My Crazy E11 Adventure

[QuartZ]

Sorry for the title, but I can't guarantee what I'm going to be posting in this thread, and as such I couldn't think of a better title . I just thought I should try and share it anyway.

 

First and foremost, I'm a newcomer here. So, "hello!" and thanks for welcoming me to this amazing community. I'm working on an ANH blaster replica and wanted to share my work/progress as I go. I ordered a Doopydoo's kit and I know I'll be waiting a while for it to arrive. I've also purchased a full set of Sterling SMG parts from Numrich Gun Parts. My goal is to create a nice blaster using whatever methods necessary.

 

Speaking of some of those methods, I'm modeling some parts in 3D using Fusion and while I'm just getting started, I thought I would show what I've got so far. I've spent a few hours going over images in the gallery (Aarons Blaster Compendium has been really helpful while I wait for my own set of real steel parts) and I'm pouring over info and measurements that others have given here and there. In the end, I'll use any help I can get! Nothing you see is set in stone, these parts are a work in progress and I'm 3D printing them frequently to check them out and make adjustments. Once I do lock the models down, I plan to print a master set, clean them up and make some nice silicone molds of my parts. Then I think I'll cast them in black resin for my build. On to some pictures:

 

Muzzle Assembly:

Front Sight Block:

Checking the Fit:

 

If you're wondering, the muzzle assembly in the first image intentionally incorporates the rolled receiver tube edge. I've seen others go this route, and I think it's a good way to get the business end looking correct with only a minor seam to fill to hide the transition. I've also added the return edge to simulate where that rolled edge would meet the muzzle itself. One of my goals with the front sight block was to include some of the small details I find missing on other models. For example, the bottom has curved edges, there is a semi-circular channel/cut running down both sides of the block that is not often reproduced, etc. I've probably got plenty wrong with what I've modeled. If you see something, ask/let me know so I can improve the models.

 

Some questions I have so far:

1. What are the actual bolt sizes used to hold the muzzle to the barrel? I'm guessing M5 bolts but I don't have my real Sterling parts yet to confirm.
2. Is the front sight block really asymmetrical when viewed from the "front"? Others show the top block area offset by a difference of 0.762mm. It looks like the top hole for the sight post is offset to compensate...but really?
3. Can anyone point me to some reference of how the barrel mounts to the muzzle from the back? I know the 2 bolts secure it, but I'm looking for anything else that helps define the mating/interface from the back.
4. I've seen 2 shallow impressions on the top of the muzzle positioned front/rear around the dove tail feature. They look to be used for set screws/alignment but can anyone shed some light on those?

Ok, I also ordered some 38.1mm OD aluminum tubes from one of my favorite resources: onlinemetals.com I ordered 2ft long tubes to cut down to length. They just arrived today and I only waited a day! I'm not affiliated with them at all, but here's a link in case others are interested: 

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=7012&step=4&showunits=inches&id=71&top_cat=60

 

I ordered 3 tubes and here's what I received:

And here's a rough print of the muzzle assembly in place:

 

Ok, I'm going to go back to working on the parts now and hope to have more to share soon! If anyone has any questions, words of wisdom/advice/encouragement, etc. please don't hesitate to chime in.

 

Thanks,

-Dana

Edited January 7, 2017 by QuartZ

[QuartZ]

Hey again,

 

I'm back after a quick break for some holiday family fun and I thought it would be best to start getting my receiver roughed in before getting too far into the detailed pieces. I also compensated for the rolled edge I'm incorporating into my muzzle assembly by cutting that end of the template short by 1.5mm (based on some info/measurements from T-Jay's thread on the Phoenix Props build). So with that in mind, here's what I was able to get done with a few spare hours this afternoon.

 

I wrapped one of my aluminum tubes with a printed out template (not cut to length yet, still 24" long):

 

Then i used a center punch to mark all the holes I was going to drill:

 

Next, I used a 1/8" drill bit on the drill press to drill pilot holes with the tube held by a small drill press vise and some wood blocks:

 

With all the pilot holes done, I used a "Unibit" to progressively enlarge the pilot holes to the proper dimensions:

 

Then I marked all of the locations of the key areas on the receiver in red, as well as marked upcoming cuts that I'll make next in red:

 

Everything still needs cleanup, I intend to complete all of the cuts and then tidy up the receiver tube with files/sandpaper. I'm really happy with how this part turned out. It was one of those milestones that feels good to get behind you. Until next time!

