts replaced with wooden dowels.So without further ado, may I present, the Lirpa:
Let me preface any comments and questions by agreeing that the base shape is still off and I'm sending my spinning/forming vendor a new drawing so he'll get it right. The blade and mallet are stainless steel, and I'm REALLY happy with the laser-cut profile and rough-ground edge, which simulates the look of the original:
The face of the blade is bead-blasted, so it can be sprayed with gray paint for a truly non-reflective flat surface like the original, or left alone for the idealized look.
I haven't decided if the mallet should be painted for the satin painted look of the original, or leave it stainless, so I welcome opinions.
Also, the hanging wall mount is made of hardwood, like the shaft, and needs to receive the airbrushed stripes to match the original gong. The staff will be painted in a dark brown lacquer to match the original. I may also add a dip at the free ends of the steel hooks so the blade doesn't slide and cause the mallet to hit the wall and get dinged.
One last item: I'm not offering these yet, but when I'm ready, I'll start an interest list. If you'd like more info until then, please contact me privately at proprunner@aol.com or post your comments and questions here. I can't answer PMs because my box is currently full, so save yourself the trouble.
Thanks for looking, and hope you enjoy the eye candy.
- Gabe
