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Plainsrunner

Sandtrooper
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Everything posted by Plainsrunner

  1. Shot in the dark here, but does anyone here have the willingness and capability of making a scope rail and counter bracket for the bapty? I'm willing to pay! I'm just trying to save myself some work and heartache while I try to figure it out. I pretty much have everything else I need to complete this minus the grip (which I'll continue to pursue) and the rail + bracket. I can do it myself but after countless hours grinding out welds and smoothing out the metal for painting I'm thinking I would pay for the rail/bracket if I can find someone that can do them.
  2. ** I also still have issues with my shoulders and upper back hurting with the field pack. I have ordered an upper back/neck support brace and will try that out on Thursday night. If that helps with the field pack, even just a little bit, then I'll be set from now on!
  3. I have a real Hengstler on the way to me. I also have a power cylinder built from real parts on the way to me. The only thing that eludes me is the scope (and of course the solid aluminum grip).
  4. Concessions I'm making in this build: 1. (permanent concession) -- I'm going to cut the back end of the blaster off and insert an aluminum tube into the shaft and then re-attach the back end of the gun. The originals, we think, had the back end cut off and replaced with a solid aluminum cast of the rear end of the gun. I'm opting to keep the original Sterling parts back there for two reasons: I don't have the heart to separate them, and coming up with an aluminum cast billet of the back end will be extremely challenging. 2. (temporary) -- I'm going to use a realistic reproduction for the scope while I try to find a real one at a less than ridiculous price. At the moment I can't even find the correct one to purchase even if I was willing to throw a ridiculous amount of money at it.
  5. After doing some research -- I think there are two schools of thought on the barrel for these Tunisian blasters: 1. wooden replacement barrel. This seems to stem from one non-screen used auction of a Bapty that had a wooden replacement barrel installed. 2. No barrel. This theory is supported by the fact that the DLT and other rifle versions from the Tunisian shots lacked barrels completely. Also, the e11's lacked the screws at the end of the shroud that would hold a barrel in place. I'm leaning towards no barrel at the moment. We could all be partially right (and wrong) and the different blasters had multiple configurations, but there isn't enough film to determine that.
  6. Birmingham Barons Star Wars Night on 5/18 Each time I troop I learn a little more about what works. A constant source of frustration has been the bucket and the headset. I'm sure most of you have experienced the battery getting in the way of you putting on and taking off your helmet. I'm also sure that this process presents issues with keeping your headset in the right position on your head. I solved both of these issues by moving the battery and the headset to a velcro mount in the front of the helmet under the mouth. I also solved the lack of control over my helmet by mounting a hardhat suspension (the inside straps) into my helmet and secured the mounting bracket with industrial velcro. I first tried hot glue but the process of putting on and taking off my helmet would break the mounts off. With velcro if they come loose you just put them back on. I tried my new configuration at the Barons game Star Wars night this past Friday. At any given time I had 100 people standing in line for pictures. This was the first time a large number of the Garrison officers were present to see my wife performing handling duties and they were amazed at the job she did. All kinks with the helmet have been worked out. The ONLY remaining issue is getting my voice effects loud enough to be heard in a public environment without resulting in feedback. I'm working on what urgently this week. Obligatory photo of the troop:
  7. Current situation: Gun is sanded for the most part. Just a couple place left to take care of. I found an aluminum tube to go into the body that fits. I have ordered an authentic (genuine) Hengstler Eagle Counter and it's on the way. I've ordered a power cylinder style "D" that is made from actual parts. The scope my brother had turned out to NOT be the correct scope. M38s are extremely hard to come by. I can't even find one to purchase even if money was no object. My search will continue for a genuine M38 scope to mount on the blaster, but until that time I've ordered a high quality reproduction made of metal. Left to do and figure out: 1. scope rail 2. counter mount bracket 3. aluminum solid cast grip (my plan at this point is to use the stock grip until such time that I can figure out how to make one or find a place to buy one. 4. after I figure out the grip I'll fabricate the bapty trigger guard So my bapty will be a work in progress for a while it seems when it comes to authenticity. I'll lack the grip, the trigger guard, and the authentic scope (though I will have a very accurate reproduction for the scope).