 

-Dana

Edited January 7, 2017 by QuartZ

[QuartZ]

Late in the week, I came home to a box that had something really cool inside. A chopped up Sterling!

 

The photo above isn't all of the parts, some are still in the dirty/greasy plastic bag that it was all packed in when I received it. I just threw most of it onto the table for a quick snap shot and I know the parts are really toughly aligned to each other. Never the less, it's pretty sweet to have an original. I've already compared some aspects of the receiver tube to the aluminum one I cut using templates found here and I can say that things are so close you'd have to take calipers to details to tell the difference (I know because I did). So that's great news. The rough muzzle assembly I modeled and printed is also really close to the real thing, I noticed a few things I want to tweak and will get back to that once the rest of my aluminum receiver cuts are complete.

 

Since the parts were so nasty, I've started to clean them using gun degreaser that I use on my other firearms. It's amazing how much debris, dirt, carbon buildup, etc. was on these parts. I had to do multiple passes (I still might do one more) These are pretty much clean:

 

I still plan to use these parts as reference for my 3D models but I may make molds off some of the parts. Still not sure.

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

I'm getting really close with the muzzle. Here's my latest test print which I'm considering is in the alpha stage. All the dimensions match my real sterling part and I'm just going to tweak the inner barrel clearance a hair and the same goes for the fit inside the receiver tube (both are a bit too tight). Once I make those changes, I'll run off another test and bolt it together (using the real sterling bolts and front mount of the barrel to ensure this fits together as it should).

 

I split up the muzzle into 3 pieces for better printing. They will be glued together and all the seams will be hidden during the cleanup/phase:

 

Here's a look at the model nearly complete (almost everything changed from the first screenshot I posted in this thread):

 

And here's the barrel mounting face as seen from the rear of the muzzle (inside the receiver tube):

 

I've also started working on the rear of the receiver end cap piece that holds the buffer tube spring in. I'll post pictures of the early stages of that 3D model later today.

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

I didn't get around to posting this yesterday like I thought I would, but here's where I'm at with the end cap so far:

 

And the other side with the ring mount:

 

I'm going to work on the more complex shapes on the underside next and then finish with the various cuts, tabs, grooves found inside the cap that interface with the receiver slots.

 

-Dana

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Looking GREAT, Dana, keep those pics coming!  

[Artshot]

Wow, great work, especially on the 3d modelling, looking forward to seeing how this comes together.

[Tee-Kay Fisto[TK]]

This looks like turning into another standout blaster build Dana. Keep up the great work. Watching this with great interest

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QuartZ]

Hey, thanks for the kind words! I have a bit more to share today.

 

I completed the rough cut on the receiver for the "cocking lever" toward the rear. A heavy-duty cutting wheel on the rotary tool allowed me to cut 2 lines and remove the center material. I took a file to it just to even up the edges, but as you can see I need to remove some material to match the diameter of the end closest to the ejection port. I can't wait to cut that part out next. Here's a look at where I left it:

 

I also managed to print off what I'm now considering the "beta" version of my front muzzle assembly. It fits better and everything mounted up nicely. In the first image below, I've used the real Sterling bolts to attach the printed parts to my cut up Sterling Barrel (the end piece). I then mounted the whole assembly in my aluminum receiver tube that I've been cutting (above). If you look close you can see the barrel from the front...notice the rifling in there?

 

This shot from the reverse lets you see the chopped end of the barrel through the holes I drilled. It looks pretty well centered and it's being held in place just as the real SMG had it held by the bolts inserted through the muzzle piece:

 

I do have some ideas for how I want to make my replica barrel, haven't started it, but in my head I have an interesting/novel idea. We'll see when I get there.

 

Next up, while I was working on the end cap piece (see earlier post) I took a quick break to whip up the locking mechanism for it. I may tweak a few tiny measurements, but I'll probably print it first to check it out "in-hand". The knurled pattern is not present on the 3D model (I'm thinking of adding it though). Here's the whole thing:

 

And here's a look at it from the under side including the little standoff features that mate it to the receiver via some holes that were drilled in the real Sterling:

 

And with the outer part hidden, you can see that I've also included the simple spring (in the 3D model it's in the compressed state to fit inside the other parts). I'll probably create a template to cut out of flat steel for my spring. But here's what that looks like:

 

Alright, so that's it for tonight. More to come later. And thanks for stopping in!

