District 9 arc generator 3d print

paulsboutique

Sr Member
So while i wait for parts for my ABS printer, the pulse rifle build has come to a stand still. Seeing an opportunity, my boys hijacked me and said they wanted new costumes for Comic Con 2018. My eldest has just recently watched District 9 and wants to go as Wikus, complete with prawn hand and arc generator..... Ok then ......

I used a few reference pics of arc generators that were here on the RPF /google images and drew up my own take of the weapon in Fusion360.

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Next up i started cutting up the parts in Netfab, as my PLA printer only has a build area of around 170x 170x 200 mm.
First up was the bottom barrel.
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I printed the cylinder and front nose in ABS at .1 and the barrel parts are done at .25 in PLA.
Pretty standard stuff next, glued with superglue and then i run the soldering iron down the seams to give a stronger join.

Then it was the main Body and stock.
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Im sure if you ask 10 different people how to prep PLA you will get 10 different answers, but for me 80 grit then 240, car bog, rinse repeat, then hit it with high fill auto primer, 240 - 400 grit and i generally have a nice base to work with with only minor touch ups.

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Printed the handle and a few more parts.
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I wanted the cooling fins on the motor to be quite thin, and the first version printed out really well. Unfortunately letting my boys handle it , the fins broke off, so as this is for cosplay i redesigned it to be a bit thicker. I still need to add the top rectangle back and finish the other greeble above it, but this version will be alot more hardy.
Rifle v213.png
 
Its about this time my mate hit me up and asked for a favor - he wants to build an electric skateboard and needed a motor mount making. So he gave me his measurements and i knocked it up for him
Design process for anyone interested
1. dodgy measurements on napkin :p
2. draw design in Cad.
3. 3d print to test fitment
4. CNC out of Aluminium
5. drink beer.
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Anyway back to the arc generator....
Next up i had to draw those lovely organic shapes of the top barrel.... a few goes later and I am happy with the design

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Starting to print them out - they are at .15 layer height and took 4 hours each for the first 5

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A couple of dodgy screenies from octoprint of the two pieces with the pipes coming out - about 6 hours each at .15
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Awesome work! I see wires... you adding electronics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Awesome work! I see wires... you adding electronics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers :)

Yep i was planning on putting a superflux LED in the spark plug and red leds in the centre box. I have also planned for a couple of speakers in the top cylinder for the sounds. Batteries and arduino + amp will go above the handle.
 
been a while - project is not dead, just life has got in the way at the moment.
I have started work on the top rail and when i drew it up in fusion, i didn't check the hardware store for tubing that was 30mm..... so i had to knock up some spacers to fit the 25.4 mm aluminium tube that was the closest fit :/
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Had a productive day today , finished the black bits and gave them a bit of weathering
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- - - Updated - - -

Got a base coat of white on the gun and cylinders too
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Looking good from the pics I can see. Some of the pics aren’t appearing on my phone for some reason. Keep up the good work tho!

What sounds will it make?
 
Excellent work for sure. Are the fusion files available? Why do you talk about PLA and ABS printers? I print all on one. For projects like this I usually use PETG. Accurate no wrapping and easy to work with. Cheers
 
Thanks Empiricus .. the printers ...well they are my own designs and some are better than others. I currently have 3 running and the PLA printer does not have a large PSU on it, and the heatbed is a clone from aliexpress with ridiculously high resistance,so it will not go above 60 degrees. I recently built a delta and have spent some cash on it, ie duet 32 mainboard, 30 amp power supply , titan extruder and that is the one i use for ABS. ie: bed can reach 95-110 degrees . etc.. I know there is a lot of love for PETG but i don't have any real issues printing ABS. I really like the way ABS sands and the ability to bond it with acetone is still a win for me.

As this was my first venture into fusion, the files are a mess for this project and not really workable to anyone else. I have learnt a lot since then, but have had to make significant changes.... and lots of bog to get here.
 
Thanks for explanations. Completely understand the chaos fusion file issue. I am in the same boat for sure. Just exporting step files of the critical parts would help a lot. I work with ABS only if I need the higher heat resistance. Otherwise the wrapping and splitting on larger prints even in enclosure and the smell put me off. Petg is even easier to work but more flexible. Have fun
 
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Got some time this week to work on the gun again. I am going for a really heavy weathering like the film, so i screen capped a shot of the gun from the film for reference..... and they were filthy.....
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I have had the gun in white and black for a while and every time i went past, i would knock it or drag tools across it to damage the paint work....
Then i would use some rub n buff and build up the silver in the damaged sections and the edges.

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I started putting glue around to simulate the gunk that comes out of the piping

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taped up for some orange

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Black stripes added in

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