Cheap PKD (Water Gun)

I used 4mm grub screws and an M4 (7.5mm head size 4mm thread size) button head hex bolt in the top of the receiver. I couldn't work out whether the big bolt in the circular recess at the bottom front of the magazine was an M4 or an M5 hex bolt (in the end I used the bigger size). For all the other smaller hex bolts that I replaced or added on mine I used M2 (3.8mm head size 2mm thread size) socket cap hex bolts) and recessed them inside a 6mm diameter styrene tube.

That said, I haven't actually replaced any of the moulded in bolts on the main body of the gun, which look to my eye to be slightly bigger than M2 (M2.5? M3 maybe?) and seem to be a mix of socket cap hex bolts and button head hex bolts.

I have no idea those sizes are accurate to the original - as I say I eyeballed it for the most part - but it may help!

Thats a massive help! Thanks for all the info, now I know what to get for most of the blaster and what to try for the main body ones!
 
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So excited it finally arrived this morning!
 
Yes, thanks for that info @wayouteast :D Where would one find those? Online, or perhaps a local hardware store (ie. Home Depot, Lowes)?

I think you might need a more specialist supplier than a local hardware store (though I'm speaking for the UK... I don't know what the situation is in Canada!). I got all mine from one UK-based seller on eBay.co.uk... If you do use eBay just do a search for 'hex bolts' or 'grub screws' and you should get loads of results (though many will be from Hong Kong / China and if you want quicker delivery you might have to filter to more local sellers). You can then usually specify the sizes you want and how many. Sorry I can't be more specific for your location! :)

Good luck!
 
I've spent a happy day with the airbrush doing the first-pass painting on my blaster. Very happy with the results so far, and I think it's a good base for the next stages. This is just the basic colours. I used a base coat of AK Interactive Xtreme Metals Black Base. The steel parts were then painted with a 50/50 mix of Xtreme Metals 'Gunmetal' and the Black Base (Gunmetal on its own seemed a bit 'bright', particularly as the steel will lighten up slightly when I do the highlighting). I used Xtreme Metals 'Steel' for the butt plate and extended it up the metal parts of the handle (as this part of the gun always seems to be a slightly brighter metal). The black areas were painted with Vallejo 'Satin Black'. I know these parts on the actual gun are glossier than they appears at the moment, but I'm not a fan of gloss black; it always seems a bit harsh and 'model-like' to me. So I plan to use polish to shine up the black areas (and the metals) once the weathering is all done. Hopefully that will give a more subtle gloss than simple gloss paint.

So tomorrow is touching up around the LEDs where they were masked for the first coats, then washing, weathering, highlighting and painting small details! :)

I also have a plan for the grips, which are still a bit 'original plastic' up close. I'm planning to use a transparent brown tint to darken them slightly, and then wash watered down white acrylic into the grooves to simulate the polish residue on the original. Depending on how they look at that point I'l decide whether they need dulling very slightly with satin varnish maybe.

I've taken all the masking off at this stage as I want the weathering to affect the whole gun and tie the different colours and textures together.

first-paint-right-lit.JPG first-paint-left-lit.JPG first-paint-front.JPG first-paint-back.JPG

By the way, the stand is just an acrylic book-end (£7 for a pair)!

Hopefully some pictures of the final result tomorrow! :)
 
I think you might need a more specialist supplier than a local hardware store (though I'm speaking for the UK... I don't know what the situation is in Canada!). I got all mine from one UK-based seller on eBay.co.uk... If you do use eBay just do a search for 'hex bolts' or 'grub screws' and you should get loads of results (though many will be from Hong Kong / China and if you want quicker delivery you might have to filter to more local sellers). You can then usually specify the sizes you want and how many. Sorry I can't be more specific for your location! :)

Good luck!

Thanks! That's actually very helpful, I order most of my prop-related supplies online anyway, lol. I'll do an eBay search for those, then ;)
 
I may have found a local shop that have the clear black/amber grips version in stock. I have to go check it out to make sure that's the actual thing. If you are interested the price would be 3900 JPY shipped to USA, Canada, Europe or Australia (shipping cost may vary for other countries).
I plan to go on Saturday, make sure to send me a message in time and I'll grab one for you.

I can get the clear silver/blue grips for 2900 JPY shipped. And the painted black/amber grips for 8000 JPY shipped.

Update : the store has the right item, I purchased a few for RPF members yesterday. They have more in stock, if I get more requests I may go again.
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Thanks again 829Japan for grabbing these and helping out us RPF members that don't have connections/friends/contacts overseas. And you did all of this for us being a new member here out of your love for Blade Runner!!

Thank You....
 
Well, I think I'm calling mine pretty much done I think. There'll probably be a few things I'll spot over the next few days that need changing... there usually are! But I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. It's not a patch on the perfect replicas that other, much cleverer, people on this forum create - I'm in awe of the skills shown by other posters... but for an £8 water pistol it's a pretty good approximation I think. I never thought I'd be able to afford a PKD of my own - and wanted one for many years - so this certainly makes me happy! :)

I wanted to have it halfway between the very weathered look of the prop at auction and 'brand new' off-the-shelf gun. I hope I've been able to give it a well-used look without it looking too unloved! In the end I didn't tint the grips... I tried various methods but none of them really worked, and the out-of-the-box ones aren't too bad in the right light. I'm also quite pleased with the different textures of the black areas; that seems to be the case on the original where the front parts are duller and more 'plastic-y' that the back ones.

Anyway, here it is!

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wayouteast ,

Your PKD turned out sweet mate . Can't even tell that you'd sawed her (?) in half ! :facepalm . You gotta be well chuffed . Congratulations on one fine looking blaster .
Thanks for sharing your build & ' how to ' tips ...

Ged :thumbsup
 
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wayouteast I was just looking at the wondercon pictures of the real thing and yours looks REALLY good! How did you do the on/off lettering?
 
wayouteast I was just looking at the wondercon pictures of the real thing and yours looks REALLY good! How did you do the on/off lettering?

Thanks! And thanks @gedmac66, @lukanoir and joberg too! :)

The on/off lettering was done with waterslide decal letters. You can get sheets of them from model railway suppliers. In the UK I got mine here - https://fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings. To be roughly the correct size the letters required are 1mm tall ... so REALLY fiddly! :)
 
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OK, now with an order placed into Shapeways for wayouteast's Front Receiver Bit (thank you for the FUD) i'm going to order the LEDs, wire, battery pack and solder gun. I had a drumel but I think my old roommate took it with him to LA so i'm going to get one from my friend who never ever uses it for extended loan.
I'm not halving the gun, to much work for me so i'm going do some microsurgery. I ordered 10" long tweezers with curved neck to get inside and run wires and glue down the LEDs. In my head I have it figured out, it's when I actually execute this is where I will fail or succeed.

I'm going to take pics along the way and maybe a viddy and I will post the results.
 
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