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

Ok, I'm back again.

 

So, I live in California and we can't purchase/possess high-capacity magazines for firearms. Luckily, I was able to find and legally purchase a Sterling 10rd magazine online which is still too long for an E11 so it should work just fine! Here's a pic of what that I received:

 

On to an update on the parts front. I made some slight adjustments to the clip/lock pieces and ran a test print as I mentioned I would in the last post. Below are a few images of it next to the real Sterling parts (the cap head screw is just to test fit and function):

 

 

I'm pretty happy with the result. I have some notes on a few aspects to tweak, but it's really close to the real thing. Of note is the range of motion for the lever part isn't the same as the real deal so I'm going to look into it and resolve the issue.

 

Alright, I'm off,

-Dana

[QuartZ]

Tiny update.

 

Our water heater stopped working. So, what I had hoped would be a productive weekend working on some Stormtrooper business (including the blaster) turned into a huge ordeal. Sigh. Anyway, I did at least get around to cutting out the ejection port area. I used a 1/8" drill bit to create a "dotted line" just inside of the black Sharpie markings I traced from the template. This was easy when clamped in the vise on the drill press. Once all those little holes were drilled, I took my Dremel and the cutting disc and connected the dots. Here's a look at the rough cut out:

 

 

With that done, I used a routing bit to clean it up and get a little bit closer to the black outline. Then I took some files (both flat and round) to the inside of the opening to clean up the cut. Here's the result:

 

I'll probably come back at the end and hit it with a bit of fine sandpaper (along with all of the cuts so far) just to really finish everything off at the end. Next, I need to cut the magazine opening opposite of the ejection port, cut the dovetail area for the front site, and there are a few small holes and odds/ends to do before I call the receiver tube complete. However, I feel like I'm getting pretty close now on this part. Wish me luck!

 

-Dana

[Tee-Kay Fisto[TK]]

Receiver tube is looking great. I hope mine looks as good when I actually manage to get started on it. Got the pipe and templates printed out correct size so just need to find the time now.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QuartZ]

Thanks Brian, I find it difficult to find the time as well. So I'm sure you're not alone there.

 

I forgot to mention, but I received my doopydoos kit in the mail a few days ago. I was surprised that I didn't have to wait too long. I think the kit arrived 1 month after I had placed my order. Not bad at all! While not perfect by any means, I have purchased and built a good number of resin kits in my time and the quality of this one is pretty good.

 

Here's a couple of photos of the parts laid out (I know the trigger and guard are backwards here, but this side up "looked" better for the photo):

 

And here's another from a different angle:

 

After examining the kit and thinking about where I am with my current scratch build, I don't think I'll be cannibalizing any parts from the doopydoos kit. In fact, I think I'll either build it and keep it or I'll sell/trade it here at a later date.

 

I ALSO receive a Hyperfirm B-Grade in the mail last night. I know...I know... it's raining E11 blasters around here. I'm nuts. But, I wanted to grab one of these to check out what all of the buzz is about. And, I thought it would be an appropriate trooping blaster for some occasions. I'll report back on that with photos in a little bit. I gotta get some coffee in me first.

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

I posted a review of the Hyperfirm B-Grade that I mentioned in my last post in a separate thread. You can check that out here:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/40513-hfx-hyperfirm-b-grade-e11-review/?p=541760

 

And for this thread, I'll just drop this photo of it:

 

Check out the other thread for the review. I'll be adding detail shots later.

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

Another small step completed. I had marked out the square cutout for the stock latch at the front underside of the receiver. I drilled a small hole in the middle of it, then used a Dremel with a small router bit to quickly box it out some, then finally I used some square and flat files (of the small variety) to get in there and finish it off. I frequently checked the dimensions against my real Sterling parts as I went.

 

This photo shows the first step:

 

And here's the final result:

 

I think I'll be moving to the magazine well cut opposite the ejection port next.

