Working ZAT Guns!

[SgtFang]

Let's figure this out. :thumbsup

My kid has a "Bionicle" toy whose neck does exactly what the ZAT does- I'm pretty sure the idea could be scaled up to make a ZAT operate.

Has anyone outside the studio ever made a working one before? How'd they do it?

Trot out your ideas here.

-Sarge

 

[phase pistol]

I'm for it.

Here's my on hand stash of grabs, plus pix I've found online of what are "supposed" to be screenused props. Note the subtle sculpting differences between working and static props, mostl in the joints. There's also an "early" more phallic looking version, before they added the crest on top.

As to how they work, I've heard that it was an air-pressure mechanism, and that the prop could EITHER snap open or snap closed on a single charge, but not both. Also that there were two props for the two functions. I also seem to recall having seen the prop snap open AND closed in one continuous shot on at least one occasion, so I don't know how reliable that info is.

These are pix of a replica built by Dean Dymerski.

- k

 

[SgtFang]

Wow... Karl, have I told you you ROCK lately?

Those pics will come in IMMENSELY handy (I didn't even know the nose popped open like that.)

THANKS

-Sarge

 

[docholl]

To date, there have not been any successful fan made "working" Zats. But I'm sure that someone out there is still working on it. The early working Zats where made from aluminum and had a pressurized cylinder in them. These Zats could open and close. Later working models replaced the air cylinder with springs. These may have only been capable of opening, then need to be manually closed.

 

[WookieeGunner]

Stupid idea. Would it be possible to open and close using gears attached to a door lock motor? I am specifically thinking of the old style that pop the pull stick at the base of the window up and down.

 

[Bobster]

<div class='quotetop'>(WookieGunner @ Jul 7 2006, 01:19 PM) [snapback]1276062[/snapback]</div>

Stupid idea. Would it be possible to open and close using gears attached to a door lock motor? I am specifically thinking of the old style that pop the pull stick at the base of the window up and down.
[/b]

I like that idea. Many new car lock motors work the same way as the old ones in many cases. If you use something like tennis racket line on each side of the hinge the Zat could be pulled open from one side and pulled closed from the other. Are there any drawings of the Zat around?

Bobby

 

[phase pistol]

<div class='quotetop'>(WookieGunner @ Jul 7 2006, 02:19 PM) [snapback]1276062[/snapback]</div>

Stupid idea. Would it be possible to open and close using gears attached to a door lock motor? I am specifically thinking of the old style that pop the pull stick at the base of the window up and down.
[/b]

I have no idea what it is you're referring to, but the Zat has to "pop" open and closed... it has three main sections (two pivot joints), and the top two sections rise up with a sudden "kachink" movement. (and as noted, the halves of the pointed tip snap open and forward as well). Likewise they "kachink" closed.

Study of clips from the TV show is in order... it's a complicated little gadget.

- k

 

[WookieeGunner]

I understand about the pop open and close. Next time you are in a car with automatic door locks what the part that tells you if the door is locked or unlocked. Press the button to lock the doors and it "pops" in one direction. Press the button to unlock the doors and it "pops" in the other direction. That is a 12V DC motor causing that so my thought was that you could use the motor ran off batteries as the engine for the popping and then gears to transmit the quick motion of the motor into the correct direction to cause the thing to open or close. You could also potentially use a selenoid.

 

[phase pistol]

Oh I see... Hmm. Interesting.



