Beautifully done! New members should be directed to this thread to see how a build thread should be composed! Really great job (on both accounts--the gun itself and the documentation)
Delayed Gratification: Building Han Solo's Blaster -- 36 Years Later
- Thread starter VFX Freak
- Start date
VFX Freak
Sr Member
Thanks for the kind words and glad you enjoyed it!
Truly amazing work. I wonder what the art dogs on set would say if you showed them this beauty and told them you built it. They'd probably run you out of town for fear of taking their gigs!
I'm fascinated by the firing version of the Blade Runner blaster and have followed some of those builds elsewhere. I'd be very interested in your progress on that one as well.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm fascinated by the firing version of the Blade Runner blaster and have followed some of those builds elsewhere. I'd be very interested in your progress on that one as well.
Thanks for sharing.
LOL! Love it. Beautiful DL-44 build! The Birchwood Casey method really makes the blaster pop.Oooh! I'm afraid prop replica law states you only have 35 years to claim gratification. As a result, your going to have to get rid of your blaster. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly. I'm soooo sorry but the law is the law.
Sym-Cha
Master Member
Ehm ... I believe they would confiscate that prop, report it stolen and then hand it over to Harrison on set .... thus making it screen-used from then on
... whilest Harrison a.k.a. as Han Solo starts shooting first hence killing anyone in close range, because they forgot to take the live ammo out :wackoChaim
VFX Freak
Sr Member
Thanks for the comments and the positive response!
I realized I forgot to write about the finishing touch. Protection.
Factory blue finishes on firearms are pretty tough, but I have found that the home cold bluing kits yield somewhat fragile results.
After a bit of research I decided to use Renaissance Wax. I know it's fairly expensive, but considering the money I have poured into this build, I wasn't going to skimp on the coating that would protect all that hard work.
Every part of the blaster, save the internal mechanism, grips and the glass in the scope, is covered in a layer of Renaissance Wax, and I'm really happy with the results. It added a bit of luster and helped blend some of the different finishes a little better. I wiped on a fairly thick layer, let it set for several hours, and then buffed it with a cloth. I usually use old t-shirts cut into rags.
Now I'm comfortable handling it, shooting it, oiling it, etc. I highly recommend the stuff, and a small jar will last a very long time.
One more thing: I needed a good manual for the gun itself, since I was going to completely disassemble it. I confess that I didn't spend a lot of time looking. I found an ebook that had been recommended on a gun forum and just bought it for $9 or something like that. There may be better/cheaper solutions out there, but this book covered everything in enough detail, with very good illustrations, that I was comfortable taking the gun apart. Here's the link to the ebook if anyone is interested: http://www.scribd.com/doc/16198848/The-Mauser-C96-Pistol-Explained
I realized I forgot to write about the finishing touch. Protection.
Factory blue finishes on firearms are pretty tough, but I have found that the home cold bluing kits yield somewhat fragile results.
After a bit of research I decided to use Renaissance Wax. I know it's fairly expensive, but considering the money I have poured into this build, I wasn't going to skimp on the coating that would protect all that hard work.
Every part of the blaster, save the internal mechanism, grips and the glass in the scope, is covered in a layer of Renaissance Wax, and I'm really happy with the results. It added a bit of luster and helped blend some of the different finishes a little better. I wiped on a fairly thick layer, let it set for several hours, and then buffed it with a cloth. I usually use old t-shirts cut into rags.
Now I'm comfortable handling it, shooting it, oiling it, etc. I highly recommend the stuff, and a small jar will last a very long time.
One more thing: I needed a good manual for the gun itself, since I was going to completely disassemble it. I confess that I didn't spend a lot of time looking. I found an ebook that had been recommended on a gun forum and just bought it for $9 or something like that. There may be better/cheaper solutions out there, but this book covered everything in enough detail, with very good illustrations, that I was comfortable taking the gun apart. Here's the link to the ebook if anyone is interested: http://www.scribd.com/doc/16198848/The-Mauser-C96-Pistol-Explained
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Cool! I just searched and searched and found a few descriptions online with pics, but the most helpful was this video series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Y1dAtQXug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZOEPZN_6W0
The scary part is the little C shaped coupler. Get that in wrong and you brick your gun.
I've since taken my two completely apart aside from the extractors, many times for cleaning, and could do it in my sleep now.
I'll second the Renaissance Wax, but only because VFX Freak told me about it. It's great stuff!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Y1dAtQXug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZOEPZN_6W0
The scary part is the little C shaped coupler. Get that in wrong and you brick your gun.
I've since taken my two completely apart aside from the extractors, many times for cleaning, and could do it in my sleep now.
I'll second the Renaissance Wax, but only because VFX Freak told me about it. It's great stuff!
Vanitas
Sr Member
Definitely true... I've heard that if you incorrectly assemble a Mauser C96, then you have to drill a hole in the frame to adjust the internal mechanism to remove the internal frame... *shudders* It was similar for my MGCs when I first got them; they were little devils trying to put them back together, but now I can do it with 1 1/2 hands tied behind my back... The only part I have trouble with id the MGC hammer... trying to get that back in is a complete bezouch. Though, what bluing solution would you recommend, Scott, for bluing an MGC body?
cayman shen
Master Member
Captivating build thread! (And an outstanding blaster!)
I was just thinking the same thing... thanks for bumping it!
It is always cool to see threads with so much love / passion in them!
VFX Freak
Sr Member
Well, it's been a long time and I don't know if anyone is still watching this thread, but I finally made some progress on one of the few things I have left to finish. The holster!
I bought an MP Filmcraft holster to display my blaster. Here's a shot of it:
It's very nicely made, but for me it was too burgundy in color. It's also brand new and needs some aging. I researched weathering leather, since I have zero experience doing so. I never found any truly satisfactory advice. I wanted to lighten and fade the color while reducing the amount of red. Finally I decided to just leave it out in the California summer sun for a few days. Eureka!
I then attacked it with Neatsfoot Oil and Leather Stain. I bashed it, twisted it, hammered it, sanded it, stained it, and oiled it until it felt right. Here's what it looks like now:
The last photo shows the leather as it looked originally, where it was hidden from the fading effects of the sun.
And here's a shot of it with all the greeblies and, of course, the star of the show, the blaster.
I think it looks pretty great and I'm thrilled with it.
I'd like to give a shout out to Dave of Dark Energy Creations for making me the tie-down screw that goes in the bottom of the Kobold flash unit. My Kobold is ANH accurate, but was missing that piece.
Thanks for looking.
Dave
I bought an MP Filmcraft holster to display my blaster. Here's a shot of it:
It's very nicely made, but for me it was too burgundy in color. It's also brand new and needs some aging. I researched weathering leather, since I have zero experience doing so. I never found any truly satisfactory advice. I wanted to lighten and fade the color while reducing the amount of red. Finally I decided to just leave it out in the California summer sun for a few days. Eureka!
I then attacked it with Neatsfoot Oil and Leather Stain. I bashed it, twisted it, hammered it, sanded it, stained it, and oiled it until it felt right. Here's what it looks like now:
The last photo shows the leather as it looked originally, where it was hidden from the fading effects of the sun.
And here's a shot of it with all the greeblies and, of course, the star of the show, the blaster.
I think it looks pretty great and I'm thrilled with it.
I'd like to give a shout out to Dave of Dark Energy Creations for making me the tie-down screw that goes in the bottom of the Kobold flash unit. My Kobold is ANH accurate, but was missing that piece.
Thanks for looking.
Dave
That looks spectacular, VFX!
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