Winter 2017-2018 Project: DL-18 Jabba's guard blaster

It's been a LONG time. I have the ability to more forward a bit on this.

I changed my mind 3 times on the corellianexports scope and ended up grabbing one. headed to the hardware store now to get some vinyl bushings/spacers to boost the scope cradle up off the gun. I now have an endcap for the scope. Please PM me for the ID, I'll tell as many people as I can, but I'm scared of people not part of the community mobbing a part and ruining the price point. At that point it's not a hunt for a spare part, it's a $ war.:unsure:

I also grabbed an Eberhard Faber marker to do what kurtyboy did and sculpt the front cap. pics to come...
 
4AE58913-7763-404F-8222-FAF31E43EE53.jpeg 4A1F9A37-B094-4DD9-AE8C-068AE9A0C267.jpeg CAC9369C-BCA2-4F11-A0D6-53C9DFCAA456.jpeg 1B82F7C7-0598-4708-91EB-972727118E6E.jpeg FB591F81-12EE-46BD-9184-D92E88819E5F.jpeg D3E4291C-DBF8-45E3-9374-AC3880952EFA.jpeg so I had some problems attaching the end cap to the scope, but after that I sliced the heads off the CE machine screws and drilled holes in the gun and scope to act as metal supports. I sliced some nylon spacers to height (front one is a tad taller to level the scope) and sanded a curve into the base to match the gun profile. Silicone glue all around has kept this in place. Some filler, a marker cap (because we don’t know what that part is still!) and we’ll be ready for paint
 
Just realized my mount is about 1/8" too high, though to lower it it would involve some serious work to slice or remove the screws in there
 
Tonight after work I sculpted the old Eberhard marker cap with a huge metal file and high grit sandpaper! I used a V8 model kit part to make an adapter for the muzzle
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I should really update the dates on this thread, I have an update!

I now have an extra BB gun if anyone wants it, I managed to trade with someone in Poland for the Umarex Panther or RO-72 target pistol

The handle is cracked, and it's missing the threaded stock attachment but I think it will work

I popped the greeblies off my French one and realized I'll have to get a new Eberhard marker cap. I glued it on too well! Oh well, the next owner gets a free headstart

I've already disassembled and reassembled what I could. Still have to grind a curve to the bottom of the barrel to get the sight bolt back in... lefft off the rear sight and saved it for the day when I find an MGC Sterling (HAH!) And found out the white threaded cap holds in an adjustable sight inseet up front!

Oh yea, those little posts I cut that were too tall for the scope? Don't even need them, the mounts are part of the gun.

I also was fired yesterday so I have more time to build... I was the scapegoat for another department's abusive behavior, I think it's because I complained, and they aren't the only inappropriate people there. Anyway.. Maybe I should go get a job at Jabba's palace
 

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That's great that you were able to get your hands on one!!


Been working on mine, too!

I also found the scope end cap on my own, it ain't easy! Took hours on eBay, finally scored one and also put it on my Vince scope. Don't think I've got pics of that yet, but it was much easier for me since I've got a lathe. Just chopped the old, then drilled the hole and it popped right in.

Recently cut out some new side plates, too! They're not perfect, but I'm getting close! Started with Kurtyboy's old template and made changes from there. These are really tough shapes to get right, but I hear "someone" may have some plans to GET them right!

Haven't put any holes in the side of the gun, yet. And my version is also one that didn't have the threaded end, I have a placeholder there that I haven't yet machined to the correct diameter. It's close, almost too close not to bother, and so it's been sitting that way for a couple years, now. I should go ahead and tackle that, it'd only take a couple minutes, really.

And I DON'T wanna put filler over that screw in the grip! That's just silly to me, I don't get it.

Also, man, wouldn't it be awesome if we had paint stencils for the side plates???!!!


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nice plates!!! I blew a picture up to 1:1 size and traced them onto paper. I think I used the motor coil plate as reference.

templates would be so cool. I too plan on leaving the screws visible and stuff. I tend to like leaving identifiers on original parts, unless theres a big reason to cover it up (Galeon name on the speargun for example)

I noticed the plates positioning changes from the visual dictionary, 1990s research photos and the current-ish museum photos!
 
Nice stuff all around!! Sorry about your job man, that sucks! Hope you find something soon! In the meantime if you shoot me a PM with your asking price I might be interested in that gun. :)

I’m (eventually) building up one of these. I have a vinyl cutter and used it to make DL-44 templates...I could consider making these if folks are interested.
 
pm incoming!

I like the way you think.

For this endcap... has anyone just drilled a hole and popped a T Nut through to the outside? I'm thinking that may be a nice way to replicate the stock socket on the back.
 
So, a small update. I managed to find looonnggg skinny screws with the upper half smooth and the lower half threaded. Must have been Standoffs or something.. so, looking at the available exhibit photos it seems they drilled through the top of the scope! I did just that and realigned my scope to sit further back and be a but more centered on the EXISTING POSTS THAT ARE PART OF THE REAL AIR PISTOL! I had a hard time carving up tiny nylon spacers to make my own posts on the French pistol only to find out the RO72 has threaded bumps under the famous rear sight (that ends up on the stormtrooper mgc).. now they're threaded for little wood screws like a Denix so I drilled and tapped for 8/32. Make sure you drill will the scope on the cradle, as the scope is tapered and if laid flat will give you angled holes haha
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Anyway, I cut the tall screws a little short so I put apoxie sculpt in there and metal filed then sanded it flush! After 10 years I'm seeing an improvement in my finishing work, thank you to everyone that has gave me tips.. halliwax, jedifather, kurtyboy, scott, Dan, I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of people
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Next come the sideplates. I just pulled them off the French gun, so I'm going to drill a few tiny holes and glue them on with the little screws as anchors.

I have a light layer of grill paint on the handles as a base coat. I wanted to see of it would cover the repair I did, and I think it worked. There was a crack leading from a rear screw and I opened it with a razor saw and filled it with putty and glue reinforced the strengh ridges inside the handle. I do this because I feel like there is stress around cracks in the plastic, and by cutting it open you remove the material that might be stressed but hasn't cracked yet. Then you're just filling in unstressed material which might not fight being held together.
 
I used a dremel sanding drum to carve up another marker cap. I have 2 extras but I didn't screw up the first one :)

I actually used a Tripod Adapter for cameras, with electrical tape on the ends, to act as a press fit spacer between the air pistol sight insert and the marker cap.
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I tried for a long time experimenting with bolts, t nuts and random threaded spacers to have somethig exte d further into the marker cap for a little structural stability, no go! I had to make sure the plastic insert (just the circumfrence) was all that pressed up against the sight plate. Normally it pinches the wafer thin sight and keeps it in place. I assume only having the plastic insert, which is a thin tube, pressing against it meant that anything more or a differently placed pressure could break it
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I used super glue to affix it together before screwing it back into the gun. true model maker style! It's less permanent than e6000 should that knob ever be identified
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I also realized, I should thank Boba Debt for the meteorite pieces that ended up in the shot above :) I put a little coat of renaissance wax on the piece of Sikhote Alin since it's mostly nickel and iron, I was afraid of it rusting.
 
Finally gave this one a coat of High Heat BBQ Black, soon to be rubbed down to a light shine! I did a sanding of some parts beforehand, so unlike the prop, you can't see the posts that run through the entire scope to the top surface
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I did also make a mold of that mystery scope part. If I can learn how to pour resin I'll have some available
 
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