My Hasbro ANH E11 Blaster Build... Please don't let me screw it up!

[Zarlon[TK]]

Hello all,

 

Another newbie here trying to find my way through this maze of becoming a member of the 501st I've been combing through the forums a lot lately and I think it's finally time to start my journey to becoming a TK. After reviewing the awesome information here, I've decided to go with the ANH Stunt Armor and I've placed myself on the ATA waiting list as well as the TK Boots waiting list.

 

While I'm waiting for my armor, I'm going to try and complete some of the other items needed for my full costume. As you may have guessed by the forum that I'm posting this in, the first thing I've decided to tackle is the E11 Blaster. I have to start out by saying that I'm totally nervous about this entire project because I'm probably the least "handy" person you might meet. I'm usually the guy that calls "the guy" when things need to get fixed. That being said, I really do enjoy building models/landscapes when I set my mind to it, and I really think I can pull this off.

 

I've noticed that build threads are a great way to get information and ask questions so that is the reason I'm starting my own thread. I'm going warn you ahead of time that I'll probably be asking a lot of stupid questions but I'll do my best to use the search feature both here and on the FISD forums before hand.

 

 

Since I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing I decided to go the beginner route and purchase a Hasbro E11 Blaster off of Amazon. I also have the Doopy Doo conversion kit on order and I'm expecting that sometime in the next week.

 

 

 

I also started putting together a binder with helpful information that I find, as I find it. I have a tendency to remember that something is important but I usually forget where I saw it so I figured this might come in handy. After I bought the blaster it was time to get some necessary tools. The lists available on these forums are great and after reviewing a few I ordered some of the things I knew I'd eventually be needing.

 

 

 

Since I have some of the tools and a little bit of time I'm going to go work on pulling the blaster apart. Let's hope I don't break the thing!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

First tip. You don't need the snap pliers for the blaster... Lol!!

 

Sorry, congrats on your decision. Plenty of good threads out there. Check out my hasbro conversion .http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26356-basic-hasbro-build-with-doopey-conversion/ . Just a basic one, but effective. Then you can go as far as gmrhodes did: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/20496-hasbro-e-11-conversion/

 

Remember, measure twice, cut once and don't hesitate to ask before measuring or cutting.

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

I think you'll be just fine, Kyle.

 

Ask questions, no matter how odd or silly they may seem, and as Ian said, you don't need snaps for the blaster.

 

Good luck, and the most important part of all of this, have fun!!!

[Zarlon[TK]]

First tip. You don't need the snap pliers for the blaster... Lol!!

 

Sorry, congrats on your decision. Plenty of good threads out there. Check out my hasbro conversion .http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/26356-basic-hasbro-build-with-doopey-conversion/ . Just a basic one, but effective. Then you can go as far as gmrhodes did: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/20496-hasbro-e-11-conversion/

 

Remember, measure twice, cut once and don't hesitate to ask before measuring or cutting.

 

I'll definitely check out the links. Thanks!

 

 

I think you'll be just fine, Kyle.

 

Ask questions, no matter how odd or silly they may seem, and as Ian said, you don't need snaps for the blaster.

 

Good luck, and the most important part of all of this, have fun!!!

 

 

I am aware that some of the tools aren't necessary yet. I was rifling through Amazon and just couldn't help myself  

[Zarlon[TK]]

OK I actually got some work done and I have some good news and some bad news. First up...the good news:

 

I got the gun apart with little or no surface damage.

 

 

 

 

 

The first thing I wanted to do before getting started was to peel the Star Tours stickers off. To do this I used an old trick I learned back in high school while working at the auto parts store. We would have to remove old price stickers and we'd use a lighter to heat up the glue on the bottom of the sticker. It worked here as well and I was able to salvage the stickers for re use on my tool bucket

 

 

I removed the screws and then found out why It's such a pain to separate the gun in two. The first scope cap came off easily. I knew I could cut it off but I wanted to use is as a test case for the back half which would come next. I ended up leaving some scuff marks but I can fix those later if necessary.

 

 

Up next was the back half. I gotta say that the other build threads were correct. This sucker did not want to come off without a fight!

 

 

 

Next up was cutting off the orange tip at the front of the gun. I borrowed my wife's Dremel tool for this part and it was a piece of cake (She makes jewelry so I actually get to steal some of her tools ). 

 

 

Finally it was time to open it up. It was glued tight on the top at the scope rail but  since I'm going to cut out the scope rail anyway, I started to cut into some of the plastic to see if I could get it to loosen up. It took a while but I was eventually able to pry the scope rail apart with an Exacto knife.

 

Once I got the top apart it still wouldn't fully separate so I decided to gentle work the plastic while trying not to break it. After playing with it for a long time it finally came apart and come to find out, not only was it glued on the scope rail but it was also glued tightly around the speaker.

 

 

This is where the bad news happened. I didn't crack or break any plastic but for some reason the electronics don't work any more. I've checked the electrical mounting points and everything looks to still be soldered correctly and I also checked the PC board which looks to be fine with no cracks or breaks to be seen. I'm not sure what happened so I have some research to do.