 

-Dana

[Tee-Kay Fisto[TK]]

Love the way this is coming along. I enjoyed building my doopy with lots of modifications to the standard kit. That is what got me in the mood for a pipe build which will get started one day. Decided I will try and finish my armour before starting on another blaster.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QuartZ]

Thanks again Brian. I keep checking your thread hoping to see you starting to cut your pipe. My armor won't be delivered until later in the year so I'm working on what I can for now. On that note, tonight I was able to make some more progress on my receiver tube. I nearly finished the last bit of filing for the slot that the charing handle (or cockling lever around here) move along. I say nearly because I think I could still shave off another 0.1mm and be within real Sterling tolerances. Speaking of real Sterling...I took my actual charging handle and put it in the rear hole (as if I was sliding it into the bolt) and below you can see how nice it fits and moves along the length of the slot using a real Sterling part to check my work. Enjoy:

 

Fits easily with very little play (not fully dropped in just to show the clearance at the largest diameter of the handle):

 

Here it's properly inside the receiver and I've moved it down the slot:

 

 

Finally, here's the handle stopped at the end of the slot to show a good fit with the end "hole" portion of the slot:

 

 

That's it, I think tomorrow morning I'll finally start cutting the magazine port opening. Then it's just a few other areas that need some holes/cuts and I'll be done with the receiver tube! Getting closer. Stay on target!!

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

Alright, I might get some more work in on this tonight but I'm not sure. I went back to my Sterling parts and took some measurements off the ejection port area and found that the templates are off by a good deal when it comes to the "height" of the opening. So I used my calipers to measure and route out some more material in the right areas to get it closer to the real deal. I also completed the minor filing of the charging handle slot to hit the clearance of the real receiver as well.

 

Here's what the ejection port looks like now. Much better shape (bonus you can see I'm starting to pilot holes on the other side for the magazine well opening):

 

Oh and when I remeasured the ejection port, I also thought it best to double check the magazine well opening before i started cutting. Well, it turns out the template isn't perfect there either. It's location is a bit off AND it really only tries to indicate where the outer edges of the well attach to the receiver. So with my trusty calipers again, I marked out a much more accurate set of lines to indicate where the hole should be:

 

Below you can see the rough cut after some drilling and Dremel cutoff wheel work. I try to get as close to the line as possible, knowing that the line still is inside the final dimension I'm looking to hit and that some additional filing is required to get the proper fit:

 

And here's what the hole looks like when I stopped filing. All nice and clean with a quick sand paper pass as well:

 

I've been using that 10-round magazine to check the fit. I kept filing a little bit at a time until the mag passed through the opening. Here's a shot that shows the magazine fully inserted (probably too far since I don't have the well which stops the magazine with the notch/catch. Anyway this let me know I had it good enough:

 

I've marked the proper distance for the center of the extractor hole. I know the diameter too, so I've just got to find the proper position with regards to centering it with the magazine feed hole I just finished. That should be pretty straight forward. Hope all these posts and pictures help someone (like Brian  hehe).

 

-Dana

Edited February 5, 2017 by QuartZ

[QuartZ]

I know...who is this new guy who keeps posting all of this crap? I'm trying to be better at documenting my builds. So, here's the next set of steps I took. I did a bunch of measuring and marked where the dovetail cut should be for my receiver. I noticed that the larger top hole closest to the back of the rear sight will be a bit closer than it should, but that's because I relied on the templates to be correct. Here's another place where it's close but not quite right. So, with some pen and Sharpie lines, I set myself up for the next set of cuts:

 

The tube marked up for the dovetail area. Again, I always cut to the black knowing it's a bit smaller that the final opening so that I can file my way to a good fit:

 

After a rough drilling to remove some material, notice one of the holes didn't go so well, so I stopped and went to the router bit on my Dremel before I made it worse:

 

A steady hand and a few minutes later had a rough cut of the dovetail area:

 

Then it was time to break out the various files. This time I used a combination of flat and "triangular" files (not the square cross section kind) to get into the corners and shape the dovetail. This took a decent amount of time. I went slow and wanted to make sure I didn't over do it since I wanted the front sight block to fit snug:

 

Here's the first time the rough 3D print front sight block (work in progress) fit through the opening. Once I got this to pass through I could tell that the rest of the work will be performed at the outer sides of the dovetail to continue to deepen the cut so that the sight block will pass through from the side properly (here I had to insert it from inside the tube):

 

I probably have a couple mm more to shave off each side (maybe less) in order to wrap this up. The alignment with the muzzle assembly from the inside also looks good already so I'm pleased that it's all coming together on the "business end". I may have to make a new set of templates for the E11 if I make another one from scratch. Too many little things that didn't seem right with the ones I used. They are very close though, just not a match the Sterling parts I have in hand. Could there be this much variance in real Sterlings?

