Cheers guys. I always think it's not just the paint job, but also the little things like using real screws and the coke bottle lenses that make my budget builds all come together
Thanks Marcus, I hope to show that good looking props don't need to be expensive wether you opt for a metal replica, a wood and filler replica or just a modified painted toy, it's the finish and attention to detail that makes the difference.
Btw I realised I didn't show how I made the molex connectors on the ee3. I will post some pics in a few days as I'm away from home for a bit.
Made from felt pens, the sides were sanded to provide a flat surface for glue, then when three were glued together one whole face was sanded again to glue to the other three.
cut to length and the rest is filler and plastic
Very, VERY nice work, spacebob! I found this thread during a web search for details on how to modify my Hasbro DH-17 blasters to better conform to the on-screen props and had to join the RPF now that I started poking around here - so many talented folks doing amazing work with loving attention to details.
I thought I'd revive this thread and ask if you might be willing to share a few more in-depth 'how to' details on some of the techniques you used in reforming/remodeling the Hasbro DH-17 blaster. I'm eager to learn and I'd love to be able to cut mine apart and 'restitch' it as well, but apart from the odd Revell model kit or two when I was a pre-teen I've never worked with these more advanced, 'from scratch' techniques. E.g.: what sort of plastic filler materials do you use, how do you cast or fit the new plastic material to bind and blend with the pieces cut from the original, what tools and sculpting techniques do you use to blend the new material into the shape of the original background model, etc. I know that's probably a lot of simple plastic working 101 stuff I can find by Googling around, but hearing it here from you in the specific context of this DH-17 project would be a very valuable 'hands on' learning experience. I'll bet a lot of other lurking newbs like me would benefit as well.
Beautiful work on all of these! Wow. I used to be more of a scratchbuilder like yourself but find myself sucked more and more into the vortex of wanting to buy real parts. Hobby creep, it's evil! You inspire me to get back on the affordable and satisfying builder train. The E-11 is especially nice looking!
Are those Molex connectors really that hard to find these days? I think they're still standard. The Fett greeblies, wow! Really cool.
Heres a better pic of the grip based on the modern airsoft smg so we can guess where this is going now...
As this isn't based on a real sterling I think I can make the whole thing from junk without worrying about things like keeping pressed in writing/engraving details present, and unlike many 3d printed options this is going to be almost completely metal whilst being a fraction of the cost of a real parts replica
Ok this is part of the stock.....More fence tube, pvc pipe and a tango (soda) bottle top.
Well there's the smoking ...barrell.
The missing letter is...........D.
So far all I have spent is £7 on the aluminium for the barrell.
This image from the rogue one book is my main ref. I have it printed out 1:1 using my doopys e11 to set scale.
It gave me a main barrell size of 46mm, but as I could only find ally in sizes of 45mm or 47.6mm I settled for 45mm.
It took me three weeks to decide (Pretty good going in this game just ask anyone who ordered an efx scout.....)
Maybe you guys can help with a similar decision. I can only turn the flashlight from wood really, or make it from junk like the stock.
Shall I just buy one? thats £30/40 that I could spend on 1:12 scale figs. Hard decision.
Mafex boba looks really good
Looks great, and really really cool. I'd never actually noticed that their rifles were modified E-11's like that. I actually thought the other day that making a D-17 with that style of extendable stock would be really cool, and here I find out they essentially already made one for a movie. Guess my custom rifle will be a mix of the two .
don't suppose you've come across which brand of extending stock they used? I recognize the style, and they flipped it upside down for sure, but other than that I can't tell.
Another part of the folding stock
part of a tea towel hanger for the pipe, part of the same spirit level I used for the E11 and some bent up flat ally again from the towel holder bracket.
I get about forty mins a day to work on tougher things like this at my work so not the fastest build but slow and steady wins.
I am still planning to finish this... soon.
But I just found some pics on my computer of my endor blaster that I forgot to upload ages ago, so here they are.
This is made from a rubies leia blaster, the orange and white ones.
It has real tomtit cylinder things and the bumper squares are just scratched.
Sorry there's no wip shots, I was lazy. I also painted a normal Leia Star Wars blaster from a rubies but its just painted as is, and hardly weathered as it probably hadn't seen much action by that point.
Also there is this, not a blaster but a modded hasbro saber with metal components scratched and thought it would go here ok.