 

As of now I'm tired and I'll let the research go on tomorrow. I'll look through the forums during my lunch break for possible solutions but in the meantime if you have any ideas as to how I can test everything, I'm all ears!

 

Thanks

[Zarlon[TK]]

Well I still haven't found a solution for what happened to the electronics but I was able to make a little more progress on the gun.  I took the Dremel to the scope rail and cut out some of the plastic to make it look a little more authentic.

 

 

 

 

After I cut most everything I could with  the Dremel I took to it with a couple different files to try and clean it up a bit. I still have a little more work to do but I think it's looking pretty good.

 

 

 

 

The last thing I did for the evening was to finish sanding off the lettering on the side of the gun by the trigger guard.

 

 

 

 

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looks like a great start, Kyle!

 

Maybe if you post up some full pics of the electronic components, someone will see something wrong with it that you migh tbe able to fix.

[Zarlon[TK]]

Good Idea Tim! I'll do that as soon as I get home this evening.

 

Thanks!

[Zarlon[TK]]

OK here are some pics. I've tested the batteries and the battery connection and everything looks OK there. Any ideas on where to start my investigation would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gazmosis[501st]]

Pew! Pew! Pew!

[I'm Batman[501st]]

Pew! Pew! Pew!

 

No Steve. No pew pew from Kyle! I have no idea though. I plug batteries in. That's my electronics expertise.

[usaeatt2]

I'm assuming everything worked before disassembly...  Do you have a multimeter?  Can you check for 3VDC from the batteries (VSS to VCC)?  If you're getting 3V to the circuit boards, that eliminates a battery problem.  You could also check conductivity of the switch - connect the leads to both ends of the switch (looks like VSS to L1-).  You should get nothing until you push the button.  When you push the button, you should see .5 ohms or less.  Did the wires get pinched anywhere - possible short circuits?  I don't see any evidence of heat damage from the lighter - wires look good.  Solder joints don't look great, but they look good enough to maintain conductivity - I don't see evidence of any "cold" solder joints.  From there, I'd start checking continuity further into the gun.  If you've got power and the switch is good, the circuit is broken somewhere.

 

[Zarlon[TK]]

Thanks Aaron...I do have a cheap multimeter at the house but a much better set up at the office. I'm going to take it in today and see if I can get one of the engineers to help me check out your recommendations.

[Zarlon[TK]]

Also, it was working fine just before I opened it up. Once I got it open is when it just stopped working.

[haui[TK]]

Check if a cable is Broken you can Do this whith your cheap multimeter

[Zarlon[TK]]

IT'S WORKING AGAIN! I brought it in to the office and one of our awesome electrical engineers was able to fix it. One of the solder joints in the top portion of the board had come loose. I feel much better now...time to continue the project.

[Zarlon[TK]]

It was a busy weekend so I wasn't able to make any more progress. I did however, finally receive my DoopyDoo kit! 

 

 

 

I also found out from the engineer that fixed my gun that he has a nice bright red LED to go in it. He's going to replace the old one with it as soon as we figure out how to mount it.

[Zarlon[TK]]

I also got another special package in the mail today. This one will require its own thread that I'll start as soon as the gun is finished. I'm so excited

 

[DroidHunter]

[Zarlon[TK]]

I made some more progress tonight.

 

 

The first thing to tackle was the trigger. I wanted to shave some of it off to make it look more like the normal trigger but I might have gone a bit too far. I should definitely have enough room to fit a gloved hand in the trigger guard now.

 

 

After the trigger I worked on the front end. The rest of the tip needed to be cut off in order to glue the new front end I received from Doopy Doo. I also wanted to get this part done so I can take it into work and decide which new LED light i'll be using.

 

 

 

 

Next up...the front part of the scope needed to come off.

 

 

And last but not least, it was time to grind off that pesky 6th T-rail.

 

 

 

All in all it was a pretty successful night. I made a few mistakes but I think they can be fixed with Bondo and some sand paper. I'm still trying to decide if I want to try and find another trigger or just leave it as is. I'll sleep on it and make the decision later. No need to rush it.

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Looking good so far! I just got my DD kit and hasbro as well! Will be watching your build for tips! About to start taking off the scope ends myself :/ then attempt to take it apart

[Zarlon[TK]]

Ok I need some advice. I'm going to get the spray paint today and I know I want a grey primer and then silver for the base coat but for the black should I get flat or glossy? I'm planning on getting flat black unless you guys tell me differently. Also does any one brand work better than the others?

 

Thanks

[Zarlon[TK]]

Looking good so far! I just got my DD kit and hasbro as well! Will be watching your build for tips! About to start taking off the scope ends myself :/ then attempt to take it apart

Good luck! It was a little intimidating at first but once I got going it seemed to work out ok. I'm sure you will do fine!

[fuumantroop[TK]]

I got a metallic gray paint/primer all in one combo for plastic at walmart made by krylon, and flat black made by rustoleom for my build

[fuumantroop[TK]]

Good luck! It was a little intimidating at first but once I got going it seemed to work out ok. I'm sure you will do fine!

Yeah it was! I actually had no trouble getting the scopes ends apart. Going to run by radioshack today to look for those magnifying lenses today