DD full resin blaster kit build

[AgeOfStrife]

My DD full resin kit arrived this evening, the last 3 weeks since I ordered it seem to have taken ages to go by.

 

So far all I've done us checked all the parts were in the box, clean up the flash on a few parts (trigger, trigger guard, curved parts) and filed and sanded a few areas where the mould had blobs.

 

I've already got a piece of aluminium 1m x 20mm x 2mm) for the scope rail, and should be able to use a sliver for the front sight. I've also got some 6mm hex bolts for the muzzle. I've also got lots of odd screws and bolts in my tool shed so should have enough to replace all the screws visible in the resin.

 

And finally I've got a 8x20 cheap monocular, which cost £2.25 (around $3.50) on the way from China which has lenses which should be just the right size for the scope, thanks to Squimspickle for the suggestion in his scope build here: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/index.php?/topic/31359-M38-Scope-build-from-DD-resin

 

Obligatory box shot.

 

Rough filling and sanding of most pieces, and large parts placed to see how it looks. The parts are mostly really well cast, will only need a little filler.

 

 

Dan

[T-Jay[TK]]

Hey Dan,

 

was just about asking, if you would be intereested in a Completion Set, but it seems like you already have most of it already there.

 

Keep the pictures comming and good luck on your build

[AgeOfStrife]

Cheers T-Jay, I have looked at your kit thread a few times but I already had quite a bit of it, my spare screws and other bits I've built up over the past 20 years and have a wide variety of odds. Only thing I don't have is pipe for the bolt but I can get that easily enough from one of the many hardware stores near here.

 

Dan

Edited June 11, 2015 by AgeOfStrife

[T-Jay[TK]]

Fully agree with you, Dan. These sets do make more sense, if somebody has less (or even no) parts available.

 

Anyway, that's not the topic here. The real topic is your blaster build and I am already curious what you will make with yours...

 

Do you aim with your build for any special movie scene?

[AgeOfStrife]

Just looking to build it to display in my living room. Not going fit any particular scene, will be happy to just get it together without making breaking anything. Looked at plenty of other builds so will be making a few mods to it such as drilling the scope to take the monocular lenses, making the trigger work, and separating the block from the front sight. Also need to find a small piece of clear plastic for the Hengstler counter display.

 

I'll try to start working on it this weekend, first job will be to use the Dremel to clean up various parts and drill out the slot on the folding stock. I'll also likely drill out the barrel holes even though they are under the stock.

 

Still need to figure out how to convince my wife that we need a new display cabinet to put the helmet and blaster in. And the Tomy/Marmit 12" Stormtrooper figure I've got on the way from Japan

 

Dan

Edited June 12, 2015 by AgeOfStrife

[AgeOfStrife]

My boss let me have a rummage in the workshop today and I've got far more bits I can use now. I originally wasn't going to go too far with this, but with these bits I can go all out. Various grub screws, slotted head screws for the scope and counter, springs for the trigger, pretty much everything I was after was there. Also picked up a 20mm PVC conduit to use inside the barrel.

 

I'm even tempted to build a working folding stock, there are only a few moving parts and it wouldn't take much to separate the resin stock into the two main parts, the cubes which pivot, and a piece of aluminium tube. I might mock it up in plastic card first as I've got plenty kicking around.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Started on trying to make a working stock. Not sure if it's going to be a success, but I'd kick myself if I built the blaster and didn't at least try to make it as best I could. Couldn't find square U shaped channel in the size I wanted, so used L shaped glued together. This needed a little trimming to get both sides to match up, but it came together OK. The arms were heated with a hair dryer to add the bends. A second layer of PVC was glued on to reinforce the arms and help retain the bend.