 

-Dana

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

Not sure how I missed this but glad I've found it now! Really nice build so far!

 

I started working on a pipe build first but using PVC which failed. More recently I started a fusion project just like this but quickly realised a hand drill wasn't going to cut it for this project.

 

I'll be watching this with interest as I do want to start it again at some point! Would be excellent if you could share some of the accurate dimensions of the templates are off. I have a doopy doo but I'm not sure how accurate the castings will be for some stuff.

[Tee-Kay Fisto[TK]]

Hey Dana

 

Again Bravo. Outstanding work again. I wish I was in a position to get my hands on a real sterling but I can't justify the cost of a deactivated one right now. ....... maybe sometime. I've got more parts for my pipe build from Robert at stormtrooperblaster and I'll keep collecting until I have all I need. In the mean time I'm loving your build as it's my step by step guide when I get there. Armour first. Armour first. Armour first.

Have I convinced myself I mean have I convinced you of my priorities?

 

Brian

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[QuartZ]

I'm back!

 

As always, thanks for the kind words Chris/Brian. As I mentioned, I'll probably have to take some time later to sit down and create a few templates that attempt to correct what I've altered. I'd like to make sure that my build works out before I give anyone else advice on how they should build theirs. Maybe my adjustments are wrong and I just don't see/understand that yet. There are so many of you that I respect as "experts" that I don't feel comfortable saying that what I'm doing/discovering is "correct". I hope to be able to contribute those kinds of things as soon as I can validate my work/findings. But I do absolutely feel that I've gotta give back to this community!

 

Brian, I'm humbled to think that this will be used by anyone as a guide. It only encourages me to be more diligent and responsible with my posts (I try my best to be already). Armor (or armour to you) first? Hehe, I think you've convinced me to keep nudging you to cut that pipe you're prepping! Just kidding, I'm jealous you've got armor!! Hope you're having fun with that!

 

On a build related note, I just realized that I forgot to post these photos last update!? I'm slipping! Anyway, I got that hole drilled for the extractor. It was a simple hole next to the magazine opening:

 

Here's the Sterling extractor inserted into the hole to check the fit. It's snug but not too tight. When I build the magazine well I'll come back and test the fit and tweak if necessary:

 

In other news, I made some more adjustments to my end cap clip 3D model and the new version just finished printing. I'll post details about the changes (hopefully tomorrow morning). I think I fixed the last remaining issues with my 3D model, but only a quick assembly and test of the parts will really tell. Fingers crossed...

 

-Dana

[QuartZ]

On the end cap clip, if you read my earlier posts, I wasn't getting the full pivot of the lever when assembled with my alpha version prints. They were close...

 

I went back and reduced the size of the pivot pin in the assembly (and then the size of the hole that goes through the outer base part and the lever itself). The pivot hole in the lever used to be centered vertically and after examining disassembled Sterling parts it became clear that the hole is actually offset toward the bottom of the lever which raises the lever slightly above flush with the base if the two parts are aligned/level. All of this in turn creates additional possible rotation allowing for the range of motion I needed but wasn't getting with the old design. So here's what the latest 3D model looks like:

 

Here's a rough print. BTW, I say rough because I rush some prints at a higher print speed to test scale, rough fit, etc. so that I can iterate quickly. This faster print speed results in more undesired artifacts in the hard copy and when I do a more final print of the revised designs at slower speeds, the detail and cleanliness of the prints is much improved. Anyway, here you can see the angle is much better than before (hex key used as a temporary pivot pin):

Older version for reference: http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/40055-my-crazy-e11-adventure/#entry539473

 

That wraps it up for know, I'll probably go back to working on the front sight dovetail some more until I get that area to fit with the muzzle assembly installed properly. That will be a big step toward wrapping up the receiver tube.

 

-Dana

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

The attention to detail in such a small part is excellent to see, makes me want to start a new build!

[QuartZ]

Thanks again! I figured if I was going to model it I may as well try and get it right. In other news, I finished the dovetail slot for the front sight block and was able to test fit the whole muzzle assembly in the receiver tube and get the front sight block to slide in and out from the side as originally designed.

 

Here's what that feature looks like finished:

 

 

Next up, I think I'll start drilling the little holes for the front sight guard and flash guards (for those little nubs that act as locator pins to align these pieces correctly. Then I think I'm going to move on to the end cap area of the receiver to drill the remaining holes back there (end cap and clip related).

 

-Dana