  8. Ok...so I did Birmingham Barons Star Wars night with my new configuration inside my helmet. Worked GREAT! I had no trouble putting on and removing my bucket and the mic worked. Now I just have to overcome some feedback in order to get it loud enough for a busy event like that. I think I've done that in the settings over the past 24 hours. I can (at least in an ideal environment of one of the quiet rooms of my house) talk very loudly right near the speaker without feedback. So I think I've found the magic mix. Also worthy of note -- I ditched the RS Propmasters neck seal that has the leather-like material for a cloth neck seal that some here said they used. This did wonders for my neck not being stiff. The hard hat strap inside my helmet also gives me control of the bucket while it's on my head. Trooping is becoming MUCH more enjoyable.
  9. Also, because the cut went RIGHT ACROSS the mount groove for the end cap, I had to re-create that grove so that the cap would go back on.
  10. It's "moving along" Most of the welds are now ground down and sanded. Still some more sanding/smoothing to go while I wait for parts to come in.
  11. I wouldn't be surprised if they fabricated them on-site in the desert for the scenes. Seems like what they did out there.
  12. According to this site: http://www.originalprop.com/blog/movie-guns/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope/ They were custom fabricated aluminum grips.
  13. Hmm... I was under the impression that it was aluminum. I guess I need to do more research. I'm afraid substituting resin as a handle will be a major weak point in the gun with the rest of it being heavy metal. I can see where that might go sideways if you carry it around enough.
  14. I think it would be more efficient to come up with a standard patch set template for the hats and let people purchase a generic hat of their choice. Make the unofficial standard be 'boonie' and then come up with a boonie template where there guidance is smaller shield patch (when available), TD number patch, and extra mag optional or something like that.
  15. Ah... I was only responding to several posts in different threads suggesting that we wouldn't be able to even consider a new sized patch(or other items) until the mythical merchandising freeze was over. I totally understand workload and management. That's an entirely different matter altogether and totally understandable.
  16. Continuing on my grinding and sanding. The body was cut right along the groves in the back where the end cap goes, and thus it was welded back together where the end cap goes which erased one of the grooves for the cap. I had to use a dremmel tool to recreate the groove shape so that it would go on. After much cursing and gnashing of teeth I was successful. Grinding and sanding continues tomorrow. Meantime: I have the proper power cylinder incoming (style D), and made from real components. I also have a real eagle counter on the way. Also...I have a real magazine on the way. It will pain me to cut that thing into a quarter to insert a wood block inside of it -- but it must be done.
  17. My plan now: 1. finish everything else 2. Use stock Sterling grip until I can figure out a solution or find a solution
  18. Ok... I think I have my audio issues sorted out. I'm going to do further testing this afternoon but I think I finally have it licked. HUGE test coming this Friday as it's Star Wars Night at the local minor league baseball team game.
  19. Well, the past 24 hours I've been searching the globe for the aluminum grips. Let me take you through my journey: First I posted here and at Whitearmor. I received tips that a few people have indeed built these things in the past, but typically it was several years ago. I made contact with Field Marshal and he says he will be looking at making them next year. So that's a dead end for me at the moment. I then managed to join the Facebook group linked above for Bapty builds. They referred me to an admin named Felix who has an accurate Bapty. He got his grips from a gentleman off theRPF forums, and gave me his contact information. I emailed him and also created an account over there. I also posted for help on RPF and got a tip on a forum member that molded some. I have a message into him as well. So that is where I stand at the moment. I'm hoping either the forum member or the contact Felix provided to me gets back in touch. Contingency plans? Use the stock grips until Field Marshal comes out with his grip? Sand down the stock grips so that they look smooth like a bapty grip? Not sure......
  20. Congrats! That's three new deployed troopers (including me) in the last month or so.
  21. Just need the 501st to clear up this stupid merchandising drama so we can get a smaller patch made.
  22. Not a fan of the white bucket. I really think it should be a boonie. I favor Coyote but I'm not opposed to allowing choice of coyote, black, or green.
  23. I also saw this and it looks terrible.
  24. The problem is that I’m not sure how to ensure the shape is correct if I try to melt one down myself.
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