 

 

 

The dowel will get replaced with since plastic or aluminium tube, but helps to make sure I've lined everything up and adds pressure to the extra PVC to help the gluing. I've used PVC Weld which should bind the surfaces together. I've also made a start on the shoulder plate but I'm not sure it'll work yet.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

The really cheap 8x20 monocular I ordered from China arrived today. Took only a few minutes to dismantle, and it has one 22mm lens and two 11mm, so I'll have a small one left over. Next step will be drill out the resin scope and figure out how to fit them.

 

 

 

Update: drilled out the small end with a 10mm wood bit, but wasn't quite large enough so had to use a Dremel sanding bit to make it a fraction of a mm larger. This was then drilled out again with a 10mm normal bit to remove the small recess left by the tip of the wood bit, and to give it more depth. The lens fits perfectly, I had to carefully pry it out after a photo as it was such a tight fit. It won't go back in until the scope has been painted.

 

 

The larger lens will be more of a problem as its 21mm, which is an IDD size. I've started drilling out with a 22mm wood bit which is a little too large, and will add a very thin layer of epoxy putty or ABS putty to the inside edge to get a good fit. I used a 16mm wood bit to add more depth, and then the Dremel to sand the step to a bevel so it looks smooth from the outside.

 

 

Next job is to clean up any casting issues, and drill out the screws to replace with real ones. Then it should be ready for painting and detailing.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

No drilling tonight, but I did go through all of the screws I'd gathered and realised I was missing the two small screws from the front of the scope. Find an old mains plug in the kitchen drawer and inside the terminal screws are the perfect size. They're brass so should be OK, a search on Google images appears to show both brass and steel screws being used on scopes. I'll use the brass ones for now, but if they need to be steel I should be able to find some in my tool shed, or in one of the ceiling light fittings around the house, in a small "choc block".

 

Hopefully all the screws I'll need:  

 

Even found a brass screw for the free/lock with the perfect length to fit all the way through the grip, and a domed nut to fit it to replace the blob on the opposite side of the grip. Once painted up it'll look pretty much the same as the blob, but I'll know it's a real nut and my growing OCD will be curbed

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Made a little more progress today. Drilled and replaced screws on the scope and the magazine receiver. Drilled and fitted hex bolts to front of barrel, and bolted stock on. Drilled out the recess on the stock, and holes on bottom of barrel. Screwed magazine receiver and grip to barrel to test fit. So far no glue used, all of the screws are fitted in close fitting holes and have cut their own threads.

 

 

 

Still lots to do, but it's starting to look like a blaster.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Only a little more done this weekend. Started on the bolt and spring. The spring is an old coat hanger wrapped around a wood dowel. The bolt is some 20mm PVC conduit which has been cut lengthways and then had two smaller pieces inserted inside to push it out to 21mm and fit snugly inside the DD core pipe. Wood dowel inside allows the handle to be screwed in flush with the outer pipe.

 

 

 

Next I'll get the trigger fitted and the grip reattached, then I can line up the rear sight ready to get the scope rail cut.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Got a little more done today. Drilled out the screws in the grip, and pinned the trigger so it works, although haven't glued and trimmed the pin yet. There's also a small spring on the back of the trigger. Also used a cut nail for the ARS selector switch, with a hole that it fits tightly into so won't fall out.

 

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Worked on shaping the front sight, used the Dremel to take out most of the resin, and then shaped the end of a screw using a metal cutting disc into a sight pin.

 

 

 

Also made a scope rail, and drilled the rear sight to fit a screw. Also sanded of the strip on the ejector but didn't take a photo, will add a new strip of thin plastic in the correct position. So far everything is screwed on, nothing glued yet.

 

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Got the scope mounted to the rail, and a small steel bracket cut to fit the counter. I've tried placing the counter to match most of the photos I found online, with the rear of the counter aligned with the rear of the scope and the top of the counter aligned with the middle of the scope height.

 

 

 

 

Does the counter look to be in the right position?

 

Lots of little bits still to do, looking forward to the final dismantle to wash all the parts, glue where required, and get some paint on it.

 

Dan

[T-Jay[TK]]

Hey Dan, the height of your counter looks good to me, but I would move it a bit more forward, just enough to have it convering the scope's rear foot when looking from the side.