<div class='quotetop'>(WookieGunner @ Jul 7 2006, 06:47 PM) [snapback]1276284[/snapback]</div>

I understand about the pop open and close. Next time you are in a car with automatic door locks what the part that tells you if the door is locked or unlocked. Press the button to lock the doors and it "pops" in one direction. Press the button to unlock the doors and it "pops" in the other direction. That is a 12V DC motor causing that so my thought was that you could use the motor ran off batteries as the engine for the popping and then gears to transmit the quick motion of the motor into the correct direction to cause the thing to open or close. You could also potentially use a selenoid.
[/b]

 

[Bobster]

<div class='quotetop'>(WookieGunner @ Jul 7 2006, 05:47 PM) [snapback]1276284[/snapback]</div>

I understand about the pop open and close. Next time you are in a car with automatic door locks what the part that tells you if the door is locked or unlocked. Press the button to lock the doors and it "pops" in one direction. Press the button to unlock the doors and it "pops" in the other direction. That is a 12V DC motor causing that so my thought was that you could use the motor ran off batteries as the engine for the popping and then gears to transmit the quick motion of the motor into the correct direction to cause the thing to open or close. You could also potentially use a selenoid.
[/b]

Unless you spring load it most solenoids that are small will not move a large object like the Zat. I picked up some solenoids from a pinball machine that would do it, but they weight pounds each. Getting the gearing at each joint will be the problem. What about a small toothed belt like what is used in an ink jet printer? The gears are small. The belt is very flexible and tough. Most are about 1/4" wide. You can get the old ones for free most of the time. Use the linier motion of the door lock to move a section of the belt. The belt would absorb any opening and closing shock that might break small gears.

Bobby

 

[Thrawn]

Another cockamamey idea: Magnets. I dont know the physics of electromagnets, but it you put ones with poles that push against each other rather than attract, you could, at the flip of a switch, make them turn on and push all the movable areas away from each other, flick off, and its own weight would make it collapse back together. Probably a stupid idea, but it just kind of popped into my head, and its late at night, so anything seems like a good idea

 

[JP05]

Not all of those ZATS pictured are screen used. One is just fans sculpt of how it looks open.

 

[phase pistol]

Which one is the fan sculpt? I'll remove it. :confused

 

[Noeland]

OK, my sick mind got the best of me on this one. How phallic and "money shot" is this picture?

Seriously. I've watched this show a million times, never noticed that before. :unsure

Also curious about the fan sculpt.

Just as a brain storm, would it be possible to load some sort of blue or white laser in there, or maybe a very bright LED?

 

[JP05]

<div class='quotetop'>(Noeland @ Jul 8 2006, 08:28 PM) [snapback]1276933[/snapback]</div>

Also curious about the fan sculpt.

[/b]

Dean Dymerski built the one in the pics on the metal stand. Those are my pics that I took of my Zat. He took a Zat, cut it apart, and then built what you see there. I believe the head was totally built from scratch.

Steve

 

[phase pistol]

Gotcha, thanks Steve. I separated out your pix, I can take them down if you prefer, just let me know.

So basically that's a non-working replica you have? Or can you open and close it manually?



Replicas of the dummy "open" zat prop are fairly rare, and most seem to be resculpts of castings of the closed prop. I have this one, I'm not sure if it's a cast of the prop they use on the show or if it's such a fan resculpt.

- k

 

[Reactor drone]

I did an opening one a few years back,before they were selling replicas,so it was a scratchbuilt sculpt.It's basically a lever on a ramp that drives the pieces apart but it's not pushbutton operated,it was just when you push the bottom and middle apart it operates the rest and then spring closes.

 

[docholl]

There is a manually opening version being made overseas and sold through various model distributors (MIM, being one). It's unlicensed, BTW.

 

[JP05]

<div class='quotetop'>(phase pistol @ Jul 9 2006, 09:14 AM) [snapback]1277153[/snapback]</div>

Gotcha, thanks Steve. I separated out your pix, I can take them down if you prefer, just let me know.

So basically that's a non-working replica you have? Or can you open and close it manually?



Replicas of the dummy "open" zat prop are fairly rare, and most seem to be resculpts of castings of the closed prop. I have this one, I'm not sure if it's a cast of the prop they use on the show or if it's such a fan resculpt.

- k
[/b]

Its a static piece. The dummy you have was done the same way Dean did his, I just think Dean's is more accurate. I don't recall seeing all those "spacers" in between the different sections of the Zat as it opened.

 

[Dymerski]

Yup...no spacers
Dean