[AgeOfStrife]

Thanks T-Jay. I'll try and adjust it tomorrow and post up new pics.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Picked up some T plates from the local DIY store, and with a bend, a cut, and a hole drilled the counter is shifted forward so it's back edge I'd lined up with the rear of the scope mount.

 

 

It's more rigid too as its now held by both scope screws rather than just the back one.

 

Got a small (55mm x 65mm) piece of 3mm perspex for 99p today, enough to make 4 or 5 counter displays. Will have a go at one over the weekend, hopefully I can shape and polish it without to much trouble.

 

I've got a box of spare stuff building up, should be almost enough to detail a pipe build in the future

 

Dan

Edited September 14, 2020 by gmrhodes13

[AgeOfStrife]

Lots of progress today, but didn't get chance to take many pics. Scope rail, inner barrel (made from a metal tube from wind chime, with bits if PVC pipe glued to each end so it fits snugly into the DD barrel), and stock are painted black and hanging to dry. Bolt pieces have been glued together, and ejector port bolt strip has been added using green stuff, and a matching piece added to the bolt.

 

 

 

 

Scope has been undercoated, need to get some brass paint before continuing with it. Not sure whether to spray it brass, then black, and use a little sandpaper to weather it, or paint it black and then drybrush with brass.

 

The counter is going to wait for a bit as I've just ordered a D-94 6 digit counter from from China for £2.30 (about $3.50), when it arrives I'll hollow out the resin counter and figure out how to fit the parts.

 

Until it arrives I can still get the parts glued to the outer barrel, and get the power cylinders prepped and pinned. I can also get everything painted ready for the final assembly.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

I think I've finished with the scope. The painting is done, with a brass undercoat, and black top coat with the underside of the feet masked with tape and the tiny screw heads with blutac. A few areas got a quick rub with fine sandpaper, and the lettering with some white acrylic paint. Finally a satin clear coat sealed it all to help prevent chipping.

 

http://www.ageofstrife.com/download/file.php?id=3050&mode=view

 

http://www.ageofstrife.com/download/file.php?id=3051&mode=view

 

Finally the front screws and lenses were put in. No glue was used, the screws have cut their own threads, and the lenses were a very tight fit - I didn't think they were going to go all the way in.

 

Also now have a magazine from gazmosis ordered, so can't finish the blaster till it arrives. Got a few details to sort out yet though. Hopefully another couple of weeks and I'll have it finished.

 

Dan

[T-Jay[TK]]

Your paintjob on the scope looks good and the lenses are looking really nice!

 

Maybe you can paint the two small screws on the front in silver/grey as these weren't brass. But that's just a very minor detail.

 

Looking forward to your next update...

[AgeOfStrife]

I did find some photos a few weeks ago with brass screws for those, but i can't find them now. I'll look at painting them when I've got everything else done.

 

Dan

[T-Jay[TK]]

Did these pictures show an original scope? Just asking because so far I haven't seen brass screws in those 2 holes on originals, but I might be wrong...

[AgeOfStrife]

I thought they were originals, but I could be wrong. I'll try and find them again at the weekend.

 

I think I've got a small choc block kicking around in my tool shed with the right size and colour screws, so might be able to get away without having to try to paint them.

 

Dan

[AgeOfStrife]

Got a magazine from gazmosis today, the detail on it is amazing. Took a little while to open up the receiver, used my Dremel with a couple of different sizes routing bits.

 

 

I'm really happy with how this has come out, much better than the plain mag that comes with the DD kit.

 

Made a bit of a mess in the garage though ....

 

 

Dan

[hupspring[TK]]

Looks great, I need to order one of those soon. How much of the mag receiver do you have to grind out to fit it?

 

That picture of the mess is why I need to start doing this stuff outside or in the garage...I've been doing it in the house over a small trash can and I have to keep a vacuum handy at all times.